Learning Packet

CLE 7: Our Relationship with God

Third Quarter, 2022-2023

The Struggles of Slavery

*Please prepare your Bible for cross-referencing in our topic.

The Egypt and Exodus period picks up the story of Scripture in the second book of the Bible, Exodus. The English title
follows the Greek text, which names the book for its central event— Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The title of this book
in the Hebrew text, however, is the “Book of Names,” drawn from the opening words of the text, “These are the
names.” In this period, God’s covenant family will continue to increase from a couple (Adam and Eve) to a family
(Noah) to a tribe (Abraham) to a nation (Moses and Israel).

Engage

Activity 1: Let Me Be Free

Directions: Answer the questions below after reflecting first on each question provided.

1. What are your dreams and ambitions in your life that you wish to achieve as a
person?

2. What obstacles are preventing you from attaining your dreams and goals?

3. How can your faith liberate you from the obstacles in your life?

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2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
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3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
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Nearly four hundred years, or ten generations, have gone by since Jacob’s family
settled in Egypt’s best land, the land of Goshen. Given that so many generations had
spent their entire lives in Egypt, it is not surprising that Israel has become
accustomed to the culture, practices, and even religion of Egypt (this is important to
understand Israel during their wandering in the desert).

A new king (or pharaoh) of Egypt arose and this time he will not recognize the
people of Joseph which is the Israelites. The new pharaoh was alarmed for the
growing number of Israelites and so he began to impose forced labor and in addition
he commanded to commit infanticide to the newborn Hebrew babies as ways to control the population growth of the
Israelites. Pharaoh commands that every newborn Hebrew boy be thrown into the Nile. It was at this time that Moses
enters the scene.

Moses’ mother who was a part of the tribe of Levi made a floating basket and puts Moses there to float in the Nile river.
Pharaoh’s daughter spies the basket and commands it to be brought to her. Although she recognizes the child as a
Hebrew (Hebrews circumcised children at eight days, whereas Egyptians circumcised at age thirteen), she has pity on
him and adopts him, refusing to obey her father’s command of infanticide. Also, it is considered for the Egyptians that
anything coming from the Nile river is a gift from the gods. Given that, the daughter of the pharaoh received Moses as a
gift from the gods and raised him in the royal court of the pharaoh. Because of this, Moses was raised and received a
proper education in the royal court as he grew up.
Explore
Activity 2: Cause and Effect
Directions: Identify the cause/effect of each situation given.

1. Cause:_________________________________________________________________________________________
Effect: The pharaoh ordered the massacre of the infants.
2. Cause: Moses’ mother made a basket and puts Moses there to float in the Nile River.
Effect: _________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Cause: Moses was taken by the daughter of the pharaoh.
Effect: _________________________________________________________________________________________

The name Moses means, “drawn out from water” and as we have just read Moses
was “drawn out” from the waters of the Nile River. And of course, as we will see
later, we will find the other signifance of the meaning of his name as we proceed
to the story of the Book of Exodus.

When Moses grew up and became a young

man, he sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew
slave. Identifying with his own people, he
steps in and kills the Egyptian, hiding his body in the sand. Even though he has
been raised in the Egyptian court, Moses feels deeply his kinship with the Hebrew
people. Word about the murder gets out, and Moses flees for his life to Midian (in
modern-day Saudi Arabia). Moses comes to a well and finds his wife, Zipporah. As
in Genesis, wells and wives go together (Abraham’s servant finds Rebekah at the
spring [Gn 24] and Jacob meets Rachel at a well [Gn 29: 1-12].) Jethro, Zipporah’s
father and a high priest of Midian, becomes Moses’ father-in-law, and Moses
spends forty years living with his new family.

Explain
Activity 3: Rash Decisions and Consequences

Directions: We have seen that Moses jumped ferociously to defend his fellow Hebrew kin to the point of killing a
taskmaster that would be punishable by death. There are decisions in our lives that we have made without thinking of
the repercussions of our actions. Try to remember a similar situation you had in life that you made a decision and
regretted doing it because of the consequences. Write your answer only in 3-5 sentences. (Answer on next page)

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2
 One day, while shepherding his father-in-law’s
flocks, Moses comes to Mount Horeb, the
mountain of God. There, Moses sees a bush on
fire yet not consumed. He investigates and
encounters the Lord, who instructs Moses to
remove his sandals, for the ground upon which
he is standing is holy. Here, God calls Moses to a
new mission. God tells Moses that he has looked
down and seen the affliction of his people and
that he will send Moses to Pharaoh to bring the
people of Israel out of Egypt.

Still unsure of what lies ahead, and wanting to

verify just whose messenger he is to be, Moses asks God, “What is your name?” God answers Moses’ request and
reveals his name: YHWH (in Hebrew, ’ehyeh ’asher ’ehyeh), which consists of a double use of the Hebrew verb “to be,”
hayah, meaning “I am who I am,” (Ex 3: 14).

Moses is still not persuaded and puts forward a second objection: “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent … I am slow of
speech and of tongue” (Ex 4: 10). Moses tries to get out of the mission by claiming that he is not sufficiently gifted. The
Lord responds: “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
Now therefore go, and I will be your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Ex 4: 11-12). The Lord wants Moses to
know that even though Moses does not feel suited to this monumental task, God has prepared him and given him the
necessary gifts to do his will. Moses has been preserved from an early death, educated in Pharaoh’s court, and even
directed to Midian, where he has learned the paths to and around God’s holy mountain while shepherding Jethro’s
flocks. God tells Moses what he tells us: he uses everything in our lives for his plan.

Extend
Activity 4: Missions and Doubts

Directions: Many times in our lives we are like Moses when we are given a heavy task and we find ourselves asking if we
can get it done. In fact, this may be a reason to ask God why He would entrust you with this in the first place. It is only
God who can grant the grace necessary to fulfill the task that He has given to us. For your final activity in this worksheet,
compose a supplication prayer asking for God to enable you to work through the tasks shouldered upon you and a
thanksgiving prayer for granting you the grace before you fulfill your mission.

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And in our next week, we will talk about how God will lead the Israelites through Moses their deliverance from slavery
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to the promised land where He will show His signs and wonders.
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3
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In a nutshell:
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For additional readings:

Pitre, B., & Bergsma, J. S. (2018). A Catholic Introduction to the Bible. Amsterdam University Press.
Cavins, T. G. A. J. (2018). Walking with God: A Journey Through the Bible (Revised ed.). Ascension.

Citations:

Baby Moses is hidden from Pharaoh along the banks of the Nile river (Exodus 2:1 – 2:10). (n.d.). [Image].
Https://Www.Bibleblender.Com/. https://www.bibleblender.com/2019/bible-stories/old-
testament/exodus/baby-moses-hidden-from-pharaoh-banks-of-nile-river-exodus-2-1-2-10

FreeBibleimages :: Moses and the Red Sea. (n.d.). [Image]. Https://Media.Freebibleimages.Org/.

https://media.freebibleimages.org/stories/FB_Moody_Moses_RedSea/overview-images/002-moody-
moses-red-sea.jpg?1538659024

In the Burning Bush: Jesus in Exodus 3. (n.d.). [Image]. Https://Appleeye.Org. https://appleeye.org/wp-

content/uploads/2019/12/Burning-Bush-Christophany.jpg

Moses Kills an Egpytian Task Master. (n.d.). [Image]. Https://2.Bp.Blogspot.Com/. https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-

AHIh9ZGCUrU/VZviQiD9QdI/AAAAAAAACqs/pq7wLfz8QvA/s1600/Moses%2Bslays%2Ban%2BE
gyptian.jpg