This lesson teaches children that God kept his people safe on the night of the first Passover, and that he keeps his promises. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the activity.
Big Idea
When we trust God and do what he asks, he keeps us safe. The blood of the lamb showed the Israelites where God’s protection was, and God kept his word.
Memory Verse
Exodus 12:13
The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
(WEB)
Have children place both hands flat on the door of a shelf or table, then slowly lift them up over their heads as if the door is opening to let them go through. Say the verse together while doing the motion each time.
The Story: Exodus 12 for Kids
God’s people, the Israelites, were slaves in the land of Egypt for a very long time. God had a plan to set them free, and he chose Moses and Aaron to speak for him to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh would not let the people go, so God sent hard troubles to the land.
God gave Moses a special plan for his people. Each family was to take a lamb that had no flaws and keep it safe for a few days. On the fourteenth day, they were to kill the lamb in the evening and put some of its blood on the top and sides of their doorway. Then they were to roast the lamb and eat it with bread that had no yeast in it.
That night, God would pass through the land. Where he saw the blood on the door, he would pass over that home. Moses told the people to get ready to leave, with their belts on, their shoes on their feet, and their walking sticks in their hands. God’s words were, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
At midnight, God struck down the firstborn sons and animals in Egypt. There was a great cry in every Egyptian home, because someone had died in each one. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in the night and told them, “Get out from among my people, and go, serve the LORD.”
The Israelites did just as God had told them. They left Egypt that very day, and God brought them out by their armies. God kept the promise he had made, and he remembered his people. The Israelites were to remember this night every year, so they would never forget what God had done for them.
Read It Together
Exodus 12:3-4
3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household is too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
(WEB)
Point out that God gave clear instructions for each family, and that every household had a part to play. Ask children what it might have felt like to be told exactly what to do, and why following God’s plan mattered.
Exodus 12:23
For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you.
(WEB)
Show children that the blood on the doorway was the sign of God’s protection. Explain that God himself was the one who promised to pass over the homes that trusted his word.
Exodus 12:27
That you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’” The people bowed their heads and worshiped.
(WEB)
Point out that God wanted parents to tell their children about this night. Encourage children to ask their own parents or teachers about the stories of God’s faithfulness in their families and church.
Talk About It
- What did God ask the Israelite families to do with the lamb, and why do you think he asked them to do it?
- How do you think the families felt when they saw the blood on their doorposts?
- Why did God tell the people to get ready to leave in a hurry?
- What does this story teach us about how God takes care of the people who trust him?
- Who in your life tells you stories about God, and what is one story you remember?
Activity Ideas
Paint a Doorway Picture
You will need paper, a pencil, red paint or washable red markers, and a paintbrush or cotton swab. Have each child draw a simple door on the paper. Then let them dip the swab in the red paint and make a few marks on the top and sides of the door. Talk together about how the red marks were a sign of God’s protection.
Passover Walk Game
You will need a open space and a few pillows or chairs to make a path. One child acts as God and walks around the room, while the others stand still as if they are inside their homes. When God reaches a house with a red mark, he passes over it. Let the children take turns being God, and remind them that God always keeps his word.
Take-Home Memory Card
You will need index cards, crayons, and a hole punch with a ribbon or string. Have each child write Exodus 12:13 on a card and draw a door with red marks on it. Punch a hole in the corner and tie on the string so they can hang it on a door at home. Encourage them to say the memory verse with their family during the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows how God delivered his people from slavery through a costly sacrifice, and it points forward to the greater deliverance found in Jesus, who is called our Passover lamb. The chapter also shows that God gave the Israelites a lasting memorial, the Passover, so they would remember his faithfulness through every generation.
Avoid suggesting to children that God strikes down people because they are bad, or that the Egyptians were punished simply for being Egyptian. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness to his promise and his protection of those who trusted him, and speak about the Egyptian losses with care and sensitivity.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for keeping your promises and for protecting your people. Help us trust you every day, just like the Israelites trusted you that night. Thank you that you always remember us and keep us safe. Amen.
