12. Burning Bush
Exodus 3, 4:1-17Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
It is important for students to learn the connections between one story and another. Remind the children that Moses was raised in Pharaoh's palace by Pharaoh's daughter (the princess). The story (in Exodus 2) fast-forwards to when Moses was a grown man. (Exodus 2:11 says "Moses grew up.")
Moses witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man. Moses was aware that he was a Hebrew, and was enraged to see one of his own being beaten by an Egyptian. So Moses murdered the Egyptian man and buried the body in the sand. Moses thought no one knew about his murder, but the very next day another Hebrew man accused Moses of the murder. Pharaoh found out and tried to kill Moses, but Moses escaped and fled to Midian, where he settled down and lived for a long while as a shepherd.
Moses was out tending his sheep when he saw a strange sight. He noticed a bush that was on fire, but wasn't burning up. Moses went to inspect this strange thing, and God spoke to him from within the bush: "Moses! Moses!" the voice said. God revealed himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses became embarrassed and turned his head away. No doubt, this caused him to remember his crime from so many years before.
God told Moses that he was concerned about the Hebrews suffering at the hands of the Egyptians, and that he wanted to bring them out of Egypt and save them from their suffering. Moses didn't think he was up to the task. "Who am I that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11) Moses asked God how he should answer if they ask him who sent him. God answered, "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14).
Then God reassured Moses again that he would succeed, and that God would strike the Egyptians with many miracles until they let them go. God gave Moses a miraculous sign to perform for the Israelite leaders to convince them that he was sent from God. He told Moses to thrown down his shepherd's staff on the ground, and it turned into a snake! Moses got scared and ran away from it (wouldn't you?!). God told Moses to pick up the snake, and he obeyed, and the snake turned back into the staff. Then God told Moses to put his hand inside his robe, and take it out. When he did, it was white as snow, covered with a skin disease. God told Moses to do it again, and when he brought his hand out this time, it was cured.
Moses said, "what if they don't believe me after both of those miracles?" God told him that if that happens, take water from the Nile river and pour it on the ground, and it will turn into blood. Moses was still trying to find excuses not to do what God asked him to do. This time, he said, "I am a poor speaker". God answered him and told him "Who makes a man able to talk? Who makes him unable to hear or speak? Who makes him able to see? Who makes him blind? It is I, the Lord. Now go. I will help you speak. I will teach you what to say."
Moses ran out of excuses, so he just leveled with God: "Lord, please send someone else to do it." After all the miracles he just performed for Moses, God's became very angry at Moses. But still in mercy, he offered to let his brother Aaron speak on Moses' behalf.
So Moses agreed, returned to Egypt, and gathered the Israelite leaders for Aaron to explain to them everything that had happened and what was coming next.
What You Will Need
- Supplies
- Large stick (shepherd's staff)
- Snack Suggestion
- broccoli pieces dipped in orange colored ranch dressing (burning bush)
- Take Home Items
- Sticks
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From Saddleback Kids Hey-O Series
Resource Sheets
Use this bush outline for some of the reinforcement activities below
This coloring sheet depicts Moses and the burning bush
1. Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Do you like talking in front of other people? Or how about snakes?
Today we are going to learn more about Moses. Moses didn't like talking in front of other people either - or snakes! But God asked Moses to do a really big job that involved both!
2. Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Tell the story around a fire.
- You can make a pretend fire using paper towel rolls as logs and red and orange tissue paper for flames (see the Reinforcement Activity below)
- Or, if you can swing it, build a real fire outside and teach the lesson around the fire.
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or tell the story yourself.
3. Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Exodus 3:1-10
4. Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- How did Moses get from Egypt out to the desert?
- He killed an Egyptian and fled Egypt because the Pharaoh was trying to kill him
- How did God get Moses' attention?
- By setting a bush on fire, but it didn't burn up
- Where did Moses see the burning bush?
- Mt. Horeb
- What did God tell Moses to remove?
- Sandals
- What did God tell Moses that He wanted to do?
- Deliver Israel from the Egyptians.
- What was Moses' complaint to God's commands?
- That the Israelite leaders wouldn't believe him, that the Egyptian leaders wouldn't believe him, and that he was not a good speaker.
- What miracles did God give Moses to do to prove that he was sent by God?
- Turning his shepherd staff into a snake, making his hand have a skin disease, turning water from the Nile into blood
- How did God provide for Moses' complaint that he was not a good speaker?
- He told him that his brother Aaron could speak on his behalf
5. Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- Moses didn't think he was qualified to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but God told him that it was by His power, and not Moses' abilities that he would succeed.
- Did you know that God wants to work in your life and use you, no matter who you are? He even wants to use little kids to big things!
6. Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Tissue Paper fire
- Have the children glue pieces of red and orange tissue paper to picture of a bush.
Cardboard Flip Flops
- Trace a flip flop onto cereal box cardboard.
- Make straps out of cardboard or pipe cleaners.
- Use duct tape to attach straps to bottom of shoe.
- Add Bible verse above (Exodus 3:5) to top of flip flop.
- Decorate and let the children walk around the room in them.
Steel Wool Burning Bush
- Unroll piece of steel wool, if necessary.
- Rub 9V battery onto the steel wool. It doesn't take much to get it to begin burning.
- It is on fire, but doesnt burn up!
Snake demonstration
- Reach out to someone who has live snakes. This could be someone in your congregation, a snake rescue, pet store owner, etc
- Have them come and show their snakes to the students
- Talk to the students about their fear (or not) of snakes
- How would they react if they threw down a stick and it turned into a snake?
Blow paint picture
- Use a straw to blow red and orange paint onto the picture of bush to make a flame.
Fancy Flip flops
- Write Bible verse in fabric paint or use permanent markers on simple dollar store flip flops.
- Allow students to glue embellishments onto the flip flop.
Magnifying Glass Fire
- Place a small pile of dry grass or newspaper on concrete parking lot or sidewalk.
- Hold a magnifying glass over the pile.
- Allow the sun to heat the pile until it begins to smoke and a small flame appears.
- Use water to put the fire out.
- Remind students to not do this activity on their own.
- Normally, when things are on fire, they burn up. That's why Moses thought it was so strange to see a bush that was burning but not burning up!
Scouts Fire Lesson
- Invite a scouts leader to your class to teach a lesson on how to make a fire.
- You can ask the scouts leader if they have ever set fire to something that didn't actually burn up.
Flash Paper
- This activity takes a responsible adult and should be done in a safe place (probably outside on concrete)
- This activity is best done as an attention grabber before starting the lesson.
- Flash paper can be bought online (amazon.com has it for a few bucks) or from a magic shop.