God Frees Israel from Egypt

The last plague God sent on Egypt was the death of every firstborn son in the country. God had a special plan to protect the Israelites from this plague.

God would protect their firstborn sons if they believed God and obeyed his special instructions. God told them that each family should kill a year-old male lamb or goat,

and put some of the blood around the door of their house. They were to roast the meat and eat it as a feast, along with bread that was made without yeast. They were to be ready to leave Egypt when they ate.

The Israelites obeyed God's command. That night the angel of God went throughout Egypt killing every firstborn son.

But whenever the angel came to a house with blood around the door, he passed over the house without killing the firstborn son. They were saved because of the lamb's blood.

When Pharaoh realized that all the firstborn boys of the Egyptians were dead he called for Moses and Aaron and told them to take the Israelites and leave Egypt right away. The Egyptians even gave the Israelites gifts of gold and silver and other valuable things.

The Israelites left Egypt the next morning. They were very happy - they were no longer slaves and they were going to the Promised Land! Some Egyptians believed in God and joined the Israelites as they left Egypt.

God led them by going ahead of them as a tall cloud pillar during the day, which became a tall fire pillar at night. God was always with them and guiding them as they traveled. All they had to do was follow.

After a short time, Pharaoh and his people changed their minds and wanted the Israelites to be their slaves again. God did this to show one more time that He is more powerful than Pharaoh and his gods.

So, Pharaoh and his army chased after the Israelites to make them come back. When the Israelites saw the Egyptian army coming, they were very afraid.

God told Moses to tell the people to move forward toward the Red Sea and God would show them his power.

The cloud pillar then moved between the Israelites and the Egyptians so the Egyptians could not see the Israelites.

Moses lifted his hand over the sea, and God caused the wind to blow. The wind made the water in the sea separate to the left and the right, making a path across the sea.

The Israelites marched through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on either side of them.

Then the cloud lifted and the Egyptians saw the Israelites escaping. They decided to keep chasing after them.

So they followed the Israelites onto the path through the sea, but God turned the dry ground into mud so they got stuck and could not move.

After the Israelites all made it safely to the other side, God told Moses to stretch out his hand again. Moses did this and the water fell on the Egyptian army and returned to its normal place. The whole Egyptian army drowned.

When the Israelites saw that the Egyptians were dead, they believed in God, and trusted that Moses was a prophet of God.

They also rejoiced with much excitement because God had saved them from death and slavery! The Israelites sang many songs to celebrate their new freedom and to praise God for saving them.

God commanded the Israelites to celebrate His victory over the Egyptians and their deliverance from slavery by keeping the Passover feast every year. Every year they would sacrifice a perfect lamb to remember how God had saved them from the Egyptians.