Exodus 15, 16

 God provides all we need and more
the Scripture from the Bible

The Bible Study is: God Sends Quail and Manna

Triumphant Song of the Israelites. (b. c. 1491.) … Chapter 15
The song itself   ( v. 1-19 )
The solemn singing of it   ( v. 20-21 )
The Waters of Marah.
Israel marches forward in the wilderness   ( v. 22 )
Their discontent at the waters of Marah   ( v. 23-24 )
relief granted them   ( v. 25-26 )
Their satisfaction in the waters of Elim   ( v. 27 )
So, the Israelites are happy escaping from and defeating the Egyptians . . Full of joy . . . For 3-days .. Until they run out of water . . . How could they possibly be saved from such a terrible thing ?!!!?
Then God provides for them and they are so happy . . . Happy .. Happy .. happy
Moses sure faced a big logistical challenge in feeding all the people of Israel as they traveled in a desert. God's provision for them was amazing!
Background What Is Manna?
it was a grain-like substance … referred to as like Coriander  seed
= anti arthritic = anti swelling = laxative = It relieves burning and reduces pain and swelling
it was baked and boiled … hhhmm . . Sounds like they’re making BAGELS !!

 The name manna comes from the Hebrew man hu, which means, "What is it?"
This was the first reaction of the Israelites when they saw the bread-like grain on the ground.

The Israelites Murmur for Bread. (b. c. 1491.) . . . Chapter 16

the complaint for want of bread   ( v. 1-3 )
the notice God gave them beforehand of the provision he intended to make for them   ( v. 4-12 )

SO … after 1-month they ran out of food
their discontent was  against Moses and Aaron, God's delegates among them
they count upon being killed in the wilderness — at the first appearance of disaster
great distrust of God, and of his power and goodness, in every distress and appearance of danger to despair of life, and to talk of nothing but being speedily killed
they charge Moses with a design to starve them when he brought them out of Egypt
the care God graciously took for their supply
Instead of “raining fire on them” ..  he promises to rain bread upon them
God makes known to Moses his kind intentions … so Moses can “look good“ to the Israelites and Moses might not be tempted to wish he had let them alone in Egypt
God takes notice of the people's complaints
God promises them a speedy, sufficient, and constant supply

God himself manifested his glory, to quiet the murmurings of the people, and to put a reputation upon Moses and Aaron
the sending of the manna   ( v. 13-15 )
QUAIL! . . . God gives us the good things in life, not only for necessity, but also for delight, that we may not only serve him, but serve him cheerfully
the laws and orders concerning the manna.
they should gather it daily for their daily bread   ( v. 16-21 )
The same wisdom, power, and goodness that now brought food daily out of the clouds, are employed in the constant course of nature, bringing food yearly out of the earth, and giving us all things richly to enjoy.
they should gather a double portion on the sixth day   ( v. 22-26 )
Manna usually spoiled after one day … but the manna that came down on the 6th day lasted 2-days!
they should expect none on the seventh day    ( v. 27-31 )
the observing of a seventh day sabbath,
not only before the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, and therefore, from the beginning, . . .  the 7-days of the week model the 7-days of Creation . . The Sabbath day represents the day God rested after finishing Creation in 6-days.
This 7th-day “Sabbath” thing was not odd to the Israelites .. Even though it was before the 10-Commandments . . It was something that had always been observed.
Disobedience, even in a small matter like trying to get more food, was displeasing to God.
God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths. If walking out on the sabbath to seek food was “not allowed“, what do you think about walking out on that day purely to find our own pleasure ??
they should preserve a pot of it for a memorial   ( v. 32-36 )
God having provided manna to be his people's food in the wilderness … we are here told,
How the memory of it was preserved. An omer of this manna was laid up in a golden pot, as we are told (Heb 9:4), and kept before the testimony, or the ark, when it was later made
How the mercy of it was continued as long as they had occasion for it. The manna never ceased till they came to the borders of Canaan, where there was bread enough and to spare,
 See how constant the care of God is; food will never fail to reach us, while the earth remains. Israel was very provoking in the wilderness, yet the manna never failed them: so still God causes his rain to fall on the just and unjust.

Thoughts On MANNA:
Christ himself is the true manna, the bread of life, of which this was a figure, John 6:49-51.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.   (1500 years later !!)
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The word of God is the manna by which our souls are nourished, Matt 4:4.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
The comforts of the Spirit are hidden manna, Rev 2:17.
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

• These come from heaven, as the manna did, and are our support and comfort while we are in the wilderness of this world.
• These things are food for those that follow the pillar of cloud and fire.
• They are to be gathered;
• We must gather for ourselves, and gather now before it is too late to gather.
• The manna we gathered must not be hoarded up, but eaten  There was manna enough for all, enough for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is a complete sufficiency, and it is not necessary to keep Him a secret.
• Thoughts about being a Christian:
•  no bed of roses after redemption
•  Jesus sweetens bitter experiences of life
•  fruitful Christian experience
• Christ is the Bread of Life

Exodus 13, 14

the Scripture from the Bible

The Exodus from Egypt by the Israelites takes place around 1491 BC

Chapter 13

v. 17, 18. God was their guide . . . Moses gave them direction but as he received it from the Lord.

The way of man is not in himself, Jer 10:23. He may devise his way, and design it; but, after all, it is God that directs his steps, Prov 16:9.

• There were two ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was a short cut from the north of Egypt to the south of Canaan, perhaps about four or five days' journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way which God chose to lead his people Israel, v. 18.

It made the Israelites seem confused .. Easy prey

The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red Sea.

The Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness, Moses tells this to the Israelites in Deut 8:2.

• God's way is the right way … He may not lead us the nearest way, but we can be sure He leads us the best way … Judge nothing before the time.

There was one reason why God did not lead them the nearest way, which would have brought them after a few days' march to the land of the Philistines (for it was that part of Canaan that lay next to Egypt), namely, because they were not as yet fit for war, much less for war with the Philistines, v. 17. Their spirits were broken with slavery; it was not easy for them to turn their hands of a sudden from the trowel to the sword. The Philistines were formidable enemies, too fierce to be encountered by raw recruits; it was more suitable that they should begin with the Amalekites, and be prepared for the wars of Canaan by experiencing the difficulties of the wilderness first. Note, God proportions his people's trials to their strength, and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able, 1 Cor 10:13.

God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt as the eagle brings up her young ones (Deut 32:11), teaching them by degrees to fly. Orders being given which way and how they should go

That they went up themselves, not confused , but in good order, rank and file: they went up harnessed, v. 18. They went up by five, so others. They marched like an army with banners, which added much to their strength and honor.

That they took the bones of Joseph along with them (v. 19), Joseph had particularly appointed that his bones should be carried up when God should visit the (Gen 50:25), so that their carrying up his bones was not only a performance of the oath their fathers had sworn to Joseph, but an acknowledgment of the performance of God's promise to them by Joseph that He would visit them and bring them out of the land of Egypt.

• guidance they were blessed with on the way:

The Lord went before them in a pillar, v. 21, 22. In the first two stages it was enough that God directed Moses where to go … he knew the country and the road well enough; but now that they had come to the edge of the wilderness (v. 20) they would have occasion for a guide; and a very good guide they had, one that was infinitely wise, kind, and faithful.

It led the way in that vast howling wilderness, in which there was no road, no track, no way-mark, of which they had no maps, through which they had no guides. When they marched, this pillar went before them, at the rate that they could follow, and appointed the place of their encampment, as Infinite Wisdom saw fit, which both eased them from care, and secured them from danger, both in moving and in resting.

It sheltered them by day from the heat, which, at some times of the year, was extreme.

It gave them light by night when they had occasion for it, and at all times made their camp pleasant and the wilderness they were in less frightful.

WoW!!! . . How nice is that . . . I was thrilled when we got a GPS .. Imagine all that!

(v. 22): He took not away the pillar of cloud;

not when they seemed to have less occasion for it, traveling through inhabited countries

not when they doubtful

it never left them, till it brought them to the borders of Canaan.

It was a cloud which the wind could not scatter. Neh 9:19; Ps 78:14.

 There was something spiritual in this pillar of cloud and fire.

The children of Israel were baptized unto Moses in this cloud

Some make this cloud a type of Christ.

The cloud of his human nature was a veil to the light and fire of his divine nature; we find him (Rev 10:1) clothed with a cloud, and his feet as pillars of fire. Christ is our way, the light and guide of our way.

It signified the special guidance and protection which the church of Christ is under in this world.

Imagine how afraid the Israelites were

Christ was with the church in the wilderness.



Chapter 14

The extreme distress and danger that Israel was in at the Red Sea.

Notice was given of it to Moses before, ver. 1-4.

Where to go v.1,2

What will happen v.3,4

The cause of it was Pharaoh's violent pursuit of them, ver. 5-9.

Israel went out with a great deal of courage and bravery, triumphing in their release, and resolved to break through the difficulties that lay in their way. V.8

Those that in good earnest set their faces heaven-ward, and will live godly in Christ Jesus, must expect to be set upon by Satan's temptations and terrors.

• Israel was afraid, ver. 10-12.

They knew very well the strength and rage of the enemy, and their own weakness

They are giving up

God is no longer strong enough for them

dying in the wilderness

As the Egyptians were angry with themselves for the best deed they ever did, so the Israelites were angry with God for the greatest kindness that was ever done them; so gross are the absurdities of unbelief.

Moses encourages them, ver. 13, 14.

He answered not these fools according to their folly

He assures them that God would deliver them, that he would undertake their deliverance, and that he would effect it in the utter ruin of their pursuers


The wonderful deliverance that God wrought for them out of this distress.

Moses is instructed concerning it, ver. 15-18.

God designs, not only to deliver the Israelites, but to destroy the Egyptians

With ONE miracle .. The same one delivers both functions … cool!

Gets honor of the Egyptians

Lines that could not be forced are set between the camp of Israel and Pharaoh's camp, ver. 19, 20.

The Angel of God went from guide to guard

And it confused the Egyptians, so that they lost sight

This was not the first time that God was the divider between good/bad …  light and darkness (Gen 1:4) / peace and calamity (Isa 45:7) . . .  at the same time, allotted darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites

the Eternal division between knowing Him and not … between Heaven and Hell.

By the divine power the Red Sea is divided (ver. 21-29), and is made,

A lane to the Israelites, who marched safely through it, ver. 22, 29. But,

• To the Egyptians it was made,

An ambush into which they were drawn, ver. 23-25. And,

A grave in which they were all buried, ver. 26-28.

How they were infatuated. In the heat of their pursuit, they went after the Israelites into the midst of the sea, v. 23. "Why can’t we go where Israel did?" Once or twice the magicians of Egypt had done what Moses did before.

God reckoned with Pharaoh for all his proud and disrespectful conduct towards Moses his ambassador

• The impressions this made upon the Israelites, ver. 30, 31.

We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before the children of Israel .. Just some examples:

It was the terror of the Canaanites (Josh 2:9, 10) .. Joshua‘s spies to Jericho

the praise and triumph of the Israelites, (Psalm 114:3).

It was a type of baptism, (1 Cor 10:1, 2) … Paul refers to it binding the Israelites together

Shows God's almighty power in the kingdom of nature, in dividing the sea . . . it was done by a strong east wind, signifying that it was done by the power of God, whom the winds and the seas obey … of course with the added SuperNatural effect of making walls on both sides.

AND .. Check this out:  probably written about 30-years earlier in Job 26:12 ..  By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces

God can bring his people through the greatest difficulties, and force a way where he does not find it. The God of nature has not tied himself to its laws, but, when he pleases, dispenses with them, and then the fire does not burn, nor the water flow.

This was done, and recorded, in order to encourage God's people in all ages to trust in him in the greatest straits. What can’t He do who did this? What won’t he do for those who Love Him?

now they feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses, v. 31.

Now they were ashamed of previously not trusting in Moses and God

they would “never again” despair of help from Heaven . . . They were now baptized unto Moses, 1 Cor 10:2. (And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea)

When things are “bad” … we need to remember “the good times”


Chapter 15


gives glory to God, and triumphs in him

As their own God, and therefore their strength, song, and salvation (v. 2)

As their fathers' God. … God loved their fathers so He cared for their fathers’ children

As a God of infinite power  (v. 3)

As a God of matchless and incomparable perfection (v. 11)

to preserve and perpetuate the remembrance of this work of wonder to after-ages . . . It will be sung again after the Beast is defeated in Revelations … again in front of a sea .. of glass. (Rev 15:2,3)


God helps us when we’re afraid

God is mighty.

Trust God When You’re  Afraid


Wrong choices

Need sound doctrine from the word of God

God builds our strength … not just gives us everything through miracles

Answering prayers . . . kids’ thoughts


Those whom God brings into a wilderness he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them through it

Bible Study Topics

Welcome!
I am starting this Blog tonight because I am filled with the Holy Spirit to share my Love for Him.
I am a Sunday School teacher and an avid Bible reader and believer.
I was shown the Light through personal healing miracles and was drawn so much closer through my reading of the Bible and studying His every Word.
I was saved through Jesus Christ in 1999 and am now celebrating my tenth year of being born again .. at 47.
I want to share my studies of the Bible and hear what others have experienced as well. I want this to be a ministry that lifts us all closer to God through the study of His Word and the knowledge of His precious Son Jesus.
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