Topical Bible: Manna: Like in Taste to Oil

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Manna, the miraculous sustenance provided by God to the Israelites during their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, is a significant symbol of divine provision and care. The term "manna" is derived from the Hebrew word "man hu," which translates to "What is it?" This reflects the Israelites' initial reaction upon encountering this heavenly food (Exodus 16:15).

Biblical Description and Characteristics

Manna is first introduced in Exodus 16, where it is described as a small, round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites were instructed to gather it daily, except on the Sabbath, when none would appear. This daily provision was a test of their obedience and reliance on God (Exodus 16:4-5).

The physical characteristics of manna are further detailed in Numbers 11:7-8: "Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin. The people walked around gathering it, and they ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes, and it tasted like something made with olive oil." This description highlights its versatility and the effort required to prepare it, emphasizing the daily labor involved in its consumption.

Taste and Culinary Use

The taste of manna is likened to that of olive oil, a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet. Olive oil was not only a primary cooking ingredient but also a symbol of richness and blessing. The comparison to oil suggests that manna was both nourishing and pleasant to the palate, providing the necessary sustenance for the Israelites' journey.

In Exodus 16:31, manna is also described as tasting like wafers made with honey, indicating a sweet and satisfying flavor. This dual description of manna's taste—like oil and honey—underscores its divine origin and the completeness of God's provision, meeting both the nutritional and sensory needs of the Israelites.

Spiritual Significance

Manna holds profound spiritual significance as a symbol of God's faithfulness and provision. It served as a daily reminder of the Israelites' dependence on God for their sustenance and survival. In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses reflects on this divine provision, stating, "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Himself as the "true bread from heaven" (John 6:32), drawing a parallel between manna and His own role as the spiritual sustenance for believers. This connection emphasizes the continuity of God's provision from the Old Testament to the New Testament, culminating in the person of Christ.

Preservation and Memorial

A portion of manna was preserved as a testimony to future generations. According to Exodus 16:32-34, Moses instructed Aaron to place an omer of manna in a jar and keep it before the LORD as a lasting memorial. This jar of manna was later placed in the Ark of the Covenant, serving as a tangible reminder of God's miraculous provision and the covenant relationship between God and His people.

Manna, with its unique taste likened to oil, remains a powerful symbol of God's provision, faithfulness, and the sustenance He provides both physically and spiritually to His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 11:8
And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Joy
... festival; they are the golden pot and the manna, they are ... joys, that his mouth was
out of taste for worldly ... the world was crucified to him, it was like a dead ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/8 joy.htm

The Baptist's Mode of Life and Teaching in the Desert.
... Like his type, Elias, he wore coarse garments, and satisfied his wants with a ... he
geusis en tou manna, hos enkris en elaio ("it had the taste of manna, as a ...
/.../section 34 the baptists mode.htm

The Inexhaustible Barrel
... So long as the cruse of oil is full to overflowing, we shall never taste the mercy
of ... If we had more grace than we want, it would be like the manna of old ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/the inexhaustible barrel.htm

Of the Mystical Feast of the Altar of the Lord. ...
... neither beginning of days, nor ending, but like the Son ... That manna came from heaven,
this is above the ... from all corruption, for whosoever shall taste it holily ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter viii of the mystical.htm

The Gospel Feast
... Manna was not needed, nor the pillar of the cloud, nor ... and the leaf thereof for
medicine[7]." Like to which ... its shadow, and its fruit being sweet to the taste. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xii the gospel feast.htm

Of the Duties which we are to Perform after Receiving the Holy ...
... heart shouldst thou provide to receive this divine manna that is ... And return not to
thy malice, like the adder, who ... ever after to desire oftener to taste of it ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/iii of the duties which.htm

The Comforts Belonging to Mourners
... They are the golden pot of manna, the nectar and ... me with apples.' Apples are sweet
in taste, fragrant in smell ... They are like sauce which makes all our earthly ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/11 the comforts belonging to.htm

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
... reed' shall not be broken, but like Aaron's dry ... upon garlic and onions, they never
hungered after manna. ... not slight those truths now which would taste sweet in ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/13 the nature of spiritual.htm

Distinguishing Grace
... Else we had still refused to taste,. ... my heart but the self-same Omnipotence which
scattered manna in a ... Our hearts had still been like the wild beasts of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/distinguishing grace.htm

The Water of Life;
... Like the manna from heaven, and our daily bread, it ... As where it saith, pure, 'pure
olive oil' (Exodus 27 ... blood of the grape' (Deuteronomy 32:14), and the like. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the water of life.htm