(5) Manna

1. The LORD taught the Israelites that when they encountered bitter waters (circumstances) He would heal them (restore).

2. Their experience at Marah was an opportunity for the Israelites to grow stronger in their faith; unfortunately, they grumbled.

3. Afterwards the LORD, in His mercy, led them to Elim where they had a time of rest and restoration.

4. Throughout the wilderness journey the LORD was teaching the Israelites the importance of living by faith.

5. Today we’re going to learn how living by faith involves: trusting Jesus; depending on Jesus; working with Jesus.

Exodus 16 (Exodus 16:1–4, ESV) They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

6. On the way to Mt. Sinai the LORD led the Israelites through the Desert of Sin, where the LORD taught them valuable lessons concerning living by faith.

I. Living By Faith Involves ... Trusting Jesus

A. Throughout Their Wilderness Journey The Israelites Grumbled When They Didn’t Get Their Way

1. Grumbling was one of the things that kept the 1st generation from inheriting the Promised Land.

(Psalm 106:25–26, NIV) They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. 26 So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the wilderness,

2. The grumbling of the Israelites revealed that they didn’t trust the LORD.

3. The LORD didn’t like their grumbling but in the beginning He was lenient.

a. Why was the so lenient? The LORD was taking into account the fact that they were spiritual babies.

b. In fact, instead of coming down hard on them He showed them His glory!

c. (Exodus 16:7) in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him.

B. As The LORD Revealed Himself To The Israelites He Was Giving Them Plenty Of Reasons To Trust Him!

1. In Egypt the LORD revealed that He was their Redeemer.

2. At the Red Sea the LORD revealed that He was their Protector.

3. At Marah the LORD revealed that He was their Healer.

4. In the Desert of Sin the LORD was trying to teach them that He was their Sustainer!

C. Unfortunately, When Times Got Hard The Israelites Began To Doubt The LORD’s Character And They Quit Trusting Him

1. They had no doubt about the LORD’s ability (His power, etc.) it was His Godly character that they doubted!

2. They weren’t convinced that the LORD is good.

D. Jesus Takes Us Into The Wilderness That That We Will Learn To Trust Him

1. It’s glorious to see Jesus on the mountaintop. (Ex. Transfiguration)

2. But if you really want to get to know Jesus you need to walk with Him in the wilderness!

II. Living By Faith Involves ... Depending On Jesus

A. In The Wilderness Jesus Stripped The Israelites Of Everything So That He Would Become Their Everything

1. Many people have tried to add Jesus to their life; that’s man’s way not God’s!

(Proverbs 14:12, NIV) There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

2. God’s way is to people a new start in Jesus!

(John 3:7, NIV) ... ‘You must be born again.’

(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

B. The LORD Even Stripped The Israelites Of The Necessities Of Life In Order To Teach Them To Depend On Him

1. Marah: They had just come through a test where they couldn’t find water (3 days) and the water at Marah was bitter!

2. Desert of Sin: After a time of refreshing at Elim the LORD took them through the Desert of Sin where they became hungry.

a. (Exodus 16:3, NIV) The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

b. They should have learned at Marah that the LORD was dependable, but they didn’t.

C. The LORD Gave The Israelites What They Wanted, But More Importantly The LORD Gave Them What They Needed!

1. They wanted what would satisfy their flesh (meat)

a. The Israelites desired what they knew (meat) but the LORD had something better (manna)

b. They were holding on to the old but the LORD was giving them something better; bread from heaven!

(Psalm 78:25, ESV) Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

c. If we spend our lives trying to satisfy our flesh we will miss out on the best that God has for us!

2. They needed what would teach them spiritually and sustain them physically (manna)

a. The manna was an object lesson pointing them to Jesus, the Bread of Heaven!

(John 6:33, NIV) For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ... 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. ...

b. The manna physically sustained the Israelites throughout their entire wilderness journey!

(Exodus 16:35, NIV) The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

3. The LORD sent the meat first (in the evening) and the manna came second (in the morning).

a. Why did the manna come second? It was replacing the meat!

b. The LORD is trying to replace many things in His Church with the manna of Heaven! Jesus!

4. The manna came with God’s Glory!

a. (Exodus 16:7, NIV) and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, ... 8 You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, ...

b. Notice, the LORD’s glory came with the manna but not the meat!

c. The glory of God always accompanies Jesus!

(Hebrews 1:3, NIV) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, ...

People have a yearning to experience the glory of God; fix your eyes on Jesus; He is God’s glory manifest!

III. Living By Faith Involves ... Working With Jesus (We must work with Jesus to receive what He gives us.)

A. The LORD Gave Explicit Instructions On How To Gather The Manna

1. (Exodus 16:4–5, NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

B. Three Major Instructions Concerning Gathering The Manna

1. Gather it daily

a. We need to meet with Jesus daily!

b. It took time to gather, prepare, and eat the manna! (There are no shortcuts if you want to receive from Jesus!)

2. Gather it in the early morning (if they lingered it would melt in the hot sun).

a. (Ex. 16:21) Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

b. Start your day with Jesus; don’t let the pressures of the day rob you of spending time with Jesus in the morning.

3. Once a week they were to gather twice the amount in preparation for the Sabbath.

a. The LORD was teaching them that His people need to prepare for the LORD’s Day!

b. If God’s people began to prepare themselves for the LORD’s Day they would receive so much more in Church!