The Story

The night of the last plague had come. God had told His people exactly what to do. Each family was to take a perfect lamb, kill it, and paint some of its blood on the sides and the top of their door. Then they were to roast the lamb and eat it quickly, dressed and ready to travel. God's promise was sure: "when I see the blood, I will pass over you", and no destroyer would harm anyone inside those houses.

That night, "at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt", from Pharaoh's son who sat on his throne down to the poorest prisoner in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the animals too. A great cry rose up across Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in the night. At last he told them: go, take your people and your flocks, and serve the LORD — and bless me also!

So God's people hurried out of Egypt, carrying their dough before it had risen, and gold and silver and clothing that the Egyptians gladly gave them. God led them by a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night, and brought them to the shore of the Red Sea.

But Pharaoh's heart hardened again. He gathered six hundred chosen chariots and his whole army and chased after the people he had let go. God's people looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them — with the sea in front and the army behind! They were sore afraid, and cried out in their fear. But Moses told them, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD". The LORD would fight for them, just as our memory verse says.

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night a strong east wind blew the waters back. The sea split in two, with dry ground in the middle and walls of water on the right hand and on the left — and all Israel walked through on dry ground! The Egyptians chased in after them, but God troubled their army and took off their chariot wheels. As the morning came, Moses stretched out his hand again, and the sea came rushing back. The water covered the chariots and the horsemen and all Pharaoh's army, and not one of them remained.

Israel stood safe on the other side. They had seen the great work God did that day, and "the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses". Then Moses and all the people sang a joyful song of praise to the God who had made a road through the sea.