The Sixth Plague: Painful Boils (Exodus 9:8–12)
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was being very stubborn. He refused to let God's people go free, even after God sent many warnings. So, God spoke to Moses and Aaron again. He told them to do something very unusual. He said, "Take handfuls of soot from a kiln and throw it into the air in front of Pharaoh." A kiln is like a big oven, and soot is the black, dusty ash left over after a fire. It was dirty and messy.
Moses and Aaron obeyed God. They went to stand before Pharaoh. Moses took the soot and threw it up toward the sky. Suddenly, a miracle happened. That small amount of black ash didn't just fall to the ground. It turned into fine dust that spread over all the land of Egypt. When this dust landed on the people and animals of Egypt, it caused painful sores called boils to break out on their skin. This was the Plague of Boils.
This showed God's power in a new way. The Egyptian magicians, who usually tried to copy Moses, couldn't even stand up because they were covered in boils too! They realized they were powerless against the One True God. Even though the boils were painful and the magicians were defeated, Pharaoh's heart remained hard. Just as the Lord had said, Pharaoh would not listen to Moses and Aaron, and he would not let the people go.
A Curious Question
Why do you think God used something dirty like "soot" or "ashes" to show His power to Pharaoh?
Jesus Connection
In this story, the people of Egypt had a sickness on their skin that they could not wash away. The magicians tried to use magic, but they couldn't stop it. This reminds us of sin. Sin is like a sickness in our hearts that we cannot fix on our own. We need a Healer. Jesus Christ is the Great Physician. He came to earth not just to heal bodies, but to heal our hearts from sin.
The soot made the people unclean, but Jesus offers us salvation that makes us clean. When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment for our sin so that we could be forgiven. The gospel is the good news that while Pharaoh's heart was hard and stubborn, Jesus gives us a new, soft heart that loves God.
Discussion Questions
- What did God tell Moses to throw into the air?
- What happened to the magicians when the boils came?
- Why do you think Pharaoh still said "no" even after seeing his own magicians defeated?
- How is listening to God different from having a "hard heart" like Pharaoh?
- Can you think of a time when it was hard for you to listen to instructions?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
In the story, Pharaoh had a "hard heart." This means he was stubborn and refused to admit he was wrong or listen to God. God wants us to have "soft hearts." Having a soft heart means we are quick to say "I'm sorry" when we do something wrong, and we are ready to obey God's Word.
This week, if your parents or teachers correct you, try not to get angry or stubborn like Pharaoh. Instead, practice having a soft heart by listening and obeying right away.
Memorize God's Word
Psalm 51:10
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
Hand Motions:
- Create: Make fists and stack them on top of each other like building.
- Pure Heart: Draw a heart shape over your chest with your fingers.
- O God: Point both hands up to the sky.
- Renew: Move hands in a circle motion in front of you.
- Spirit: Place hand over your heart.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, You are powerful and strong. Thank You for showing us that You are in control of everything. Please help us not to be stubborn like Pharaoh. Give us soft hearts that want to listen to You and obey You. Thank You for sending Jesus to heal our hearts from sin. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Craft Activity: The "Magician's Defeat" Puppet
Create a paper bag puppet representing the Egyptian magicians who couldn't stand against God's power, using stickers to represent the plague.
Materials Checklist
Instructions
- Give each child a brown paper lunch bag. The flap of the bag will be the puppet's face.
- Have the children draw a face on the flap using markers. They can draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth looking surprised or sad.
- Cut strips of construction paper to make an Egyptian-style headdress or hat and glue it to the top of the bag.
- Draw robes or clothes on the bottom part of the bag (the body).
- Give each child a sheet of red round stickers.
- Tell the story again briefly: "When the dust fell, the magicians got boils!" Have the kids stick the red dots all over the puppet's face and hands to represent the plague.
- Write "God is Powerful" on the back of the puppet.
Effective Teaching Techniques
Sensory Lesson: To help children understand what "soot" is without making a huge mess, put a little bit of flour mixed with cocoa powder inside a clear Ziploc bag. Seal it tightly with tape. Pass the bag around and let the kids squash it and feel the "dust." Explain that Moses threw something similar into the air, and God turned it into the plague. This gives them a tactile connection to the story without the cleanup!