Manna & the Nourishment of God's People- Ex. 16 (Parts 1 & 2)

Manna & the Nourishment of God’s People- Ex. 16

“Sundays, in many American churches, have been turned into a time for emotionalism, entertainment, or for programmatic ministry. What have been jettisoned along the way are the simple, ordinary mechanisms that God has ordained for the growth and nourishment of His people: preaching, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

Sermons have been shortened to allow for more entertainment. Baptism, in many evangelical services, has been turned into a party, focusing only on a person’s decision, rather than the proclamation of God’s promise. The Lord’s Supper has fallen on hard times too, and in many churches is rarely practiced. Corporate prayer is kept to a minimum in order to allow for other foci.” J. Ryan Davidson, Green Pastures, 11-12

We are discussing this morning the means by which God grows His followers. We see this in types here in Exodus chapter 16, which I hope has been made a little clearer by our Scripture readings from John and the book of Acts.

That is, the Word of God, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer are the ways that believers grow. These are revealed to us from the Lord Himself in His most holy word.

As Ryan Davidson remarks, “God is free to use any means in the life of any believer to grow and strengthen their faith, but the aforementioned means are the primary instruments through which He has told us He will work.” (25)

I want you to keep three things in mind: (1) if you are a Christian, you cannot not grow. This does not mean you will never experience slow or little growth, but a failure to grow for extended periods of time reveals more of your lostness than it does your saved-ness. Be very, very careful as we consider these thoughts.

(2) The other truth I want you to keep in mind is this: God has provided distinct means by which we can grow. Are you taking advantage of these?

(3) If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, saved by His marvelous grace, Jesus stands, ready and able to save your soul to the uttermost, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that He saves. Then partake of these means of grace and grow in grace to the glory of God.

“A good Christian is not like Hezekiah’s sun that went backwards, nor Joshua’s sun that stood still, but is always advancing in holiness, and increasing with the increase of God. 1 Cor. 3:6.”—Thomas Watson

I. Manna and the Meal of Messiah- 16:1-21, 31-36

Israel is continuing their journey to the promised land, moving from Elim to the wilderness of Sin. In the second month (the first month was in 12:2), Israel begins to grumble. They are hungry, and the grumbling of their bellies brings the grumbling of their hearts.

Notice their outlandish complaints against the Lord, Moses, and Aaron in verse 3.

I will remind you how the Word of God describes their wretched state in Egyptian slavery: affliction, heavy burdens, oppressed, ruthlessly served, bitter, slaves, sufferings, broken spirit and harsh slavery.

Now, two months out of slavery, they wanted to go back! Because in their minds, “we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full!”

They forgot their sad estates and their present freedom. What a shame! Yet is this not what we do? We forget our lives under the bondage of sin and the blessings of life with Christ. Oh, let us learn from the Israelites’s sin!

Back to the text. God hears their complaint, their grumbling, and responds. Their complaint is sad when considering God’s incredible miracles. God displayed, if you remember, His power in order that Israel might believe (3:16, 4:1, 5-9).

God delivered them from Egypt, yet Israel did not believe He could supply their needs!

R. Kent Hughes offers this helpful remark (and one that helps us on our own road to Christlikeness),

“…the Israelites longed to go back, proving once again how much easier it was to get them out of Egypt than it was to get Egypt out of them.”—R. Kent Hughes, Exodus, 390

God provides Israel with bread and provides detailed instruction on how they were to gather it. On six days they would gather “as much as [they] could it” (16:16), or an “omer” (about two quarts, half a gallon of milk).

On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much in order to rest on the Sabbath, of which we will speak more of momentarily.

If they gathered too much, they only had enough, and if they gathered too little, they had enough. It was a remarkable demonstration of the power of almighty God, for there were probably around 2 million Israelites.

Israel failed to obey the Word of the LORD, though, and again brought the anger of God on their lives. It reminds me of my own failure to obey the clear teachings of Scripture. They did not have the Holy Spirit, we do. They did not have copies of God’s Word laying around, we do. What a shame on us! God help us to learn from Israel’s mistakes and embrace your glorious work in our lives!

The end of the chapter brings a reminder to Israel that would remain with them. They would keep this manna to remind them of the Lord’s provision. It would be a memorial.

Does this sound familiar? It should, as it reminds us of the Lord’s Supper. It is to the New Testament that we now turn our attention.

John chapter 6 offers a beautiful parallel to Exodus chapter 16. What we see in the Old Testament is a type. We see this based on Colossians 2:17 “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” That word shadow we simply switch out for type.

Without getting too deep, we understand that God communicates with words as we see written in the Bible. But God also communicates through shadows, or types, that point to something coming, a person or event.

The Exodus is a type of salvation, God’s remarkable deliverance of people from the bondage, not of Egypt, but of sin.

“Typology is God-ordained, author-intended historical correspondence and escalation in significance between people, events, and institutions across the Bible’s redemptive-historical story.”—Jim Hamilton, Typology Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns, 26

What we see in the manna of Exodus 16 is that it pointed to something greater, far greater, because it pointed to the everlasting-life-providing meal of the Messiah. Hamilton would go on to write this,

“Jesus not only presents himself as corresponding to these life-giving provisions of God in the wilderness, he presents escalation as he claims to transcend them, saying that the one who believes in him will never hunger or thirst (6:35).” Typology, 272

CONCLUSION

(1) if you are a Christian, you cannot not grow. Israel needed to collect the manna every day and it would nourish them. Jesus reminds us, in His own temptation in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” You cannot not grow! You must have the Word of God daily. I fear that we are feed physically but starving to death spiritually.

(2) God has provided distinct means by which we can grow. Are you taking advantage of these? We look to the OT and think that God worked in miraculous ways and today He works in boring ways. You mean to tell me we grow by simply reading the Bible, seeking to understand it, and live by it?

Yes! Listen to the warning of Muether and Hart, “A low view of worship [and I would argue this goes for both public and private] and what transpires there is not only an insult to our Creator and Redeemer, who desires praise from his people. It also misconceives terribly the state of our souls.” Take full advantage of the means of grace, namely the Word of God Jesus Christ. Feast on the riches of His Word, nourish your soul, grow in grace! [ACTS 2:42–47 Blue Tab]

(3) If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, saved by His marvelous grace, Jesus stands, ready and able to save your soul to the uttermost, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that He saves. Then partake of these means of grace and grow in grace to the glory of God.

Just as the manna lay on the ground awaiting Israel to pick it up, so too the gospel call stands, inviting you to life everlasting. More satisfying than any earthly meal, the Bread that came down from Heaven nourishes every fiber of your being, spiritual and physical, because He takes away your sins, grants you peace with God, and makes you His new creation.

[END PART ONE]

II. The Sabbath and the Blessing of Rest- 16:22-30

Because of the significance of the Manna, and the amount of time we spent discussing it, we had to break this chapter down into two parts. Though I had planned on preaching through the chapter in its entirety, I found it too rich to limit our time in it.

I want to reread the quote I began our time with last week to reorient our minds to the topic at hand.

“Sundays, in many American churches, have been turned into a time for emotionalism, entertainment, or for programmatic ministry. What have been jettisoned along the way are the simple, ordinary mechanisms that God has ordained for the growth and nourishment of His people: preaching, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

Sermons have been shortened to allow for more entertainment. Baptism, in many evangelical services, has been turned into a party, focusing only on a person’s decision, rather than the proclamation of God’s promise. The Lord’s Supper has fallen on hard times too, and in many churches is rarely practiced. Corporate prayer is kept to a minimum in order to allow for other foci.” J. Ryan Davidson, Green Pastures, 11-12

One of the other means of grace that the church has long neglected is the Sabbath. Now, we as New Covenant believers worship on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, as termed by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. But what is the Sabbath? Let’s look to our present passage and then discuss the wonderful blessings of Sabbath rest. But not only rest, but also the edifying results of regular church attendance.

We noted last week three things:

(1) if you are a Christian, you cannot not grow. God has blessed us with weekly rest and instruction in the Law of the LORD. Are you taking advantage of this?

(2) God has provided distinct means by which we can grow.

(3) If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, saved by His marvelous grace, Jesus stands, ready and able to save your soul to the uttermost, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that He saves.

A. Israel was instructed to prepare for the Sabbath- 16:5-6, 22

God has always provided His instruction for people to follow, and for His children in particular. God tells Israel ahead of time what is going to happen and instructs them on how to prepare for it.

What is fascinating, is that the 10 Commandments have yet to be given. How do we account for this? God instructed us in the observance of the weekly Sabbath all the way back in the beginning (Gen. 2:1-3). It was a creational ordinance, as much as marriage for life between two members of the opposite sex, the worship of God alone, the engagement of work, etc.

This is why we read “Remember the Sabbath…” in Exodus 20:8, and then God refers to the creation week. Prepare for the Sabbath, Israel.

How can we prepare for the Christian Sabbath?

1. We can prepare physically

You prepare for Sunday (and Wednesday) by getting everything ready the night before. Lay out your clothes, plan your meals (as easy as possible), get the kids ready, eliminate all unnecessary works. Do not treat Sunday as a “catch up day.”

They were to gather the food before the day of rest. How different would Sundays look if we were as diligent to prepare for them as we would a family meal, vacation, or the future?

2. We can prepare spiritually

How do we prepare for the Sabbath spiritually? We can begin by setting our minds on the things of God. We have had six days of work, focusing on budgeting and schedules and appointments and labor. Now we get to gather with the bride of Christ, the church. We get to spend time worshipping the LORD and reading His Word.

We shift our views from the earthly, from the temporal, to the eternal, the everlasting.

I suggest adapting this prayer for your own heart,

The Lord’s Day

“O LORD my LORD,

This is thy day,

the heavenly ordinance of rest,

the open door of worship,

the record of Jesus’ resurrection,

the seal of the sabbath to come,

the day when saints militant and triumphant unite in endless song.

I bless thee for the throne of grace,

that here free favour reigns;

that open access to it is through the blood of Jesus;

that the veil is torn aside and I can enter the holiest

and find thee ready to hear,

waiting to be gracious,

inviting me to pour out my needs,

encouraging my desires,

promising to give more than I ask or think.

But while I bless thee, shame and confusion are mind:

I remember my past misuse of sacred things,

my irreverent worship,

my base ingratitude,

my cold, dull praise.

Sprinkle all my past sabbaths with the cleansing blood of Jesus,

and may this day witness deep improvement in me.

Give me in rich abundance the blessings the Lord’s Day was designed to impart;

May my heart be fast bound against worldly thoughts or cares;

Flood my mind with peace beyond understanding;

may my meditations be sweet,

my acts of worship life, liberty, joy,

my drink the streams that flow from thy throne,

my food the precious Word,

my defence the shield of faith,

and may my heart be more knit to Jesus.”

Prepare for the Sabbath spiritually!

B. God provided for all their needs- 16:16 (cf. John 6:11)

The people would cease from their labors. But how would they eat? What would happen to their jobs? The weekly Sabbath was a reminder that there is a God and the people of Israel are not Him.

You see, when you stop working, you are in essence saying, “There is a God, and I am not Him.” But you are also saying, “There’s work to be done, but I cannot do it all. God will provide.”

Israel had to display their belief by their obedience, and each week we are given the same test (16:4, cf. 15:24). We are reminded that it is God who provides, not our own hands.

Do you believe this? Do you believe that God will provide for your needs this Sabbath? Do you rest in the knowledge that God reigns, He needs no sleep nor slumber. I am reminded, as we take care of little Rowan, just how human and limited I am. I am not a robot. I need sleep. But while we rest, God works. God takes care of His beloved.

In a book I highly recommend every man read, Reset, David Murray offers several sermons we preach in our sleep. They are:

I don’t trust God with my work, my church, or my family.

I don’t respect how my Creator has made me,

I don’t believe that the soul and body are linked.

I don’t need to demonstrate my rest in Christ.

I worship idols.

It is, to phrase it by the Israelite’s lives, “I don’t believe God’s Word.” The Sabbath is a blessing because it removes our focus from ourselves (and our earthly life) and places it on God (and our heavenly reality).

C. Israel Enjoyed Rest- 16:30

When Israel obeyed the LORD, notice what happened: they rested. They and their animals ceased from labors and enjoyed rest, which produced physical and spiritual benefits. Brothers and sisters, let us enjoy the rest God has blessed us with through the finished work on the cross.

You may find yourself wondering why we do not do more on Sundays. It is for this reason. Listen to what Muether and Hart write about the Sabbath,

“God’s intention was to bless his people through the constant and conscientious observation of the day, week after week and year after year. Believers are sanctified through a lifetime of Sabbath observance. In other words, the Sabbath is designed to work slowly, quietly, seemingly imperceptibly in reorienting believers’ appetites heavenward. It is not a quick fix, nor it is necessarily a spiritual high. It is an ‘outward and ordinary’ ordinance (WSC 88), part of the steady and healthy diet of the means of grace.” (65)

Are you growing in grace? Are you becoming more like Jesus? If you are keeping the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, as God commanded, then you will grow. It may not be the flashiest, production-like service, but it will be a blessing to your soul. It will cultivate the image of Christ in you and your brothers and sisters.

INVITATION

(1) if you are a Christian, you cannot not grow. God has blessed us with weekly rest and instruction in His Word. Are you taking advantage of this? Are you remembering the Sabbath?

(2) God has provided distinct means by which we can grow. These are His Word and the Sabbath. Are you searching for other means to grow?

(3) If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, saved by His marvelous grace, Jesus stands, ready and able to save your soul to the uttermost, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that He saves. He offers His rest through His Work. I invite you to rest in the work of Jesus.