Bread From Heaven

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 20 August 2023

Sermon Text: Exodus 16:1-21
Sermon Series: “Exodus Chs. 1-19” (#22)

Main Points:
Introduction
I. God’s glory and food shortage
II. God’s test and food gathering
III. Gathering much leaves nothing and gathering less lacks nothing
IV. The Bread from heaven
Conclusion

Ex. 16 begins, counting how many days have passed since the day of Israel’s exodus. In the first whole month, they’ve been walking, stopping to spread tents and rest, then, packing their stuff again to continue their walk. And on the exact day of one month since the day of freedom, they’ve reached this placed called ‘the wilderness of Sin.’ But different names don’t mean much because the region Israel have been travelling is mostly dry and barren with minimum vegetation.

Reaching this place, Israel faces a new stage in their national life – that is, they face a shortage of food. In fact, this crisis is a new spiritual challenge for them. I’ve mentioned several times in my earlier sermons on the Book of Exodus that the event of Israel’s crossing the Red Sea signified believer’s justification. God rescues sinners like you and me, and brings us over to where His Son, Jesus our Lord is. God frees sinners from their bondage to the devil, and grants us Jesus’ eternal life. That’s what OT Israel’s crossing the Red Sea signifies. Then, their walk into the wilderness toward Canaan suggests believer’s sanctification – in other words, the continuing process of removing and mortifying remaining sins and multiplying Jesus’ righteousness in believer’s heart and mind as well as body. So, Israel’s problem with their food in the wilderness represents a problem you and I face in our Christian life. It’s a spiritual challenge we often, if not always, face in our Christian walk. Otherwise, there’s no point of reading and meditating on this story. Who would care for a story of a people who lived at a remote corner on earth thousands of years ago? No one would, unless this story is directly connected to him/her.

The main idea here is ‘the bread from heaven.’ As you’ve heard from the reading of Jn. 6, you know that this ‘bread’ that came from heaven is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour and Lord. But this story presents to us not only the truth of faith that every Christian must believe in Jesus, but also the practice of faith – in other words, how to trust Jesus and follow Him and obey His commands in our everyday living.

So, let us hear what the Holy Spirit explains to us and teaches us through His Word.

I. GOD’S GLORY AND FOOD SHORTAGE
The very first thing we’re told in this passage is that the people of Israel face a shortage of food. They’ve walked for a full month and drawn food from their food reserves. In their journey so far, not much have they been able to resupply to their reserves. I don’t think they had prepared for a situation like this. They left Egypt in haste. They did not have enough time to plan and prepare for their trip. As they travel this far – over a full month – slowly people would’ve begun worrying about their food.

I want you to pause for a moment and picture the situation in your mind. About two million people spread their tents in the wilderness. While dads pitch tents, mums try to prepare a meal to feed their family. The problem is that there’s not much food left in their food storage pots. Mums talk to their husbands about this, and together they try to solve the issue, and ask their neighbours for sharing some grains or potatoes with them. Then, they realise that it’s not only their problem but of all the others in their community. I guess, we all would do the same thing they did – that is, grumbling or complaining or murmuring, as v. 2 of Ex. 16 says. Who wouldn’t? It seems to be so natural to do so and, in a sense, they have a right to say so, don’t they?

But God’s verdict on their attitude is negative – as we read from vs. 7, 8 and 9. God speaks to them through Moses in v. 8, “Your grumbling is … against the LORD.” Why is their complaint making God feel uncomfortable? Why would God dislike, if not condemn, their attitude?

The answer to these questions is what God wants you and I hear and take to our hearts. So, listen carefully. Their grumbling against God because of the shortage of food was an insult to God. Let me repeat that – their grumbling, complaint against God due to food shortage was an insult to God. It was disgrace, sheer mockery to God Almighty made right at His face.

Let me explain why it was so. Immediately after Israel’s departure from Egypt, God has always been in their midst, surrounding them and guiding them in front and protecting them from behind. They’ve been looking at God’s pillar of cloud and of fire day and night ever since. Moreover, at the very moment they make their complaint in Ex. 16:2, that pillar of cloud is still there with them, covering them from the heat of the sun. They saw a miracle of bitter water turning into sweet water at Marah; they enjoyed an almost ethereal oasis at Elim which had twelve springs and seventy palm trees. Whole two million plus people and their animals enjoyed God’s sweet blessings, in addition to His mighty salvation at the Red Sea. But, they grumble against such a caring God whose hand has always been kind to them.

The pillars of cloud and fire stand in front of them day and night – in other words, God’s glory is revealed to them clearly – but the eyes of Israel are fixed on their empty food storage. So, they grumble, complain. Do you see why God isn’t happy?

I believe that you now see how the story of OT Israel in the wilderness of Sin is connected to you. God’s glory is clearly revealed to you, but your eyes and mine are fixed on the balance of our bank account, on our superannuation, on our reduced income compared to the national inflation rate, and so on. Hearing God’s word that says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” we nod our heads and say, ‘Amen!’, but our ‘Amen’ soon disappears from our memory as our pocket becomes shallower or as our health goes downhill. We grumble. We complaint. We murmur. That is our mockery to God Almighty, disgrace we bring to our gracious and loving Father in heaven who is our Redeemer and Protector and Provider!

II. GOD’S TEST AND FOOD GATHERING
The second point God speaks to us through the story of Israel in the wilderness of Sin is a surprise to us. That is, God intended this food shortage for His people. God intended this trouble to happen to His beloved.

For what purpose? To test them, as v. 4 says. To test whether Israel, God’s people, know with whom they are passing the wilderness; to test whether they know by whom they are being protected and guided; and to test whether God’s beloved know from whom all their needs have been provided and met. In a word, to see whether their hearts are inclined to God alone! This is God’s purpose in Israel’s shortage of food.

This is a surprise to many Christians because it is contrary to many Christians’ expectation. Their expectation is that believing Jesus means being blessed and having a pleasant life. Many think that being freed from the threat of death means a fearless, trouble-free life. Leaving Egypt as free people, and having plundered Egyptians, the Israelites must’ve thought that their path would be the path of success adorned with flowers. But soon, they were hemmed in between the Red Sea and the desert, and the Egyptian chariots were dashing to destroy them all. Having crossed the Red Sea miraculously, they cheered greatly, and many of them must’ve expected that that cheer would last forever. But, within a few days, they thirsted at Marah. And now, in the wilderness of Sin, they are hungry. The fact is that much more troubles they will face on their way to Canaan!

Why have Israel had all those hardships and sufferings? Why do you and I face pains and unrest in our Christian walk?

It is to test our hearts, to examine how deeply we know God, thus, believe and trust the Lord Jesus. More than that, to teach you and me how eternally God is faithful to His promise made to us, thus, never will He leave us nor forsake us. It is to teach us how attentively God listens to us, missing nothing of what we seek, knowing exactly what is needed for each of us.

Hearing this from Moses, the Israelites realise God’s plan for them with their hunger. Having realised this, they turn their eyes toward the wilderness and saw God’s glory! To be more accurate, I should say ‘they rediscovered’ God’s glory in the cloud! Let me remind you that that cloud has been there with them always! That glory revealed to them in v. 10 was not a special kind of glory different from what Israel had always been watching since the western side of the Red Sea. It was the same glory, but God refreshed Israel’s eyes and hearts through this test of shortage of food. Likewise, God refreshes your eyes and mine every time He completes His test with us so that we could see His grace afresh and rejoice in His caring hand.

Once God accomplished His purpose in the wilderness of Sin, He ‘rained down’ food to Israel. It was more than what they expected. At twilight, the whole camp was covered with quails. Then, next morning, at dawn, they were covered with food they had never seen! So, they asked each other, saying, “What is it?” which was in their language, ‘man-hua?’, that is, ‘manna’ as translated into English.

Israel learned faith through confusion, through fear, through desperate situations. When survival was uncertain, when faith was tested to the limit, that’s when Israel learned who God is and that’s when their appreciation to their great and gracious Lord got deepened. The same is for you and for me. So, the apostle says in 2 Cor. 12, “For the sake of Christ, … I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

III. GATHERING MUCH LEAVES NOTHING AND GATHERING LESS LACKS NOTHING
The next point is another surprise to us. That is, what we gather is sufficient and satisfies our every need because God provides each one exactly what each one needs. As in the case of the Israelites, no one gathers more or less than what each one is needed.

You might read and move on, not giving much attention to it, but what v. 18 tells us is something amazing. The Israelites went out in the morning to gather the food God promised to give. Each person gathered what was set by God for each family. But I don’t believe they went out with a measuring cup. They would have an idea of how much a homer might be, but they must’ve picked manna without measuring exact quantity of it. Some must’ve gleaned more than they should, while some others less than they should. But when they returned to their tents and measured their collection, everyone had exactly what is needed. God caused this to be the way for Israel. Gathering much left nothing and gathering less lacked nothing.

This is an amazing truth of God for Christians. What we gather in our life – regardless of its quantity, that is, either much or less – it will be sufficient for each one’s need; it will satisfy each one’s appetite perfectly.

How can this be? Everyone desires to be rich in this world – even Christians. Everyone seeks more than less. If someone has less, then, it becomes a burden. By the way, no one thinks he has got enough. Then, how could this be true to us Christians?

IV. THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN
This is the mystery which was hidden but is revealed clearly to us believers. This mystery is Jesus Christ who is the bread from heaven that is given to you and to me through faith!

Jesus gives His eternal life to everyone who comes to Him in faith. By believing that He is the Son of God, everyone receives one and the same gift, that is, eternal life. Jesus is the same for all penitent sinners. He never reckons some higher than others; He never distinguishes one from another. Instead, He is one and the same Saviour for the Jews and for the Gentiles; He is one and the same Lord over all Christians from all languages and colours and tribes. No matter how awful sins one has committed, no matter how undeserving one thinks he/she is, Jesus cleanses all with His blood, covers all with His righteousness, and adorns everyone with His eternal life. As manna in the wilderness satisfied Israel by making their gatherings sufficient and satisfactory, Jesus the true bread from heaven satisfies everyone through His cleansing of all sins that quenches sinner’s thirst, through His righteousness that meets the Father’s justice, and through His life that refreshes the hearts and souls of His blessed like you and me every morning and every evening!

Christ Jesus is the ultimate provision of eternal sustenance!

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, let me ask you a question. Which life would be happier? A life that depends on the balance of one’s bank account or a life that lives by God’s daily provision? I think that the answer your soul chooses might be different from that of your eyes. But the answer God shows us is clear and straightforward – that is, the life sustained by the Lord’s daily provision.

And His provision is Jesus Christ who is the bread from heaven. His word is your bread, and His command is your drink. So, all must come to Him daily and gather all you need and want for He will surely satisfy all now and for eternity! ***