The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies
(Exodus 8:20-32)
God sent Moses to stand before Pharaoh early in the morning as the king walked down to the river. God's message was the same as always: "Let my people go so that they may worship me." But this time, God added something brand new to the warning. Something He had not said with the first three plagues.
God said: "But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live. No swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people."
Pharaoh refused again. And the next morning, the flies came. Dense swarms, so thick they ruined the entire land. They filled the houses of the Egyptians from the greatest official all the way down to the poorest servant. The Bible says the land was ruined because of the flies. But over in Goshen, where the Israelites lived? Not one fly. The same power that sent the flies kept them away from Israel's land entirely.
This was something new. The first three plagues had affected all of Egypt without distinction. But starting with this fourth plague, God began drawing a visible line. He was not just showing His power. He was showing that He knows His own people, that He protects them, and that belonging to God makes a real and observable difference.
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron in and tried to negotiate. He said, "Go and sacrifice to your God, but do it here in the land of Egypt." Moses said no. Worshipping God in the middle of Egypt, surrounded by people who hated Israel's God, was not what God had commanded. Moses insisted they needed to go a three-day journey into the wilderness, just as God had said. Pharaoh pushed back with a compromise: "I will let you go to offer sacrifices in the wilderness, but you must not go very far."
Moses agreed to pray for the flies to leave, but warned Pharaoh not to be deceitful again by refusing to let the people go afterward. Moses prayed, and God removed every single fly, not one remained. And Pharaoh hardened his heart one more time and refused to let Israel go.
A Curious Question
God protected Israel so that not one fly landed in their land, while Egypt was completely ruined by them. If a friend who did not know God asked you, "Why did God protect Israel and not Egypt?", what would you say?
Jesus Connection
The most important new detail in this plague is the word distinction. God said, "I will make a distinction between my people and your people." This is one of the clearest early pictures in the Bible of what it means to belong to God.
The Israelites did not stay fly-free because they were smarter, stronger, or better than the Egyptians. They were protected because of their relationship with God. God had claimed them as His own people through His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their safety came entirely from who they belonged to, not from anything they had done.
That is exactly how salvation through Jesus works. When we trust Jesus, we are brought into God's family. God does not look at us and protect us because we have been good enough. He protects us and claims us because of our relationship with His Son. The Bible calls this being in Christ. Just as Israel was safe in Goshen while the judgment fell on Egypt, those who are in Christ are sheltered under God's grace while the judgment for sin falls on Jesus instead of on them. The distinction God made between Egypt and Goshen was a preview of the distinction the cross would one day make for all of humanity.
Discussion Questions
- This is the first plague where God protected Israel separately from Egypt. Why do you think God made that distinction starting here, after three plagues that affected everyone?
- Pharaoh offered two different compromises in this story. Why do you think he kept trying to negotiate with God instead of just obeying?
- Moses refused to worship God in the middle of Egypt and insisted on going where God said. What does that tell us about the importance of obeying God completely rather than mostly?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
Pharaoh kept trying to get God's benefits while keeping control for himself. He wanted relief from the flies but did not want to actually let Israel go. This week, think about whether there is an area of your life where you are doing the same thing: wanting God's help or peace or blessing but not fully giving that area to Him. Pick one thing and pray, "God, I give You this. I trust You with it." That is what full obedience looks like.
Memorize God's Word
Exodus 8:23: "I will make a distinction between my people and your people."
Hand Motions:
- "I will make a distinction" Hold both hands flat and draw them apart horizontally, like you are separating two things clearly.
- "between my people" Point upward with one finger, then sweep that hand toward your own chest.
- "and your people." Point outward with your other hand, extending it away from your body toward the class.
Praying with Kids
Father, thank You that You know Your own people and You protect them. Thank You that belonging to You is not something we earn. It is something You give us through Jesus. Help us to belong to You completely, not partially. Help us to stop negotiating with You the way Pharaoh did, and instead to trust You fully and obey You quickly. We are glad to be called Your people. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Craft: "Two Lands" Diorama Tray
Children create a two-sided scene in a divided paper plate showing the chaos in Egypt on one side and the peace in Goshen on the other, illustrating the distinction God made between His people and everyone else.
Materials Checklist:
How to Assemble:- Have children draw a bold line down the center of the paper plate with a ruler and marker, dividing it into two halves.
- Label the left side "Egypt" and the right side "Goshen."
- On the Egypt side, have children draw or color dark, chaotic scenes: houses, people looking miserable, and cover the surface with black dot stickers or hand-drawn flies using a marker.
- On the Goshen side, have children draw peaceful scenes: tents, families, sunshine, green grass, animals resting. No flies at all.
- Along the dividing line, have them write: "I will make a distinction." Exodus 8:23
- When finished, ask: "Which side do you want to live on? What does it mean to be on God's side today?"
Effective Teaching Techniques
To open the lesson with impact, draw a line down the middle of your whiteboard or a large piece of paper. Write "Egypt" on one side and "Goshen" on the other before class. When you introduce the new detail about the distinction in this plague, point to that line. Kids are very visual, and having the separation already up on the wall makes the concept concrete immediately.
When you get to Pharaoh's negotiations, have fun with it. Act out both sides of the conversation. Use a deep, kingly voice for Pharaoh and a calm, firm voice for Moses. Pharaoh offers a compromise. Moses says no. Pharaoh offers another compromise. Moses says no again. The kids will feel the tension and understand why Moses was not willing to accept a halfway answer.
For younger children, the key truth is simple: God knew exactly where His people were and kept them safe. For older children, push into the idea of belonging to God completely. What does it look like to be "in Goshen" spiritually today? What does it mean to be fully on God's side?