Egypt

Jacob’s family, the Israelites, lived in Egypt. Their families grew bigger and bigger. Egypt’s king, the Pharaoh, was afraid of them. So he made them slaves. He even ordered their baby boys to be thrown into the Nile.

One mum hid her baby boy in a basket in the river reeds. Pharaoh’s daughter found him. He grew up as her son, Moses. Years later, Moses saw a bush on fire that did not burn up. From the bush, God said he had heard his people crying out. He was sending Moses to lead them out of Egypt.

Moses gave the new Pharaoh God’s message: “Let my people go.” Pharaoh kept saying no. So God sent plagues, big troubles like frogs, flies, hail and darkness. Before the last plague, God told his people to put lamb’s blood on their doorframes. That night, the oldest son in each Egyptian family died. But God passed over the homes marked with blood. Everyone inside was safe. That was the first Passover. Then Pharaoh let them go.

Soon Pharaoh changed his mind and chased them. Moses said God would fight for them. God pushed the sea back with a strong wind. His people walked through on dry ground. When Pharaoh’s army followed, the water came back and covered them.

In the desert, God fed his people manna, bread from heaven. At Mount Sinai, he gave them the Ten Commandments. These showed them how to love God and each other. But the people often grumbled against God. So they wandered for forty years, but God never left them.

Many years later, Jesus died for our sins at Passover and rose again. The Bible calls him our Passover lamb. He sets us free and brings us back to God.