WHAT IS THAT?

In the late 1970’s, a portion of my ministry responsibilities included oversight of several groups of men who traveled representing the organization I was serving at that time. As Vice President I not only directed the business affairs of the ministry but also was involved in the continuing spiritual development of our staff. At one point I asked all the traveling representatives to read Exodus 16 every day for two weeks and then send me a brief report on how the passage had ministered to them. I chose Exodus 16 because personally I had found it very meaningful. It had spoken volumes to me about God’s provision and faithfulness. About ten days into the exercise, one of my closest friends called and in frustration blurted out, “Dave, I have read this passage every day and I am getting absolutely nothing.” We had a good laugh together and I shared with him what the Lord had quickened to my heart from this passage.

When the children of Israel exited Egypt, they did so riding on the power of several explosive events. First, it was a miracle that Pharaoh would release them. The exodus began because of a series of miraculous occurrences, including the visit of the Death Angel. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians and God protected them on their way to the shores of the Red Sea. Then the Red Sea opened for them and the Egyptian army was destroyed by the very miracle that allowed the Jews to escape (see Exodus 14:28-31).

 

Once in the wilderness, the lifestyle of the escaping Jews changed dramatically. In Egypt they had been slaves and servants who worked for a living, but in the wilderness there was no way for them to work and so they had to learn to trust in the faithfulness of God to provide everything. This was new to them and the lesson was not embraced fully right away. Trusting in the faithfulness of God has always been a difficult but important lesson for God’s people to learn.

When my friend called me in frustration and said emphatically, “I’m getting nothing here, nothing,” it was not because he was dead spiritually. He is a marvelous, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus, but at this time he did not see anything in this passage that ministered to him. His blindness does not make him worse or better than any of us. We all have areas of blindness that we grapple with in different areas of spiritual truth—or at least I certainly do. Sometimes we try too hard to make Scripture “talk to us” and in our desire to find the “deeper truths,” we miss the elegant simplicity of the obvious.

The provision of the manna was new to the Jews. They had never seen anything like it and they did not know what to think of it. The meaning of the word manna in Hebrew is, “What is it?” (Exodus16:15).

Here are a few of the more obvious lessons from Exodus 16. (If you have others and want to send them to me, use the COMMENT button below.)

·     God is faithful! For forty years, twice a day, six days a week, God sent enough provision to feed hundreds of thousands of people. This is the first recorded example of “fast food” catering!

·     Manna is an example of God’s commitment to provide for the needs of His people.

·     Each family was to take just enough for one day and on Friday, enough to get them through to Sunday morning; otherwise, the provision would begin to breed worms and stink. I wonder what that says about trying to store up faith and trust like you were adding money to a bank account. There is no bank account in which to deposit trust for tomorrow. Trust cannot be built up and held for use in the future. Our trust in Him is to be refreshed every day because yesterday’s just won’t cut it today!

·     When the lesson of the miracle of the manna was over, it was over. As the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, the miracle of the manna stopped (see Joshua 5:12). Methods change! God has never done it just this way ever again.

·     The lesson is not about manna, it’s about obedience and trust. Manna is temporary but faith/trust will carry us through all the ups and downs of this life and into eternity. God was teaching His people to live by faith/trust (see Joshua 5:6).

• God’s ability to provide for the needs of His people is unlimited. (Please note that I said needs, not wantsǃ Wants indicate greed and covetousness.) God’s ability to care for us is as limitless as eternity is big!

When the Jews looked at the manna, they asked, “What is it?” How will God provide? I don’t know! His methods continually adjust and change. I just know it will be there when we need it.