“Lessons from Manna”

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Lessons From Manna

by Jeff Curtis

One of the most significant events in Israel’s wilderness experience happened in Exodus 16. The Israelites ran out of food, and God provided manna. The story presents several lessons for us to learn.

1. Remember God’s blessings (16:1-3). The people “grumbled” (v.2); the KJV

says they “murmured,” and the NRSV has “complained.” They did this eight times in this context (16:2,7,8,9,12). This was neither the first or the last time that God’s people complained; they were, in fact constantly complaining. They had a genuine need, but it was wrong for them to complain. Why did they complain? They were forgetful, ungrateful, and lacking faith. They forgot that they had been in bondage and had cried to God. (Egypt had not seemed so attractive back then!) They were ungrateful for what God had done for them. They also lacked faith: They failed to appreciate the fact that a God who was able to part the sea so they could walk through on dry ground could also provide them with food in a barre wilderness. They grumbled against Moses and Aaron, but their complaint was really against God (16:7,8).

      Let’s learn to complain less.

2. Trust God’s Provisions (16:4-16). God met Israel’s need. He provided

manna in the morning and meat (quail) at night. He helped Israel, in spite of these complaining, faithless, forgetful, ungrateful people did not deserve to be helped. One reason He provided the manna was to help Israel learn that “man does not live by bread alone…but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3).

     Let’s learn that God graciously meets our needs, even when we don’t deserve His blessings.

3. Obey God’s Commands (16:16-36). Though God provided the manna, the

people had to take advantage of God’s gracious provision. They had to gather the manna according to His command in order to have food for each day.

     God gave specific commands regarding how the manna was to be gathered. The Israelites were to gather a certain amount each day, twice as much on the sixth day, and nothing on the seventh day, The Sabbath day was to be a day of rest. This instruction tested their industry, their faith, and their loyalty. Would they perform this daily task? Would they trust God to give enough on the sixth day to sustain them on the seventh day? Would they obey God exactly? Some did not. Those who did not follow God’s directions were not blessed.

     Let us learn that we also must take action to receive God’s gift. If we are to be blessed by God’s provisions, we must follow His directions.

Phoebe - A Servant of the Church

by Jesse A. Flowers

“I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also” (Romans 16:1-2).

A sister, a servant, a saint, and a helper. Paul’s description of Phoebe is quite impressive. Obviously, she was a remarkable woman of God. She was a child of God, for she was a sister in Christ, having obeyed the gospel. She was lowly in spirit, for she was a servant, making her great in the kingdom. She was a saint, indicating her life of holiness and separation from sin. She was a helper of many, implying she was a diligent worker for the Lord and His cause.

May we all strive to possess such a spiritual resume. It may not impress the world or be viewed as marks of success. But that’s okay, for we are not striving to please men, but God. So, be a spiritual Phoebe! If you are a Christian, a servant, a saint, and a helper of many… you will be in a saved condition, you will be great in the eyes of Jesus, you will be a bright shining light in a world of darkness, and you will build up the Lord’s people and the work of the Lord.

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