THE HEAVENLY MANNA
The children of Israel, after having been provided with sweet water by God at Marah and a good rest at Elim, they resume their journey and reach
the wilderness of Sin and murmur just as they did at Marah. This time they
complain about the lack of food at that place while remembering their food that
they had as slaves in Egypt. They wished they had that kind of food now in the
wilderness and did speak out as if they had no problems in being as slaves under
Pharaoh. They did not realize the importance of freedom now they have in
the eternal care of the living God. Their murmurs against Moses and Aaron
were not accepted as justifiable by the LORD, yet the LORD had compassion on
them. The LORD then tells Moses that he will rain heavenly bread for them and
people should go out and gather the food only to the extent that was need for
them for the day. The LORD was doing this to test them to see whether or not
they will walk in his law. The LORD also told them that on the sixth day
they should collect for the seventh day also, so that they may take rest on the
seventh day. Moses and Aaron said to the children of Israel that they will
know who the LORD that brought them out of Egypt was. They also aired
their grievances against them saying that their murmurings are not against them
but are against the LORD himself. Moses spoke to Aaron asking him to tell all
the congregation of the children of Israel that the LORD who brought them, heard
their murmurings. Aaron spoke to the children of Israel as instructed by
Moses and as he was yet speaking the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud and
spoke to Moses saying, "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel:
speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall
be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God" (Exodus
16:12 KJV) As God spoke, at evening the meat in the form of 'quails' came up and
covered the camp and in the morning the dew was found lying on the host.
When the dew disappeared there appeared on the "face of the wilderness a small
round thing as the hoar frost on the ground". The children of Israel saw
the wonderful food and did not know what it was; and they called it as, "Manna".
Moses said to them that it was the heavenly bread that the LORD gave them to
eat. He also told them that they should gather only such quantity every
day as is needed for the day and not store up for the next day; he continued
saying that they are, however, allowed to gather two days food on the sixth day,
so that they may rest on the seventh day. There was a measure, "Omer"
given to them and they were not allowed to gather more than that a day.
He, who gathered much more than 'Omer' had nothing more and he, who had gathered
less had no lack of it, because every one gathered according to one's need for
the day. Here man's true nature is revealed to do that which he was not
supposed to do. Some in the camp did not obey what Moses said to them, and
gathered more food for the day than what was required, but alas! the excess food
perished. the food they gathered on the sixth day for the seventh day did
not perish, but lasted as fresh as it was gathered on the same day. Moses was
really antagonized at their behavior in gathering more than what was required
for them. It was the heavenly bread, the "manna" that rained from heaven for
them every day for six days in a week and not rained on the seventh day that
they may take rest on that day signifying that it was the LORD's day.
Moses spoke to them and said that the LORD said that the next day was the
rest day of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD and that they should bake that day
and soak in water that needs to be soaked that the excess food may last on the
Sabbath day also. The food lasted as fresh as on that day on the Sabbath
day also when they obeyed the word of Moses. The food made on the previous
say did not stink nor was any worm in it on the Sabbath day Some of them
had rebellious nature in them and went out on the Sabbath day to gather food but
alas! they found none. The LORD was not happy about their going out on the
Sabbath day for food and he asked Moses how long all of them refuse to obey His
commandments and not take note of the provision of food for them on the sixth
day that was sufficient for the seventh day also. Then the people rested on the
seventh day. "And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and
it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with
honey" (Exodus 16:31 KJV)
Moses said to the children of Israel that the LORD commanded them to fill
every man an "Omer" with manna and keep it as an evidence to be shown to the
generations to come that they may see and know that the LORD provided their
fathers with heavenly bread and fed in them in the wilderness after redeeming
them from the bondage of slavery under Pharaoh. An "Omer was equivalent to tenth
of an "Ephah", which is like five gallons. "As the LORD commanded Moses,
so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel
did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat
manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan" (Exodus 16:34-35
KJV). It is the heavenly bread, the "Manna" that God provided to them to
satisfy their hunger and praise God. The greatness of the provisions that
God made for them was seen in when the remains of the manna they collected
more than what was necessary on six days perished, but the manna they collected
on the sixth day to retain it for the seventh day did not perish. God provided
food for them on the sixth day so that they may rest on the seventh day. The
Manna was like coriander seed, white and tasty like wafers made with honey. If
they collected more food than what was necessary on any day on five days, it
melted as soon as the Sun waxed hot, but the excess stuff they collected on the
sixth day for feeding themselves on the seventh day neither did perish nor had
any worm in them. In spite of these provisions God made for them some of them
went out and collected more food than what was necessary and irked Moses and the
LORD in turn.
Dear Friend,
Few verses and exhortations
Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, was buried and was raised on the
third day. He ascended in to heaven. He is the high priest in heaven [Heb
4:14-18] “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. John 3:3 They
parted his garments, they scourged him, they hurled insults on him and crucified
along with two thieves; yet Jesus was so kind on those who crucified them. “Then
said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they
parted his raiment, and cast lots”. Luke 23:34 Jesus also forgave one of the
thieves who was crucified along with him, when the thief made prayer to him to
remember him when Jesus comes into His Kingdom. Jesus immediately to him, “And
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise”. Luke 23:43 But on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and after
providing purification for our sins ascended to heaven and is seated at the
right of the Majesty. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him".
Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary so that we may be
reconciled unto Him. There is no difference, whether we are Jews or Gentiles; He
died for all of us, and rose from the dead and ascended in to heaven. We, who
were His enemies, are made His children. The opposition that was caused between
Heaven and Earth by our committing sins is removed once and for all, by the
appeasement of our sins by Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sake. We are
reconciled unto God through His blood that was shed upon the cross of Calvary.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me". John 14:6 "For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God;" Romans 3:23
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, today is the day
of Salvation. Please accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and your Lord,
to enter in to the Kingdom of God.
Salvation is available freely for all who believe in Jesus Christ and confess
his/her sins to Him, and accept Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior and also
acknowledge Him as his/her Lord.
Today is the day of salvation. Please confess your sins to Jesus Christ and be
blessed. Receive Salvation and eternal life. Jesus is the Way, the truth, and
the life. If you confess your sins to Jesus, and express faith in your heart
that he died for you sins and rose from the dead, accept Him as your personal
savior, and acknowledge with your mouth that he is your Lord, you will also be
received in to Paradise immediately after your days on this earth.
God bless you,
Leslie M. John M.A. |
