Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day…” Exodus 16: 4, NRSV.
Gracious Father, we give You thanks for Your endless mercies toward us. Please be with us as we study Your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Today we are talking about food. Bread from heaven! This story is familiar to many of us. The children of Israel had been freed from slavery. They were in the wilderness, journeying to the promised land – Canaan. Suddenly, they began to complain; they missed the food they had grown accustomed to in Egypt, (Exodus 16: 1-3). So the LORD told Moses that He would give them “bread from heaven.”
The following day, there was a strange “frosty” looking item on the ground! The people stood around asking “What is it? (15), or, “It is manna.” This was no ordinary food. It was very versatile. It could be ground, baked, boiled (23). The Bible describes it this way, “it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (31).
As always, God had provided the best for His children! He knows what is best for every occasion. I do not have all the details about manna, but I imagine, it was the perfect food for people travelling in the desert! I imagine it was light, tasty, with all the necessary nutrients, and easy to digest.
There were specific instructions governing the gathering, and use, of the manna. They were to gather just enough for one day’s consumption, five days a week. But on the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much, because on the seventh day (Sabbath), there would be no manna. During the six days, any surplus that was left for the following day, became filled with worms, and developed a foul odor! But Sabbath’s portion was always fresh (22-24).
I believe God was trying to teach the Israelites, just as He is trying to teach us, in the Twenty-first Century, a very vital lesson: That He would/will provide for them/us, according to their/our needs. He provided just enough for one day, so that the following day, they would look to Him for the needs of that day. In that way, they would always be in communion with the LORD, and He would provide their needs.
Like them, we try to hoard up spiritual food from one day to the next; only to find that the manna from yesterday, does not fit the needs of today! We need to look to our heavenly Father day by day! Jesus did not teach His disciples to pray for a week’s supply of bread. Instead, He taught them to say, “Give us this day our their daily bread” (Matthew 6: 11).
The beauty of gathering manna daily, is the wonder of the unknown: “What is it that You are saying to me today LORD?” “What is it You will have me do for You today LORD?” This is a wonderful way to begin each day!
May we receive from GOD, our manna for today! Have a Happy Sabbath!