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
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