Old Pharaoh - 1 of 2

Old Pharaoh had enslaved the Jews; he would not let them go. So God devised a mighty scheme; his go-to guy was Mo. His brother Aaron was the voice, for Moses talked real slow, So he would wave his arms around, but God would make it so. Now Moses, when he saw the king, was eighty-three years old. With only Aaron and his staff, that’s truly pretty bold. They marched right up, announced to him, “God says to let us leave!” But Pharaoh laughed, “Show me a sign!” before he’d grant reprieve. They threw the staff upon the ground; it turned into a snake! Then Pharaoh’s guys did just the same, each did a serpent make! Then Aaron’s staff swallowed their snakes, his staff consumed their staffs, But Pharaoh, with his hardened heart, said, “No” and did he laugh! one: blood The LORD told Moses next to go see Pharaoh in his bath, “Stand at the Nile and meet him there, and take your trusty staff.” And you shall say, “The LORD my God, the God of all the Jews, Commands they serve him in the wilds; now Pharaoh, you must choose. By this, you will know I am LORD, the one and only God, When Aaron stretches out his staff, the Nile will turn to blood. Not just the Nile, but everywhere in pools and ponds and lakes, The fish will die, and it will stink; we’re going big! No snakes!” But then, the king’s magicians tried to use their secret arts; When they too turned the water red, they hardened Pharaoh’s heart. So he went back into his house; that day he skipped his bath; He would not let the people go, and so he felt God’s wrath. For seven days, the Nile ran red, yes, for a bloody week, The king and people could not bathe; they soon began to reek. two: frogs Then God told Moses, “Go and see if Pharaoh’s doing well. For even though I’m way up here, my nose has caught the smell. Remind him I will set you free and that it’s me you serve, We’ll see if in the last few days, he’s lost some of his verve. For if the king has changed his heart, then I’ll call off the dogs, But if he is a stubborn man, I’ll fill his house with frogs!” So back to Pharaoh Moses went; again, he sought release. He threatened with another plague; for now, the blood had ceased. “These frogs will come into your house, your kitchens, and your beds, And soon you will be hopping mad, and wish you’re seeing red.” Again, did Aaron stretch his hand with flair, pizzazz, and style, And just as the one true God said, the frogs hopped from the Nile. The magic men brought forth more frogs by using secret chants; So many frogs covered the land that Pharaoh did recant. “Please beg the LORD to take away this wretched hopping hoard, And I will let your people build an altar to their LORD.” “And when would you like them to go?” asked Moses of the king. “Tomorrow is not soon enough! Can your God do this thing?” Then Moses said, “Indeed He can, and He’ll do as you ask. Then will you know He is the LORD: unequaled for this task.” The LORD then caused the frogs to die; they heaped them in great piles, But when the king got his relief, he fell back in denial. three: gnats Again, to Aaron, “Stretch your staff, and strike the dusty ground.” The land of Egypt filled with gnats; no place without them found. Then Pharaoh’s guys then tried this trick; not even one gnat scored. Said, “Aaron, man, your skills are sick! The finger of the LORD!” The gnats swarmed till the sky was dark; they covered beast and man, But Pharaoh’s heart was hard as stone, all just as God had planned. four: flies The LORD sent Moses to the king, up for his morning swim, “The LORD says, ‘let my people go,’ so that they may serve him. And if you will not do this thing, I will send swarms of flies, But down in Goshen, where we dwell, nothing but clear blue skies.” And so he did, and so they came, in eyes and nose and ears. When Pharaoh yelled, “Go sacrifice!” he nearly was in tears. But Moses said, “It won’t be right to sacrifice right here, Our offerings cause great offense to the Egyptian ear. For we must journey three days out into the wilderness, Burn sacrifices to our God, sing praises, His name bless.” Then Pharaoh caved to Mo’s demands, to all he said, agreed. “Just make these flies all go away; on my behalf, go plead.” So Mo pleaded on his behalf, begged God the flies remove, But Pharaoh’s heart turned hard again once everything improved. five: livestock The LORD told Moses, “Tell the king I’m turning up the gain. And if you can ignore this plague, you might just be insane. For if you will not let them go, the plague will run its course, And all your livestock will be dead, each camel, donkey, horse. But I will differentiate ‘tween Egypt, Israel, For in the morning, yours will die, but theirs will all be well.” So what the LORD said came to pass, with Egypt’s livestock dead, But far from breaking Pharaoh’s will, it hardened it instead. six: boils The LORD said, “Moses, Aaron, go take handfuls of kiln dust, Let Moses throw them in the air, and I’ll provide a gust Of wind that blows across the land, gets soot in every pore, Till every living beast and man breaks out in boils and sores. The king’s magicians could not try, they could not even stand, For boils and sores had covered them, just as the LORD had planned. But still his heart was solid stone; the LORD had made it hard. Again the LORD played from his hand, threw down a mighty card. seven: hail So God again sent Moses up to see the king at dawn. “If he has softened, I’ll let up; if not, we’ll trash his lawn. Surely by now, the king must know, I could put out my hand, And strike him down with pestilence, and wipe him from the land. But for this purpose was he raised: that he would see my power And then proclaim my name to all as Israel’s strong tower.