BREAD FROM HEAVEN
Exo. 16:24-27
Morning Meditation 2/6/2015
Exodus 16:24-27, "And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none."
We have recorded here a daily miracle. One might say that it was just a product of the desert and that it would be there regardless. The fact that the Lord gave them their daily food six days a week, and on the sabbath they found none, proves that this food was not natural to the desert in which they were wandering.
There are several things I would like to mention in regard to the manna--
FIRST WE SEE THE DEPRAVITY OF MAN
"They murmured against Moses" (vs 2). They murmured against the LORD (vs 7). Man has fallen to darkness so that he cannot see the pain he causes to his Creator. I have heard people say, "Oh, he has a good heart." Wrong. Jeremiah 17:9-10, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Like the prodigal they loved the gifts more than the giver. "The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint, there is no soundness in it (Isa. 1:5-6).
It is easy to see how blind and ungrateful they were. God had brought them out of Egypt by the way of the Red Sea, He had turned the bitter waters of Mara into sweet waters, He had identified them as His people. What more could they want? Next--
WE SEE THE MERCY OF GOD
God says to Israel, "I will rain bread from Heaven for you (vs 4). This is grace at work: rain bread upon murmurers! Why not rain fire and brimstone? Grace delights to pour blessings upon the undeserving. Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
"God is love," and out from the depths of His own infinite goodness comes the stream of saving power. The Bread of heaven must come from heaven as its source. Heaven's Bread cannot be manufactured on earth. Next--
WE SEE THE ABUNDANT SUPPLY
"An omer for every man" (vs 16). The manna which fell from Heaven was sufficient for every man in the wilderness.
In Christ Jesus, as the gift of God, there is enough for every man. Hebrews 2:9, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
We who live in the last days need to be carrying Heavens bread to all the world. There is abundant supply. Not to preach the gospel to all, is to hoard the bread of heaven, and contribute to the damnation of eternal souls. Next let's note--
THE NEED TO APPROPRIATE
The word "appropriate" means, "to take to or for oneself; take possession of." The Lord has a saving message. Verse 21 says, "they gathered it." God didn't rain it down their throats. They had to go out and gather the manna daily.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The saving gospel waits for the believing sinner. We must appropriate. Next let's look at--
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF UNBELIEF
"And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none."
There was not a chance that they would find manna on the Sabbath. God had instructed them to gather enough on Friday to last through Saturday. Those who went out on Saturday to gather manna, did it in unbelief. So Israel paid the price for disobeying God's instructions. Next let's notice--
THE LIFE OF FAITH
"They did eat manna until they came to Canaan" (vs 35). The bread that saved them was the bread that kept them alive through all the wilderness wanderings.
Jesus said, "I am the Living Bread: he that believeth on Me shall never die." The Lord taught them that tomorrows bread would come with tomorrow's need.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
