Sabbath Manna

The Wilderness Becomes Sabbath

While the life in Egypt is picture of life without a relationship with God.

The wilderness becomes the struggle of getting to know God and reestablishing that relationship.

In Exodus, the people were worked to death, but out in the wilderness, the people will experience what it means to trust in God. And at the center of it all is the Sabbath.

In the wilderness, the people stop or cease from their work in Exodus and must learn to trust in God.

After escaping Egypt, the children of Israel are brought to a paradise in the midst of the wilderness.

Exodus 15:22–27 ESV

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

They are brought to a mini eden. A mini Sabbath. A break from the harshness of the desert. Just like Sabbath is a break from the harshness of the work week.

They are thirsty and complain against Moses and God.

God answers their complaints, makes a covenant with them, and introduces a new part of himself to the children of Israel.

There God provides shade from the heat, and sweet water to quell their thirst.

Manna and the Sabbath

The Israelites had water, but do you know what they were missing? Bread?

They next complain about not having any food in the wilderness.

God tells Moses, no worries, I got this.

He rains bread from the skies!

But God does it with a purpose.

Six days of bread.

No bread on the 7th day.

Lesson: Put God first and you will be provided for.

Sabbath and Thankfulness

is the story of the water from the rock. The Israelites complained again. God answered and gave them water.

Not once do we find the Israelites thanking God.

Its take, take, take.

God is giving, giving, giving.

The hearts of the humans are self-focused.

While God is other-focused.

Lesson: When we are in relationship with God and enjoying the Sabbath we are thankful. But when it is all about us, we are thankless.

How can you tell that you are in a healthy spiritual relationship? Become thankful.