The Red Sea

April 4–10

Exodus 14–17

“Stand Still, and See the Salvation of the Lord”

Think about how the experiences of the children of Israel apply to members of your class. Which experiences will be most helpful for them to discuss?

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

Exodus 14–17 is filled with memorable accounts. A class member could draw a picture of an event from these chapters while other class members guess what he or she is drawing. Ask them to share what they learned from the account.

Teach the Doctrine

Exodus 14

Heavenly Father delivers us as we follow the Spirit.

• The Red Sea seemed like a dead end to the Israelites, but God knew things they didn’t. Reviewing the account of the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea could remind class members of times when God delivered them from their trials. You might ask class members to review Exodus 14 and share what most inspires them about this account. Also encourage them to share their experiences with being delivered from trials, along with verses from the chapter that build their faith that God can deliver us.

• It might also be interesting to read together Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3. What do these verses teach about Moses? How do these verses affect the way we think about the events in Exodus 14? What do they suggest about how we seek deliverance from our trials? Consider what the statement in “Additional Resources” might add to your discussion.

Manna from God fed Israel physically; we also need daily spiritual nourishment. Fresco by Leopold Bruckner

Exodus 15:23–27; 16:1–15; 17:1–7

The Lord will provide for our needs as we journey through life.

• Exodus 15–17 gives multiple accounts that can build class members’ faith in the Lord’s power and willingness to provide for our physical and spiritual needs. Maybe each class member could study one of the following passages, looking for spiritual messages: Exodus 15:23–27; 16:1–15; 17:1–7. Give several class members a chance to share what they found. How might we use these accounts to encourage someone who has unmet temporal or spiritual needs?

• Class members could also read these verses and identify examples of murmuring. How might we explain to someone what it means to murmur? What are some of the consequences of murmuring that make it so dangerous? Perhaps class members could share advice on how to avoid the temptation to murmur against the Lord when we experience difficult trials.

• It might help class members to compare the manna described in Exodus 16 with the nourishment our spirits need. What similarities do we see? What spiritual lessons might the Lord have wanted to teach the Israelites by sending manna in the way He did? (see John 6:31–35, 48–58). You could also show one or more of the videos found in “Additional Resources.”

Exodus 17:8–16

We are blessed as we sustain our leaders.

• The account of Aaron and Hur holding up the hands of Moses illustrates the importance of sustaining those who are called to lead us. You could invite a few class members to act out the experience as another class member reads it out loud. How are the efforts of Aaron and Hur to hold up Moses’s hands similar to our efforts to sustain our leaders? How do we show that we sustain our leaders?

Additional Resources

You can receive personalized direction.

Sister Michelle Craig taught:

“As [the Savior’s] faithful disciple, you can receive personal inspiration and revelation, consistent with His commandments, that is tailored to you. You have unique missions and roles to perform in life and will be given unique guidance to fulfill them.

“Nephi, the brother of Jared, and even Moses all had a large body of water to cross—and each did it differently. Nephi worked ‘timbers of curious workmanship’ [1 Nephi 18:1]. The brother of Jared built barges that were ‘tight like unto a dish’ [see Ether 6:5–8]. And Moses ‘walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea’ [Exodus 14:29].

“They each received personalized direction, tailored to them, and each trusted and acted. The Lord is mindful of those who obey and, in the words of Nephi, will ‘prepare a way for [us to] accomplish the thing which he commandeth’ [1 Nephi 3:7]. Note that Nephi says, ‘a way’—not ‘the way.’

“Do we miss or dismiss personal errands from the Lord because He has prepared ‘a way’ different from the one we expect?” (“Spiritual Capacity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 21).

Videos

In the videos “Daily Bread: Pattern,” “Daily Bread: Experience,” and “Daily Bread: Change” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), Elder D. Todd Christofferson shared insights about the miracle of manna.

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage others to bear testimony. Many of those you teach have powerful personal witnesses of truth to share. Invite them to share their testimonies by asking simple questions, such as, “How have you been blessed by following the prophet?” (See also Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 11.)