Exodus 16
Places of difficulty prove man's weakness and want, but they are made great blessings when the Lord comes into them to supply all that is wanting, in the riches of His great love.
When the Israelites came into the wilderness, they found themselves without food; thus they learned their own poverty and the world's emptiness; but this was the time at which they saw the abundance of the Lord's riches in a way they never saw before. While they were eating leeks and onions in Egypt, or until they came into the wilderness, they never knew what it was to have the Lord raining bread from heaven, so that "Man did eat angels' food [or, "the bread of the mighty," J.N.D. Trans.] "He sent them meat to the full." Psalm 78:2525Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. (Psalm 78:25). So now there is great blessing in learning that the world is a wilderness, that our poor souls are hungry, and that the world cannot feed them; for then we are in the very place to get bread from heaven. "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.... I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." John 6:32-3532Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:32‑35).
The Israelites had no labor by which they could make manna; man had nothing to do with it; it came as independent of man as the rain or dew from heaven. The Lord said, "I will rain bread from heaven for you." Man has equally little now to do with procuring, by his own labor, food for his soul; it is the free gift of God. "My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven." Man cannot make me receive Christ into my soul; nor can he hinder me. "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil. 2:1313For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13).
Man's foolish heart cannot learn any of God's rich blessings by its own wisdom, till the same gracious hand which gives the gift teaches its value too. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14). When the Lord gave the manna, they knew not what it was until Moses instructed them from the Lord. "When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [or, What is it?]: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat." So it is with the Lord Jesus: "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." John 1:1010He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:10). "The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me." John 6:41-4541The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. (John 6:41‑45). If your soul knows not Christ as the true bread, you know not how much you have to learn; if you have found Him to be indeed the Christ, then you are taught of God. (See Matt. 16:16, 1716And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:16‑17); 1 Cor. 12:33Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (1 Corinthians 12:3); 1 John 5:11Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (1 John 5:1).) This is a great thing to realize, that we know a truth which flesh and blood could never reveal, and through the knowledge of which our souls are eternally blessed; for we are "Confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:66Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6). "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." 1 Cor. 2:1212Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12).
The Israelites did not deserve the manna; they deserved to be starved, for they murmured against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Thus, when the Israelites were provoking God's righteous judgment, instead of raining fire and brimstone, He rained bread from heaven. And what cry has gone up from us to God, that brought down His only begotten Son? Was it a call of love? Oh, no! "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:1010Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10). "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). The gift was the free love of God. We had no part in procuring the Savior, or in His wonderful work. Grace, free grace, is in all the Lord's dealings toward us; "Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9).
Wherever in the wilderness the children of Israel journeyed, the manna was found; it lay round about the host; they could gather and eat in the immediate place of their pilgrimage. And is not this our blessing? Yes; for "The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart." Rom. 10:6-86But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; (Romans 10:6‑8). Little could those who lived in Egypt know what a rich place for food the wilderness was to the children of God; the Lord rained no manna upon Egypt. And little do the people of the world, who love the "lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," know what a rich substitute the Lord Jesus Christ is for them all. He who has tasted that the Lord is gracious knows it. But oh! how little does he know compared with what he shall see and have in the fair land of promise, flowing with milk and honey.
The manna was the daily food of the Israelites; the Lord directed them to gather a certain rate every day, and they gathered it every morning. And so now, the Lord Jesus Christ is our daily food; communion with Christ is the daily exercise of the soul that is journeying as a stranger and pilgrim to the incorruptible inheritance. He who neglects this privilege suffers much loss of comfort, and is weak for his dreary journey; for our Lord says, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:2323And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23). If we do not feed on our manna, the burden of the cross will be greater than we can bear; and the narrow way in which the Lamb is followed will be straighter than we can endure. Difficulties are great, but the Lord gives strength to meet them. "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." Deut. 33:2525Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy 33:25).
They gathered manna, every man according to his eating—not all the same quantity, but "some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little hart no lack: they gathered every man according to his eating." And so among Christians there are different capacities for receiving the things of Christ; there are fathers, young men, and little children (1 John 2:1313I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. (1 John 2:13)); there are those who have need of milk, and not of strong meat; and those who by reason of use have their consciences exercised to discern both good and evil: to them strong meat belongs. (Heb. 5:12-1412For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12‑14).) But in Christ is found milk for the weakest, and in Him strong meat for the most advanced; all that is learned about Him is food for the soul. He that knows least sees fullness enough in Him for his soul's only food; he that knows most of Him finds that his soul can feed on all that he has learned.
The Israelites, for the six days of the week, were not permitted to gather manna on one day to eat on another; but they were to gather every day, and to eat every day. Moses said, "Let no man leave of it till the morning." The Lord gave them manna fresh from heaven every day, and therefore, they should thankfully gather, and feed on it: heaven was their storehouse, and the Lord was their dispenser. It was their blessing to have no storehouse of their own, but to receive day by day their daily bread. So it is with the Lord's wilderness family now. He is not wearied in communicating daily strength to His poor weak children; and He charges them not to neglect receiving at His hands what He is so ready to give. Christ is the daily food of every believer; but He is so, not as treasured up in our heads, or in the heads of others, but as made precious in the soul, by the power of the Spirit of God, keeping up the communication between us and heaven. There our treasure is; from thence our strength comes—our comfort—our blessing—day by day.
But alas! proud rebellious children suppose they can take care of themselves, and be the safe keepers of their own blessing; so the Israelites hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of the manna until the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And now, if we suppose that any knowledge or experience of Christ should remove the feeling of daily dependence on the Lord for renewed strength, we shall, to our sorrow, find that knowledge will puff up, and breed pride, and vanity, and odious worms, to gnaw the very vitals of our souls. Christ the Lord from heaven is our daily food, in daily communion through the Spirit; this will have no worm in it, but be meat indeed.
The daily gathering of manna only lasted the six days; when the sabbath day of rest came, then they who had gathered on the day before might feed in peace on what was already provided. So with us; now is the time of labor, not of rest; but there remains a rest (or keeping of a sabbath) to the people of God (Heb. 4:99There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)); and then believers, when all their labor is over, will enjoy Christ in their everlasting rest. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. 7:16, 1716They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16‑17).
But Israel is made our solemn warning. Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, and they found none; even so the foolish virgins, who waited for oil until it was too late, found none; for while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. If you have not found Christ, beware how you quiet your conscience by thinking a convenient season may come. "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." Isa. 55:66Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6). "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Heb. 4:77Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7).
Again, the Lord warns us from the lusting of the Israelites. They said, "Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes." Numb. 11:4-64And 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? 5We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. (Numbers 11:4‑6). Could they have a better food than the bread of heaven? and yet they murmured for leeks and onions. They would have manna if they had the garlic of Egypt with it; but God would not let men eat them together. Happy is he who can suffer the loss of all things, and count them but dung, that he may win Christ. They that preferred flesh got it, but got sorrow and death with it; and they that seek the world may get the world, but it will soon be very bitter. Then, dear reader, take heed! The Spirit of God will never show you beauty while in the world, or out of Christ. May we then walk in the Spirit, and we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. There is no security but this The flesh will always hanker after the world, but the Holy Spirit will glorify Christ; for He will take of His and show it unto us.