003. God Feeds His People Manna in the Sinai Desert

God Feeds His People Manna in the Sinai Desert
About 5 minutes, from Exodus 16 – 17 and Numbers 20

Participants (No need to memorize lines; the aim is to relive sacred events,
not to perform)
Â Â Aaron
Â Â Moses
Â Â Grumbler
Â Â PrompterÂ Â Â Â Â Shout a brief line, and Echoes repeat it.
Â Â EchoesÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.

Moses	I am Moses, Israel’s Law-giver. After escaping from slavery in Egypt, God’s people camp in the desert near Mt. Sinai, and some of them grumble.
Grumbler	Moses and Aaron, why’d you bring us into this arid wilderness? We will starve!
Prompter & Echoes	We are hungry!
Grumbler	We’d have been better off dying back in Egypt; at least we’d have had our fill of meat and bread. You led us out into this desert to dry up and die. There’s no water.
Prompter & Echoes	Moses, we are thirsty!
Moses	I hear a voice from heaven and look up.
Voice	Moses, I have heard my people grumbling. I will test them to see if they will walk in my ways. Tell them that I will rain bread from heaven for them. Everyone must gather a day's portion every morning.
Moses	Sons of Israel, in the morning you’ll see the Lord’s glory. He heard your complaints. You grumble not against Aaron and me, but against God himself.
Voice	Moses, at twilight the people shall eat meat, and in the morning they shall be filled with bread. They shall know that I am the Lord their God.
Aaron	I am Aaron, Moses’ brother. It happens as God told Moses. In the evening quails come up and cover the camp. Next morning fine flakes of food are lying on the ground.
Prompter & Echoes	What is this stuff?
Grumbler	Hey! It’s tasty! It looks like coriander and tastes like honey.
Moses	The Lord has given you bread.
Prompter & Echoes	Manna from heaven!
Voice	Moses, have every man gather as much as he’ll eat, but only for one day. On the sixth day, bring in twice as much, so as not to gather it on the Sabbath.
Aaron	Look, Moses. Those who try to gather much have no excess; and those who gathered little have no lack!
Moses	Oh, oh! Some people disobeyed! This is serious. They stored up manna for the next day. Now hear them.
Prompter & Echoes	Grumble, grumble!
Grumbler	What a fiasco! The manna I kept over for another day has bred worms. It stinks! Why, Aaron?
Aaron	God did it. However, the extra portion of manna that you kept for the Sabbath has not spoiled and has had no worms.
Grumbler	Hey, Aaron, what are you and Moses doing to us? I went out to get manna this morning, but found none!
Aaron	It is the Sabbath. God told you yesterday to gather enough for today.
Prompter & Echoes	Hear God speak!
Voice	How long will my people refuse to keep my commands?
Aaron	The people keep quarreling with Moses and me.
Grumbler	The water is gone. Give us water, or we will die.
Prompter & Echoes	Water! Water!
Moses	Why do you argue with me? Why do you test the Lord?
Grumbler	Why did you and Aaron bring us out of Egypt? Was it to slay us and our livestock with thirst?
Moses	Lord in heaven, they are about to stone Aaron and me to death! What shall I do with this people?
Voice	Moses, Take up your staff with which you parted the sea. You shall strike the rock at Horeb, and water will flow out for the people to drink.
Aaron	Moses does so, and cool water gushes forth. God has spared our lives!
Prompter & Echoes	God saves his people!