Leadership: Moses as a Leader – SS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Moses was the Hebrew leader God called to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Born to Levite parents during Pharaoh’s order to kill Israelite boys, he was raised in Pharaoh’s palace, fled to Midian, and was called by God at Mount Horeb. He led Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.

Bible reference: Exodus 1, 2, 3 and 4:1-17

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• describe the birth of Moses and how he came to live in Pharaoh’s palace;
• explain why Moses fled to Midian;
• state how God called Moses at Mount Horeb;
• narrate how Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea;
• list the qualities of Moses as a leader and the lessons Christians can learn from them.

How were Moses born and called?

The birth of Moses

After the death of Joseph in Egypt, a new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph came to power. He was exceedingly afraid of the increase in the population of the Israelites in Egypt, so he devised cruel ways of dealing with them. He made the Israelites serve with rigour and bitterness. He also instructed the midwives to kill their sons at the birthstool, but the midwives feared God and did not obey him. Pharaoh then commanded his people that every son born to the Israelites should be cast into the river Nile.

It was at this critical period that Moses was born to a couple from the tribe of Levi. His father’s name was Amram and his mother’s name was Jochebed. His mother hid him for three months. When she could no longer hide him, she made a basket of bulrushes, daubed it with bitumen pitch, put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river bank.

Pharaoh’s daughter and her maidens came to wash themselves at the river. She saw the child, picked him up and adopted him as her son. Miriam, Moses’ sister, was watching close by. She called a nurse for Pharaoh’s daughter, who was in fact the child’s own mother, to nurse the child. Moses was therefore nursed by his mother and afterwards returned to the palace.

Moses in Pharaoh’s house and his flight to Midian

Moses grew up in the house of Pharaoh but he knew that he was a Hebrew, and he hated the wicked treatment of his people by the Egyptians. This made him kill an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. Later he tried to settle a quarrel between two Hebrews and realised that his sin was known. He fled to Midian, where Jethro, the priest of Midian, and his seven daughters took care of him.

Moses married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters. They had a son and named him Gershom, meaning “I have been a sojourner in a strange land”.

The call of Moses at Mount Horeb

Moses had an encounter with God while he was keeping the flocks of Jethro on Mount Horeb. He saw a bush burning but not completely consumed. God spoke to him and commanded him to go and rescue the Israelites from the hands of their taskmasters. Moses was reluctant at first, but God promised to be with him. Eventually, he went.

How did Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt?

God told Moses that he would harden the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not allow the children of Israel to go. After a series of plagues, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to go. As soon as he let them go, he pursued them again because God had hardened his heart.

The Israelites were faced with the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians behind them. God commanded Moses to stretch his rod towards the water. He did so, and the water parted to the right and to the left, and the people walked on dry ground. After they had crossed, God told Moses to stretch out the rod again. This time the water closed over the Egyptians and they drowned.

What were the qualities of Moses as a leader?

• He was a patriot who rendered selfless service to his people.
• He put the interest of his people before his own.
• Twice, God threatened to wipe out the Israelites and make a great nation of the descendants of Moses. He refused and interceded for the people.
• He was courageous in facing the challenges of Pharaoh.
• He was obedient and had strong faith in the God he served.

What lessons can Christians learn from Moses?

1. Like Moses, Christians should show a high sense of patriotism and render selfless service whenever they are called upon to lead people.
2. As Christians, we should respect and fear God and depend on him to guide us in all our ways.

Evaluation

1. Describe how Moses was saved from Pharaoh’s order to kill Israelite boys.
2. Why did Moses flee to Midian?
3. How did God call Moses at Mount Horeb?
4. Describe how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.
5. State four qualities of Moses as a leader.

Assignment

Explain two lessons Christians can learn from the leadership of Moses.