Day 50 – October 29th

Monday, October 29

Read Exodus 16

Think About It:

This was just not Moses’ day.  It was only a month that they were away from Egypt and they were remembering the “pots of meat” that they had “eaten to the full”.  Somehow, they had forgotten the bondage, beating, misery of forced labor as slaves they left behind. They even accused Moses and Arron of deliberately leading them into the dessert to kill them. (Little did they know that they would get their wish.)  God heard their murmuring and in His grace and mercy, met their needs. That evening they would have meat, the next morning they would have bread from heaven. The Lord revealed his Glory to them in the cloud. It was then that Israel focused on the glory of God and not on their own appetites. If they walked by faith, they would glorify the Lord and give honor to His name. That evening quail came over the camp – fresh meat to eat.  In the morning manna appeared as a seed on the dew on the ground that tasted like honey (the bread of angels Ps 78:17-25). God prepared a table for them in the desert.  This food was nutritious as it would sustain an adult for a day’s march in the desert.  There were rules: gather each day, only 1 omer per person (2 quarts), gather early – the hot sun would melt it, gather too much – worms would grow, honor the Sabbath and gather twice as much the day before.  We too must start the day with the Lord, gathering spiritual food from the word, because if we wait too long to meet God, the day will become cluttered and we will suffer from spiritual malnutrition. On the Sabbath, the Lord did not provide manna.  (First mention of the Word Sabbath in scripture – meaning 7^th.)  This day of rest is a lesson in trusting God for provisions. It was a day given to His people to rest, it means to cease work. It also later reminded them of His covenant.  The Jewish people were taught to observe the Sabbath even before the 10 commandments.

1. Are you a complainer, or do you come and stand in your tent of meeting and talk with the Lord and bring your requests to Him?
2. Do you really trust God to supply all your needs? (Or do you need a fire sale from time to time?)
3. Who did Jesus say he was in John 6:22-59?

Family Time:

1. When the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, tell how God reacted?
2. Moses told the Israelites they were really grumbling against God. When you grumble, who are you grumbling against? Why?
3. What instructions did God give the Israelites regarding the food He provided for them?
4. When we complain, we raise our level of stress. What should we do instead?
5. What do we learn about God from this chapter?