Miracle of Manna in the Wilderness

Exodus 16:4 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."

This world is compared to wilderness where the Lord is able to provide all our needs and lead us through any kind of situations. The Lord led the people of Israel from Egypt to the promised land. For a journey of two days, we prepare and make a lot of arrangements. But the journey of the Israelites is for a very long period and they started without any preparations. The people of Israel faced hunger in the wilderness. There were no hotels or motels in the wilderness. They looked upon the Lord and asked for food. In that moment of need, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh the Provider by raining bread from heaven.This miracle teaches us lessons on God’s faithfulness, dependence, and obedience. Today we will meditate on the blessings we will obtain when we surrender ourselves in the wilderness and also the provisions of the Lord for his people.

1. God's Provision in the Wilderness

Exodus 16:14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 16:18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed."

We read in Exodus 16:4 “I will rain bread from heaven for you...” It was a different kind of experience for his people. It was God's provision to fulfill the needs of his children. In the above passage, we read the Lord served them in exact measure. The Lord provided that he is faithful to meet needs even in the wilderness. The people of Israel had no food or resources during their wilderness journey, but God was with them to meet their needs. The Lord who meets our needs is dwelling among us. The Lord knows what is our requirement in any given situation in our lives. He is able to fulfill all our needs miraculously. God rained bread from heaven to his people which means he makes a way where there is no way. This is the speciality of our Lord. The Israelites stood before the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army behind them. There was no way forward, no way back. But God split the sea and made a dry road. (Exodus 14). The army of Pharoah were suprised seeing the new way the Lord created for his people. What looked like a dead end became the doorway to life. Even in the life of Elijah, he had nothing to eat during the time of famine. But God sent ravens to bring him bread and meat daily. (1 Kings 17:6) God can use unexpected ways to provide.

A boy’s small lunch fed more than 5,000 people when placed in Jesus’ hands. (John 6:9–11). What is little in our eyes becomes great in God’s hands. When man says, “No way,” God says, “I am the way.” (John 14:6). When people say there is no way, we need to say Jesus is the way. If God needs to provide our needs, he will open the heavens and will provide us. World has only four directions, we have the fifth direction which is Jesus. Even in the wilderness, he can heal illnesses, meet needs, and change loneliness. No matter the wilderness, God has resources from heaven to sustain us. If He can rain bread from heaven, He can rain blessings into our life today.

2. God’s Provision is Daily

Exodus 16:21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 16:35 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."

The provision of God is not a one-time activity. It is permanent. Every day morning the Lord fed the people of Israel. For forty days they were given new manna every single day. They saw the provisions of God. The Israelites were asked to gather only for each day except on the Sabbath. We read this in Exodus 16:26 "Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” This teaches us the dependence on God’s grace every morning. Manna teaches that we need to depend upon the grace of the Lord. We read in Lamentations 3:22-23 "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

A. Daily Dependence on God - The people of Israel had to gather manna fresh each morning. God did not give a week’s supply at once, but a “daily bread.”
B. Daily Renewal of Grace - (Ex. 16:20) Yesterday’s manna could not sustain today, it would spoil. *No Refrigerated food. Likewise, yesterday’s prayer, worship, and Word are not enough for today. His mercies are new every morning.

Daily Obedience is Required

In Matthew 6:11, Jesus taught us to pray saying “Give us this day our daily bread”. It also teaches us in trusting God daily keeps our hearts humble and obedient. When we wait and receive the Manna daily, we will not be worried. In Matthew 6:34, it teaches us to stop worrying about tomorrow, live trusting God today. Feed on the word of God daily, it is our spiritual manna. Let us not worry about tomorrow and let us trust Him today.


3. God’s Provision is a Test of Obedience

Exodus 16:19-20 "Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them."

This Manna is something that teaches us Obedience. Moses told the people not to leave leftovers. Eventhough the word came to the people, they did not obey. This Manna was a spiritual test.
In Exodus 16:4 “...that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.” the Lord clearly told the Manna is a test for his people. The Lord wants to test the faith of his people. Out of fear and disbelief, the people hid the Manna thinking if the supply would stop the next day. Obedience to God brings blessing but disobedience leads to decay. We see Faith is proven in our obedience, not in our words. When we obey to the Lord, it proves our trust upon him. True faith expresses itself through obedience. We read in James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." The Lord meeting our needs is not a huge task. But he is looking to know if we obey and trust upon him. Provision is not the end goal for God. Even in our lives, the job, family, finances, God’s provision will often test if we honor Him first (tithes, integrity, stewardship). We need to evaluate ourselves. Let us not let blessings lead to disobedience it should lead them to deeper trust. Obedience always brings abundance but disobedience brings only loss.

4. Jesus is our True Bread

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Manna gave the people an energy to survive in the wilderness. Manna is a shadow but Jesus is the reality. Just as manna sustained Israel physically, Christ sustains us spiritually.
Each and every day we should be fed by God’s Word and fellowship with Christ. The Lord provides faithfully, we must depend on Him daily. Our obedience proves our trust. Ultimately, Christ is our heavenly manna. Amen!