Test 2: Heavenly Bread (Part 1)

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TEST 2 – HEAVENLY BREAD

Exodus 16:1-12; 31-36

The Message

The LORD will test our faith so we will learn to trust His provision and obey His Word.

-We know that everything the LORD does through the rest of Exodus is to teach His

people to live by faith in His Word.

This is not only true through Exodus, but also true for everything He does until they enter the

Promised Land –

-There’s going to be 40 years of living in the wilderness!

-Deuteronomy 8:1-5

This morning, we look at the text that is the second test of faith after leaving Egypt and before

they get to Mt. Sinai.

In these two tests we see a pattern emerge –

1 – A God-directed crisis

-These crises aren’t random or accidental – they are directed by God –

-15:25 – “…there He tested them.”

-16:4 – “…that I may test them.”

-This is why we say it is a “God-directed crisis.”

2 – Human weakness is exposed

-It is exposed in that there is nothing humans can do to solve the crisis –

-No self-rescue!

-No way across the Sea!

-No water to drink!

-And it exposes human weakness in that their first response isn’t good – they

grumble!

3 – A God-provided solution

-The solution is clearly and only of God.

-The solution is often in abundance.

-God proves Himself faithful over and over and over.

4 – Human response

-It is a mixed response –

-Sometimes they respond in faith and obedience and other times not so

much!

All of this to teach them (and us) how to live by faith in the Word of God.

Read Exodus 16:1-12; 31-36

Pray

The Problem with Grumbling

As we saw last week, the Israelites knee-jerk reaction to crisis is grumbling –

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-There is a lot of grumbling in the text we just read!

-Eight times in the first 11 verses we see “grumble” or “grumbling”!

-Last story they grumbled for lack of water and now they are at it again –

I want to talk about the problem of grumbling –

-Since grumbling is so commonplace, we may be tempted to downplay it.

1 – It’s close association with ingratitude –

-We could say it like this –

-Grumbling is the fruit sin and ingratitude is the root sin.

-Grumbling’s deeper problem is ingratitude.

-Maybe you have heard, “If you can’t have what you’d like then learn to like what

you have.”

-But that slogan doesn't go deep enough.

-Paul nails it in Romans 1 when demonstrates to us that ingratitude is fundamental to

the human sin problem –

-Romans 1:21-23

-We can also see that ingratitude was present with the first sin of mankind in the

Garden of Eden –

-Remember, the serpent said, “You will not die! God knows that in the day

you eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that you will

become like God, knowing good and evil.”

-He wanted Eve to respond the way she did –

-God must be withholding something good from us – We don’t have it as

good as we could!

-That’s ingratitude – and ingratitude’s fruit is often griping, grumbling, and

complaining!

2 – It’s infectious nature –

-Grumbling is a contagion –

-It starts with someone, somewhere, but always moves out, corrupting as it goes.

-Hebrews 10:15 – “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of

bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”

3 – It invites the judgment of God –

-1 Cor. 10:6-10 – “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not

desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The

people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual

immorality as some of them did, and 23,000 fell in a single day. We must not put Christ

to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some

of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer.”

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4 – It loses sight of reality –

-This problem comes explicitly from the text –

(read verses 2 and 3)

-That’s delusional!

-Egypt was not one backyard barbeque after another!

-They were in bitter misery in their enslavement –

-This is why they cried out to God!

-Remember what the Passover illustrated?

-The bitter herbs?

-The meal with unleavened bread because they had to eat in haste in order

to get out ASAP!

-Think about it –

-You couldn’t have it better than Adam and Eve yet they lost sight of reality.

-The Israelites were far better off than being in slavery but they lost sight of reality.

-And you and I lose sight of reality when we grumble and complain as if we

deserve better and as if God hasn’t lavished His grace on us in Christ!

5 – It leads to hardness of heart –

-This is a subtle message but a message nonetheless –

-God gives them several instructions about the gathering of the manna –

-One of the instructions is that they are not to gather too much – only what was

needed for the day –

-God was teaching them to live by faith – day by day.

-But what did they do?

-v. 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.”

-These echoes back to previous Exodus story in two ways –

-Not listening to the Word of the LORD like Pharaoh…

-And the consequence of their sin was something that stank!

-What was the consequence of Pharaoh not listening to the LORD?

-Hard heart

6 – It ultimately and fundamentally is a sin against God –

-Moses is all over this –

-v. 7 – “…he has heard your grumbling against the LORD.”

-v. 8 – “…your grumbling that you grumble against him.”

-And again, in verse 8 – “…Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

Let’s not take our grumbling lightly –

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-Jeremiah Burroughs – The Rare Jewell of Christian Contentment

God’s Gracious Provision

1 – God’s gracious provision is seen in His mercy –

-Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve – and this story is all about mercy!

-I would assume it to say, “God has heard you’re grumbling…and your toast!”

-I’ve heard your grumbling and I’m sick and tired of it –

-I rescued you when you couldn’t rescue yourself

-I spared you from the plagues I struck the Egyptians with

-I destroyed Pharaoh’s army before they could destroy you

-I parted the Red Sea

-I gave you water…

-And all you can do is grumble more??!!

-But what does God say?

-vs. 11, 12 – “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘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.”

-Notice how these words are the echo of words we have previously seen in Exodus –

-God did His great works of judgment against the Egyptians in devastating

plagues – Why?

-That they might know that I am the LORD!

-See Exodus 7:5; 7:17; 8:10; 8:22; 9:14; 9:29; 11:7; 14:4

-God has the will and ability to bring both judgment and salvation.

2 – God’s provision is seen in the abundance of food He provides –

-He gives them meat in the evening –

-v. 13 – “In the evening qual came up and covered the camp…”

-This was not something than happened every night but from time to time.

-He gives them bread (manna) every day for 40 years!

-Every morning, with the exception of Sabbath, the people gathered bread from

heaven – manna.

-That is every morning for 40 years – over 12,000 mornings of manna!

-The abundance of God’s provision is stressed –

-v. 4 – He will “rain” bread

-v. 8 – They will get manna to the “full”; v. 12 – They will be “filled.”

Obedience – A Test of Faith

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God not only graciously provides for them, but He uses the daily given of manna as an ongoing

test of faith –

Heavenly Bread and You

1 – Stop Grumbling –

-If you find yourself grumbling a lot, ask –

-What do I want that I’m not getting?

-Why do I want it?

-What should I want?

2 – Learn Contentment –

-Phil. 4:10-13

3 – See the glory of God’s Word –

-God wanted them to see His glory

-The glory of God is in His Word –

-His Word produces faith; not His miracles

-Miracles glory the power of God

-Word glory the full character of God