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David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Guzik - They lost sight of God’s future for them, and they also twisted the past to support their complaining. This thinking is common among those who complain. (ED COMMENT - THAT MAY BE ONE REASON THE NT REFERS TO THE SECOND COMING IN 1 OF EVERY 20-25 VERSES!) Currid - Although the assault is directed at Moses and Aaron, in the final analysis the Hebrews are grumbling against Yahweh. They doubt God’s care for them and thus cast aspersions on his power. These facts result in hostile opposition to his leaders in whom he has invested authority. Jack Arnold - The Jews had no reason to question God’s faithfulness and goodness, but they did because their eyes were on self rather than God. The Israelites, instead of having a stronger faith, actually retrogressed. Because of unbelief, their faith grew weaker instead of stronger. Whenever these Jews encountered a problem, they grumbled, showing their inability to trust God for the future. (Sermon) THOUGHT - The lust for more will always bring the Christian into a state of complaining, for it is impossible ever to have enough when we desire to have God meet our wants rather than our needs. The lust for more can never be satisfied....A Christian who complains all the time is just like the children of Israel. He has forgotten the great things God has done for him in salvation. A complainer is always short on memory of God’s faithfulness in the past. Just as Israel had been delivered by God, protected by God, and blessed by God and had forgotten it all after thirty days, so the Christian can have a very great lapse in memory about God’s grace in his life. (Sermon) Ps 78:17-19 Yet they still continued to sin against Him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert. 18 And in their heart they put God to the test By asking food according to their desire. 19 Then they spoke against God; They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Steven
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Guzik adds the other aspect of the "test" mentioned in Ex 16:5 - The blessing of bread from heaven came with the responsibility of obedience. This responsibility would test Israel and measure their obedience. The test came on the sixth day, when they were to gather twice as much, so the seventh day could be received as a day of rest. John Currid - The reason that God gives manna to the children of Israel is not merely to feed them. A much greater purpose is being served. Moses later comments that ‘He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD … in the wilderness he fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and that he might test you, to do good for you in the end’ (Deut. 8:3, 16). The primary intent of the provision of manna was to teach God’s people to depend upon God and upon his Word. Man’s survival is dependent upon the Lord, and him alone. The reader should consider Jesus’ response to Satan’s temptation that he should turn stones into bread! (Matt. 4:4). The Hebrew word for instruction here is torah which is most often translated law. Robert Rayburn says that "torah is gracious instruction in how to find God’s blessing. Torah is not best translated as commandment or law, but instruction or guidance: God’s showing of his people the way of life. Test (05254)(nacah/nasah) in most OT uses has idea of testing or proving quality of someone or something and doing so often through adversity or hardship. As the following context makes clear (note "to see," lit., "to know," in 3:4), the purpose of this divine test was to determine if Israel was truly loyal. An examination of parallel passages shows that such divine tests were designed to reveal otherwise hidden character qualities. Testing which shows what someone is really like generally involves difficulty or hardship. Nacah/nasah in OT - 34v - Gen. 22:1; Exod. 15:25; Exod. 16:4; Exod. 17:2; Exod. 17:7; Exod. 20:20; Num. 14:22; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:16; Deut. 8:2; Deut. 8:16; Deut. 13:3; Deut. 28:56; Deut. 33:8; Jdg. 2:22; Jdg. 3:1; Jdg. 3:4; Jdg. 6:39; 1 Sam. 17:39; 1 Ki. 10:1; 2 Chr. 9:1; 2 Chr. 32:31; Job 4:2; Ps. 26:2; Ps. 78:18; Ps. 78:41; Ps. 78:56; Ps. 95:9; Ps. 106:14; Eccl. 2:1; Eccl. 7:23; Isa. 7:12; Dan. 1:12; Dan. 1:14 Psalm 78:22-32 describes the manna and the quail God provided but gives us the context (note esp v22) Because they did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation. 23 Yet He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven; 24 He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them food from heaven. 25 Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. 26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens And by His power He directed the south wind. 27 When He rained meat upon them like the dust, Even winged fowl like the sand of the seas, 28 Then He let them fall in the midst of their camp, Round about their dwellings. 29 So they ate and were well filled, And their desire He gave to them. 30 Before they had satisfied their desire, While their food was in their mouths, 31 The anger of God rose against them And killed some of their stoutest ones, And subdued the choice men of Israel. 32 In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works. Henry
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Guzik says "Yet experiences, even great experiences, don’t change the heart as much as we often think." Currid - Two physical signs will be given to Israel so that the people will cease their grumbling and see the foolishness of their ways. The first sign is that the Hebrews will receive food that very evening—probably the meat mentioned in verse 8 (cf. the use of ‘evening’ in both verses). A second sign will occur in the morning: ‘the glory of Yahweh’, the Shekinah glory, will make an appearance before the people. NET - Moses is very careful to make sure that they know it is Yahweh who has brought them out, and it will be Yahweh who will feed them. They are going to be convinced of this now. ESV Study Bible - Although the plagues are described to Pharaoh as taking place so that the Egyptians would know “that I am the LORD” (see note on Ex 7:5+), the Lord first said that the signs would serve a similar purpose for Israel (see Ex 6:7+; Ex 10:2+), and their complaints against Moses bear evidence that they are still in need of coming to know and appropriate that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt (see also 16:12). Phillip Ryken - God gave his people bread to show that he was Lord. This was something that he had already proven to his enemies. He showed the Egyptians who was Lord by drowning them on their chariots in the sea. Now he was going to show his own people the same thing, only he would do it by meeting their needs. The meat and the bread would give them a personal, firsthand acquaintance with his lordship. The Israelites already knew that God was the Lord of Israel, but now they would learn it again by their own experience. Another way to say this is that God would show Israel his glory. God’s glory is his reputation. It is his honor, the weightiness of his character, the sum total of all his divine perfections. To know that he is the Lord, therefore, is to know him as the God of glory. To help his people see how glorious he is, God gave them a glimpse: “Then Moses told Aaron, ‘Say to the entire Israelite community, “Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.” ’ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud” (vv. 9, 10). Once again Aaron served as God’s spokesman. He gathered the people into God’s presence and then pointed them to God’s glory. What the people saw was the Shekinah, the glorious cloud of God’s presence and protection. God was glorified in the cloud, which was a visible manifestation of his invisible majesty. But God was also glorified in sending the manna and the quail. His miraculous provision added to his reputation as the God who hears and the God who cares. Every time God provides for his people, it is for the praise of his glory. By this point in Exodus, we have come to expect God to do things for his own glory. If we learn nothing else from this book, we learn that we are saved for God’s glory. At every stage of Israel’s deliverance, God did what he did—and did it the way that he did—to receive all the glory and praise. However predictable it becomes, there is no more important lesson than this: God disposes all things for the ultimate good of his glory. Every time he provides, he adds a little more weight to his reputation. (PW-Ex) Exodus 16:1-12 No Reverse You shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. —Exodus 16:6 The first time I saw her, I fell in love. She was a beauty. Sleek. Clean. Radiant. As soon as I spied the 1962 Ford Thunderbird at the used-car lot, her shiny exterior and killer interior beckoned me. I knew this was the car for me. So I plunked down $800 and purchased my very first car. But there was a problem lurking inside my prized possession. A few months after I bought my T-Bird, it suddenly became particular about which way I could go. It allowed me to go forward, but I couldn’t go backward. It had no reverse. Although not having reverse is a problem in a car, sometimes it’s good for us to be a little like my old T-Bird. We need to keep going forward—without the possibility of putting life into reverse. In our walk with Jesus, we need to refuse to go backward. Paul said it simply: We need to “press toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14). Perhaps the children of Israel could have used my T-Bird’s transmission. We read in Exodus 16 that they were in danger of putting life into reverse. Despite the many miracles God had performed, they longed for Egypt and failed to trust that He could guide them forward. When long and steep the path appears Or heavy is the task, Our Father says, “Press on, My child; One step is all I ask.” —D. De Haan When facing a crisis, trust God and move forward. The phrase to know the LORD is repeated. As you read these references to knowing God (you may need to check the context by clicking on the link) interrogate the texts with the question what did God say or do that people might know He is the LORD, YHWH? Notice who were the people whom God wanted to know Him as Jehovah? Recall Pharaoh's arrogant question in Exodus 5:2 "But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.” SEE IF GOD TAKES UP PHARAOH'S CHALLENGE? PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 7:5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” (See Ex 14:4 and Ex 14:18 below) PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 7:17 ‘Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 8:10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 8:22 “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD, am in the midst of the land. PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 9:14 “For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 9:29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’S. Exodus 9:30 “But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.” ISRAEL TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 14:4 “Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. PHARAOH/EGYPTIANS TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 14:18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.” ISRAEL TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 16:6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, “At evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt; ISRAEL TO KNOW YAHWEH - Exodus 16:12 “I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’” Exodus 16:7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, for He hears your grumblings against the LORD; and what are we, that you grumble against us?" the morning - Ex 16:13 you will see the glory of the LORD - Ex 16:10 24:10,16 40:34 Lev 9:6 Nu 14:10 16:42 Isa 35:2 40:5 Joh 11:4,40 what are we - Ex 16:2,3,8 Nu 16:11 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GRUMBLING AGAINST GLORY and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, for He hears your grumblings against the LORD and what are we, that you grumble against us - They would see the glory of the LORD which Kaiser calls “The sheer weight, gravity (kabed, ‘to be heavy,’ then ‘to glorify’) of his divine presence.” It is notable that 4 times the text says God heard their grumbling (Ex 16:7, 8, 9, 12) Ryken - The word “grumbling” hardly does the Israelites justice. The Hebrew word was “not designed to express a disgruntled complaint. Quite the contrary, it describe[d] an open rebellion.” When the people murmured against Moses, it was mutiny against Almighty God. They were repudiating their relationship with him. In fact, they wished that they were dead (Exod. 16:3). The way they figured, if they were going to die anyway, it would have been better to die back in Egypt. Starving in the desert was a fate worse than death. In effect, they were saying that they wished they had never been saved. Guzik adds "One way that God showed His glory was through this display of mercy and goodness. God didn’t send them hell from heaven; He sent bread instead. Nor did He demand that they stop their complaining before they ate. Just like Jesus would later command us, God loved and fed those who acted like His enemies." Grumblings (08519) see below on telunah Exodus 16:7 Glory in the Morning by Dr. Woodrow Kroll And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord. Some days make you wonder if you should have stayed in bed. You cut yourself shaving, you spill coffee on your clothes, you have a computer crash at work, you receive overdue notices in the mail, and your son breaks his arm on the jungle gym at school. It's enough to make you want to crawl under the covers and hide. The Israelites also were experiencing difficulties. They were hot, tired, hungry and upset. They even wondered if they should have stayed in Egypt. This trip was more difficult than they thought it was going to be. In the midst of these trials, God did two things: He gave them manna for their physical bodies, but He also promised to reveal His glory to them "in the morning" for their spiritual well-being. God knew that the trials of the day needed a spiritual response as well as physical relief. And He chose to meet that spiritual need while the day was yet young. When the day is hectic, the frustrations plentiful and the disappointments thick, it's time to turn to God. Yet how different the day might have gone had we turned to the Lord before we ever got started. Whether the events of the day change or not, when we have first spent time fellowshipping with God, we are better prepared to face them. Perhaps you aren't a morning person--many people aren't. Yet getting up even 10 minutes earlier and spending those moments reading your Bible and praying will yield greater dividends than you might imagine. When you meet with God first in the morning, it's much easier to keep Him first all day. How you begin your day will frequently determine how you end it. Exodus 16:8 Moses said, "This will happen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD." the LORD hears your grumbling - Ex 16:9,12 Nu 14:27 Mt 9:4 Joh 6:41-43 1Co 10:10 you grumble against Him Nu 21:7 1Sa 8:7 Isa 32:6 37:29 Mt 10:40 Lu 10:16 Joh 13:20 Ro 13:2 1Th 4:8 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries TWO MEALS A DAY Moses said, "This will happen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD." - They were Yahweh's representatives to to grumble against them was tantamount to grumbling against Jehovah! Criswell - God's gracious provision came even to this ungrateful and discontented people. Moses reminded them that to complain about God's leaders or His provisions was to murmur against the Lord Himself. The Jews grumbled at Jesus - Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. (John 6:41-43) Paul warned of grumbling to the saints at Corinth - "Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer." (1Co 10:10) Grumblings (08519)(telunah from lun = to murmur) describe speech used of Israel's murmurings against the Lord (or His representatives) and as such represent an overt act rebellion, disbelief, and disobedience to duly constituted authority. Stated another way grumblings are rebellious expressions of complaint and dissatisfaction especially against Yahweh! They complained about having no food, so the Lord rained manna and quail from the sky (Exo. 16:3-15). The congregation also complained about the report of the spies who visited the Promised Land and expressed fear of the inhabitants. The Lord afflicted them with a plague and sent them back to Sinai for forty years (Num. 14). The Israelites grumbled against the authority of Moses and Aaron (cf. Ex 16:41-17:10). Telunah is translated in the Septuagint with goggusmos which describes an utterance made in a low tone and can be a direct assault or "behind the scenes talk." Telunah - 8x in 7v - complaints(1), grumblings(7). - Exod. 16:7; Exod. 16:8; Exod. 16:9; Exod. 16:12; Num. 14:27; Num. 17:5; Num. 17:10 Adrian Rogers - It was a Food Test: Desire for Him Not only was it a faith test (see note on Ex 16:4); it was a food test—a food test. It helped with their appetite. Notice Ex 16:8: "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.". Now, the people were murmuring, because they remembered the fleshpots of Egypt; they remembered the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. So, not only was God testing them according to their dependence—the faith test—but God was testing them according to their desire, which is the food test. You are what you eat, and you eat what you are. That is, what you desire to eat shows so much about you. If you have an inordinate desire for television, or for novels, or for movies, or newspapers, or whatever, if that is what you desire—the world's fare—if that is your great appetite, it shows something about you. Do you really, really have a hunger, an appetite for the Lord? Look, if you will, in Numbers 11:4: "And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?" That is, "We want some mutton! We want some leg of lamb!" "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes" (Nu 11:4-6). That is, they were saying, "Lord, we don't want Heaven's bread; we want Earth's garlic." Now, in the passage in the New Testament, in John 6, where Jesus is comparing Himself with the manna, He began to talk to the disciples about eating His flesh and drinking His blood—that is, feeding on Him. And, you know what the Bible says? The Bible says, in John 6:66: "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him" (John 6:66)—when Jesus talked to them about feeding on Him. I wonder how many in this congregation tonight really have an appetite for Jesus? Really, do you have a dependence upon Him? Do you have a desire for Him? There's the faith test—the dependence upon Him. There is the food test—the desire for Him. It was a Fellowship Test: Devotion to Him And, there is the fellowship test. You see, it spoke of dependence; it spoke of desire; it spoke of devotion. That's what your quiet time does—it speaks of your dependence upon God; it speaks of your desire for God; it speaks of your devotion for God. The test of your love for the Lord Jesus Christ is this, very clearly and very plainly: Do you feed on Him? Do you desire Him? Are you hungry for Him? Would you say, "Bread of Heaven, feed me until I want no more"? (Modern song - Feed Me Until Want No More) Exodus 16:8 I Hate to Complain by Dr. Woodrow Kroll Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your murmurings which you make against Him. And what are we? Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord." Certain expressions in the English language raise doubts in our minds, such as: "Your check is in the mail," from a debtor; "This shouldn't cost much," from your mechanic; or "This won't hurt," from your dentist. Another such expression we often hear is, "I hate to complain." How often have you heard someone say, "I hate to complain, but . . ." and then launch into a lengthy tale of how, in some fashion, you've fallen short of his expectations? Moses and Aaron heard it a lot. At least on three occasions (at Marah, Ex. 15:24; in the Wilderness of Sin, Ex. 16:2; and at Rephidim, Ex. 17:3), the people complained about the hardships encountered on their journey. In fact, at Rephidim, Moses told God, "The people are ready to stone me!" (17:4). The truth is, most of us don't mind complaining at all. Yet we need to remember that when we complain, ultimately the person we're finding fault with is God. He is sovereign, so everything that comes into our lives must first meet His approval. When we complain, we are telling God, "You've made a mistake. You shouldn't have allowed this to happen to me." But God is too wise to make a mistake and too loving to permit unnecessary heartache. When you are next tempted to complain, remember that you have a sovereign God who loves you. All that you experience is to shape and mold you into the best person you can be. Instead of complaining, be happy that God cares enough about you even to allow you hardship under His watchful eye. Ultimately, all our complaints are directed against God. Would we grumble as we now do? (J.R. Miller, "Evening Thoughts" 1907) "The Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him!" Exodus 16:8 The fact that God hears all that we say, ought to make us guard our words. But does God really hear every fretful word we say? Does He hear when we grumble about the weather, about the hard winter, about the late spring, about the dry summer, about the wet harvest, and about the grub-worm? Does He hear when we grumble about the drought, about the high winds, about the storms? Does He hear when we complain about the hardness of our lot? If we could get into our hearts and keep there continually, the consciousness that every word we speak is heard in Heaven, and falls upon God's ears before it falls upon any other ear — would we grumble as we now do? We are always on our guard when we think that anyone is within hearing. Are we as careful concerning what we say in the hearing of our heavenly Father? We are careful, too, never to speak words which would give pain to the hearts of those we love dearly. Are we as careful not to say anything that will give pain to the heart of Christ? An old countryman once gave me some good advice which I have never forgotten! (John Colwell, "Little Foxes; The Little Sins That Mar the Christian Character" 1882) "Catch the foxes — the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes!" Song of Songs 2:15 "Do not grumble!" James 5:9 The grumbling fox is known by his constant growl and discontent. An old countryman once gave me some good advice which I have never forgotten. "There are two things," said he, "at which you should never grumble — first, at things which you can change; and, secondly, at things which you cannot change. If you can change them — then change them. And if you cannot change them — then leave them alone." "Why, then, we shall never grumble at anything," I replied. "Exactly so!" said he. Arthur
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Guzik - Since Moses already knew this (based on Ex 16:4–5), these words give more weight to the idea that God said this publicly, more for the benefit of Israel than for the benefit of Moses. Duncan says that " the provision that is made is shown to be providential, not coincidental, and the danger of the people’s grumbling is highlighted." Grumblings (08519) see above on telunah Speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread - Notice the specification of timing "at twilight" indicating this was a miracle. The quail would arrive when Yahweh rang the dinner bell so to speak! I have eaten quail and one quail hardly feeds a person, so the other aspect of the miracle was that at God's command there were upwards to two million quail on the ground, waiting to be collected by the Israelites. How many quail were there? Ps 78:27 gives us a good clue writing "When He rained meat upon them like the dust, Even winged fowl like the sand of the seas."! In sum, the quail came to the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity! Now that is a fantastic fowl feast for sure! And so we see that the LORD specifically addresses their complaint that they would die of hunger! "You shall be sated, satisfied" and have sufficient bread to eat. In a word they would be "stuffed!" The word for filled is a related word (see saba below) the grumblers had used in Ex 16:3 ("when we ate bread to the full;") to describe their circumstances in Egypt. Only Yahweh's provisions will truly satisfy. The fact that at twilight the Israelites would eat meat and in the morning they would be filled with bread.was not merely to meet their need for food. Rather it was so that they would "know that I am the Lord your God.” Greater than their need for food is the need to know that the Lord their God (and this same truth applies to every believer today! What is more important to you -- knowing the best restaurant to eat prime rib, or to know Jehovah?) This passage is amazing grace -- not only does Jehovah give grub to grumblers but graciously lets grumblers goggle at His glory! How longsuffering is our God?!!! Phillip Ryken notes that "God did not give his people quail every day. This miracle was repeated only one other time, after the Israelites left Sinai. The book of Numbers describes how “a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day’s walk in any direction” (Nu 11:31). (see more discussion on this topic below)" Steven
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Guzik - The bread from heaven was to be gathered on an individual or a family basis. God did not command the creation of a tribal manna gathering and distribution center. Every household had to provide for itself, and a rich family could not hire a poor family to do their work for them. You shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent - The point is no hoarding. An omer is approximately half a gallon. Related Resources: How much is an omer? What does the Bible say about compulsive hoarding? What was manna? Why did the Israelites need manna if they had flocks/herds of animals that they could eat? What did Jesus mean when He said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35)? Why does God require faith? Why doesn’t God "prove" Himself to us so there is no need for faith? Exodus 16:17 The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. NET Exodus 16:17 The Israelites did so, and they gathered– some more, some less. NLT Exodus 16:17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. ESV Exodus 16:17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SOUNDS LIKE OBEDIENCE As they say "So far, so good!" The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little - They finally obeyed. And surprise, surprise, Yahweh precisely met their needs so that no one had too much or too little. Exodus 16:18 When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat. NET Exodus 16:18 When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat. NLT Exodus 16:18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. ESV Exodus 16:18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 2Co 8:14,15 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THERE WAS NO WASTE AND NO WANT! This title speaks to the goodness and grace of Yahweh. When He gives, we have no waste and no want. As Paul said " my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Php 4:19+). When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat - What is the point? There were different sized families and individuals. A small child would not need the same amount as an adult. And so the gathering was proportionate to the needs of the families, so that nothing was left over (wasted) and none of the families failed to have enough manna. Every family had just what they needed to fill their stomachs and nourish their bodies. Exodus 16:19 Moses said to them, "Let no man leave any of it until morning." Ex 12:10 23:18 Mt 6:34 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ANOTHER IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION And so we see another test of their hearts! Moses said to them, "Let no man leave any of it until morning." - No saving manna for a "rainy day." The point is that they must constantly believe that God would provide for them each and every day. Exodus 16:20 But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. NET Exodus 16:20 But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them. NLT Exodus 16:20 But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. ESV Exodus 16:20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. bred worms - Mt 6:19 Lu 12:15,33 Heb 13:5 Jas 5:2,3 and Moses - Nu 12:3 16:15 Mk 3:5 10:14 Eph 4:26 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DISBELIEF, DISOBEDIENCE AND DECOMPOSITION Recall that in Ex 16:4 Yahweh told Moses the instructions for gathering bread or manna and he specifically stated the purposes was to "test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction." In other words the test was whether they would obey or disobey. Here we see they flunked the one aspect of the "bread gathering test." It would not be their last failure as the following verses show. But - A sad term of contrast! They had been "running well" in Exodus 16:17, but now a "change of direction," a change of heart occurs. They did not listen to Moses - Or stated another way - They did not listen to Jehvovah! Their heart of rebellion rose up again. At least the text says they and not all. This suggests that some of the Israelites refrained from this seventh day search. They needed to hear Jesus words in Mt 6:31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ And some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them - As stated above, they failed the "test," and in a sense they in turn tested the LORD. He said don't and they said we will! They were saying "We're not sure You will give enough bread tomorrow!" The twofold result was worms in the manna and righteous anger in Moses! THOUGHT - Is this test not a test of their faith to see if they would trust that God's giving is always sufficient to meet their needs (but not their "greeds"). This did not please God and He allows worms to grow up FAST! Bread on the counter grows mold in a week or two, but certainly this does not occur in fresh bread overnight. So as strange as it seems, the worms are surely a supernatural sign from God of His displeasure at their "faith failure," their failure to trust Him to be their all Sufficient Supply. O, how we mimic Israel in our own lives in manifold ways, failing to trust His supply of our needs and instead too often willfully seeking to gratify our greeds! O God forgive us. Such faith failures are not pleasing to Yahweh for as the writer of Hebrews says " without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.". (Heb 11:6+). And His "reward" is always sufficient in quality and quantity. We are so often like Judah in Jer 2:13 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water." Currid - Moses responds to the Hebrews’ disbelief and disobedience with anger. There is no stronger verb in Hebrew to reflect wrath/anger than the one used here. The Hebrews are again living by sight and not by faith; Moses is therefore highly indignant. Exodus 16:21 They gathered it morning by morning, every man as much as he should eat; but when the sun grew hot, it would melt. Pr 6:6-11 Ec 9:10 12:1 Mt 6:33 Joh 12:35 2Co 6:2 They gathered it morning by morning, every man as much as he should eat; but when the sun grew hot, it would melt - While this was a miracle, the people still had a responsibility. "So they gathered it each morning." This would have imprinted a good work ethic -- sleep in and you starve that day! And to reemphasize they were entirely dependent upon God's new supply to come in the morning. Oh! how rich the grace which supplies us so continually, and doth not refrain itself because of our ingratitude! -- Spurgeon NET on morning by morning - Heb "morning by morning." This is an example of the repetition of words to express the distributive sense; here the meaning is "every morning" Adrian Rogers applies it would melt - The Bible says "when the sun waxed hot, it melted"—it went away. No wonder the psalmist said, " In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. " (Psalm 5:3). When do you get your (SPIRITUAL) bread? Early in the day. You give the best part of the day to the Lord. You get fresh bread every day, and you cannot live on the memory of food. Daily, you go to the Lord—in the morning. Now, let's talk, therefore, about some habits. I said there must be hunger; there must be humility; there must be habit. Now, we're going to talk about some habits. 2. You Must Gather the Bread at the Right Time First of all, when do you gather the bread? The right time. Now, when is the right time? Well, obviously, in the morning. What part of the morning? The best part of the morning for you. I don't know when that is. I know when it is for me. When I wake up in the morning, I greet the Lord, but I don't try to have my quiet time immediately. I try to get my motor running for a little bit. Joyce is a springer, but I am a groper. Now, my motor gets to running faster and faster the longer I stay up. And so, I have to get the cobwebs out of my mind just a little bit. It doesn't mean that I'm not hungry to meet the Lord; it is that I am hungry to meet the Lord, and I want to meet the Lord at the right time. I find a time that is the optimum time for me. It is not the first waking moment. My first waking moment is to greet the Lord and so forth, but you find the right time. 3. You Must Make Time Now, let me say this: that Jesus made time. He didn't find time; He made time. You will have to make time. And, there's something in all of us called the old flesh that doesn't want to pray. I've been known to trail with Jesus, now, for many, many years. There's still a part of me that has to be dragged to the place of prayer. Now, I know you're much more holy than I, but there's a part of my nature that does not want to pray; and, if I were to listen to that part, I would not pray. I remember hearing the saintly Sidlow Baxter say—he said, "I realized that I needed to spend more time with God in prayer. And, my emotions said, 'I don't want to pray,' but I wanted to pray. And so, I said to Will, 'Will, let's you and I pray whether Emotion will gather with us or not.' So," Sidlow said, "Will and I decided, if Emotion wouldn't come with us, we were going to pray anyway. So, Will and I got down and prayed." And, he said, "After I did that for a while, Emotion came and gathered with us, and he's been with us for all this time." So, you just have to say to Emotion, "Look, whether you want to pray or not, we're going to pray." And, you pray when you feel like it; you pray when you don't feel like it; you pray until you do feel like it. But, in order to have a time, there must be the right time. Now, the right time is not before you get out of bed in the morning. Don't you try horizontal meditation; it's a perfect cure for insomnia. Get out of bed in the morning, and don't just say, "Well, I have my quiet time at the end of the day"... 'Give us this day our dally bread.' Back of the loaf—is the snowy flour, And back of the flour—the mill; And back of the mill—is the wheat, and the shower, And the sun, and the Father's will. TIME comes to us, not in years, not even in weeks—but in little days. We have nothing to do with 'life in the aggregate' —that great bulk of duties, anxieties, struggles, trials and needs, which belong to a year or even to a month. We really have nothing to do even with tomorrow. Our sole business is with the one little day now passing, and the one day's burdens will never crush us; we can easily carry them until the sun goes down. We can always get along for one short day—and that is really, all we ever have. The Divine purpose in all this experience comes out here, "In this way I will test them, to see whether or not they will follow My instructions." God is always testing us. Trials test us—whether or not we will submit with humility and obedience to the experiences that are sore and painful. Life's needs test us—whether we will trust God in the time of extremity or not. None the less, do the gifts and favors of God test us. They test our gratitude. Joy tests us as well as sorrow. Some people forget God, when all things go well and they have only prosperity. Do we remember God always—as the Giver of each new blessing? Are we grateful to Him for all that we receive? These favors also test our faith. Do we still lean on Him—while we have plenty? Ofttimes one who turns to God when help is needed—fails to look to Him when the hand is full. The Divine mercies also test our obedience. Do we obey God as carefully and follow Him as closely and trustingly, when our tables are full—as when the pressure of poverty or need drives us to Him? Every day is a probation for us. In the midst of this great mercy of manna, God taught the people to remember the Sabbath. On the sixth day they were to gather and prepare twice as much food as on other days. The reason was that on the Sabbath no work was allowed. No manna fell on that day. There are several interesting things to notice here. While on other days, any manna stored up—would rot; the extra day's portion gathered on the sixth day remained fresh and pure for use on the Sabbath. Still further, on the morning of the Sabbath, no manna fell as on other days. Thus God taught the sacredness of His own day. He teaches us also here that in order to keep the day as it ought to be kept, we should prepare for it the day before. The people were to gather the Sabbath's portion on the sixth day. There would seem to be in this provision and preparation in advance, a suggestion of the way we may best observe our Christian Sabbath. Some of us remember certain old-fashioned times in the country, when on Saturday evening careful preparations were made for the Sabbath, so that there would be no needless work done on the Lord's Day. Wood was cut and carried in, all the implements of worldly labor were put away, boots and shoes were cleaned and blackened, coffee was ground and food cooked, so far as possible—in a word, everything was done that could be done beforehand to insure the most restful Sabbath possible. This old-fashioned custom is a good one to keep in vogue always. Very much of Sabbath enjoyment and profit, will always depend upon the measure of preparation we make for it in advance. The Lord spoke of this manna miracle as an exhibition of His glory. "At evening, then you shall know that the Lord has brought you out from the land of Egypt; and in the morning, then you shall see the glory of the Lord!" The supply of food was an exhibition of God's glory. We may see the same glory in every evening's and morning's blessings, which a thoughtful Providence brings to us. We think only of the unusual, or the supernatural, as manifesting the glory of God. We forget that this Divine glory is shown just as really and as wonderfully in every day's new blessings. The miracle of God's daily Providence is infinitely more stupendous, than the feeding of a prophet for a few months from an inexhaustible handful of meal; the feeding of five thousand in Galilee with a few loaves and fishes; or even the feeding of a nation with manna for forty years. If the single special miracle shows glory, what does the great continuous miracle of each day's common blessings, year after year, and century after century, show? Let us learn to see the glory of God in every piece of bread which comes to our table, in every drop of water which glistens on a leaf in the morning sun, in every blade of grass and bursting bud and blooming flower in field or garden. One special lesson that God wished the people to learn—was trust. So He rebuked their complainings and murmurings when they found fault, and became afraid when they had hardships to meet. "The Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him!" Exodus 16:8. This is startling! Does God really hear every discontented word we speak? Does He hear when we grumble about the weather, about the hard winter, about the late spring, about the dry summer, about the wet harvest? Does He hear when we fret and murmur about the drought, about the high winds, about the storms? Does He hear when we complain about our circumstances, about the hardness of our lot, about our losses and disappointments? If we could get into our hearts and keep there continually, the consciousness that every word we speak is heard in heaven, and falls upon God's ears before it falls upon any other ear—would we murmur as we now do? We are always on our guard when we think anyone we love and honor is within hearing, and speak only proper words then. Are we as careful what we say in the hearing of our Father? We are careful, too, never to speak words which would give pain to the hearts of those we love dearly. Are we as careful not to say anything that will give pain to Christ? There are many interesting points of analogy, between the manna and Christ. The manna is called "bread from heaven." "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever!" John 6:51 The manna was indispensable—without it the people would have perished. Without Christ our souls must perish. The manna was a free gift from God—there was nothing to pay for it. Christ is God's gift, coming to us without money and without price. Yet the manna had to be gathered by the people, Christ must be received and appropriated by personal faith. "Take, eat," runs the formula of the holy communion. The bread is offered to us—but we must take it and we must eat it. So must we take Christ when He is offered to us. The manna came in great abundance, enough for all. Just so, there is such abundance in Christ that He can supply all the needs of my soul, and of every soul who will feed upon Him. No one ever came hungry to Him—and found no bread. Manna had to be gathered each day, a supply for that one day. We must feed upon Christ daily. We cannot lay up supplies of grace for any future. We cannot feed tomorrow, on today's bread. The manna had to be gathered early, before the heat of the sun melted it. We should seek the blessings of Christ's grace in life's early morning before the hot suns of care and trial beat upon us. C H
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Guzik - God’s word was true and they found none. This was a powerful lesson, teaching Israel to trust what God said before they had proven it true in experience. People today still look for life and fulfillment in places God has said there would be none. Exodus 16:28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? Ex 10:3 Nu 14:11 20:12 2Ki 17:14 Ps 78:10,22 81:13,14 106:13 Isa 7:9,13 Jer 4:14 9:6 Eze 5:6 20:13,16 Mk 9:19 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FAILED THE TEST AGAIN!!! Again, God is testing the obedience and they fail miserably. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? - Interesting that Yahweh seems to address this to Moses as if he were disobeying! However the verb you refuse is plural, and so it is addressed to the nation and not to Moses. Exodus 16:29 "See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." has given - Ex 31:13 Ne 9:14 Isa 58:13,14 Eze 20:12 remain - Lu 23:56 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE SUFFICIENCY OF YAHWEH'S PROVISION See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day - Note that see is a command. The Septuagint gives the command in the aorist imperative signifying "Just do it! Don't miss or misunderstand this truth!" Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." - Moses repeats the instruction for those who were hard of hearing! Notice this is not only an instruction but is actually a double command (see verbs in red) emphasizing its importance. Beecher - The Lord hath given you the Sabbath. Through the week, we go down into the valleys of care and shadow. Our sabbaths should be hills of light and joy in God’s presence; and so, as time rolls by, we shall go on from mountain-top to mountain-top, till at last we catch the glory of the gate, and enter in to go no more out forever. Exodus 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day. Lev 23:3 De 5:12-14 Heb 4:9 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries OBEDIENCE TO THIS INSTRUCTION So - Term of conclusion. It light of the 3 commands in the preceding verse, it looks like the people "got it!" The people rested on the seventh day - Leviticus will amplify the meaning declaring "‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings." (Lev 23:3) Deuteronomy adds Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. 13 ‘Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. (Dt 5:12-14) The Septuagint translates shabath with the verb sabbatizo (No uses in NT - 5 uses in OT = Ex 16:30; Lev 23:32; 26:34; 26:35; 2 Chr 36:21) meaning to keep the Sabbath Rested (07673)(shabath) means to cease to repose, to rest, to rid of, to still, to put away, to put an end to, to cause to cease, to leave. Most uses refer to rest or abstain from labor (Ex 5:5), especially on the seventh day (Ex 20:8-11). It is the root verb of Sabbath the time to be set aside for rest. Of God resting after the completion of creation (Ge 2:2, 2:3 = "He rested", Ex 31:17, describing the Sabbath - Ex 34:21) The basic meaning of shabath is well illustrated in the declaration that day and night "shall not cease." (Ge 8:22). Israel will not "cease from being a nation." (Jer 31:30), a prophetic sign of God's faithfulness! The "three men ceased answering Job." (Job 32:1) In Joshua, the verb expresses a cessation of the provision of manna by God to the Israelites (Josh. 5:12). The land was also depicted as enjoying a rest (Lev 25:2, Lev 26:34, 35). The people of God are to rest (Ex. 16:30). "An end to strife."(Pr 18:18). "Put an end to the arrogance of the proud." (Isa 13:11) Shabath - 63v - brought to an end(1), cease(21), ceased(7), ceases(3), did away(2), disappear(1), do away(1), eliminate(3), gone(1), hear...more(1), lacking(1), left you without(1), made an end(1), make an end(1), no*(1), observe(1), observe the rest(1), put a stop(3), put an end(3), puts an end(1), remove(2), removed(1), rest(3), rested(3), silence(1), stop(2), stopped(1). Gen. 2:2; Gen. 2:3; Gen. 8:22; Exod. 5:5; Exod. 12:15; Exod. 16:30; Exod. 23:12; Exod. 31:17; Exod. 34:21; Lev. 2:13; Lev. 26:6; Lev. 26:34; Lev. 26:35; Deut. 32:26; Jos. 5:12; Ruth 4:14; 2 Ki. 23:5; 2 Ki. 23:11; 2 Chr. 16:5; Neh. 4:11; Neh. 6:3; Job 32:1; Ps. 8:2; Ps. 46:9; Ps. 89:44; Ps. 119:119; Prov. 18:18; Prov. 22:10; Isa. 13:11; Isa. 14:4; Isa. 16:10; Isa. 17:3; Isa. 21:2; Isa. 24:8; Isa. 30:11; Isa. 33:8; Jer. 7:34; Jer. 16:9; Jer. 31:36; Jer. 36:29; Jer. 48:33; Jer. 48:35; Lam. 5:14; Lam. 5:15; Ezek. 6:6; Ezek. 7:24; Ezek. 12:23; Ezek. 16:41; Ezek. 23:27; Ezek. 23:48; Ezek. 26:13; Ezek. 30:10; Ezek. 30:13; Ezek. 30:18; Ezek. 33:28; Ezek. 34:10; Ezek. 34:25; Dan. 9:27; Dan. 11:18; Hos. 1:4; Hos. 2:11; Hos. 7:4; Amos 8:4 Exodus 16:31 The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. called the name - Ex 16:15 and it was - Nu 11:6,7 Song 2:3 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MORE DETAIL OF THE MANNA The house of Israel named it manna - This name means, What is that? It is based on the question asked in Exodus 16:15. and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey - "God gave Israel good tasting food. He didn’t give them tasteless gruel or pasty porridge. Since it could be baked like bread or cake (Exodus 16:23), eating manna was like eating sweet bread every day." (gUZIK) Note on Ex 16:31, Nu 11:7-8 - How could a soul which has tried again to satisfy itself with Egypt’s food, find manna the same thing after restoration? The pure and sweet manna which has sustained the virgin soul which has unwaveringly followed the guiding pillar, must for the restored soul, have its color changed into that of tried gold, and its taste to that of healing oil. Nothing else would supply its need now. Steven