The Second Plague: A Sea of Frogs (Exodus 8:1–15)
God’s servant, Moses, stood before the powerful Pharaoh of Egypt again. God had just shown Pharaoh a great miracle by turning the Nile River into blood. But even after his own magicians tried to copy the miracle, Pharaoh still said, "No! I will not let God's people go!"
So, God told Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him this: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse, I will strike your whole country with a plague of frogs!'"
Imagine the sight! Moses and Aaron stretched out their hands over the waters of Egypt: the rivers, canals, and ponds. Immediately, everywhere they looked, a terrible thing happened: The waters exploded with frogs! Frogs came hopping, leaping, and crawling up out of every bit of water. They jumped onto the land and into the cities.
The Bible tells us the frogs came into the houses, into the bedrooms, onto the beds, into the ovens, and into the mixing bowls! Think about that: every time you opened a door, a frog would hop in! You couldn't eat or sleep without a frog being near you! There were frogs in the palace and frogs on the throne! No one could escape them.
Pharaoh’s magicians tried to show off one more time. They managed to make a few more frogs appear, which only made the problem worse! The magicians had no power to stop God's plague. The world we observe today follows the laws of nature- but God, who made all those laws, can interrupt them whenever He chooses to show His power. This plague showed everyone that even the smallest creature, a hopping frog, could be used by God to bring down the mightiest ruler, Pharaoh.
Pharaoh could not stand it anymore. He called for Moses and Aaron and begged them. "Plead with the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people," he cried. "Then I will let the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord."
Moses told Pharaoh, "You name the time! I will pray to God that the frogs are gone from you, your officials, and your people, but that they will only remain in the Nile River." This was so Pharaoh would know that only the Lord God had the power to stop the plague.
Pharaoh answered, "Tomorrow."
Moses left Pharaoh and cried out to God about the frogs. The Lord did exactly what Moses asked! The next day, the frogs died everywhere: in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. The people piled them up in smelly heaps, and the land stank! The only place the frogs remained alive was in the Nile, just as Moses had promised.
But when Pharaoh saw that the relief had come, he made his heart stubborn and hard again. He refused to let the people go, just as the Lord had said would happen. Pharaoh forgot God's power as soon as the stinky frogs were gone.
A Curious Question
God showed His amazing power by sending millions of frogs, and then making them all disappear in a single moment. Why do you think Pharaoh still said "no" to God, even after he saw such a huge miracle with his own eyes?
Jesus Connection
The story of the frogs shows us that God has total control over every single thing on earth: from giant seas to tiny hopping frogs. God used His power to bring judgment on Pharaoh for his sin and to rescue His people, Israel.
This whole event points to Jesus, who is God Himself in human form! Jesus showed that same kind of complete power when He walked on water, calmed a violent storm with a word, and healed every sickness. He is greater than Moses because He not only stops the judgment (like the plague), but He also takes the judgment for us! Because we all sin, we deserve God's judgment, but Jesus took that judgment on the cross for everyone who trusts in Him. Jesus rescues us from our greatest problem, our sin, and offers us true freedom, which is even better than the freedom God gave Israel from Pharaoh!
Discussion Questions
- When the frogs came everywhere, Pharaoh's magicians could only make the plague worse. What does this show you about the difference between God's power and human power?
- Moses asked Pharaoh what time he wanted the frogs to disappear. Why do you think it was important for Pharaoh to pick the exact time?
- Pharaoh promised to let the people go when he was uncomfortable, but he quickly changed his mind when the frogs were gone. What kinds of things might tempt us to forget about God when a problem goes away?
- If you were one of the Israelite children watching the frogs cover Egypt, how would you have felt about God's protection over you?
“So What” What Can I do?
This story teaches us that we should trust and obey God the moment He speaks, not just when we are in trouble. Here are some ways to practice this:
- When you feel scared: God has power over all things, even things that seem scary to you. Instead of worrying, say a quick prayer: "God, You are more powerful than this problem. Please help me trust You."
- When you forget to obey: When you realize you’ve been stubborn like Pharaoh and tried to do things your own way, immediately confess it to God. Ask Jesus to help you obey your parents, teachers, and God's Word right away, not just when you get caught or things go wrong.
- When you see God's power in nature: The next time you see a frog, a storm, or a beautiful sunset, remember this story. Thank God that He is the Creator and ruler over everything, and He loves you!
Memorize God's Word
Exodus 8:10 (partial) - "There is no one like the Lord our God."
Hand Motions:
- There is no one like - Shake your head back and forth while extending both hands palms-up, as if showing something unique.
- the Lord - Point both hands straight up to heaven.
- our God - Put both hands over your heart.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, Thank You for showing us Your power in the story of the frogs. We know that nothing is too hard for You! Please forgive us for the times we are stubborn like Pharaoh and don’t want to obey. Help us to remember that You are the one true God, and that Jesus is the powerful Savior who takes away our sin. Help us to trust and obey You right away, every day. Amen.
Craft or Activity: Frog Launchers
Kids will make a simple jumping frog craft to remember how the frogs suddenly appeared and how God has power over all creation.
Materials Checklist
Instructions
- Help the children cut a simple, small frog shape (about 2 inches wide) out of the green paper. Encourage them to draw eyes and a mouth on their paper frog.
- Show the kids how to secure their paper frog to the bowl of the plastic spoon using a small piece of tape or a staple. This turns the spoon into a frog launcher.
- Explain that the spoon represents the sudden appearance of the frogs, and the pom-poms represent the millions of frogs God sent.
- Have the kids place a small pom-pom on the bowl of the spoon (the 'launcher' part).
- Show them how to gently press down on the end of the spoon handle and quickly release it to launch the pom-pom 'frog' into the air.
- Discuss how even though the kids are launching the frogs now, God had the power to make millions of real frogs appear everywhere! Have a 'frog jumping' competition and talk about God's amazing control.
Effective Teaching Techniques
Class Management: This story is full of vivid imagery! Ask the children to close their eyes while you describe the frogs in the bedrooms and ovens to help them imagine the scene. Then, ask them to show you their "Pharaoh face" (angry and stubborn) and their "Moses face" (confident and pleading) when you describe those parts of the story. This gets them moving and engaged.
Prep Shortcut: Instead of cutting out individual paper frogs for the craft, pre-cut or use a paper punch to create small green circles. These can be the "frogs" the kids tape onto the spoon launchers, significantly saving time for cutting. You can use the extra time to have them draw the features on the simple circles.
Activity Variation (Younger Kids): Instead of the spoon launcher craft, simply have the children pretend they are hopping frogs and lead them in a simple "Froggy Hop" song or game to release some energy. This makes the connection less abstract and uses their bodies to remember the plague.