Dear Family,
Today is Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Day 24 in our Counting toward Pentecost. This is the 3rd day of Week 4.
In the middle of a massive rocky wilderness God provided a small, unusual food for Israel. They called it manna, meaning, “what is it,” because of its uniqueness. It was “a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14b). We can just imagine that it must have been a truly nutritious food. Through the details of the story we see that God had several purposes for giving Israel this food.
The first purpose was to feed God’s hungry people. God sent specific instructions along with the generous amount of food. They were to gather just enough of it for each person in their family every morning. It was to last all day and not be kept overnight. It also did not continue to last on the ground. It melted in the sun.
Exodus 16:16 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.
Exodus 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Exodus 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Part of God’s miracle with this supernaturally supplied food was the fact that everyone had enough.
Exodus 16:17-18 (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.
Another important purpose for God’s providing food every morning was to test Israel’s obedience. One obvious disobedience was holding manna over until the next morning.
Exodus 16:20 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.
By now there were many instances of Israel’s self-will, presumption, and outright disobedience. Still, God continued to work with them. We can be thankful that our God is a God of great and tender mercies. Let us join with all who will agree with the words of Psalm 118:1-4.
Psalm 118:1-4 (1) O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: because His mercy endureth forever. (2) Let Israel now say, that His mercy endureth forever. (3) Let the house of Aaron now say, that His mercy endureth forever. (4) Let them now that fear the LORD say, that His mercy endureth forever.
Ancient Israel may never have realized the extent of God’s mercy, but we can. May God bless each of us that we rejoice before Him, love His salvation, and continually offer Him thanksgiving and praise, saying, “The LORD be magnified” (Psalm 40:16).
Ben Faulkner
© Copyright 2020, Church of the Sovereign God