VERSES: Exodus 9:1-7
MEMORY VERSE: Exodus 9:3 "Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Jonah. Write "Jonah" on slips of paper and pass out to the students at the end of class.
PRAYER: Thank the LORD for helping those who are sick and cannot come to Bible class.
SPECIAL SONG: Be Patient And Kind (see April - Joseph Meets His Brothers Who Hated Him)
VISUAL AID: Pictures of Horses, Camels, Oxen, and Sheep
LESSON POINTS:
- There have been many times when Pharaoh had the opportunity to save himself and his people the pain and suffering that they endured due to refusing to obey God. For someone who had seen with their very own eyes the water turned to blood, the frogs in their home, the lice all over their body, and the flies that were so thick that they did damage to the cities, it would seem that Pharaoh would do whatever it was to keep from something bad happening again. But Pharaoh did not learn.
- God told Moses to go into Pharaoh's court and say that the LORD of the Hebrews said to let His people go, so that they would serve him. God said that if Pharaoh refused, then God would send a cattle disease called murrain that would make the horses, camels, oxen and sheep die. Any cattle in the field would die of the disease if Pharaoh would not let God's people go. God said that He would make a difference in the Egyptian cattle and the Hebrew cattle. He said that nothing at all would die of the children of Israel's. God was the one who set the time when the disease began which would be the next day.
- That next day, the LORD caused the murrain to begin and all of the cattle of the Egyptians died. Pharaoh sent someone to check on the Hebrew cattle and let's see what happened to God's people's cattle. Let's turn to Exodus 9:7. (Read verse.) Let's put out bookmarks right here. What happened to the Hebrews' cattle? That's right! Not even one of the Israelite's cattle had died. Not even one! But, that was not enough proof for Pharaoh that the LORD was God over all of the earth. Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not let the people go.
- Let's see if we can say all of the plagues of Egypt in order. What was the first plague? The water turned to blood. What was the second? Frogs. What was the third plague? Lice. What was the fourth plague? Flies. And what was the fifth plague today? Murrain. Let's write it on our chart. We shall see if Pharaoh listens to God next time.
"Older Student" Tips:
- Explain that when we hear the word "cattle" today, we usually think of cows, but back in the Old Testament times, horses, camels, oxen and sheep were all valuable types of cattle.
ACTIVITY: The Cattle Die Of Murrain
Materials needed: 9" x 12" any color of construction paper, scraps of dark brown, light brown, black, and white construction paper, scissors, glue, crayons. Optional: Clip art of horses, oxen, camels, and sheep.
- Pass out the 9" x 12" construction paper to each student. This is the background.
- Either print out clip art of the above types of cattle or let the students draw their own and cut them out. Remember, great artists are not needed, only illusionists! If there is trouble distinguishing what the student has drawn, just label the animals!
- Color the fields on the background (see picture).
- Glue cattle to background.
- Either draw "X"'s for the cattle's eyes, showing tat they are deceased, or draw a red "X" on each animal.
- Write "Murrain - Plague #5" and "Exodus 9:1-7" at the top of the paper.
