CHARACTERS

NARRATOR 1

NARRATOR 2

NARRATOR 3

PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER

MIRIAM

AARON

MOSES

PHARAOH

GOD

NARRATOR 1: Long after Joseph had brought his family to Egypt and helped the Egyptians when they had a famine, there came to be a Pharaoh in Egypt who did not remember Joseph and how he had saved the Egyptians from starving. At this time Joseph’s family, the Israelites, had grown so numerous and powerful that the Egyptian Pharaoh was afraid of them and told his people to put the Israelites into slavery.

NARRATOR 2: He also gave orders that any Israelite boy who was born was to be killed. But the midwives who delivered the Israelite babies loved God and did not follow the Pharoah’s orders, so Pharaoh sent soldiers out to kill the baby boys.

NARRATOR 3: An Israelite woman had a baby and hid him from the soldiers as long as she could. Finally, she was afraid that they would find him. So she put him in a basket and sent him down the river to where the daughter of the Pharaoh was bathing with her servants. Miriam, the baby’s older sister, watched the basket go down the river and she saw the daughter of Pharaoh find him.

PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER: What a beautiful baby. I will keep him and call him Moses.

MIRIAM: Would you like me to find someone to help you take care of him?

PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER: Yes, I would like that very much.

NARRATOR 1: So Miriam brought her mother to help take care of Moses, but they told no one, afraid that if Pharaoh found out he would kill the baby.

NARRATOR 2: When Moses grew up, he overheard some insults directed at him and for the first time he realized that his own people were slaves in Egypt and that their lives were very hard. One day, as he was out walking, he saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite. Moses became so angry that he hit the Egyptian and killed him.

NARRATOR 3: Moses was afraid and so he ran into the desert to hide. He met a man in the land of Midian who had seven daughters. One of the daughters was named Zipporah. Moses and Zipporah got married and Moses stayed in the land of Midian and tended the sheep.

NARRATOR 1: Moses was out in the fields with the sheep and suddenly he saw the most amazing thing. It was a bush on fire, but it wasn’t burned up! Suddenly, Moses heard the voice of God coming out of the bush…

GOD: Moses, Moses.

MOSES: Here I am.

GOD: Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet; the place on which you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers and mothers, the God of Abraham and Sarah, the God of Isaac and Rebekka, the God of Jacob and Rachel.

NARRATOR 2: Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

GOD: I have seen the misery of my people who are slaves in Egypt. I have heard their cry. I know their sufferings. I have come to deliver them from slavery and bring them into a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey. I have seen how the Egyptians oppress them. I will send you to the Pharaoh to bring my people, Israel, out of Egypt.

MOSES: Who am I, that I should go to the Pharaoh and bring your people, Israel, out of Egypt?

GOD: I will be with you, and when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall bring them here to this holy place to worship me.

MOSES: If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your forefathers and foremothers has sent me,” they will ask me your name. What name shall I tell them?

GOD: I am who I am. You shall say to the Israelites, “I Am has sent me to you, the Lord your God, God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekka, the God of Jacob and Rachel. This is my name forever, and this is my title for all generations. Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say that the God of your ancestors has heard your plea and will deliver you from slavery.

MOSES: Suppose they do not believe me or listen to me? What if they say, “The Lord did not appear to you.”

GOD: What is that in your right hand?

MOSES: A staff.

GOD: Throw it on the ground.

NARRATOR 3: Moses threw his staff on the ground and it became a snake. Moses was frightened but God said…

GOD: Pick it up by its tail.

NARRATOR 1: So Moses picked it up and it became a staff once again.

GOD: That will convince them.

MOSES: O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to me. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.

GOD: Who gives speech to humans? Who makes them be able to speak? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.

MOSES: O please Lord, send someone else.

GOD: Moses, you are making me mad. You have a brother named Aaron who is a wonderful speaker. I have brought him here to meet you. He will speak to the people for you, I will help both of you and put the words in your mouths and teach you what to do. And remember to take your staff to perform signs and wonders.

NARRATOR 1: Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said…

MOSES AND AARON: The Lord God says, “Let my people go”.

PHARAOH: No, I will not let them go. In fact, I will make them work twice as hard.

MOSES: Lord, why did you send me? Now it is worse for my people.

GOD: I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham and Sarah, to Isaac and Rebekka, to Jacob and Rachel. I established a covenant with them to give to them the land of Canaan. I have heard them groaning with the work of the Egyptians. I will deliver them from this cruel slavery. Tell Pharaoh that I will turn the water of the Nile into blood and the Egyptians will not be able to drink from it.

NARRATOR 2: So Moses told Pharaoh, and he stretched out his staff and the water of the Nile became like blood, but still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.

NARRATOR 3: God brought more plagues on Egypt, but Pharaoh would not let the people go. Finally, all of the oldest sons of the Egyptians began to die, and only then did Pharaoh let the people go.

NARRATOR 1: The people left Egypt and went to the edge of the Red Sea. Pharaoh changed his mind again and sent his soldiers after them. The people were trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army.

GOD: Raise your staff, Moses.

NARRATOR 2: So Moses raised his staff, and the waters of the Red Sea parted and the children of Israel walked across the bottom of the seabed to safety. When they were on the other side, Moses’ sister Miriam began to dance and sing.

MIRIAM: Sing to the Lord, for God has triumphed gloriously!!!

NARRATOR 3: So God delivered the people from the slavery in Egypt and they began to wander in the desert looking for the Promised Land.

THE END OF MOSES PART 1

Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press