Little SDA Teacher

  Exodus 10:1–2 (ESV) “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.’” At first reading, these words can sound unsettling. It can seem as though God continues the plagues simply to display His power, as though suffering is being prolonged for the sake of a dramatic story told to future generations. But when this passage is read alongside everything that has already unfolded, a different message emerges. God has repeatedly warned before acting. He has given opportunities to respond. Egyptians who feared the word of the LORD listened and were spared. Repentance changed outcomes. Choice was always present. This tells us that the story being passed down is not one of terror, but of re...

  Exodus 9:34 (ESV) “But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.” In the middle of the storm, Pharaoh admits his sin. He acknowledges that he is in the wrong. He asks Moses to pray and promises to let the people go. His words sound sincere, and in the moment of crisis, he appears humbled. But when the plague ends and relief comes, his heart hardens again. The confession does not last beyond the discomfort. This is an uncomfortable mirror. How often do we come to God in the middle of hardship begging for relief, promising faithfulness, surrender, or obedience if God will only take the pain away? In the pressure of suffering, we recognize our limits and God’s authority clearly. But when life stabilizes and the crisis passes, it is easy to reclaim control, soften our urgency, and quietly step back into self-reliance. Pharaoh’s problem is not that he confesses sin — it is that he neve...

  Exodus 9:15–16 (ESV) “For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” By this point in the story, God has already demonstrated that He is greater than Pharaoh and Egypt’s gods. The magicians are incapacitated. The signs can no longer be copied. God’s superiority is not in question. Yet instead of ending Pharaoh’s life and stopping the suffering immediately, God explicitly says He has chosen not to do so. At first, this is deeply unsettling. Instant death would seem more merciful than prolonged suffering. But God reframes what “power” means in this moment. His power is not shown by how quickly He destroys His enemies, but by how deliberately He restrains Himself. God acknowledges that annihilation is within His ability — and then names His choice not to use it. Pharaoh is ...

  Exodus 8:22–23 (ESV) “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. Thus I will put a division between my people and your people.” God makes a public distinction between Israel and Egypt—not because Israel has earned it, but because they belong to Him. At this point in the story, Israel is still enslaved, still fearful, and still uncertain. They have not received the law. They have not proven faithfulness. Yet God calls them my people . This act could easily be misunderstood as favoritism, especially by those watching Moses speak with God while they continue to suffer. But God’s declaration is not about elevating Moses above the people; it is about expanding relationship to include all of Israel. By setting them apart, God is saying, “You are seen. You are claimed. You are not forgotten.” Belonging comes before obedience. Identity comes be...

  Exodus 8:12–13 (ESV) “Then Moses cried to the LORD about the frogs, as the LORD had agreed with Pharaoh. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields.” At first glance, this passage can sound transactional—Moses asks, and God responds. But when we look more closely, we see something deeper happening. God is not being persuaded or controlled by Moses. Instead, God is honoring a relationship He Himself initiated. God had already chosen to act against Pharaoh and to deliver Israel. Moses’ role is not to change God’s mind, but to participate in God’s work through prayer and intercession. The phrase “the LORD did according to the word of Moses” highlights partnership, not power. God invites Moses into conversation and waits for him to ask—not because God is reluctant, but because God values relationship. This reveals a God who chooses to work with His people. Prayer here is not about getting God to do what w...

  Exodus 7:8–13 In Exodus 7, God gives Pharaoh exactly what he asks for. When Pharaoh demands a sign, Aaron throws down his staff, and it becomes a serpent. It is an unmistakable miracle — undeniable, confrontational, powerful. Yet Pharaoh does not respond with humility or repentance. Instead, he calls in his magicians. They replicate something similar through their “secret arts,” and suddenly Pharaoh has what he needs: an explanation that allows him not to change . Pharaoh does not deny that something supernatural has occurred. He simply refuses to acknowledge that it comes from the LORD. And that, I am realizing, is where the real danger lies. Hard Hearts and Preferred Explanations Pharaoh’s heart is often described as “hardened,” and for a long time I thought that meant stubbornness or outright defiance. But Exodus shows something more subtle — and more unsettling. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened because he clings to explanations he prefers . The signs do not compel him be...

  Exodus 6:9–12 In Exodus 6, it’s easy to assume that God is only proving Himself to Pharaoh. After all, Pharaoh is the loudest opponent and the most obvious obstacle. But when we slow down and read carefully, we see something deeper unfolding. God isn’t just revealing His power to Pharaoh. He is revealing Himself to Israel . And even to Moses . After Moses delivers God’s promise of freedom, Scripture tells us: “But they did not listen to Moses, because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.” (Exodus 6:9) That verse hits close to home. The Israelites didn’t refuse to listen because they were rebellious or disobedient. They didn’t listen because they were discouraged . Years of suffering had worn them down. Hope felt dangerous. Freedom sounded unrealistic. Their bondage was so heavy that even God’s promises couldn’t break through the fog of despair. And Moses? The man who had already seen miracles. The man who had spoken with God face to face. Even he becomes discour...

  Scripture Exodus 5:6–9 (NIV) That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: “Make the people work harder and do not let them pay attention to lies.” Observation At first glance, it might seem that the struggle in Exodus is between Moses and Pharaoh. But Scripture makes it clear that the conflict is much deeper. This is not a disagreement between two leaders — it is a confrontation between human power and divine authority . God makes a legitimate request: that Israel be allowed to go and worship. Pharaoh’s response is not compromise or dialogue, but escalation. He increases the workload, removes resources, and accuses the people of laziness. The Israelites suffer more after God’s command is spoken. This suffering is not because God wants to punish Israel. It is because Pharaoh’s control is being challenged. When unjust power is confronted, it often tightens its grip before it is exposed. Pharaoh’s actions reveal what wa...

  Scripture Exodus 4:24–26 (NIV) At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. So the LORD let him alone. Observation This is one of the most startling moments in Moses’ story. Moses has already been called by God. He has seen the burning bush. He has heard God’s name. He has been given signs and a mission. He is finally on his way to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and lead God’s people out of slavery. And then — suddenly — God interrupts him. The text says the LORD met Moses and “sought to kill him.” No explanation is given in the moment, but the resolution comes quickly: Moses’ son had not been circumcised, the covenant sign God had established with Abraham. Zipporah performs the circumcision, and the danger passes. The implication is clear. Moses was called — but not fully aligned. Whatever the ...

 

  Scripture Exodus 3:1–2 (NIV) Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Observation In Exodus 2, Moses believed he was doing the right thing. He saw an Egyptian slave master beating a Hebrew and intervened — violently. Moses acted out of a sense of justice. Stephen later tells us that Moses thought his people would recognize that God was using him to rescue them (Acts 7:25). Moses wasn’t indifferent to suffering; he wanted to help. But his attempt at justice cost him everything. Instead of becoming a deliverer, Moses became a fugitive. He fled Egypt and ended up in Midian, where he took on a job that Egyptians despised most: a shepherd . Earlier in Genesis, we learn that shepherds were considered the lowest of professions in Egyptian culture (Genesis 46:34). Moses w...

 About three years ago, my husband and I had the incredible experience of hand-raising a sugar glider from the tiniest pink baby—so small that her eyes hadn’t even opened yet. Mila, our little miracle, has since grown into a feisty and deeply loved member of our family. A few weeks ago, I had the chance to share a piece of her story during the children’s story at church.  

  As a child, I often walked with my mother on her morning walks down the dirt road near our home. One day she pointed out a house that consisted of only a foundation and a frame. It looked different from any home I had seen before. My mother explained that a couple from Sweden had come to our town with dreams of building a beautiful home on the property they had purchased. When their finances did not work out as planned, they were forced to abandon the project and return home. Years later, after being away for a long time, I drove down that same road again. There the house still stood—unfinished, still only a shell. It was a quiet reminder of a dream begun but never completed. Jesus speaks to this same reality in Luke 14:29 : “For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you.” In this passage, Jesus is teaching about the cost of discipleship. He reminds us that it is not enough to begin well; we must be willing to give everythi...