God Told Moses he Would Rain Bread From Heaven
September 24, 2021
Commentary
The wilderness of Sin was the perfect place for God to test and shape the character of His people. One month after their departure from Egypt Israel lacked sufficient food, but instead of trusting the Lord they complained (vv. 1-2). The lack of bread caused the people to forget their horrible situation in Egypt and to think only on the food they had back there (v. 3). The Israelites didn’t really want to go back to Egypt, They just wanted life to get a little easier in the pressure of the moment.
As the Israelites encountered danger, shortages, and inconvenience they complained bitterly. God heard their complaints. He loved them and He wanted them to learn to trust Him. He told Moses that He would rain bread from heaven for them (vv. 4-5) but in the process He decided to test their obedience by including some detailed instructions. Moses then went to the people and told them that God was going to give them food and there was certain instructions for them to follow (vv. 6-8).
At that point they looked toward the wilderness where the pillar of cloud hung in the sky (vv. 9-10). As they watched, the cloud began to glow and shine with a wonderful light. It was His way of showing the people that He was going to send them food (vv. 11-13). Each evening there will be meat (Quail) and each morning bread, (manna).
Remember that there were between two and three million people that were there in the wilderness. It took a lot of food for them. He knew that every day they would be hungry and every day they would need to be fed.
Application
How would you have feed them? It is very important that I am happy with what the Lord has provided for me each day and not complain like the children of Israel did?
Exodus 16:1– 13 (NET)
1 When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt. 2 The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they walk in my law or not? 5 On the sixth day they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather every other day.”
6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”
8 Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of the Israelites, ‘Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”
10 As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the wilderness, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, 11 and the Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.
Illustration: Those Who Have The Least to do Complain First
A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen. The axles groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen turning around thus addressed the wheels, “Hey there, why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we-not you-ought to cry out!” Those complain first in our churches who have the least to do. The gift of grumbling is largely dispensed among those who have no other talents, or who keep what they have wrapped up in a napkin. (Charles Spurgeon in The Quotable Spurgeon).