Welcome to the “But first, Bible” daily devotional podcast with Dave Miers.
Our Bible readings today come from Exodus 16-18 and Matthew 19:16-30.
A lot has happened in the narrative of Exodus across the weekend!
In Exodus 11 and 12 we saw the final and greatest plague against the Egyptians where all the firstborns were struck down in one night. God in his kindness passed over the houses of the Israelites who had sacrificed a lamb and covered their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. This is a remarkable moment of salvation. In chapter 13 the people were told to remember this day through the ongoing celebration of God’s rescue of them. If you did some of the extra readings on Saturday you would have seen that Jesus teaches that his rescue at the cross is an even greater rescue.
In Exodus 14-15 we saw the crossing of the Red Sea and the Egyptians once and for all defeated by God. And then at the end of chapter 15 we saw that not everything was going well with the Israelites, they grumble against Moses and ask what they will drink. God in his kindness enabled Moses to turn the bitter water into sweet water. A sign of the sweetness of freedom and the provision of God for his people.
However, by the time we arrive in Exodus 16 – one of today’s passages – they again grumble and complain. They are now in their second month of being out of Egypt, and the unrest is spreading among the Israelites.
Have a look at Exodus 16:2–3
[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.” (ESV)
It’s crazy to think how terrible the situation was in Egypt, the oppression that they faced, the harsh rule of Pharaoh… and yet now they are dreaming about being back in slavery!?!
And yet, looks at God’s gracious response to them in Exodus 16:12–15
[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.’”
[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. (ESV)
God provides meat for them in the evenings – with the quail. And he provides bread for them in the morning – later on it is called Manna.
God is teaching his people to trust him and that he will provide for them. He will provide exactly what they need – hence the test to not take more than they need and so forth.
God miraculously provided food for his people for the whole 40 years of their wilderness wanderings.
I love the way that Jesus shows that Exodus 16 and God’s provision of food ultimately points forward to him. In John 6, just after he has miraculously provided food for over 5000 people, check out the claims he makes about himself in John 6:48–51
[48] I am the bread of life. [49] Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. [50] This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. [51] I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (ESV)
Let’s be a people who see that in Jesus we have everything we need for life and satisfaction for eternity.
Until tomorrow, keep trusting Jesus.