Dear Family,
Today is Tuesday, April 20, 2021. This is Day 3 of Week 4 in our Counting toward Pentecost. It is our 24th day of Counting.
Although this week is often referred to as the week of manna, we find that it is during this week that God began to redefine, reestablish, and revalidate the Sabbath to ancient Israel. The pattern of 6 days of labor followed by God’s Sabbath of rest was reinforced. God made it plain to Israel not “just any ol’ day” would do. God created the 7-day cycle, and He has never lost His count. It is a very specific day in a predetermined cycle God Himself initiated by resting.
It is quite likely that ancient Israel had lost this basic pattern God instituted at the creation of man and the recreation or refurbishing of the earth in Genesis. Israel’s slave masters likely forced labor each and every day they desired. It would have been very easy for tired, over-worked slaves to forget that God had ever given them a day of rest at the end of every week.
Through the details of how Israel was told to collect and handle the manna, God showed emphatically which day was His Sabbath. It was clear that a miracle occurred each and every day when the sweet bread came down from heaven. It remained on the ground for such a short time and had to be collected quickly. Another miracle occurred each week when the manna turned inedible when kept over during the common week days, but was fresh each Sabbath when it was held over from preparation day. There was no mistaking the marking of the exact day of the Sabbath. And, there was no mistaking the emphasis God was placing on doing things exactly as He commanded.
Exodus 16:4-31 (4) Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. (5) And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. (6) And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, at even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: (7) And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? (8) And Moses said; This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. (9) And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. (10) And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. (11) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (12) 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. (13) And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. (14) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. (15) And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another; It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them; This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. (16) This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded; Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. (17) And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. (18) And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. (19) And Moses said; Let no man leave of it till the morning. (20)Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. (21) And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (22) And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. (23) And he said unto them; This is that which the LORD hath said; Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (24) And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. (25) 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. (26) Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. (27) And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. (28) And the LORD said unto Moses; How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (29) See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. (30) So, the people rested on the seventh day. (31) 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.
May God bless us as we follow His patterns, His cycles, and His way of counting things.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
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