As we get back to the story of Moses, we find that Moses and the Israelites were stuck.
Moses and the People Needed to Be Rescued
Remember, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Moses and Aaron kept asking for the release of the Israelites, but Pharaoh refused. As a result, God brought 10 plagues on the Egyptians. The plagues were terrible: water was turned to blood, the animals and farms of Egypt were destroyed, and the land was covered with insects. The final plague resulted in the death of Pharaoh’s firstborn son. After the last plague, Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go.
Pharaoh Changed His Mind
Unfortunately for the Israelites, Pharaoh changed his mind. He didn’t want the Israelites to leave. He didn’t want to lose his slaves.
Exodus 14:5 When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked.
Pharaoh sent his army after the Israelites in order to get them back. When the Israelites realized what was happening, they panicked because they were trapped on one side by the sea and on the other side by the Egyptian army. But that is when God stepped in.
God Delivers His People
God does something that no one saw coming. God saved his people by parting the waters of the sea, and allowing the people to pass through it. God sent a huge wind that cut a pathway through the middle of the sea. When the Egyptian army came in after them, Moses closes the sea and God delivered his people.
Exodus 14:27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea.
Not only did God free his people, but he destroyed the whole Egyptian army. So, what does this story mean for us?
God Will Deliver You From Your Sin
The exodus is an amazing story that teaches us how God wants to rescue us. Just like the Israelites we also get trapped in slavery: slavery to sin, addiction, and other forms of bondage. When you are stuck in sin it can feel like there is no way out. You need God to deliver you. And the good news is that he will if you ask him for help.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
If you are struggling with sin, bring your problems to God. Ask God for help and he will help you. Also, talk to your mentor and others you trust in your small group. Be honest about what you are struggling with. Let them pray for you and hold you accountable. This is one of the ways that God delivers us, through the help of other people.
Don’t face problems on your own or ignore them. Let God rescue you just like he rescued Moses and the Israelites.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- If you could have witnessed any of the miracles of the Bible in person, which one would it be? Why?
- Have you ever been in a situation where you realized that you couldn’t save yourself? Explain what happened.
- Read Exodus 14:21-22. What do you think the Israelites were thinking as they walked through the middle of the sea?
- Read Psalm 46:1. How does the story of Moses teach us that God is “our refuge and strength?”
- How have you seen God be your “refuge and strength” in your life?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
