Manna In The Morning Series

MESSAGE 13

MANNA IN THE MORNING

Exodus 16

D. Steps to Sinai

1. The Murmuring

2) Over Food (Ch. 16

We have seen how unbelieving and ungrateful the Hebrew people were. In hard times they replaced praying with griping. But in spite of this, God stretched out His hands and gave them blessing on top of blessing.

One of the greatest and most amazing was the gift of manna. After one month of travel (16:1) they came to the Desert of Sin, about 40 miles north of Mt. Sinai. Here the food gave out and Israel, true to form, complained. They grumbled against Moses and Aaron saying,

“If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (16:3).

God did not rebuke them, He just told Moses He would give them meat that evening and bread in the morning. He sent millions of that just flew in and sat on the ground until caught.

The next morning, as the dew lifted, a white substance resembling the “coriander seed,” tasting like wafers and honey, covered the ground. Never seeing a sight like this, they all said, “Manna” (What is this?) and that became its name. This was their food for the next forty years (16:34).

God knew quail in the desert would make them sick, so they only got this this time. One exception was, years later they kept on begging for it and God sent it and it made them sick and some died (Nu. 1:1). When God tells us “No!” we might not understand it but by faith we can know it is for our good. To test Israel, God gave strict, specific orders about it saying, “I will test them to see whether they will follow my instructions” (16:4).

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A Picture of Christ

The manna, of course, is a picture of Jesus and the Christian life. It fell daily except on the Sabbath. That is why Jesus teaches us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Mt. 6:11). If we begin the day with God, spend the day with God and end the day with God all our needs physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.”

Jesus, after He fed the five thousand (Jn.6) said , “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. . .” (6:23, 25).

I. THE NEED FOR THE MANNA (Ex. 16:1-4)

Israel was hungry was because they followed the Lord. They left Egypt’s stew pots and wound up starving in the desert. God will lead us into the struggles of the wilderness to test us.

We call people to come and sit on a pew, support this church and you will be blessed with peace and people to fellowship with. The Holy Trinity of Baptists is “Food, fun and fellowship”. Jesus, however, called followers to take up their crosses. God will lead us into times of desperate needs and then supply all we need.

Paul was led to a wilderness. He had a hard life - enemies who slandered him, a thorn that tortured him and jail cells that held him. But from a jail cell he fed on God’s manna. He wrote,

“I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:12, 13, 19).

God doesn’t tell us we will not have any pain; He says he will give us peace and purpose and power in pain. He said in Jesus we find peace and purpose in pain. He didn’t say we wouldn’t come to dead ends. He said Jesus would make a way.

II. THE NATURE OF THE MANNA

The description of and the regulation for this daily diet is a picture of our salvation by Jesus and our service to Jesus.

1. It Was Undeserved

He gave it to people who complained and were about to stone Moses. When God gave it he said- don’t keep any of it overnight and don’t gather any on the Sabbath. What did they do? They kept some overnight and they gathered it on the Sabbath (16:20; 27). God said, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands?” (16:28).

Application: The same Jesus who teaches us to pray, “Give us our daily bread,” also said we are to pray, “Forgive us our sins.” We sin against and hurt the Lord far more AFTER we are saved than BEFORE. We complain, worry and are ungrateful but God keeps on giving and blessing us.