Exodus 16: How Things Change and Yet Stay the Same

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Songdove Books - Tissot_The_Gathering_of_the_MannaThe story of the giving of Manna in the wilderness. . . The murmurings of the children of Israel continued.  When God chose to rescue this people from Egypt, they had become a nation of complainers.  Yes we need to cut them some slack, after all, they had suffered through 400 years of enslavement, and just as with some work environments today, it had no doubt become customary and even trendy to complain about one’s lot in life, one’s state of employment, etc.  So by the time God had led them through the Valley of Sin (the land where a moon-god of the same name was worshipped and who would later become venerated to the god of the “religion of peace”), they’d already managed to have at least three sets of complaints recorded for posterity.  Their time in this valley would be the latest fashionable complaint.

Knowing that God knows all things both past, present and future, it leaves a person marvelling at His persistence with such a wayward nation of people.  As usual however, God had a plan.  Chapter 16 is another one of those “But God!” moments, as not only would He address the complaining of the people, but would do so in a manner prophetic of the Bread of Life that would traverse the land He was leading His people to.  Jesus Christ calls Himself the Bread of Life in John 6:35.  The Psalmist referred to the Word of God as being sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey in the comb.

Psalms 19:7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Jesus is also called the Word of Life, the Word of God, etc. (See John 1).

But even amid this great display of provision, the Hebrew people could not listen to Moses and Aaron.  They did not trust God’s provision and had to discover the hard way that God’s provision truly was just for “today”.  Even double blessings intended to last one more day were not trusted for what they were, with some people heading out on the Sabbath to gather what they would not find.

Songdove Books - red brick churchThese Hebrew people are so much like those of us today.  Today it is customary to complain against one’s leaders in the Church, to find fault, to blame God, to blame leaders, etc.  Today it is customary not to trust what leaders say, and by extension, not trust what God has said through them and we are continually tempted to “see for ourselves” if what was said was true or not.  Unfortunately for us today, we’ve had 1000’s of years now of leaders deliberately leading us astray.  We have had to learn (and not unnecessarily either, as it’s a good idea to study for ourselves) how to study the Scriptures for ourselves in order to obey Paul’s words to Timothy to test all things whether they be of God or not.  The unfortunate by-product of learning to study for ourselves has been the increasing lack of trust combined with an increasing rise in strange doctrines as people insist on understanding intellectually instead of by way of the Holy Spirit’s leading and guiding.

Therefore we have people today who will hear of the lion in the street and rather than hide themselves, they will head out to see if it’s really there (Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 22:13).  We have people who will not listen to the voice of those God has chosen to speak through and who will continually test rather than trust.

Just like the Hebrews of old, we have our justified reasons for behaving as we do.  But God looks on our lack of trust, belief and obedience with sadness and dismay.  He longs for us to reach that place of fully trusting His Word, His provision, and His efforts in our lives.  Eventually, we each need to reach that place where we can rest in God’s love for us to the point where everything He does is no longer met with a distrustful, stressed need to prove things two and three times over.  We are not the ones who call the shots with God, rather it is God who seeks to look after His prize creation the best way possible.

What is required for us to reach that place of restful trust and obedience?

For myself, it’s been a deep revelation of just how much God loves me, far beyond the sanitized ethereal nature we’re taught about in church, but very much where the rubber meets the road in my own home.  Once I could begin grasping and appreciating God’s heart for me, it became easier to trust Him and to obey His leading.  Love, rest/peace, and trust. . . in that order, was what was necessary for me.  It is my prayer that more of us in today’s scarred church landscape, will be able to reach that place as well.  God longs for us to trust Him completely.

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