Last week, we learned how Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he refused to let the Israelites go. God showed His power through mighty acts, beginning with the plagues. The Nile River turned to blood; the land was filled with frogs, gnats, and flies, and the Egyptians’ livestock fell ill. Yet each time, Pharaoh’s heart grew harder, and he still would not listen.

The plagues continued. Painful sores covered the people, hail destroyed crops, locusts devoured what was left, and darkness covered the land for three days. Through it all, God showed that His power was greater than all the gods of Egypt. Finally, God sent the most serious plague: the death of the firstborn. However, God provided a way for His people to be saved. They were to place the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, and the Lord would “pass over” their homes and protect them.

This became the first Passover, a moment so important that the people of Israel still celebrate it today. It reminds us that God delivers His people and keeps His promises. Just as God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He frees us from sin through Jesus, the Lamb of God.

What We Learned

• God’s power is greater than any ruler or false god.
• God protects His people, even in the hardest times.
• The Passover points us to Jesus, who delivers us from sin and death.