God, Preserving The Undeserving Pt. 2 • Exodus 16

Review & Overview

1. Previous Study’s Review

Last time together in chps.15…  the Children of Israel were so thrilled that the Lord brought them out of Egypt they sang the Song of Moses…       a song magnifying and glorifying the Lord for His faithfulness…

But after 3 short days they began to complained against Moses because the waters of Marah was bitter…    but the Lord once again showed His faithfulness by turning the bitter water into sweet water… 

Then the Lord led them to Elim where there were 12 wells of sweet water & 70 palm trees providing dates…

In all of that we saw that the Lord was faithful in spite of them not because of them…  2 Tim.2:13 if we are faithless

2. Current Study’s Overview

Now in chp.16: we come to a familiar portion of scripture where the Lord provides Manna from Heaven…  6 things  

1.  Problem toward the Lord Vs. 1-3

vs.1, So after 30 days from leaving Egypt they are down toward the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula…

vs.2-3, Now their murmuring & complaining was against Moses…    but    they were really murmuring & complaining against God, vs.8b...

In chp.15:27 the Lord provided water & dates…    but   here in vs.3 they wanted meat & bread…  

Their Problem toward the Lord…     is they weren’t content with the Provisions by the Lord…

Be Content with what the Lord Provides…   

Philippians 4:11 NKJV

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

Philippians 4:19 NKJV

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2.  Patience of the Lord Vs. 4-8

vs.4a, The Lord is so patient is He not?  I would have rained down fire & brimstone from heaven, not bread.

Aren’t you glad He doesn’t give us what we deserve…  He gives us what we don’t deserve…   why…

Because He is so patient:    

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 Timothy 1:16 NKJV

16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

God did send bread from heaven that they might live…    not only physically…  but  spiritually…

John 6:48 NKJV

48 I am the bread of life.

vs.4b-8,  So the children of Israel were to gather a certain amount of this bread everyday but on the 6th day there were to gather twice as much…        that will be for the Sabbath, more in a moment…   

But the whole reason for only gathering a certain amount or a quota per day was to test them, vs.4b…    

To see if they were going to be obedient to the command or the law of God…

APPLICATION: Ya see, sometimes what God tells us to do doesn’t make a lot sense…   it doesn’t seem rational…

But it doesn’t have to, because the Lord has His reasons…     &     sometimes it just to test us…   to see if we’re going to be obedient…

Are we going to think our way is better…   or   His way is better…

3.  Provision by the Lord Vs. 9-15

So the Lord provided Meat & Bread for the Children of Israel... 

Interesting that the Lord not only provided what they needed…      but      what they wanted…

APPLICATION: God is so Gracious...  

Note that God only provided enough meat & bread for one day at a time…     why, so they would have to Trust Him & Rely upon Him every single day…

In our abundance it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it is the Lord who provides everything we have.   

1 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

We need to rely upon the Lord everyday for everything…  His resources…  His provision…

4.  Proclamation of the Lord Vs. 16-21

Apparently not everyone was willing to Trust the Lord…  they kept some of the bread till morning, vs.20.

I would imagine each one of us have a little bit of Israelite in us…  we fail to Trust the Lord…

Proverbs 3:5 NKJV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

Which is interesting… because we trust the Lord for eternal life… so why not trust Him for daily life…

APPLICATION: Notice they were only to gather as much as they needed, vs.21…    no more, no less…

I think I know what I need, amen?  When I have that mindset in effect it means I know more than God.

But only the Lord truly knows what I need…    &      if I truly need it, I’ll have it…

Philippians 4:19 NKJV

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

5. The Peoples Rest is from the Lord Vs. 22-31

So the Lord not only gave them Food…   He gave them Rest…  something they haven’t had for 430 years.

This 7th day of rest is seen in the creation account in Gen.2:2 when God ended His work He rested on the 7th day…

Genesis 2:2

So this day was to be Holy to the Lord, vs.23…     it was a day that was set apart to spend time with the Lord…        to focus on the Lord…       to give thanks to the Lord…

For us today the Sabbath is not about a particular day…    but    a particular person...   Jesus Christ.

Mark 2:27 NKJV

27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Ephesians 2:14 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

6.  Proof of the Faithfulness of the Lord Vs. 32-36

So this pot of Manna is the proof of the Lord’s faithfulness to the Children of Israel…

In Heb.9:4 we’re told the Ark of the Covenant has a Golden pot of Manna in it… along with Aaron’s budding rod & the 10 Commandments…

Hebrews 9:4 NKJV

4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

Through all of this we see the Lord’s faithfulness even toward those who Murmur against Him…   Don’t trust in Him…       &      Aren’t obedient to Him…

2 Timothy 2:13 NKJV

13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

ENDING....