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• Amalekites: A nation who resisted God and attacked the Israelites
• Miracle: When God does something man cannot do to show His identity

In this lesson, we see two more miracles God performs for the people of Israel to teach them 1) that He is all powerful, and 2) that he will care for them. First, he once more provides water for the entire nation by having Moses strike a rock. Then he provides victory in battle as long as Moses holds his rod toward heaven. In both cases, the Israelites would have perished without God.

These miracles were designed to prove to both the Israelites and the surrounding people that God is almighty and that Israel was His chosen people. Israel had a hard time learning this lesson. But the enemies learned it well and began to fear Israel. When he heard of God's mighty works, Jethro, a priest of Midian, said "Now I   know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because He delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."

• Review the events, focusing on how each participant must have felt.
  • Israelites: fear, thirst, despair
  • Moses: frustration, fear of rebellion
  • God: anger, sadness, frustration
• Discuss how the Israelites had lots of reasons to believe God would help them, and none to think He wouldn't. How is it then, they did not trust Him? Are there times when we don't trust God, despite all He's done for us?

• Act out the Israelites' encounter with the Amalekites. Bring a staff or rod to class. Act the part of Moses, holding the rod over his head. Have two students be Aaron and Hur. Have the rest of the students be the Israelites and the Amalekites. When your arms tire, have the Amalekites prevail. When the students playing Aaron and Hour help you hold your arms up, have the Israelites prevail.
• Discuss how God's protection of Israel convinced the Amalekites and Jethro that God was true. Given their belief, God could not tolerate their rebellion. All nations are expected to reverence and obey God.
• Discussion: Faith is not blind. God has never asked his people to believe in Him without reason. He does not ask us to trust Him without assurance that He can fulfill His promises. He did not fail to prove His love and power to the Israelites and He does not fail to show us His love and power. We believe not blindly, but with overwhelming evidence.

1. God performs miracles on command.                     F
2. The Israelites had lots of reasons to trust God.         T
3. The Amalekites were a rebellious nation.                 T
4. Moses held up the rod all by himself.                           F
5. Sometimes we, like Moses, need help doing what's right.            T

Exodus 17:6a You will smite the rock and water will come out of it.

Exodus 17:11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.

Exodus 18:11 Now I (Jethro) know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them.

1. Name three words that rhyme with rock.
2. What does Exodus mean?
3. What is a miracle?

1. Have everyone hold their hands up while you slowly count to ten.
2. Have a student locate Rephidim on a map.
3. Write the first (5, 10, 15) books of the OT on cards and have the student put them in order.

1. How did Moses feel when the Israelites wanted to stone him?
2. How do you think God felt when the Israelites accused Him of trying to kill them?
3. How did the Israelites feel when Moses' arm dropped and they started to lose?

1. How can we help each other do the right thing?
2. What should we learn from the miracles in the Bible?
3. Sometimes God asks us to do a little thing, like hold up a rod, that makes all the difference. What little things do you do that are very important?

1. What did Moses do to get water from the rock?
2. What did the Amalekites refuse to let Israel do?
3. How was Jethro related to Moses?

1. What other miracles had God performed for the Israelites?
2. Who choose the soldiers who fought for Israel?
3. What proved God's might to Jethro?

 
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