Once upon a time, long ago, God’s people, the Israelites, lived in a land called Egypt. But they were not free. They were slaves, working very hard for the king, called Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not want to let God’s people go. He said, “No! They must stay here and work for me!”
God saw His people suffering and wanted to help them. So, He chose a man named Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go free. Moses said, “Let my people go, so they can worship God!” But Pharaoh did not listen. He said, “No!” again and again.
Then, God sent special signs called plagues to show Pharaoh how powerful He is. The first plague was very strange. All the water in Egypt turned into blood! The fish couldn’t swim, and the water smelled bad. People were scared and said, “What is happening?”
But Pharaoh still said, “No! I will not let them go.” So, God sent the second plague. Frogs jumped everywhere! They were in the houses, in the beds, and even in the ovens! The frogs croaked loudly, and the people were very unhappy. Pharaoh said, “I will stop the frogs if you pray to your God.” Moses prayed, and the frogs died. But Pharaoh’s heart was still hard.
Next, God sent more plagues. There were gnats, tiny bugs that made people itchy. Then came flies, buzzing all around. The flies bothered the people and animals. Pharaoh said, “I will let you go!” But then he changed his mind again.
God sent plagues of sickness on the animals. The cows and sheep got sick and died. The people were sad and worried. Then, God sent painful sores on the people. The sores hurt a lot, and the people cried out to God.
After that, God sent hail, big stones of ice falling from the sky. The hail broke trees and hurt the crops. The ground looked like it had snow! Pharaoh was scared but still did not listen.
Then, God sent locusts, big grasshoppers that ate all the plants and leaves. The fields were empty, and the people had no food. Pharaoh’s heart was very hard, but God was patient.
Next, God sent darkness. For three whole days, the sun did not shine. It was so dark that people could not see their hands. They stayed inside, feeling scared and sad. Pharaoh said, “I will let you go!” But when the darkness ended, Pharaoh said, “No!” again.
Finally, God sent the last and most serious plague. The oldest son in every family in Egypt died. This made Pharaoh very sad and afraid. He called Moses and said, “Go! Take your people and leave Egypt!”
God’s people were so happy! They packed their things and left Egypt that very night. They thanked God for saving them. They knew God was strong and loved them very much.
God showed everyone that He is the true God. He cares for His people and keeps His promises. The plagues were a way to help Pharaoh see that God’s power is greater than anything else.
Questions to think about
- Why did Pharaoh not want to let God’s people go?
- What was the first plague God sent?
- How did the frogs make the people feel?
- What happened when Pharaoh finally said, “Go”?
- How do you think God’s people felt when they were free?
Message of the story
God is very powerful and loves His people. He helps us and keeps His promises, even when things are hard.
Bible passage
Exodus 7–12 (World English Bible – WEB)
