This lesson teaches children that God rescued His people from Egypt and leads them with a cloud by day and a fire by night, so they can trust Him to guide them. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God remembers His people, keeps His promises, and leads us every day, even when we cannot see the way ahead.
Memory Verse
Exodus 13:21
The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night…
(WEB)
Put one hand flat on top of your head like a roof, then slowly move it forward in a wave to show the cloud going ahead. Say the verse together while you move, and repeat it three times so the motion sticks.
The Story: Exodus 13 for Kids
A long time ago, the people of Israel had lived as slaves in the land of Egypt for many, many years. God had heard their cries, and He had sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let them go. After many terrible troubles, Pharaoh finally let the people leave.
Before they left, Moses reminded the people of something important. He told them to remember this day, because God had brought them out of Egypt with His strong hand. He asked them to keep a special feast every year, and to eat bread without yeast for seven days, so they would never forget what God had done.
God also told them that every firstborn child and animal belonged to Him. Moses told the children that when they asked what this meant, their parents should explain the story of how God rescued them. The people had much to remember, and God wanted it to be talked about in every family.
The people set out on their journey, but God did not take them the short way toward the Philistine land. He knew they might get scared of fighting and want to go back to Egypt. Instead, God led them around by the wilderness near the Red Sea. The people walked carefully, and Moses carried the bones of Joseph with him, just as Joseph had asked long before.
God went before them every step of the way. During the day He was a tall pillar of cloud, and at night He was a pillar of fire that gave them light. The people never had to guess where to go, because God was always right there in front of them.
Read It Together
Exodus 13:17-18
17 When Pharaoh had let the people go, God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”; 18 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
(WEB)
Point out that God did not take the people the quickest road, because He knew what would help them stay faithful. Ask the children why they think God chose a longer path, and remind them that God always knows what is best for us.
Exodus 13:14-15
14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
(WEB)
Show the children that parents were meant to tell their children about God’s rescue. Ask who in their family tells them stories about God, and encourage them to ask a grown-up to share one this week.
Exodus 13:8
You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
(WEB)
Explain that God wanted the story of what He did to be shared from one generation to the next. Invite the children to name something God has done for them that they could tell a friend or younger sibling about.
Talk About It
- What do you think the people of Israel felt when they finally left Egypt?
- Why do you think God guided the people with a cloud during the day and fire at night?
- How can you remember the good things God has done for you?
- Why do you think God wanted families to tell the story of His rescue?
- When you do not know which way to go, how can you trust that God will lead you?
Activity Ideas
Cloud and Fire Pictures
You will need paper, cotton balls, crayons or markers, and glue. Have each child glue cotton balls onto one half of the paper to make a cloud, then draw orange and yellow flames on the other half. Talk together about how God was with the people in both the day and the night.
Follow the Leader Walk
Choose one child to be the cloud and lead the group around the room or outside, while everyone follows closely behind. Stop now and then and say, “God always knows the way,” before continuing. Afterward, talk about how it felt to trust the leader without knowing exactly where you were going.
Family Remembering Jar
Gather a clean jar, some small strips of paper, and a pen. Each day this week, have your child write or draw one thing God did for the family and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, open the jar together and tell the stories out loud, just as God asked His people to do.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God’s deliverance is both a historical event and a pattern for faithful remembrance. The instructions about the firstborn, the unleavened bread, and the sign on the hand point to a community that keeps God’s acts central in worship and in teaching the next generation. The guiding cloud and fire show God’s presence leading His people through an unknown path.
Avoid overstating the details of the rituals or the physical signs to children. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His desire to be remembered, rather than on exact customs or objects, which can be confusing for young learners.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for rescuing Your people and for leading us every day. Help us to remember all the good things You have done, and to tell them to others. Thank You that You go before us, even when we cannot see the way. Amen.
