Exodus 3
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
Moses was walking in the desert. He was watching his sheep. The sun was warm. The sand was dry. It was very quiet.
Then Moses saw something. Look! A bush! And the bush was on fire. There were flames, high and bright. But the bush did not burn up. It just kept standing there.
Moses thought: "I want to see this from up close!" So he walked closer.
Then he heard a voice. A voice from the bush. "Moses! Moses!" Moses stood very still. "Here I am," he said softly.
The voice said, "Stop. Do not come closer. Take off your shoes. This place is holy." Moses took off his sandals. His feet were in the warm sand.
Then Moses knew: this is God! God was speaking to him! Moses covered his face with his hands. He did not dare to look.
What Does This Mean?
God said, "I see my people. They are sad. They live far away, in Egypt. They have to work so hard. They are crying. And I hear them."
God had not forgotten his people. He saw everything. He heard every tear.
"Moses," said God, "you must go. You must help them. I am sending you."
But Moses was scared. "Me?" he said. "I cannot do that!"
Then God said something wonderful. "I will be with you. Always. I will go along."
The Common Thread
Moses asked, "God, what is your name? What should I say?"
And God said, "My name is I AM. I am always there. I was there before. I am there now. I will always be there."
That is a beautiful name. God is always near. Long ago, God was with Abraham. And with Isaac. And with Jacob. And now with Moses. And later God sent Jesus. Jesus said the same thing: "I am with you. Every day."
God does not forget his children. Never, ever.
For You
Sometimes you feel small. Maybe you are scared of the dark. Or scared of a big dog. Or sad because something hurts.
Do you know what? God sees you. Really. He sees you when you laugh. He sees you when you cry. He hears you when you whisper.
And God says the same thing to you as to Moses: "I am with you." When you sleep. When you play. When you eat. God is close.
You do not have to be afraid. You do not have to be big or strong. God is big. God is strong. And he loves you very much.
Talk About It
Moses saw a bush that was on fire but did not burn up. What do you think that looked like?
God said, "I am with you." Where are you glad that God is with you?
Praying Together
Dear God,
Thank you that you saw Moses. Thank you that you see me too. You are always near. When I am happy, you are there. When I am scared, you are there. Thank you, God.
Amen.
Questions about Exodus 3
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Exodus 3 about?
What does Exodus 3 say?
What does Exodus 3 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Exodus 3?
Why is Exodus 3 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
Four hundred years of unpaid labor, and God had been keeping the account the whole time. Notice where the silver ends up: "You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters." Not hoarded, but worn by the children. The years that cost you everything are not lost to God. He remembers work that no one else ever counted.
God is in me and always guide me. that is why wgen i sinned , my mood changes and becomes dull. I regret and worry about my being , my
Security. I lose my peace and feels vulnerable. I become scared and shameful , Neglected and uncared for until i oray and ask for forgiveness.
God is in me and always guide me. that is why wgen i sinned , my mood changes and becomes dull. I regret and worry about my being , my
Security. I lose my peace and feels vulnerable. I become scared and shameful , Neglected and uncared for until i oray and ask for forgiveness.
Moses is eighty years old, tending someone else's sheep in the wilderness. Forty years earlier he tried to rescue his people with his own strength and failed. Now he leads sheep "to the back of the wilderness." Notice how God meets him there, not in Egypt's palace or on some mountaintop of achievement, but in the quiet obscurity of ordinary work. Your hidden years are not wasted. God knows where to find you.
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
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