Topical Bible: Blessing: Temporal, from God in Egypt: Manna

◄ Blessing: Temporal, from God in Egypt: Manna ►

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Introduction

The provision of manna is a significant event in the biblical narrative, illustrating God's temporal blessings upon the Israelites during their wilderness journey. This miraculous sustenance is a testament to God's faithfulness and care for His people, even in times of trial and uncertainty.

Biblical Account

The account of manna is primarily found in the Book of Exodus. After the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, they found themselves in the wilderness, facing the challenge of survival in a barren land. In response to their needs, God provided manna as a daily sustenance. Exodus 16:4 states, "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.'"

Nature of Manna

Manna is described as a small, round substance, appearing like frost on the ground. Exodus 16:14-15 describes it: "When the layer of dew had evaporated, there were thin flakes like frost on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, 'It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.'"

The manna was to be gathered daily, with a double portion collected on the sixth day to prepare for the Sabbath rest. This routine emphasized reliance on God's provision and obedience to His commands.

Significance

The provision of manna served multiple purposes. It was a direct response to the physical needs of the Israelites, ensuring their survival in the wilderness. Moreover, it was a test of faith and obedience, as God instructed them to gather only what was needed for each day, except before the Sabbath. This daily dependence on God reinforced the lesson of trust in His provision.

Manna also held spiritual significance, foreshadowing the ultimate provision of spiritual sustenance through Jesus Christ. In John 6:31-35 , Jesus refers to Himself as the "bread of life," drawing a parallel between the manna given to the Israelites and His own role as the sustainer of spiritual life.

Lessons and Themes

The account of manna highlights several key themes:

1. Divine Provision: Manna is a clear demonstration of God's ability to provide for His people in miraculous ways, even in the most desolate circumstances.

2. Faith and Obedience: The daily gathering of manna required the Israelites to trust in God's provision and adhere to His instructions, fostering a deeper relationship with Him.

3. Sabbath Observance: The double portion of manna collected before the Sabbath underscores the importance of rest and worship, as ordained by God.

4. Spiritual Sustenance: The manna serves as a precursor to the spiritual nourishment offered through Christ, emphasizing the necessity of relying on God for both physical and spiritual needs.

Conclusion

The provision of manna in the wilderness is a profound example of God's temporal blessings, reflecting His care, faithfulness, and the importance of trust and obedience in the life of believers.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 16:14,31
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, on the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
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Numbers 11:7-9
And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium.
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Nehemiah 9:15
And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promised them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.
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Psalm 78:23,24
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
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Library

The Wilderness.
... token, faith as the condition, and the blessing to all ... be roused to look for the
present temporal promise, and ... better race have been trained up, God would not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... Covenant, the Old, its rewards temporal, [385]284; its ... Humility, its tokens and blessing,
[860]4; its origin ... its cure, [1056]316; the fear of God best quenches ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

Psalm CV.
... as yet despise the just and due, though temporal, reward of ... This also was a great
blessing of God, that in ... provocation of those who did not please God, but of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cv.htm

A Little Sanctuary
... of the feet with water; and the Lord himself will give us this blessing. ... you are
wrapped up in the things that are seen and temporal, may God deliver you ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/a little sanctuary.htm

Letter v. Prayer and Fasting.
... prayed for the plagues to come upon Egypt, and they ... of confidence, because we know
that God has willed ... we be sure that the particular temporal blessing that we ...
/.../letter v prayer and fasting.htm

Discourse on Spiritual Food and True Discipleship. Peter's ...
... his sacrifice disturbed their dreams of a temporal kingdom, what ... as enthroned at
the right hand of God"Acts 1 ... were a priest able, by his blessing, to perform ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxiv discourse on spiritual food.htm

Letter x. --For 338. Coss. Ursus and Polemius; Pr??f. The Same ...
... light there is darkness, and apart from blessing there is a ... the deep; but the people
of God, being for ... In like manner those who suffer temporal afflictions here ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter x for 338 coss ursus.htm

Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ...
... Of the temporal feasts the first was that which was ... was the feast of "Expiation,"
in memory of the blessing whereby, at the prayer of Moses, God forgave the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness.
... ii.6), and may make temptation a blessing unto us ... have brought the whole earth into
one temporal kingdom, with ... given by the "father of lies." God had promised ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xix jesus tempted in the.htm

Psalm LXXVIII.
... did seek God for the sake of temporal blessings, sought ... exalted; [3651] and Ephraim
by the blessing of his ... his elder brother: [3652] and yet God "rejected the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxviii.htm