Moses

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The Ten Commandments

Many years after Joseph died, the Israelites in Egypt were being treated very harshly by the Egyptians. The pharaoh did not like that they were having so many children and growing in number, so he made them work very hard and ordered to kill all baby boys born into a Hebrew family. The Israelites were being tormented by the Egyptians and God heard their suffering and planned to help them leave.

There was a Israeli couple who loved and obeyed God. They had a baby boy and hid him for 3 months so he would not be killed. As the baby got older, they could not keep him hiding any longer. So, his mother made a basket out of reed and put the baby in it and placed the basket in the Nile river, while his older sister watched. Pharaoh's daughter had come to bath in the river, when she found the basket floating. She asked her servants to bring the basket to her, when she opened it she saw it was a beautiful baby boy, she knew it was one of the Israelites, but she wanted to keep him anyway. She named him Moses. Moses was adopted by pharaoh’s daughter and lived with her in pharaoh’s house. He was taught and trained in the ways of the Egyptians but knew he was an Israelite.

One day when Moses was older, he saw how his people were being mistreated by the Egyptians and got fed up. He saw and Egyptian beating one of his own people and accidentally killed the Egyptian. Moses ran away because he knew pharaoh would be angry if he found out what he had done. He reached the city of Midian and settled there. He later married and became a shepherd. One day while he was tending to his sheet God spoke to him in a burning bush.

Moses heard a voice coming from the bush, “Moses, Moses” the voice said. “Here I am” said Moses as he got closer to the bush. "Don't come any closer, take off your sandals because you are in the presence of God. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. I have seen all the pain my people have had to go through in Egypt. I have heard their prayers and want to save them from their slavery. I want to take them to another place where there is lots of good land and plenty of milk and honey. So Moses, I am sending you to free the Israelites from Pharaoh." So God instructed Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go. He will be very stubborn and it will take many signs and miracles before he will let you go; but everyone will know that I am God when he finally frees the Israelites." Moses was not sure he was the right person for the job, but God told Moses that He will send Aaron, his brother to help him.

So Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh and told him that God commanded him to let the Israelites go, but Pharaoh refused to listen so God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh unless he let the people go, that He will send many plagues on the Egyptians. So God sent 10 plagues, each time Moses went back to Pharaoh and made the same request; at first Pharaoh would ask Moses to pray to God to stop the plague, and when it stops, he would harden his heart and back down on his promise and refuse to let anyone go. Each plague was worst than the other, first the waters of the Nile turned into blood, then frogs filled the land, then Gnats destroyed the herd, followed by swarms of flies, then the Egyptian livestock were all killed, then God sent boils on all the people, this was followed by thunder and hail storm, then the locust eat all the grain, then came complete darkness.

As the Israelites reached the red sea, they saw that Pharaoh’s army was chasing them and became very scared because now they were trapped between the army and the sea. But God told Moses to reach out his staff into the water, and when he did an amazing thing happened. The water split into two!

The water lifted itself and made huge walls of water and the people passed through to the other side.

But when Pharaoh’s army tried to passed, the waters fell on them and they all died. That was the day the Lord saved the Israelites from the Egyptians. When the Israelites saw what God had done for them they trusted Him, and they knew that Moses would be a good leader for them as they traveled to the land flowing with milk and honey.

God lead His people as they journeyed to the promised land. He appeared to them as a pillar of fire by night and a dust cloud by day, and the people moved when He moved and rested when He stopped. But the people stared to get restless and weary and started to complain to Moses that they are getting tried and wanted to have the food they used to have in Egypt. So God sent them Manna in the morning to eat as bread, and pigeons to each as meat. But they continued to complain. Moses left them for 40 days and went up to Mount Sinai to be with the LORD. So Moses spoke to God and God gave him the 10 Commandments which were God’s laws for everyone to follow.

It took the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness before they reached the promised land because of their disobedience and lack of faith.

The 10 Commandments:

1. Love God with all your heart, put God first

2. Worship only God everything else is an idol

3. Use God’s name with respect

4. Remember God’s Sabbath

5. Honor your Mother and Father

6. Do not murder or hurt others

7. Be faithful in marriage

8. Do not steal

9. Do not lie

10. Don’t be envious of others

Remember God is faithful to those who trust in Him.

Finally God told Moses to tell His people "The Israelites must kill their best sheep or goat. Then they are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and tops of the doors on their houses. On that same night I will pass through Egypt like a ghost and take the life from every first born. If I see blood on the doorway that will be a sign for me to pass over the house and keep all who are inside safe.

This day will always be known as the Passover, because you were passed over and kept safe by God. You will continue to celebrate this day for many years." And so it happened, the first born of every Egyptian was killed, even Pharaoh's son. So Pharaoh finally gave up and told Moses to take the people and leave Egypt.

All the people took their belonging and left Egypt in haste. Pharaoh changed his mid once again and had his soldiers chase after the Israelites.

Syriac Orthodox Sunday School of North America

ܡܕܪܫܬܐ ܕܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܕܣܘܪ̈ܝܝܐ ܬܪ̈ܝܨܝ ܫܘܒܚܐ ܒܐܡܪܝܟܐ ܘܟܢܕܐ