Integrity production Media

22/07/2025

21/07/2025

_Sabbath School Summary_
*The Plagues*
_Lesson 4_
_Memory Text: Exodus 9:35_

*Introduction*

*SABBATH*: Pharaoh may have called the Israelites “slaves”, but God called them His own—the apple of His eye, His sons & daughters. God’s plan was to fetch them out of Egypt & make them great. “Let My people go” was the marching orders given to Moses to say to the king of Egypt. But Pharaoh wouldn’t let them go despite their military threat (Exod. 1:10). Just as a farmer wallops a donkey who’s hesitant to move before it moves, God struck Pharaoh with ten plagues.

*God vs. gods*

*SUNDAY*: Who shall contend with the Lord? Let the entity face Him! Pharaoh, in the spirit of Egyptian deities, dared to face God (there were over 1,500 God’s & goddesses). He saw himself as a god. It was a battle versus (the living) God & gods (Exod. 7:8-15, 12:12). God brought judgment on them (Num. 33:4). There was a snake god (Nehebkau) in Egypt & the Uraeus goddess Wadjet was shown as a cobra, a sign also in Pharaoh’s crown. When Aaron’s staff devoured other serpents, God’s power was seen.

*Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart?*

*MONDAY*: Had Pharaoh obeyed God’s voice, he would have been spared from God’s wrath. Pharaoh was stubborn in the heart even before the King of kings. In the first 5 plagues, it’s seen that he hardened his heart. God didn’t force him into evil but allowed his choices to be seen more fully—this is expressed as God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exod. 7:3, 13, 14, 22; 4:2; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8; 9:17, 18; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34, 35). Pharaoh had his free will (Rom. 1:24-32). So do we! (Deut. 30:19).

*The First Three Plagues*

*TUESDAY*: The 10 plagues in Egypt were aimed not at the Egyptian people but at their gods. Each plague hit at least one of them. Moses was foretold that the task would be difficult. The first plague was the Nile River & other water sources turning into blood (against Hapi, god of Nile) (Exod. 7:14-8:19, 7:17-25; Gen. 1:1, 2, 20-22; Ps. 104:27, 28; Ps. 136:25; John 11:25; 14:6). Next frog infested the land (against frog goddess; Heqet). In the third, insect affected livestock (it was against Geb, the god of earth).

*Flies, Livestock, and Boils*

*WEDNESDAY*: The plagues that went against the people of Egypt were meant to free God’s people from slavery. The Hebrews were protected & no further plagues affected them. Pharaoh was left to his hard heart & felt the results (Exod. 8:20-9:12). God defeated Uatchit (the fly god, of swamps & marshes) & Khepri (the god of the rising sun, creation, & rebirth) The next plagues were 4. flies on Egyptians, 5.pestilence on livestock (against Hathor & Apis), & 6. boils (against Isis, god of medicine).

*Hail, Locusts, and Darkness*

*THURSDAY*: Hail (against Nut, goddess of the sky), Locusts (against Osiris, god of crops & fertility & Seth, god of storm, war, & disorder), & Darkness (against Ra, sun god) were the 7th, 8th, & 9th plagues in the given order. Hail is a sign of God’s judgment (Isa. 28:2, 17; Ezek. 13:11–13). No god in Egypt could stop God’s wrath. Pharaoh accepted he had sinned but he later changed his mind (Exod. 9:16, 10:4-20, Isa. 44:9, 10, 12-17). Moses rejected his compromise. Pharaoh’s fall was near (Prov. 16:18).

*Further Thought*

*FRIDAY*: God allowed Israel to endure the harshness of the Egyptians to reveal the corrupting nature of idolatry. In His interactions with Pharaoh, the Lord demonstrated His disdain for idolatry and His resolve to punish evil. Pharaoh's heart was not hardened by supernatural means; each miracle he rejected only added to his defiance. The darkness that afflicted both the Egyptians and their gods showed God's mercy, giving the people with a chance for reflection and repentance before the final plague.

—Ellen G. White, “The Plagues of Egypt,” pp. 265–272, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

*Keywords*

_Nehebkau- A snake god in Egypt, which means “he who harnesses the spirits”._

_Snake- It was used to personify some gods in Egypt and was also a sign in Pharaoh’s crown. The Egyptians believed the Uraeus goddess Wadjet, personified by a Cobra, would spit venom at Pharaoh’s enemies. The Egyptians also believed that the sacred serpent would guide the Pharaoh to his afterlife._

_Aaron’s staff- It became a snake and ate up all the other serpents before the king, the supremacy of the living God over Egyptian magic and sorcery was manifested._

_Moses- As a messenger of God, he had more power and authority than did the “god” Pharaoh himself._

_Pharaoh’s hardened heart- An analogy: imagine sunshine that beats on butter and clay. Butter melts but clay hardens. The heat of the sun is the same in both cases, but there are two different reactions to the heat, and two different results. The effect depends on the material. In the case of Pharaoh, one may say that it depended upon the attitudes of his heart toward God and His people._

_Hathor- The Egyptian goddess of love and protection, was depicted with the head of a cow._

_Apis- A bull god was also very popular and highly regarded in ancient Egypt._

*Discussion Questions*

📌 Dwell more on the question of why Pharaoh allowed himself to be so hardened that, in the face of what must have been the obvious and correct choice—Let the people go!—he still refused. How could someone become so self-deceived? What kind of warnings should we take from this for ourselves about how we can truly get so hardened in sin that we make utterly disastrous decisions when the correct decision and the right path have been right before us the whole time? What other Bible characters have made the same kind of error? Think, for example, of Judas.

📌 At one point, amid the devastation that Pharaoh had brought upon his own land and people, he declared, “ ‘I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones’ ” (Exod. 9:27, NASB). Though a wonderful confession of sin at the time, how do we know that it wasn’t a genuine one?

_For July 19–25, 2025.

20/07/2025

19/07/2025

Happy Sabbath

17/07/2025

The continent’s finest are lighting up the Wafcon stage! These are the top players in contention for the coveted Golden Boot - who will finish as the tournament's top scorer?

17/07/2025

_Sabbath School Summary_
*Rough Start*
_Lesson 3_
_Memory Text: Exodus 5:1, 2_

*Introduction*

*SABBATH*: The emigration of Israel from Egypt began on a rough note. Pharaoh built his city with their unpaid labor & was unwilling to let them go. Those who decide to live a godly life in Jesus will face many trials. Many believers think that it is a jolly ride to follow God—only prosperity & happiness abounds. But it is not an easy journey as the Bible tells us. At times, there are questions with no easy answers. But God is always with His people & give solutions in His time & terms. God has called you. Trust Him!

*Who Is the Lord?*

*SUNDAY*: Who are the Hebrews? Who is their God that I should obey His voice? (Exod. 3:10). That’s, Pharaoh hardened his heart when he received God’s orders from Moses to free the Israelites. Let it be a battle between Pharaoh against God (Jehovah). Like Pharaoh, many men in history have uttered similar words & have acted in defiance towards God. In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of atheism; an entity that opposes God. The French Revolution acted in the same spirit (Isa. 30:1-3, Rev. 11:8, GC, p. 269, Exod. 5:2).

*A Rough Start*

*MONDAY*: Moses was forewarned that Pharaoh would resist the appeal to let Israel go. But he probably didn’t foresee what was coming. Pharaoh was a proud man & wouldn’t listen to Moses. Even before going before Pharaoh, Moses & Aaron met the elders & people of Israel to inform them about God’s command. Expectations were high to be delivered. But Pharaoh increased their workload after Moses’ request (Exod. 5:3-23, 4:29-31). This led to an ugly dispute between Israelites & Moses & Aaron.

*The Divine “I”*

*TUESDAY*: What shall Moses do next? He was angrily denied by Pharaoh & his own people cursed him. He turned to God in his bitterness & disappointment for making matters worse for Israel. God responded with “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh” (Exod. 5:22, 23). He will no longer speak but act. Stroke by stroke, God smote the proud king. He reminded Moses that He’s the Lord who appeared to the patriarchs & made a covenant with them to give them the Promised Land (Exod. 5:22-6:8).

*Uncircumcised Lips*

*WEDNESDAY*: The Israelites were first admitted to Egypt as honored guests but later became slaves. After years of grief & hard labor, Moses’s words of relief was short-lived when Pharaoh did not let the people go. The weight of the mission made Moses to talk about his weakness. The story of Job & the psalm of Asaph on why the righteous suffer but the ungodly prosper all tell us how we can come to the point of depression (Exod. 6:9-13, Ps. 73:23-26, Isa. 41:13, Matt. 28:20). Yet, God is always with us!

*Like God to Pharaoh*

*THURSDAY*: God’s choice of calling an unlikely person to work for Him reveals that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. When Moses uttered that he’s a man of “uncircumcised lips” (slow of speech), God gave him Aaron to be his aide (Exod. 6:28-7:7). That’s, God promises to be Moses’ mouth. Moses was to speak to Aaron who will speak to Pharaoh. In this way, Moses was to play the role of God & Aaron the role of a prophet. God made Moses aware of the hurdles & ultimate victory (Exod. 7:5).

*Further Thought*

*FRIDAY*: Suspecting about a possible revolt of the Israelites, Pharaoh gave a command to tighten the labors of the people. Disaffection was the result of idleness. Hence, not long after Moses’s request to free Israel, Pharaoh gave more cruel orders to force the people to gather straw themselves to make bricks for building. This caused great distress among the Israelites. Hebrew officers overseeing the work were beaten if the people failed to make enough bricks.

--Ellen G. White, “The Plagues of Egypt,” pp. 257–265 & 258, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

*Keywords*

_Pharaoh- He thought he was a god or the son of a god—a broad reference to a belief in one’s own supreme power, strength, and intelligence._

_GC- The Great Controversy_

_The French Revolution- It led to the capture of Pope Pius VI on February 10, 1798, terminating the long period of the Roman Church’s secular rule (1,260 years) as predicted by Daniel 500 years before Christ. French general Berthier at Napoleon’s orders captured the pope, later burnt bibles, & promoted atheism to kill the 2 witnesses-- Old and New Testament of the Bible (Rev. 11:7-9, Exod 5:2)._

_Egypt- It is symbol, not only for the denial of God but for a system that fights against Him. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt._

*Discussion Questions*

📌 Think of a time that, as you heeded God’s call in your life, things did not go well, or certainly did not start off well. What lessons have you learned over time from that experience?

📌 Tell others how God intervened in your life when you prayed for His help or when you did not expect it. How can we believe in God’s goodness when bad things happen, even to those who trust the Lord?

📌 What would you say to someone who declares, “I do not know the Lord”? However, suppose the person said it, not in a way of defiance, but as a simple fact about his or her life? What could you do to help him or her know the Lord and explain to the person why it’s important that he or she do so?

_For July 12–18. Happy Sabbath!_

*10 Talking Points on the SS Lesson 3: Rough Start*



1. The central theme of last week’s lesson was on God’s call to Moses to rescue the Children of Isael from Egyptian bo***ge. Through a burning bush that was not consumed, God presented to Moses the plan to save Israel. Moses in turn reluctantly accepted the mandate. This week’s lesson focuses on the challenges Moses faced when he returned to Egypt.

2. The first challenge Moses faced was presenting God to Pharaoh. Together with Aaron, he approached Pharaoh and requested the release of the children of Israel in obedience to God's command (Deut. 5 vs 1-2). Pharaoh's immediate response, which questioned God's identity and defied Him, posed a significant challenge for Moses.

3. The challenge on the identity of God was not due to ignorance or desire to know the God of Israel, but rather a protest by Pharaoh, who was regarded as a god himself. His refusal to let the Israelites go and worship God was a deliberate act of rebellion against God and a display of perceived superiority (Exod. 5 vs 4- 5).

4. The confrontation with Pharaoh by Moses and Aaron resulted in more hardship for the Israelites. Pharaoh stopped providing straw for making bricks and commanded Israelites to gather their own straw while still meeting their daily quota of bricks. The foremen’s appeals did not help (Exod. 5 vs 6-19).

5. In anger and rage, the Israelite leaders confronted Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the new decree that forced them to gather straw themselves. To the people, the presence of Moses and Aaron only made their situation worse. This became Moses' second major challenge, prompting him to complain bitterly to God (Exod. 5 vs 22-23).

6. Rather than provide details of the escape plan, God reminded Moses of His covenant with the patriarchs and informed him that the planned deliverance would be met with Pharaoh's resistance (Exod. 6 vs 1-2). Why did God choose to remind Moses of His covenant with the patriarchs? Why is it important to go back to God's promises in His word even when everything around us suggests otherwise?

7. God promised to deliver the Israelites from the yoke of the Egyptians, free them from slavery, pass judgement on their slave masters, and take them as His own people (Exod. 6 vs 6-7). These four actions highlight God's sovereignty, His desire to restore a covenant relationship with His people, and His intention to reveal His saving grace.

8. Moses shared God's words of encouragement with the children of Israel, but they had lost interest in their deliverance from slavery. Disheartened by their willingness to listen, Moses became depressed and refused to appear before Pharaoh (Exod. 6 v 12). How discouraging it can be to lose the confidence of the people you are trying to rescue!

9. Moses' confidence faltered, and once again raised his excuse of speech impairment, as though the success of the mission depended on his eloquence. God responded by instructing Moses to stand before Pharaoh as His representative, while Aaron would serve as His prophet. God also forewarned that Pharaoh would still harden his heart despite their efforts (Exod. 7 vs 1-7).

10. Moses had a rough start in getting the Israelites out of Egypt. On his way to Egypt, he almost died because his son was not circumcised. In Egypt, he confronted Pharaoh, who challenged his authority to let the Israelites go. The most discouraging was that the people he came to save had no confidence in him. Next week, we will learn about the plagues

```MAY GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY```

16/07/2025

12/07/2025

_Sabbath School Summary_
*Rough Start*
_Lesson 3_
_Memory Text: Exodus 5:1, 2_

*Introduction*

*SABBATH*: The emigration of Israel from Egypt began on a rough note. Pharaoh built his city with their unpaid labor & was unwilling to let them go. Those who decide to live a godly life in Jesus will face many trials. Many believers think that it is a jolly ride to follow God—only prosperity & happiness abounds. But it is not an easy journey as the Bible tells us. At times, there are questions with no easy answers. But God is always with His people & give solutions in His time & terms. God has called you. Trust Him!

*Who Is the Lord?*

*SUNDAY*: Who are the Hebrews? Who is their God that I should obey His voice? (Exod. 3:10). That’s, Pharaoh hardened his heart when he received God’s orders from Moses to free the Israelites. Let it be a battle between Pharaoh against God (Jehovah). Like Pharaoh, many men in history have uttered similar words & have acted in defiance towards God. In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of atheism; an entity that opposes God. The French Revolution acted in the same spirit (Isa. 30:1-3, Rev. 11:8, GC, p. 269, Exod. 5:2).

*A Rough Start*

*MONDAY*: Moses was forewarned that Pharaoh would resist the appeal to let Israel go. But he probably didn’t foresee what was coming. Pharaoh was a proud man & wouldn’t listen to Moses. Even before going before Pharaoh, Moses & Aaron met the elders & people of Israel to inform them about God’s command. Expectations were high to be delivered. But Pharaoh increased their workload after Moses’ request (Exod. 5:3-23, 4:29-31). This led to an ugly dispute between Israelites & Moses & Aaron.

*The Divine “I”*

*TUESDAY*: What shall Moses do next? He was angrily denied by Pharaoh & his own people cursed him. He turned to God in his bitterness & disappointment for making matters worse for Israel. God responded with “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh” (Exod. 5:22, 23). He will no longer speak but act. Stroke by stroke, God smote the proud king. He reminded Moses that He’s the Lord who appeared to the patriarchs & made a covenant with them to give them the Promised Land (Exod. 5:22-6:8).

*Uncircumcised Lips*

*WEDNESDAY*: The Israelites were first admitted to Egypt as honored guests but later became slaves. After years of grief & hard labor, Moses’s words of relief was short-lived when Pharaoh did not let the people go. The weight of the mission made Moses to talk about his weakness. The story of Job & the psalm of Asaph on why the righteous suffer but the ungodly prosper all tell us how we can come to the point of depression (Exod. 6:9-13, Ps. 73:23-26, Isa. 41:13, Matt. 28:20). Yet, God is always with us!

*Like God to Pharaoh*

*THURSDAY*: God’s choice of calling an unlikely person to work for Him reveals that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. When Moses uttered that he’s a man of “uncircumcised lips” (slow of speech), God gave him Aaron to be his aide (Exod. 6:28-7:7). That’s, God promises to be Moses’ mouth. Moses was to speak to Aaron who will speak to Pharaoh. In this way, Moses was to play the role of God & Aaron the role of a prophet. God made Moses aware of the hurdles & ultimate victory (Exod. 7:5).

*Further Thought*

*FRIDAY*: Suspecting about a possible revolt of the Israelites, Pharaoh gave a command to tighten the labors of the people. Disaffection was the result of idleness. Hence, not long after Moses’s request to free Israel, Pharaoh gave more cruel orders to force the people to gather straw themselves to make bricks for building. This caused great distress among the Israelites. Hebrew officers overseeing the work were beaten if the people failed to make enough bricks.

--Ellen G. White, “The Plagues of Egypt,” pp. 257–265 & 258, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

*Keywords*

_Pharaoh- He thought he was a god or the son of a god—a broad reference to a belief in one’s own supreme power, strength, and intelligence._

_GC- The Great Controversy_

_The French Revolution- It led to the capture of Pope Pius VI on February 10, 1798, terminating the long period of the Roman Church’s secular rule (1,260 years) as predicted by Daniel 500 years before Christ. French general Berthier at Napoleon’s orders captured the pope, later burnt bibles, & promoted atheism to kill the 2 witnesses-- Old and New Testament of the Bible (Rev. 11:7-9, Exod 5:2)._

_Egypt- It is symbol, not only for the denial of God but for a system that fights against Him. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt._

*Discussion Questions*

📌 Think of a time that, as you heeded God’s call in your life, things did not go well, or certainly did not start off well. What lessons have you learned over time from that experience?

📌 Tell others how God intervened in your life when you prayed for His help or when you did not expect it. How can we believe in God’s goodness when bad things happen, even to those who trust the Lord?

📌 What would you say to someone who declares, “I do not know the Lord”? However, suppose the person said it, not in a way of defiance, but as a simple fact about his or her life? What could you do to help him or her know the Lord and explain to the person why it’s important that he or she do so?

_For July 12–18.