Mah-Na! What is this Stuff?
Exodus 16:2-15
We often condemn the complaining of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. In many ways they were a spectacular failure. It seems that we use them as examples of what we should not do. But this is somewhat unfair. We forget that God had chosen Israel as the apple of His eye, We also need to remember the great acts of faith on the part of many of the children of Israel who are set forth as positive examples to believers. We might add that we are often guilty of complaining about what we consider to be a lack of care from God concerning our “needs.” Finally, we need to consider that the emphasis of the Bible as a whole and this passage we read this morning in particular is upon the marvelous grace of God in spite of out failures and His abundant provision, Having said this, let us examine this text from Exodus 16 more closely.
This passage begins as many of the Old Testament stories do with the children of Israel complaining that Yahweh had taken them out of Egypt only to let them die of starvation or thirst in the desert. their hunger was a true need. Yahweh had provided them water to drink earlier when they were overcome with thirst. Now they were starving. There was no natural means in this desert to provide for such a large multitude. A few nomads could eke out a living in this harsh climate. When Moses fled Egypt, he had spent forty years there as a shepherd of his father-in-law’s sheep. It was a hard life. Moses knew the area, but all his experience would have taught him was that the only hope of feeding such a multitude there would have to come from God.
A reasoned approach of the children of Israel would have been to remember what God had already provided them. He had released them from Egyptian bondage. They did not rise in revolt, which would be the human solution to the matter. No other nation or army had come to their aid and rescued them. It was the hand of Yahweh alone. They had no weapons to defend themselves with when Pharaoh’s chariots came and pinned them against the Red Sea. They could not have swum across the sea, If there were any boat in the area at all, they would not have been enough to have transported them all. No navy had come to help them. They were entirely helpless. But they weren’t. They had the LORD. And the LORD provided for them. Yet now when they in their hunger were reflecting on this, they had concluded that this was because God had a more insidious way for them to perish. How soon they forgot the psalm of deliverance they sung at the far shore when they saw the drowning of Pharaoh’s army. Horse and rider were thrown into the sea.
As we previously mentioned, God had provided a tree to make the poisoned water drinkable. They would have felt the pain of thirst before they felt the pain of hunger. What a disaster it seemed when the only water they found was undrinkable. Yahweh provided for them. There was no water project or desalinization plants, which would have been the way it would be done today. We boast in our own ingenuity and self-reliance. This would not have worked here for Israel.
They should have petitioned the LORD for food. There would have been nothing wrong with their praying. This was a legitimate need. But, instead, they chose to complain. Not only did they accuse Yahweh, but they complained against Moses, whom He had appointed as their pastor. At times, the Children of Israel had threatened, at least under their breath, to slay Moses and appoint another leader who would lead them back to the “good” life in Egypt.
In other passages, the LORD showed a great deal of frustration in dealing with the rebellions of the Children of Israel. But we do not see the expression of God’s wrath in this passage. The LORD simply tells Moses that He will rain down bread from heaven to feed them. The LORD could have chosen any means He desired, including more natural means such as a “chance” landing of a huge flock of quail like He did later for them. But the LORD wanted Israel to know that it was the LORD who provided this bread directly to them. Having bread come down from heaven could not be ascribed to good luck. In fact, the LORD said He was doing this to test them, to see if they would obey the LORD’s commands or not. This does not mean that the LORD did not know how Israel would respond as He knows all things perfectly, including the future. So, this testing was to be for the benefit and/or admonition of Israel, to point out their imperfect faith.
This was not to be a one-time feast either but a daily provision. Every day, Israel was to reflect upon the One who miraculously provided this daily bread. The people could gather as much as they wanted and eat as much as they wanted. But they could not hoard this manna as it would spoil. Tomorrow they would have to gather the new manna, except on the Sabbath in which there was no manna. On the sixth day, they could gather double, so they could enjoy rest on the Sabbath.
Moses and Aaron told the assembly that the LORD had heard their complaints, and they would see His response and give God His rightful glory. He would provide them with quail that evening and bread in the morning. The people had complained to and about Moses and Aaron as well. Moses let them know that it was meaningless to complain about them as they were following the LORD’s direction. Instead, their complaints against them were actually against the LORD. They had complained directly to the LORD, but even complaints against the LORD’s servants is equally a complaint against the LORD.
Israel ate quail that evening. In the morning, they saw what looked as hoarfrost upon the ground. They looked upon it and pondered, saying “What is this stuff?” which in Hebrew is “mah-na” or manna. Moses responded that this was the bread which the LORD had given them to eat. From further descriptions of this manna, it was not the coarse and cheap barley bread which was provided for slaves and the poor. It actually had the taste of honey. It was a quality gift to Israel which they would too soon take for granted.
So what can we learn from this passage? First of all, we are all too prone to complain. We complain about the church we attend. We complain against the leadership of the church. We are too often unhappy with our pastors. We are unhappy with our government and leaders. We certainly live in troubling times. It is easy for us to cry out in our pain just as Israel did from their hunger. Many of our concerns are legitimate and not trivial. The government often fails to govern in a godly manner. Justice is often perverted. Christians are persecuted. Pastors and churches often fail to obey the LORD as well. Nevertheless, we must realize that God is the source of all authority and power. God will judge those in authority who fail to uphold godly rule and abuse their God-given authority. But let us remember that God considers all complaints to be directly or indirectly a complaint against Him. We must always keep this in mind. May God be as merciful to us as He was in this instance to Israel!
When we are troubled and suffering, we should look to the example which the Apostle Paul demonstrated in his epistle to the Philippians. We must remember that Paul was in prison, and the possibility of execution was real. In fact, this or perhaps 2 Timothy) may have been the last thing he wrote. There were some people who were contentious in their preaching of Christ (see Philippians 1:15) There was some sort of disagreement between two of the women of the church which Paul had to admonish to be of the same mind concerning the Lord (Philippians 4:2). The church was under attack from Jews who did not believe in Jesus (Philippians 3:2). There were complainers also (Philippians 2:14). Even though Paul was beset by his own physical suffering and well-being as well as being burdened by the care of the churches, this epistle has a most joyful tone. He had to deal with the issues around him. They were real and serious. But he did not complain but rather chose to be joyful. We hear in Philippians 4:4. Also we would do well if we would listen to his admonition in Philippians 4:8:
Philippians 4:8 NKJV
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
These things we should meditate on is the goodness of the LORD who has provided for our eternal well-being, Jesus reminded the Jews (and us) That He is the true bread which has come down from heaven. God has provided His very best, His only-begotten Son. We should hear the words of John the Baptist at the Jordan: “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 2:29) Jesus has delivered whosoever believes on Him from a far greater deliverance than that of Egypt. the bread and drink He offers is not just to sustain life on this earth for a season. Instead, this bread is eternal life. It is Jesus who gave His life for us that we might ever be with Him. So, when we are tempted to complain, we would do well to think upon Christ and His mighty works instead.
