Act III - Wisdom Literature, Scene 2
Script by Bob Allen
For four voices
Scene 2
3
4
VOICE ONE: Nehemiah
was comfortable. He had a cushy
government job in
Babylon, all he had to do was sit
around and wait for the king to get
thirsty. Just a few more years and he
could opt for early
retirement,
head out to his modest five bedroom villa on the banks of the Euphrates River,
kick off his shoes and fish to his heart’s content.
VOICE TWO: So
God laid one on him.
VOICE THREE: Well,
how was your trip to Jerusalem, brother?
I assume my good
friend Ezra has everything under
control.
VOICE FOUR: The
remnant lives in great affliction and reproach.
The walls of
Jerusalem are broken down and the
gates are burned with fire.
VOICE THREE: When
I heard those words I sat down and wept.
I mourned and
fasted and prayed before the God of
heaven. I asked him to send help to my
people who were in such affliction in Jerusalem—and He took me at my word—He
sent me.
VOICE ONE: (CROSS
TO CENTER BEHIND #4) The excitement
involved in
building a wall was tremendous.
VOICE FOUR: The
thrill of strapping on a sword, picking up a trowel and heading
off to join
their buddies on the wall made them feel like men again.
VOICE TWO: (CROSS
TO CENTER BEHIND # 3) They were tired of
trying to
scratch out a meager
existence in a land devastated by years of conflict.
VOICE ONE: The
threats of danger made it even more heart-stirring. They
bragged to each other what they
would do if they got a hold on Sanballat
or Tobiah. Their swords would gladly shed
blood for the cause—just
let those Arabians and Ashdodites try to tear down the wall they were building.
VOICE THREE: Up
at 3:00 a.m. to irrigate crops. At work
on the wall by 6:00.
Work until dark and then do
necessary repairs on plows and
harnesses
before falling wearily into bed to be up again at 3:00 a.m.
VOICE TWO: The
only way they kept going was to remind themselves that the
project would not last forever—and
it had to be done right
then— for
the safety of their homes.
VOICE FOUR: In
order to plant his spring wheat, Abinadab needed some money. His wife’s
brother told him there was a man in Tekoa who had just arrived from Babylon and
had money to lend. So Abinadab
borrowed
from Uzzi, promising to pay him back after harvest.
VOICE THREE: One
month later Abinadab received a bill.
Although the principal
was
not due until harvest, Uzzi wanted his interest payments
monthly,
beginning immediately.
VOICE ONE: Abinadab
couldn’t pay.
VOICE TWO: But
Uzzi had a solution. Mrs. Uzzi needed a
maid. If Abinadab
would sell his oldest daughter for
the price of the seed—
VOICE FOUR: When
Nehemiah found out, he was incensed.
Gathering all the
nobles together in Jerusalem he
confronted them.
VOICE ONE: (STEP
TO LEFT AND TURN TO ADDRESS THE OTHERS). Do
you know that I have personally traveled into Edom and
Samaria and purchased back
from their heathen owners young Jewish
boys and girls who have been sold into slavery?
Don’t you realize
that the financial woes of these people are a result of their
faithfulness in doing the work on
the wall which you nobles refuse to
do? Restore the lands. Return the rights to the vineyards.
Proclaim
liberty to the slaves.
VOICE TWO: And all the congregation of the
people said, “Amen,” and praised
the Lord.
VOICE THREE: The
work on the wall was completed in fifty-two days.
(READER
# 1 MOVES BACK INTO PLACE BEHIND # 4).
VOICE FOUR: To
the most honorable governor of the province of Judah—
Greeting. Plans are nearly complete for our annual
conference on the
arms race, hosted by the good people of the village of Ono. All that
remains is for you to make a commitment to peace and join us for
our summit. It has come to our attention
that nearly fifty
percent
of your gross national budget is being spent on defense.
We have projected a sword-free world
in our generation and we know
you will want to join us in that endeavor.
Sincerely, the
committee
for a lasting peace—Sanballat, Chairman.
VOICE THREE: To
Governor Nehemiah. We were greatly
saddened to hear of the
famine gripping your country. It grieves us to think that your
short-sighted
policies have caused your people to mortgage their
homes
and vineyards in order to buy corn. Our
hearts are heavy when
we hear how the work on the wall has kept your men out of the
fields and caused this terrible shortage.
We invite you to take a
well-deserved break from your work
on the wall and join us for a Conference
on Hunger. Bring along some temple
musicians, we’re
planning
a big concert. Your friend in the causes
we perceive to be
important—Sanballat.
VOICE TWO: To
Nehemiah, father of the revived kingdom of Judah, Greeting! I
have been visiting with
our good friends Reverend Tobiah and
Brother
Geshem from the Arabian pastorium and we are planning an International Conference
on Religion. Baal, Ashtar, Molech,
and
of course, your own Jehovah will be given the honor they
deserve. We would like you to be one of the keynote
speakers.
Please do not refuse our
invitation. Your fellow religious
devotee—Sanballat.
VOICE FOUR: To:
Nehemiah. All right, we’ve had it. We’ve given you three
opportunities
to cooperate. Well, don’t say we didn’t try to warn you. It is obvious that this is all your
fault. You are the war-
monger
and we are for peace. Geshem told us all
along you were planning
to lead a rebellion. When people learn
what you are really like
you will be ruined. There is only one
way to avoid
trouble. Meet us in the plain of Ono to work out a
compromise. Be
there—or else! Sanballat.
VOICE ONE: I
am doing a great work for God. I can’t
come down! Why should the work stop while I leave it and
come down to you?
VOICE THREE: The
work on the wall was completed in fifty-two days.
VOICE TWO: (READERS
#2 AND 1 START WALKING SLOWLY TO THE
RIGHT, CIRCLING THE STAGE). They got up early that
morning. In fact, some of them didn’t sleep at all the night before because
they were already on the road, traveling to get to
Jerusalem on
time.
VOICE FOUR: (READERS
# 4 AND 3 START WALKING SLOWLY TO THE
LEFT, CIRCLING THE STAGE). The Levite choirs had been
rehearsing
for weeks—learning all the old songs of David.
Musicians with more than thirty different
instruments had been
practicing—trumpets,
cymbals, flutes, harps, lyres, sackbuts and psalterys.
VOICE ONE: Just
at the break of day, as the sun came up over the Judean hills, they
gathered, thousands strong, on the west side of the city. There they
divided into two great companies and, led by Levite choirs, they walked
in opposite directions around the top of the wall.
VOICE THREE: The
antiphonal effect as they walked and played their instruments
grew so magnificent that the response of the people, a
shout of
affirmation,
could be heard in villages far away.
This was a
day
for rejoicing.
VOICE TWO: Circling the city they drew closer
and closer to the temple—the place where God
dwelt. Descending from the wall at the eastern edge
of the city they marched in a
great procession through the Eastern Gate and
into the temple courtyard. They had
entered into His gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise.
(ALL READERS
MEET AT CENTER FRONT)
1 2 4 3
VOICE ONE: Be thankful unto Him and bless His
name.
VOICE FOUR: For the Lord is good.
VOICE THREE: His mercy is everlasting.
VOICE TWO: And His truth endureth to all
generations.
ALL: Make a joyful noise
unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the
Lord with gladness, come
before His presence with singing. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and
into His
courts with praise.
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