A Kingdom of Priests Declared- Israel After Egypt (Exodus 19:5-6)
Israel left Egypt and traveled towards the Red Sea. When Pharaoh’s army pursued them, God miraculously parted the water, allowing his people to cross over on dry land. The people of Israel set up camp near Mount Sinai. Moses, their leader, went up to meet with God on the mountain. God gave Moses a message for his people. God recounted the way he had cared for them and made a new promise to his people. Out of all nations, they would be God’s treasured possession. Then God gave them a purpose. Israel would be for God a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Through them, God would continue to fulfill his promise to Abraham to bless all the nations of the earth.
Family Activity
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Activity Time: 15 minutes
Materials: a small treat for each member of the family (candy, gum, etc.), five pieces of paper with arrows on them
Beforehand, hide the treats in a hard-to-find place. Tell your children that you’ve hidden a small treasure somewhere in the room. Give them 2 minutes to hunt for it. When they can’t find it, tell them you will make the hunt easier. Ask them to leave the room until you call them. Use four arrow signs to make a path across the floor leading toward the place with the treat. Hold up the remaining sign so the arrow points directly at the treat. Invite the children to return and look for the treasure again. When they find it, they can enjoy eating the treat. Ask them why it was easier to find the treasure the second time. As the people of Israel entered Canaan, they brought a treasure with them – the knowledge of the one true God. The people of the land, however, did not know of the true God and would never find him on their own. When God called the people of Israel a kingdom of priests, he was identifying their purpose. They were not to hide their treasure but to act as arrows, pointing others to God.
Bible:
Read Exodus 14:10-31; 19:1-8, and 1 Peter 2:9 with your family.
Discuss:
1. As believers, how is our purpose similar to the purpose God gave the people of Israel?
2. According to 1 Peter 2:9, what should be our motivation for sharing Jesus with others?
3. In what ways can our family point other people to God?
Pray:
Ask God to make your family like arrows that point others to God Almighty.
