[0:00] Seeking the Lord's blessing, let us turn back to the portion of scripture that we read together in the book of Exodus chapter 16 and we'll read from verse 11.
[0:13] And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel speak unto them, saying, At evening 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.
[0:32] And it came to pass that at evening the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 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 a horse roast on the ground.
[0:51] And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna, for the wood's not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
[1:07] Now last week, last Sabbath evening, we saw how the people grumbled because of no water, and how God in his grace made provision for them.
[1:23] At the waters of Marah, which were initially bitter to them. But the Lord made provision, and the waters became sweet.
[1:38] Now how long they were left to enjoy the gracious refreshments and shade of the wells and palm trees at Elam, we don't know. Certainly it could not have been long until they were to continue on their way.
[1:55] For here we read, And they took their journey from Elam, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elam and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month, after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
[2:14] Now according to the book of Numbers, chapter 33, when they began the journey from Marah, or rather from Elam, they encamped by the Red Sea, which is not recorded for us here in Exodus chapter 16.
[2:37] But again, that encampment by the Red Sea must have been very short. However, the very next thing that we read of the children of Israel is that they began murmuring, or grumbling, or complaining again, in spite of having seen God's provision and faithfulness towards them, in spite of having been delivered and brought out from the land of bondage, and their need at Marah, being graciously meant by the intervention of God, and being brought to Elam, where there were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees.
[3:23] Yet in spite of all that, they began to grumble. It was not just a few that did so, for we are told that the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
[3:42] It wasn't that they grumbled among themselves, but they grumbled against their chosen leader, Moses. In fact, they were not grumbling against Moses or Aaron in the highest sense, they were grumbling against God.
[4:03] Now, what we find here interesting is their perspective on Egypt, because their perspective upon Egypt in the wilderness is very different to what it had been while they were in Egypt.
[4:17] Here we read, Now they were in Egypt.
[4:49] For we are told that the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of their bondage, and God heard their groaning.
[5:04] You see, there is no ground whatsoever for us to suppose that the children of Israel sat by the flesh poles, or that they ate bread to the full.
[5:17] What this teaches us, and God heard their groaning. What this teaches us is how unbelief can affect our perception or our viewpoint, so that we can come and arrive at a wrong view or a wrong conclusion or evaluation.
[5:34] Because of their unbelief, their perspective on Egypt was so different to what it had been while they were dwelling in Egypt.
[5:47] You see, as we saw last week, the Lord never promised that the Christian life, the Christian journey was going to be easy.
[6:00] That it would not be easy, that it would not be along with some difficulties and hardships. As Scripture says, we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
[6:14] The way is difficult, for we face disappointment and hardships, discouragements and doubt. And although that may sound quite negative and perhaps undesirable, there is a positive and helpful side as well.
[6:33] For we must always remember that we do not walk the Christian journey on our own. The children of Israel was guided all the way by the pillar of cloud and fire, which was the visible presence of God among them.
[6:51] The great lesson that we learn during all our problems and difficulties is that they teach us to depend on God alone. To have absolute confidence in His promise and in His faithfulness to us.
[7:11] Nevertheless, because of our sinful nature, we are prone to unbelief and doubt. And especially when we come and are confronted with difficulties and hardships and various challenges.
[7:31] And here for the children of Israel, Egypt looked better than following God in the wilderness. And sometimes when we encounter difficulties in our Christian life, whatever kind that may be, whether it is in ourselves or our relationships in the family or with other people or our relationships even within the church itself.
[7:59] Sometimes we may be prone to wonder if we are in the right pathway. And when we entertain such a thought, the devil will immediately sow the seed of doubt in us.
[8:15] And make us to think that possibly it was better for us not to have been on the Christian pathway at all or even to have been converted at all.
[8:26] This was the situation here.
[8:56] In Egyptian bondage. At such times, you know, we are prone to believe the lie rather than the truth.
[9:11] For as we noted already, there is no ground whatever for us to suppose that they sat by the flesh bolts or ate bread to the full.
[9:22] But they were prone to believe the truth. But they were prone to believe the lie rather than the truth.
[9:36] Sometimes the possibility of these difficulties is sown in the minds of people by the devil. And he is happy to sow lies in people's minds if it makes people from making a commitment for Jesus Christ.
[9:56] The devil is quite happy to sow a lie into your mind if it keeps you from making a commitment for Jesus Christ.
[10:06] He is happy to make people think that it is better to stay where they are than to make a commitment to Jesus Christ.
[10:17] Sometimes he can bring before you the blemishes of God's people and will sow the seed in your mind. Look at them.
[10:29] They are no better than you. So it's just as well for you to stay where you are. But my dear friend, perfection is not attainable in this life.
[10:45] It is something which the child of God, by the grace of God, is working towards. Paul could say, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
[11:07] There are times when you have made a commitment to Jesus Christ and difficulties arise along the way and you may wonder whether you would have been better staying where you were.
[11:25] Here the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. And there may be times when we encounter difficulties with our relationships that we have with one another, even in the church.
[11:39] And we may conclude that life seemed easier and happier before you began your Christian journey. Last week we saw this instance in the life and experience of the psalmist.
[11:56] As he wrote Psalm 17. Psalm 17.
[12:29] And lived and waited for. We read there in Numbers chapter 11.
[12:41] Of another occasion in which they grumbled to Moses. This time they grumbled about the bread that God gave to them. They grumbled about the manna.
[12:54] And there in Numbers chapter 11. And there in Numbers chapter 11 we read. The children of Israel also wept again and said, who shall give us flesh to eat.
[13:06] Now that's very interesting because here on this occasion. Now that's very interesting because here on this occasion they have just begun their journey. And here they're talking about the flesh parts of Egypt.
[13:17] And on their journey. And they're talking about the provision that God has given to them in the manna. And again they shall say, who shall give us flesh to eat.
[13:33] We'll remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely. The cucumber and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic.
[13:44] But now our soul is dried away. There is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes. And on that incident Psalm 78 gives us a perspective.
[14:00] For there we read in Psalm 78 verse 18 and 19. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
[14:11] Yeah they spoke against God. They said can God furnish a table in the wilderness. And so Psalm goes on in verse 29 and 30.
[14:22] So they did eat and were well filled. For he gave them their own desire. They were not estranged from their lust.
[14:36] And on that occasion we read. And there went forth a wind from the Lord. And brought quails from the sea.
[14:47] And let them fall by the camp. As it were a day's journey on the side. And as it were a day's journey on the other side. Round about the camp. As it were two cupids high upon the face of the earth.
[15:01] And the people stood up all the day. And all that night. And all the next day. And they gathered the quails. He that gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them all abroad for themselves.
[15:13] Round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth. Ere it was chewed. The wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people. And the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.
[15:25] And he called the name of the flesh. Ket Roth at Teva. Because there they buried the people that lusted. Now I am not going to dwell on that passage.
[15:38] Nevertheless. I think it has an association or link. With what we find here. In our current passage. The children of Israel were crying out.
[15:52] Here we are starving. Here we are going to die from hunger. And yet obviously. They had their livestock and flocks.
[16:04] And if necessary. They could eat them. In Psalm 78. It makes it clear to us that. On this occasion.
[16:16] Where Israel is grumbling. Not for food that is essential. For their survival. But they are grumbling for food.
[16:26] That they craved. They were grumbling for what they wanted. And not for what they needed.
[16:38] And I believe the same is true here. That they were grumbling for what they wanted. Rather than for what they needed. They were murmuring. Against God.
[16:49] God. Not for what they needed. For what they needed. But for what they wanted. They were grumbling for the flesh parts.
[17:02] And bread of Egypt. Is that not so often true of me and you. That we complain about. What we want. Rather.
[17:13] Than for what. We need. How much discontentment. Is in my life. And yours. Simply for what we want.
[17:26] And not. Not because. Of what. We need. Doesn't Lord. Supply us. Graciously. For what.
[17:36] We need. God. Listened. To them. And provided. For them. In verse 12.
[17:50] We read. I have heard. The murmurings. Of the children. Of Israel. Speak unto them. Saying. At evening. You shall eat flesh. And in the morning. You shall be filled. With bread.
[18:01] And you shall know. That I am the Lord. Your God. And it came to pass. At evening. The quails. Came up. And covered. The camp.
[18:11] Now here. In this passage. We have only. A mention. Of this miracle. Of the quails. The quail. Is a.
[18:22] A small bird. That is common. In the Middle East. And each year. The Passover. Sinai. Sinai. In the spring. And autumn. They fly low.
[18:33] Carried along. By. By the wind. And when they stop. They roast on the ground. And according. To historians. The Egyptians. Considered the quail.
[18:45] To be a delicacy. Which they. Trapped. With nets. So. It is not surprising. That they found quails. In the wilderness.
[18:56] Nevertheless. On this occasion. It was indeed. Miraculous. Because. The birds. Came that very evening. And they came. In great number. That was able. To feed a multitude.
[19:06] Of millions. But this. Miracle. Only happened. Once. The only other time.
[19:17] That it was repeated. Was at the incident. That we have already mentioned. After they had. Left. Sinai. It was brought before us. In numbers. Chapter.
[19:28] Eleven. Giving them. Flesh. To eat. I think. Was significant. As I said. This happened. Once.
[19:39] It was not. Permanent. It was a reminder. Of the. Insubstantial. Provision. Of. The Egyptians.
[19:50] Flesh. Ports. In comparison. To what the Lord. Was going to provide. For them. In. The manna. They wanted flesh.
[20:02] They wanted the flesh. Ports. Of Egypt. And God. Gave them flesh. He gave them the quails. He gave it. Once. But the manna.
[20:13] Which he was giving them. He gave them. Daily. They were to eat of it. Every. Day. This has.
[20:26] Much more. Significance. Than simply. Physical. Physical. Sustenance. Although that is included. Nevertheless. As we have already alluded. To the fact that. They had livestock.
[20:37] Which. Could have provided. Physical. Sustenance. For them. So that they would not go hungry. But this provision. Of quails. And manna. Was meant to give them. And also us.
[20:48] Spiritual lessons. Paul. Writing to the Corinthians. Says of the manna. And it all eat the same. Spiritual meat.
[20:59] We have already given a hint. As to the lessons. That we. Can learn from the provision. Of quails. To show. And to teach them. How. The.
[21:11] Fleshports. Of. Egypt. And those things. That pertains. To. To. The flesh. Have no. Have no. Long. Sustenance.
[21:23] In them. But what about. The manna. Well. The first thing. About the manna. Was. That it was. A gift. From God.
[21:34] God. Then. Said. The Lord. And to Moses. Behold. I will. Rain bread. From heaven. For you. And the people. Shall go out. And gather. A certain rate. Every day.
[21:45] That I may prove them. Whether they will walk. In my law. Or no. That the manna. Was not a product. Of the earth. It was not something.
[21:55] That they had. Brought out of Egypt. With them. Instead. It was something. That came down. From heaven. It was. A gift. From God. Later.
[22:08] Moses. Explained. To the people. That although. Manna. Was a physical. Miracle. Its purpose. Was to teach. The spiritual. Lesson. That God. Is the source.
[22:19] Of all life. In Deuteronomy. Chapter 8. We read. And he humbled thee. And suffered thee. To hunger. And fed thee. With manna. Which thou knewest not.
[22:32] Neither did thy fathers know. That he might make thee know. That man doth not live. By bread only. But by every word. That proceedeth out.
[22:42] Of the mouth of the Lord. Doth man live. These words. Immediately. Reminds us. Of Jesus. Who quotes these very words. To Satan. In the wilderness. Jesus.
[22:54] Having fasted. Forty days. And nights. The devil. Tempted him. To turn. The stones. Into bread. To which Jesus answered. It is written. Man shall not live.
[23:04] By bread alone. But by every word. That proceedeth out. Of the mouth. Of God. Jesus. Knew. That our deepest needs.
[23:14] Are not physical. Our deepest needs. Are spiritual. And the word of God. Is the spiritual manna.
[23:26] Which is the gift of God. Given by divine inspiration. For our souls. Connected with the word of God. Is of course the preaching of the word.
[23:38] The reading of the word. And prayer. All these are manna. To our souls. Upon which we spiritually feed.
[23:49] For our spiritual nourishment. And for our spiritual growth. Jeremiah could say. Thy words were found. And I did eat them.
[24:01] And thy word was unto me. The joy. And rejoicing. Of mine heart. The manna. Was the gift. From God.
[24:12] God. The manna. Was to be gathered. Every day. For what was gathered today. Would not suffice. For tomorrow. Except. On the sixth day.
[24:23] They were to. Prepare that. Which they brought in. And it was to be twice as much. As they gathered. On. They gathered daily. You see.
[24:35] We need the word. Every day. Just as much. As we need. Physical food. We need the word. Of God. Every day. If the only time.
[24:45] We partake of our spiritual food. Is on a Sunday. Then we can expect. But leanness. Upon our souls. It is by the sincere.
[24:56] Milk of the word. That we are. To grow. It is by daily. Feeding. On the word. That we receive. The strength. That is required. The strength.
[25:08] That we need. In our spiritual armor. Paul tells us. To take the sword. Of the spirit. Which is the word. Of God. That is. They take the sword.
[25:19] Which the spirit. Provides. For you. Which is. The word. Of God. Here we read.
[25:29] This is the thing. Which the Lord. Has commanded. Gather of it. Every man. According to his eating. An omer. For every man. According to the number. Of your persons.
[25:41] Take ye. Every man. For them. Which are. In his tents. And the children. Of Israel. Did so. And gathered. Some more. Some less. And when they met. It was an omer.
[25:52] He that gathered much. Had nothing over. And he that gathered little. Had no lack. They gathered every man. According to his eating. In the morning.
[26:04] They were. To go out. And gather the manna. They had to. Use diligence. To gather it. Diligence on. Our part.
[26:15] Is also required. If we are. To benefit. From the word. Of God. They gathered every man. According to his eating. Some gathered more than others.
[26:28] But he that gathered more. Had nothing over. And he that gathered less. Had no lack. And apparently. The reason. That they all had exactly. What they needed. Was because.
[26:39] They all. Shared. You see. Fellowship in the gospel. Is important. That we can all. Come together. That we can all.
[26:50] Share. Share. The word. Of God. Together. That's why. Fellowship in the gospel. Is. Important. Not only. On. The. On a Sunday.
[27:02] But on weekdays. That fellowship. In the gospel. Is important. Where we can share. The word. Of God. With each other. Where we can share.
[27:14] Whatever we read. That morning. That we can share it. With others. In verse 4.
[27:24] We read. Where it says. They are to. Gather a certain. Rate. Every day. That I may. Prove them.
[27:35] Whether they will. Walk in my law. Or no. Again. In Deuteronomy. Chapter 8. Moses said to the people. And I shall remember. All the way.
[27:45] Which the Lord. Thy God. Led thee. These forty years. In the wilderness. To humble thee. And to prove thee. To know. What was in thine heart. Whether thou wouldst keep us. His commandments.
[27:56] Or no. So. The manna. Was. Testing. The children. Of. Israel. And you know. The word of God. Is a test.
[28:08] To every person. The word of God. Tests us. Every time. We read it. Every time. We hear it. Being preached. It is. Testing.
[28:18] Us. Just like the manna. Was testing. The children. Of Israel. Do you believe. What God. Says. To you.
[28:30] You see. The children. Of Israel. Was asked. To trust. God. For their. Daily. Bread. Every day. God.
[28:40] Tested. Their faith. In his providence. Day. Day. Day. Day. By day. Week. By week. Year. By year. They had to depend.
[28:51] On him. For everything. And every day. By the manna.
[29:04] Sadly. We are told. God. And Moses said. Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding. They hearkened not unto Moses.
[29:17] But some of them left of it until the morning. And it bred worms and stank. And Moses was wroth with them. Six days he shall gather it.
[29:30] 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.
[29:42] And the Lord said unto Moses. How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? Some of them kept some until the morning. And it bred worms and stank.
[29:55] And then on the Sabbath. They went out to look for it after God had told them. That there would be none on the Sabbath. You see the manna tested the children of Israel.
[30:08] Whether they would be obedient to God's commands or not. Whether they would be obedient to his word or not. And God's word tests you today.
[30:20] Whether you are obedient to his word or not. By keeping some of the manna until the morning. And going out on the Sabbath to collect gave evidence.
[30:33] That there had a distrust in the word of God. And the word of God commands you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
[30:49] And yet what do you do? Just like the children of Israel. You give evidence of your distrust in the word of God.
[31:00] Which says believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. The instructions that Moses gave was perfectly clear.
[31:13] And the instructions that the gospel gives to you is perfectly clear. The preaching of the word is perfectly clear. As it was for them.
[31:24] They were to gather twice as much on the sixth day. But nothing on the Sabbath. I wonder if those who went out on the Sabbath to look for the manna.
[31:37] Were also those who kept some of it till the morning on other days. Probably they were. For in both cases they had committed the same sin.
[31:48] They failed to trust in the word of God. When God told them just take just what was needed. They took extra.
[32:00] And when God told them to take extra. They didn't. They did the very opposite. Of what the word of God instructed them to do.
[32:13] And is that true of yourself today? Are you doing the very opposite of what the word of God instructs you to do? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
[32:24] And thou shalt be saved. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in his finished work upon the cross. And thou shalt be saved.
[32:36] But what are you doing? You're doing the very opposite. They refuse to submit to God's word and will. And so are you. Because God is willing.
[32:50] To save to the uttermost. But you were. But you are not willing. Jesus said regarding Jerusalem. How often I would.
[33:02] But he would not. Our catechism says that the scriptures teach us what we are to believe concerning God. And what duty God requires of man.
[33:13] But we fail. To trust. The scriptures. The word of God. And here we read that God provided the bread for his own glory.
[33:24] And Moses and Aaron said unto the children of Israel. At evening ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt. And in the morning then ye shall see the glory of the Lord.
[33:38] For that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord. And what are we that ye murmur against us? And Moses said this shall be when the Lord shall give you in the morning flesh to eat.
[33:50] And in the morning bread to the full. 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?
[34:02] Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord. He gave them bread. He gave them bread to show that he was Lord.
[34:12] Moses spake unto Aaron saying to all the congregation of the children of Israel. Come near before the Lord for he hath heard your murmurings. And it came to pass as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
[34:28] That they looked towards the wilderness. And behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
[34:40] You see the glory of the Lord is revealed to us in his word. Paul writing to the Corinthians says. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts.
[34:56] To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the glory of the Lord.
[35:07] Jesus Christ is the gospel. Jesus Christ is the good news. And the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
[35:23] It is in Jesus Christ that we behold the glory of God. We see the glory of the incarnate word through the written word.
[35:35] So that we can say that we behold his glory. As the glory of the only begotten Father. Full of grace.
[35:46] And also full of truth. Well have you beheld the glory of God through the incarnate word.
[35:58] Have you seen the glory of the incarnate word through the written word. Can you say that you have beheld the glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father.
[36:15] Full of grace. And full of truth. And the manna followed the children of Israel. Until they came to the borders of Canaan.
[36:29] And so the word is important for us through our journey. Through the wilderness of this world. Until we come to the inheritance.
[36:43] That God has provided and prepared for us. The word is important in our life. It is God's provision for us.
[36:54] Whereby we may grow spiritually. And also the manna is a test for us. Not for one day. But the word keeps testing us.
[37:07] Throughout our lives journey. As the manna tested the children of Israel. Throughout their journey.
[37:18] Oh yes it was given to them. Not only to see if they would follow his commands and all. But also through the manna. They were getting a knowledge of themselves.
[37:30] They were getting a knowledge of their hearts. Of what kind of hearts they had. Because we see their failings. We see their doubts. We see their murmurings.
[37:41] And their grumblings. And their complaining. It revealed to them their hearts. And you know. The word of God. Reveals to me my heart. And it reveals to you.
[37:52] Your heart. It is God's provision. For us. The word is important.
[38:04] For us. It's important for us. Every day. Well. What is your own relationship. To the word. Of God.
[38:16] What is your own relationship. To the word of God. Can you say like. Jeremiah. Of old. Who said that.
[38:27] He founded. And he did eat them. And the word was unto me. The joy. And rejoicing. Of mine heart. It's the word of God. To you today. The joy.
[38:39] And rejoicing. Of your heart. May the Lord bless our thoughts. Let us pray.