Moses goes to Pharaoh to ask him to let the Israelites go free.
Moses was reluctant to go to Pharaoh and pleaded with God to send someone else. God said, “You have been chosen. Take your brother Aaron with you he will do the speaking, and I will give you the words that have power to work wonders. I am the living God?”
Moses and his brother Aaron went to Pharaoh to ask him to allow the Israelites go into the desert for a festival. The Pharaoh said to the men I don’t know your God, “I will not let the Israelites go free “
Pharaoh was so angry that he decided to punish the Israelites. Instead of giving the Israelites straw to make their bricks with they now had to go and find the straw to mix with the clay but Pharaoh demanded that they made the same amount of bricks. So the Israelites had to work twice as hard.
In despair, Moses cried out to God for help. God promised Moses that he would punish Pharaoh. God sent Moses to Pharaoh to tell him that God would bring terrible trouble to Egypt if he did not do as God asked.
Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh, Aaron threw his stick down and it became a snake. But the Egyptian magicians could do the same, so Pharaoh was not impressed and sent the men away. God continued to send warnings to Pharaoh, but he would not listen. Then God took action.
First the water in the River Nile turned blood red. It smelt terrible and all the fish died.
A week later God sent a swarm of frogs and the whole of Egypt was covered in frogs. Pharaoh begged Moses to get rid of the frogs, but as soon as the frogs had left Pharaoh went back on his word and would not let the Israelites go free.
Next came a swarm of flies. They were everywhere except in Goshen where the Israelites lived. Pharaoh told the Israelites to go, but then he changed his mind.
Then all the cattle in Egypt began to die. Except the cattle belonging to the Israelites that were in the area of Goshen. Then all the people got painful boils even the magicians. But Pharaoh still refused to let the Israelites go.
Again Moses and Aaron went to plead with Pharaoh. They warned him and told him what God had said. “You have not seen my power, there is more trouble to come if you do not let the Israelites go.
Then God sent hail that flattened the crops and killed the cattle. After that God sent swarms of locusts which ate every plant. Then after that there was complete darkness for three days. But Pharaoh still would not let the Israelites go.
Then God spoke to Aaron and Moses he told them that every house hold must choose either a young goat or lamb without any marks. If the family was too small the meat was to be shared with their neighbour. On the fourteenth day of the month they were to paint their door posts with blood. That night the animal was to be roasted and eaten with bitter herbs. When the meal was finished the whole family was to be dressed ready to travel. This is the Passover festival to honour the Lord.
That night God said, “I will go through the land of Egypt, killing every first-born male, both human and animal. But the houses with blood painted on their doorposts I will Passover. I will punish the Egyptians.”
God told the Israelites that they must celebrate this day as a Religious Festival to remind them of how God saved their lives and brought them out of Egypt.
Next week
Next week before read how God parted the Red Sea, we are going to look at the Passover Festival. This festival is held each year to honour the lord because he passed over the houses of the Israelites.
We celebrate the Passover Festival each year during Holy Week because we recognise that throughout history God has saved us, his people. When the time was right God sent his Son Jesus Christ to be our saviour. In the Passover meal God our Father reveals all that God, in his goodness has done for us.
Revd Peta May
