Miriam

I am Miriam, Moses’ sister.
Pharaoh has enslaved us in Egypt.
Hear those painful whips!

Prompter & Echoes

Crack! Crack!

Miriam

Pharaoh’s cruel officers force the Israelites to work even harder
to build his grand city of Rameses. We groan under our burdens.

Prompter & Echoes

Lord, deliver us!

Miriam

By a miracle of God’s mercy and a bit of scheming on my part,
my brother Moses is raised in Pharaoh’s palace.
But now he gets in trouble!

Moses

Oh! What’s this?
That Egyptian is beating an Israelite slave mercilessly!
I look around to see if anyone is watching;
I kill the cruel Egyptian, and hide him in the sand.

Prompter & Echoes

But someone was watching!

Moses

Oh no! I flee from Egypt, to where Pharaoh cannot find me.

Prompter & Echoes

Run, Moses, run!

Moses

Here I am now, tending sheep in this lonely land of Midian.
Oh! That bush over there is on fire; it keeps burning,
but it is not consumed. I must go see why.

Voice

Moses! Remove your sandals; you are standing on holy ground.
I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt.
Go and tell Pharaoh to free my people from their slavery.

Prompter & Echoes

Let my people go!

Miriam

Pharaoh listens to Moses, but hardens his heart.
God sends many plagues to make Pharaoh relent and free us,
but the cruel monarch makes our burdens even heavier.
Hear what Moses tells Israel’s elders.

Moses

God’s death angel will pass over Egypt tonight,
and slay every family’s older son, unless he sees
the Passover Lamb’s blood on the doorposts.
Go warn your people.

Prompter & Echoes

Blood on the doorposts!

Moses

So much death alarms Pharaoh.
He calls my brother Aaron and me,
and tells us to take the Israelites out of Egypt.
Our Egyptian neighbors readily give us the needed supplies.

Miriam

Hurry! Join the thousands that are leaving in haste,
before Pharaoh changes his mind.
Look! That pillar of cloud is leading us by day!

Prompter & Echoes

And a pillar of fire by night.

Miriam

Now we’ve stopped; the Red Sea is blocking our way.
What can we do?

Prompter & Echoes

Pharaoh changes his mind!

Miriam

Pharaoh is furious! He mobilizes his whole army!

Prompter & Echoes

Rumble, rumble!

Miriam

What is this that I hear? It’s getting louder!

Miriam

It’s the sound of horses and chariots!
Oh, no! Look!

Prompter & Echoes

Thousands of them!

Miriam

They’re getting closer.  

Prompter & Echoes

Lord, save us!

Miriam

Moses, the people are asking if there are no graves
in Egypt’s land of pyramid tombs
that you’ve brought them out to die in this wasteland.

Moses

My people, do not fear. The Lord will fight for you!

Voice

Moses, lift up your staff and stretch it out over the sea.
The children of Israel will go through it on dry land.

Moses

A strong east wind blows all night and turns the sea into dry land.
God’s children all pass through it;
the waters are like a wall on each side.

Prompter & Echoes

Hurry!

Miriam

Oh no! Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen are pursuing us!
They’re halfway across the sea!
Look! Their chariot wheels are swerving!
They are in confusion!

Voice

Moses, stretch out your hand again over the sea. Now!

Moses

I reach out my hand, and the sea returns.
Pharaoh’s army has drowned. Freedom at last!

Prompter & Echoes

Our God is all-powerful!

Moses

Now, everyone, let’s all discuss this.
God used Moses to free his people from slavery and death.
Mention ways in which Jesus has likewise saved his people
from death and slavery, spiritually.

Zurisadai

My name is Zurisadai. I am ten years old.

Dad

Son, we are escaping from slavery in Egypt.
Go get a lamb. It is urgent.

Prompter & Echoes

Run!

Zurisadai

I catch a lamb and hold it while my dad slits its throat.
Blood spurts all over me! Flies come!

Prompter & Echoes

Oooo!

Zurisadai

Dad, why are you smearing blood beside our door?

Dad

Moses warned us that the death angel would fly over Egypt tonight,
and slay each family’s firstborn; that means the oldest son.

Prompter & Echoes

Oh no! I am the firstborn son!

Dad

Do not worry, son.
God’s angel will see the lamb’s blood, and pass over.

Zurisadai

Night comes and I cannot sleep. I am really scared.
The night grows cold and silent. I clench my teeth.
I beg the God of Abraham to let the angel see the blood.
It is so dark!

Prompter & Echoes

Too dark!

Zurisadai

I hear screams, faintly and far off. They grow closer and louder.
Now, the cries are all around us!

Prompter & Echoes

(Wail loudly)

Zurisadai

I press my hands over my ears.
I shut my eyes, waiting, waiting, waiting.
Dear Lord, save me! Save me!

Prompter & Echoes

(Wail softly for a brief moment.)

Zurisadai

The wailing grows fainter. Now, silence!
I open my eyes. Mom and dad are looking down at me, weeping.
I will never forget Abba’s cry.

Dad

(Shout) He saw it! God’s death angel saw it!

Prompter & Echoes

The blood of the lamb!

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!

Moses

(Sit where all can see)
The people of Israel have escaped from slavery in Egypt;
we are now wandering in a desert.
I cannot keep order; too many people clamor for justice.

Goat Herder

They’re running around stealing and fighting, Moses.
Do something about it!

Prompter & Echoes

Moses! Help me, Moses!

Bride

(Shout at Moses) Moses, my father-in-law promised five camels
for me to marry his son, but one of the camels was lame, Moses!

Griper

(Point at Bride) Yeah, I gave your dad a lame camel for the girl,
because he didn’t tell me his daughter was lame in the head!

Bride

I am not! You’re too stupid to understand plain Hebrew!

Griper

(Shout angrily) Moses, my neighbor’s goat ate all my lettuce!

Goat Herder

Yeah, but you didn’t have to eat my goat!
It was a good Jewish goat!

Prompter & Echoes

They keep crying for justice!

Moses

Oh, here comes my wise old father-in-law Jethro.

Jethro

(Approach bent, using a walking stick. Shout angrily)
Let Moses alone!
(Wave your stick at Griper.)

Prompter & Echoes

Look out!

Jethro

Moses, you are an idiot!
You let them drive you crazy, yelling at you all at once.

Moses

So what can I do, Jethro?

Jethro

Delegate your authority to leaders of 10s, 50s, 100s and 1000s.
Let them handle the easy stuff and bring you the hard stuff.

Moses

  (Stand) Jethro’s advice solves my problem.
It lets all of God’s people receive attention and good shepherding.
God then gives the Ten Commandments to guide these new elders.
Now they are all mentoring new leaders.

Prompter & Echoes

Praise the God of Abraham!

Aaron

I am Aaron. My brother Moses has organized us.
He sought out honest and unselfish leaders of thousands,
of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.
Now they need help to shepherd the people.
Moses, why did you stop us here by this mountain
in the Sinai desert?

Moses

Our God who freed us from slavery in Egypt will come down.
Set the people apart, for the Lord Almighty will give us his Law.
All the people will see what happens on Mt. Sinai.
Let no man or animal touch the border of the mountain,
or they will die.

Aaron

Stand back! Mount Sinai is all in smoke and fire;
it is quaking violently.

Prompter & Echoes

Terrifying!

Moses

I go up to the top, out of breath;
the mountain keeps quaking fearfully!
God gives me many orders
and inscribes on stone ten basic commands.

Voice

You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall make no idols, or image of anything
in heaven or on the earth.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Prompter & Echoes

Honor your father and mother.

Prompter & Echoes

You shall not murder.

Prompter & Echoes

You shall not commit adultery.

Prompter & Echoes

You shall not steal.

Prompter & Echoes

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Prompter & Echoes

You shall not covet.

Aaron

Look! Moses is finally coming back down,
carrying two stone tablets.
Lightning is flashing, and the mountain is still smoking.

Prompter & Echoes

Stand back!

Aaron

I’m ashamed to say what else happened while we waited for Moses.
He took so long on that mountain that the people got impatient;
I made them a golden calf to worship,
and they celebrated corruptly.
Moses interceded for us, or God would have taken our lives.

Moses

Later, the Almighty has me proclaim the greatest of all commands.

Voice

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God; the Lord is one!
You shall in love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul and with all your strength.

Prompter & Echoes

And love our neighbor as ourselves.

Nadab

Uncle Moses, why make such a fuss over this Day of Atonement?

Moses

Nadab, your father Aaron is Israel’s first High Priest;
today he will enter the innermost Holy of Holies of this tabernacle
that we have finished building. It is God’s tent of dwelling.

Prompter & Echoes

God is with us!

Aaron

Yes.
I, Aaron, must take the sacrificial blood into God’s very presence;
it glows in the innermost Holy of Holies.
I fear to go behind its veil,
but I must; the blood will atone for all our sins.

Moses

We will celebrate this day every year from now on.

Prompter & Echoes

The atoning blood!

Moses

Look, Nadab. Your father Aaron has entered. Will he live?

Prompter & Echoes

Have mercy, dear God!

Moses

Yes! Look! Aaron has come back out, alive!

Prompter & Echoes

We are forgiven!

Nadab

Uncle Moses, you and our father Aaron think you’re so important!
Are you the only ones who can enter God’s presence?

Moses

Be careful, nephew.
It is the law of the Almighty, not ours.

Nadab

We will see about that.

Prompter & Echoes

Watch out!

Aaron

Oh no! My two sons are taking strange fire into God’s presence!
How can they be so proud and presumptuous
to enter without the sacrificial blood!
Stop them! Oh! It’s too late!

Prompter & Echoes

Fire! Fire!

Moses

Oh, Aaron! Flames have burst out from God’s presence!

Nadab

Help! Help!

Aaron

I can’t bear to hear my sons’ screams!
The fire is consuming them!

Prompter & Echoes

They die before the Lord!

Aaron

My sons! Oh, my dear sons! Why did you defy God’s law?
Why did you disobey the solemn edict of the Most Holy One?

Moses

God warns us all, “Whoever comes near me will treat me as holy.”

Prompter & Echoes

Holy! Holy! Holy!

Moses

I am Moses.
Korah has rebelled against me along with 250 leaders.
Listen to Korah’s defiant complaint.

Korah

Moses, why do you and your brother Aaron
exalt yourselves above us?
I can lead these people better than you can.
You go too far.

Prompter & Echoes

Rebellion!

Moses

Korah, the Lord will show whom he chooses to lead his people.
Take censers, and put fire and incense in them before the Lord.
Aaron and his loyal priests shall do the same.
Both groups will stand before the tent of meeting.
We will see to which group the Lord makes his presence known.

Korah

Very well. We will do so, gladly.

Moses

The next day both groups bring incense
before the Tent of Meeting.
All Israel is watching.
Many shout agreement with the rebel Korah.
God tells me to move away from the congregation.
On no! He is going to destroy them!

Prompter & Echoes

Plead for the people, Moses!

Moses

O God of all flesh, when one man sins,
will you be angry with everyone?

Prompter & Echoes

Spare them!

Moses

God has me warn everyone to stand back,
far from Korah and his rebels.

Prompter & Echoes

Get back!

Moses

Hear me, all Israel, if the Lord does an entirely new thing,
and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up,
then you’ll know that these men defied the Lord our God.

Korah

The earth is shaking!
Oh no! The ground is splitting open beneath us!

Prompter & Echoes

Look out!

Moses

The earth opens its mouth and swallows Korah and his rebels!
It closes over them and they perish. People flee in terror.
Listen to God’s command:
“Only a descendant of Aaron shall burn incense before me,
or he will become like Korah and his company.”

Prompter & Echoes

Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.