Baby Moses

Baby Moses by the River

Theme:  God’s care and protection

Scripture: Exodus 1:8-2:10

Memory Verse: “Our help comes from the Lord.  He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth.” Psalm 124:8

Good parents will do everything they can to keep their baby safe. Our Bible lesson today is about a little boy baby who was born in a very dangerous time. 

There was a new King in Egypt who saw that the Israelites were very strong, and they were growing in number. The King in Egypt was afraid that the Israelites were going to take over his country. So he issued a command to all of his people: “Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile River, but let the girls live.”

During this time, a woman had a boy baby (Pause.). When she saw what a fine, handsome baby he was, she hid him for three months.

As the baby got older, she couldn’t hide him any longer, so she made a basket of tall grass and covered it all over with tar to make it watertight. Then she put the baby in the basket and hid it in the tall grass at the edge of the river. The baby’s sister stood some distance away to watch and see what would happen to him.

A little later, the king’s daughter came down to the river to bathe. Suddenly she noticed the basket in the tall grass. The princess looked in the basket and saw a baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

The baby’s sister asked her, “Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?”

“Please do,” she answered. So the girl went and brought the baby’s own mother. The princess told the woman, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the mother took him home.

Later, when the child was old enough, the mother took the boy and gave him to the king’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The king’s daughter said to herself, “I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses.”

What an amazing story of two mothers who loved their child and God’s protection and care. Moses grew to be one of the greatest leaders the people of Israel has ever known. And it all started with a little baby hidden in the tall bushes down by the river.

Dear God, just as the mother of Moses watched over her son and protected him, You love and care for Your children. We thank You for Your love and protection. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Activities + Resources

Psalm: 124.

This psalm of deliverance assumes that the reader knows the outcome of the Exodus story. Even children who know it do not recognize it here. Therefore, as you invite them to hear or read the psalm, tell them that it was written after God had rescued the Hebrews from the pharaoh.
Though the psalmist probably was thinking metaphorically about the floods of life, children make more sense of the psalm if the floods are presented as the waters that flooded the slave babies killed by the pharaoh. The psalm then praises God, who saves people in such situations.

Old Testament: Exodus 1:8-2:10.

We have been learning about Joseph these Hebrews are the great, great . . . great grandchildren of Joseph and his brothers. Children need little help with it.
 

Most church children are familiar with the story of the baby in the basket and enjoy hearing it read. They particularly relish the heroic role of Miriam, the child who was left standing by the river all day to watch the basket. She stuck with her boring task, was on duty and alert at the critical moment, did some quick thinking, and made a courageous move in speaking to the princess. God used her good work to save Moses. So little kids do count. God chooses children, as well as adults, to do important work.