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.
Bible: Read Exodus 14:10-31 and 19:1-8 with your family.
Family Activity 1:
Teaching Time: 12 minutes
Materials: bucket/tub/pool, water
Fill a bathtub, small pool, or large bucket with water. Challenge your children to attempt to part the water. Be creative – use your hands, tools, containers, toys, etc.
Discuss:
1. Were you able to part the waters? Is it possible for human hands? What kind of power would it take to do it?
2. What miracles of Jesus demonstrated His power over water? (see Matthew 8:23-27, John 6:18-20) How do these miracles reflect who Jesus is?
Family Activity 2:
Teaching Time: 15 minutes
Materials: treat that will fit in your pocket (candy, gum, etc.), five pieces of paper with arrows on them
Beforehand, hide the treat in your pocket. 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 parent with the treat. Hold up the remaining sign so that the arrow points directly at the pocket holding the treat. Invite the children to return and look for the treasure again. When they find it, enjoy eating the treat. Why was it 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 other people to God.
Discuss:
1. Read 1 Peter 2:9. Peter wrote this passage to believers. As believers, how is our purpose similar to the purpose God gave the people of Israel? According to this verse, what should be our motivation for sharing Jesus with others?
2. 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.
