Manna, often referred to as "bread from heaven," is a miraculous provision from God to the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. This divine sustenance is first introduced in the Book of Exodus and is a central element of God's care and provision for His people during a time of need.

Biblical Account and Description

The account of manna is primarily found in Exodus 16. The Israelites, having left Egypt, found themselves in the Desert of Sin, where they began to grumble against Moses and Aaron due to the lack of food. In response, God promised to rain down bread from heaven for them. The next morning, the Israelites found a fine, flake-like substance on the ground, which they called "manna." The name "manna" is derived from the Hebrew phrase "man hu," meaning "What is it?" as the Israelites were initially unsure of its nature.

Gathering Instructions

God provided specific instructions for gathering manna, emphasizing obedience and trust in His provision. Each person was to gather an omer per day, which was approximately two quarts or two liters. This amount was sufficient for each individual's daily needs. The Berean Standard Bible records in Exodus 16:16, "This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. You may take an omer for each person in your tent.’"

The Israelites were instructed to gather manna each morning, as it would melt away when the sun grew hot. On the sixth day, they were to gather a double portion, as the seventh day was the Sabbath, a day of rest, and no manna would appear. This pattern reinforced the importance of the Sabbath and reliance on God's provision.

Miraculous Properties

Manna had several miraculous properties. It appeared six days a week, with a double portion on the sixth day, and none on the seventh. When kept overnight on any day except the Sabbath, it would spoil and breed worms, but the portion kept for the Sabbath remained fresh. This demonstrated God's control over nature and His ability to provide for His people in extraordinary ways.

Symbolism and Significance

Manna is rich in symbolic meaning within the biblical narrative. It represents God's faithfulness and the necessity of relying on Him for daily sustenance. It also prefigures the spiritual nourishment found in Christ, as Jesus Himself refers to manna in John 6:31-35, where He declares, "I am the bread of life." This connection highlights the continuity of God's provision from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Preservation of Manna

As a testimony to future generations, God commanded Moses to preserve an omer of manna in a jar and place it before the Ark of the Covenant. This served as a perpetual reminder of God's provision and care for the Israelites during their wilderness journey.

Conclusion

Manna remains a powerful symbol of God's provision, faithfulness, and the importance of obedience and trust in His promises. Through the daily gathering of manna, the Israelites learned to depend on God for their physical needs, a lesson that extends to spiritual reliance on Christ, the true bread from heaven.Exodus 16:16
This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take you every man for them which are in his tents.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Epistle Lxxv. To Magnus, on Baptizing the Novatians, and those who ...
... the destruction of the world, must be gathered together into ... sacrament celebrated
in Exodus, when the manna flowed down ... of sex or of age, an omer was collected ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle lxxv to magnus on.htm

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