Read Exodus 5:1-9

• How does the Pharaoh respond to Moses and Aaron's request?

• Have you ever had an interaction with someone who doesn't know God that reminds you a bit of Pharaoh's attitude here? What happened?

Read Exodus 5:10-21

• Verse 15 is an echo of Exodus 2:23 (the same Hebrew word is translated as 'appeal' in v15 and 'cry for help' in 2:23) - what is the difference between crying out to God and crying out to Pharoah?

  • What (if anything) does this comparison teach us about prayer?

• Why did the Israelite overseers blame Moses and Aaron? Do you think they were justified in reacting this way? Who would you blame for this situation?

Read Exodus 5:22-6:8

• Look again at Moses' complaint to God. Have you ever felt this way, or prayed a prayer like this? What happened?

• Now look at God's response. What do you notice about it? How does God answer Moses' (and the people's) complaint?

  • What key promises does God make to His people in verses 6-8? See if you can summarise/categorise all these promises (hint: there is some poetic repetition and symmetry in this section that will help you to collect ideas together. You could use a few different highlighters to categorise the various repeated promises)

  • How do each of these promises map on to the Good News about Jesus? How are we recipients of similar promises or similar saving works of God?

• Why do you think God was willing for His people to continue to suffer like this - what is His bigger plan about here?

  • How does recognising this for the Israelites in Egypt help us to trust God in our own struggles?

Spend some time praying bold prayers for one another. Pray that God would intervene in our lives, or the lives of our friends, to bring about new mighty acts of salvation and rescue where there is slavery, suffering and hardship.