Exodus 16 - Turning Complaints into Contentment.

INTRODUCTION: Video

Exodus 16:1 ESV

1 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.

wilderness of sin - from place of refreshment to place of sin.

Wilderness is a picture of our walk as Christian.

Exodus 16:2–3 ESV

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.”

what? Did they not remember the previous story.

meat pots and ate bread to the full - not true! They were being beat. Begging to be released.

HAHA kids hungry thirsty

Complaining means:

You don’t remember the past as well as you thought.

Exodus 16:4–5 ESV

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. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

rain bread from heaven - rain. It fell from heaven.

Obviously from the Lord.

The curse wasn’t a test, the blessing was a test.

This was the first time in history that a day off was given.

The test was are you going to trust me. 6 days I will give you, and extra on the 6th. if you will trust me on the 7th days.

Exodus 16:6–7 ESV

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”

You shall see the glory of the Lord -

If we complain, we are complaining against God. Because God put us in that position.

Are you seeking the Lord every morning and evening?

Complaining means:

You aren’t ready for God’s blessing.

Exodus 16:8 ESV

8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

That’s not how I would have responded. But God who cares for His people.

Complaining means:

You aren’t content with what God has provided.

Exodus 16:9–12 ESV

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’ ” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

You’re about to spanked (normally haha)

God saw and God cared.

twilight - eat meat - quals.

morning filled with bread

God’s provision shows who God is. …How has God provided for you?

Contentment understands:

God hears our concerns.

Exodus 16:13–21 ESV

13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

Quail - similar to what we have - they will fly very low to the ground. Some argue they could (CHECK NUMBER REFERENCES)

Fine, flake like thing - more like crumbs than actual bread.

Omer - 2 liters (1/10 of the ephah haha)

Each one got as much as they needed. No more no less,

Contentment understands:

God always provides the perfect amount.

Exodus 16:22–26 ESV

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”

sixth day - twice as much - like going to chick Fil a on Saturday night for Sunday.

It stunk the next day always except on Friday’s so that it would be preserve from .

God was providing as they obeyed and rest. When we rest in him, we are still cared for.

Contentment understands:

To receive God’s provision we must obey.

Exodus 16:27–30 ESV

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Exodus 16:31–36 ESV

31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. 35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

Contentment understands:

God is always faithful.

CONCLUSION: Parable of many not giving rest to neighbor?