092 - What's This?

You pick up your Bible is more than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than you've heard people say that phrase man doesn't live by bread phrase to use as well, which is everything the proceeds today will gain some insight on taxes on more than any we are delighted that you're with is Jim Dorothy and day we would wait for this all winter time and we are here continuing our exploration of Exodus and SR like to think of it, not not that were necessarily any kind of experts on it, but when you sit down with someone to read the word together, you're really exploring it together in the make observations that other people don't see help each other see them and that's just, what were doing here, so we hope you join with us as we explore way through Exodus and maybe you'll notice things this time that you did notice before you well and actually you know our purpose in this exploration is to helping you find new ways to explore the Scripture for yourself course, our favorite ways.

Talking it over with, among ourselves and with our fellow believers right you know when you sit quietly to consider and listen to the word of God. That's a way of exploring to you, and that's particularly helpful. We have a long narrative like this you know God tells us these stories these accounts for a reason, so you do not just interesting stories to tell her and the campfires ready have a purpose in this particular part of Exodus today is a very famous narrative story that actually gets leveraged many other ways throughout the rest of the Bible so you can have a story down so you can understand how it gets used later on well because today were introduced to Manna man is a huge huge thing in the story of the Bible) and believers.

People who never even read the Bible know the term man I know about Manna. Yeah, at least they know something about well, let's look at Manna today. So if you're following with us were in chapter 16 of Exodus and we got to the first three verses of chapter 16 last time to highlight the fact that they were grumbling about I just remind you, and 16 to the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and in the question we asked last time we left. That was how does God respond to a people that will fit them with lightning and fire, or will he actually accommodate their needs and death ranting today.

God hears God hears their play that shows up repeatedly in this passage. So here's how God responds to a grumbling people, which by the way, if you have kids and they grumble, you probably understand the emotional proclivities you have erected them poorly well help is always associated with self-pity and with the right things are not going right for me and somebody has to pay. So let's see how God responds restarted in verse four of chapter 60 we start okay so that right after the grumbling.

Then the Lord said to Moses, behold, about to rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather days portion every day that I may test them whether they will walk in my law are not on the sixth day when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily so Moses and Aaron send all the people of Israel, at evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord.

We rebel against us. And Moses said when Lord gives you an evening meat to eat in the morning bread to the fall because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him. What are we your grumbling is not against us, but against the Lord okay stop you is not against us Moses and Aaron.

It's against the Lord. So the Lord decides to feed them when they grumble as a member they said we had all these meat pots and we need our bread to the full and Egypt and all goddesses were here we go. I'll feed you here. Well, they were grousing we don't have any bread to eat everything we had brought with them because that's where couple months out here yeah that's exactly what I'm going to rain bread 300 you write a lot of it is going come down everywhere exactly and it does it does can remind me. The fact that many times when I when I look around myself and am in dire situation.

I do not see any resources to meet the challenge right that perhaps the resources from God might be hidden until he brings them down. In this particular case the man was hidden until the rapture says will get into this a little bit later that the purpose God gave man was so that they would know that it's he who provides what they need daily basis, but just think how simple his instructions are.

This is first of all I'm going to rain down bread for you. I'm go out and gather days portion so that I can test them. Whether they'll walk in my ways are not right side when giving instruction. So here's the test I will obey me or I get to do as I tell you that he says when they were prepared on the sixth day be twice as much as they gathered daily so it's not like they had together twice as long.

On the sixth day. It's just whatever they gathered turned out to be twice as much that becomes clear later on passage.

This is part of the teaching content so that they would know that it's God who provides for their sustenance provides for what they need Wallace. Let's see how it works out just push forward here verse nine then Moses and Aaron save the whole congregation of people of Israel come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.

As soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel.

They look toward the wilderness, and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

The cloud yeah and the Lord said to Moses, I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel say to them at twilight usually meet in the morning you shall be filled with bread and then you shall know that I am the Lord your God, so that okay so four times now got a set I've heard your grumbling a picture coming of Frederick grumbling and Moses says your grumbling is not against me, but against the Lord that raises this question in my mind as I'm listening to this narrative. I kind of looking in the mirror. Does that mean that all grumbling is against the Lord. Ultimately, right when we grouse about our circumstances not being far thinking.

We don't have enough and we start grumbling. It's really our issue is with God. Well, you know, in the face of God's promises to us to care for us, and then suddenly we grumble were saying out loud that God's not caring for us so you're saying that he's read his promise or he's going to where he doesn't see my need or he's he just doesn't care anymore.

That's really what you're saying God doesn't care anymore. That's what the grumbling is an and unfortunately the they redirect their discontentment toward Moses and Aaron, the Rhineland, but the really wish you can see, yet the real issue is, is that the do not really understand yet that God promised to be with them through this entire sojourn is actually there right and so when they do meet a need.

Why don't they just automatically say, hey, God promised to take care of us), provide for us. They don't do that they grumble. Instead, so there actually doubt the first time it grumbled right grumble just a couple days out wiring that took them to a spring right this is first the bitter water and then that this is been the reason is one of many grumbling actually teaching stories them, and God's accomplishing something in their heart to all this grumble was just push on the story will talk more about okay once the silver thirsty teen in the evening the quail came up and covered the in the morning dew lay around the camp there was on the face of the wilderness to find Flink -like thing finest frost on the ground when the people of Israel side.

They said to one another will know what was. And Moses said to them is the bread that the Lord is given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded gather of each of you as much as he can eat, you shall to each taken over. According to the number of persons in each of you has in his tent, and the people of Israel did so they gathered some more, some less, but when they measured it with him or whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no each of them gathered as much as he could eat and Moses said to them, let no one leave and even over till the morning.

They didn't listen to Moses. Some left part of it in the morning and at bread worms and steak and Moses was angry with them. They gathered it each as much as he could eat, but when the sun grew hot. No stop so it is interesting. He said he doesn't give them a hard fixed amount basically said take as much as you eat right and so he makes the distinction very clear you know someone could be more.

The more they find time to close by the way, if you curious and Omer is about 2 quarts. So I'm is not a lot to think about collecting enough for you to you for an entire day. And in this is this is about that much but you could take the issue here you take what's what you need what you need right what what is sufficient for you and what is sufficient for you as you gather, it turns out to be in it and this is a theme that happened throughout the entire Bible. And this is a real good start of this portion idea you know what is your portion know when someone gives you a plate of Thanksgiving. Cruise is my portion, you know you can turkey but on this portion. The portion is really what what you said in front of you say this is sufficient idea portion is sufficient for you, so this is what I need for today. This is what I today not for tomorrow that sets me in mind when Jesus said that when you pray right. Give us this day our daily Danny Bragg needful Brandis what that literally means give us today. The portion that we require in order for today, the sufficiency will come back to this idea.

This is a really important thing, and God accommodates what is sufficient for them, which might be different from person to person and you have to trust freshly that when you get up in the morning.

There will be enough provided for this day, whatever this day holds right which is why the Sabbath is such an interesting thing when God then gives him instructions about the Sabbath right because that's what's next already read that on the sixth day gather twice as much bread two hours each and when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses he said to them, this is what the Lord has commanded.

Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord that you will bake and boil what you will boil and all that is left over lay aside to be kept in the morning so they laid it aside till the morning. As Moses commanded them and it did not stink were no worms in it.

And Moses said eat it today for today is a Sabbath to the Lord today. You will find in the field six days you shall gather it but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath there will be none.

On the seventh day. Some of the people went out together but they found none. Lord said, how long will you refuse to keep my commandments, and my laws.

See what is giving you the Sabbath. Therefore, in the sixth day he gives you brand for two days remain each of you in this place like no one glad his place in the seventh day so the people rested on the seventh day so God is doing this in a purposeful way about the Sabbath and by the way, this is the first place right you see the word Sabbath in this whole idea about not working on that seventh, then resting on the seventh day, and what God has already provided for you yes yes that's the core of it yeah and if you think about it. I mean just logistically if you think about the fact that you start depending on the fact that every morning you wake up and find enough food for today. Imagine what would happen if God said we'll don't do that one day we can use a world that food come from. That's all I'll provide it for you so it's really it's a trusting exercise as well as many other things can actually see the data for that they've gathered twice as much as I don't have to go out the next day. Yeah, those who did go out were like oh well, we maybe need a little more portions. What were they doing going out on the Sabbath you something about the Sabbath here is is the repetition of this rest rest rest rest rest because that's what Sabbath means or Shabbat, but these people had been slaves in Egypt. Yes, good point and they did not have a day of rest rest. They didn't have any rest. They were always were completely at the beck and call of their masters.

So this is a huge thing to be told now I'm giving you this is gift from God to you rest.

As I have already provided for you what you need today work where you stew a five day work week or so but were used to these weekends were we don't work but back in this culture worked every day was sure because it was an agrarian culture here in the house. You may not have really good work every day of the past come and pick the press of America. So so this is the introduction of a radical thing from God's perspective, radical, caring, gracious gift from God to say, look, guys, I'm going to give you day off every week and that's radical.

One of the monumental things that God gave them here during this generation in the wilderness right he gave the manner he gave them Sabbath he gave them his law and he gave them the tabernacle.

Those are all things which are absolutely monumental history of Israel in the story of the whole Bible. And if you want to do extra credit reading.

You find out in the creation story, God rested on the seventh day indeed that so is the reason yeah for everything, make some connections about what God is trying to teach you, just through this passage right here with this with the Sabbath. By the way, to what you know when it says it's a holy Sabbath to the Lord that prepositions are important holy Sabbath to the Lords of the purpose of the Sabbath is really to turn your attention to the Lord is giving given you this rest and so that's a big clue about what the Sabbath is meant to be overall even even the rest day that God takes in creation. We are to also fashion our lives having it rest day toward God himself, how we could spend a lot to enjoy being presence exactly the following wrap up to that kind of the summary statement about the manner that comes at the end of this chapter. Circle back to the beginning back to chapter 4 which says the Lord said to Moses, behold, I'm about to rain bread from heaven right here bread from heaven said an echo going in your mind right because Jesus used that very phrase in John six, when he said that I am. This is the bread from heaven that came down right that I that gives life to the world. So let's see a mingling that John six truly I say to you is not Moses that's given you the bread out of heaven, but as my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world and they said to him ever working to spread Jesus said I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst well bread and water are the two things were constantly at the at the saunter of their grumbling during those years that here we find that they all pointed to Jesus, I'm the bread of life it comes to heaven. I'm the one that gives life to the world and in those two components constitute the essential things you need right is to have every day, but interestingly also in John six little farther down the passage it says in verse 41 the Jews therefore were grumbling about him living bread that came down out of heaven, so you know, grumbling with Brad is interesting to pass the first way is presented to us in the presence of grumbling conscious and doesn't just fling Adams is here. I will provide for you so that you will know me so you know when we get done this morning. You might want to go to John six with knowing that now you have this man in their pocket. Take that narrative and listen to Jesus in John six, and you'll start making a bunch of connections it's really cool was push on toward the end of the narrative here were to be offered in verse 3131 up okay so now the house of Israel called its name manner.

It was like coriander seed white and the Taser. It was like wafers made with honey and Moses said this is what the Lord has commanded letting Omer would be kept throughout your generations so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness. When I brought you out of the land of Egypt and Moses and Aaron take a jar in Omer men in it and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept and the people of Israel the man out 40 years till he came to the habitable land and they ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

By the way, he says in verse 36 and Omer is 1/10 part of any file that helps you. So isn't it interesting he says I want you to remember the working meeting this report years. Jennifer gets organ put in a jar and want to keep it as a testimony so you can see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness.

Fascinating testimony he wants to keep throughout all generations of Israel and where does that jar end up.

By the way, that's a good quest we get the duplex but no, but that doesn't up somewhere and it does end up going to the life of the nation of Israel. Yes and prominent place so you know this is a fascinating summary statement right says, and they ate the manna for 40 years and if you if you take your concordance to his will study technique regarding manna take a concordance and look up manna here are not very many verses you can read them all. Beginning in just a few minutes, but you can find them here in Exodus passage you'll find some in Deuteronomy then you can find them in the New Testament find John in Revelation a few others you that's why this is a very important chunk of talking that manna is here in Exodus and then out of Jesus's own mouth from the Gospel of John.

Then it's a pretty clear connection.

So we said so when Jesus is on the bread of life. This is what he's talking about.

So what was the purpose of right. The passage tells us right here I'm testing them so that they'll walk to find a way that wanted my way or not, does God not know course, he knows what he's testing them so that they would be revealed right so is reading from Deuteronomy 8 is very important favorite passages and where Moses later on, is kind explaining to the people and reminding them. It's his own commentary on this on this very event. Deuteronomy 8 I'm going to start in verse two and you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness. These 40 years old. Here's his purpose that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. We talked about the meaning that would keep more and he humbled you and let you be hungry ouch and with the manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord just now. Lots of familiar with that statement right man doesn't live by bread alone. Jesus quoted this in that one coming culture. Yeah, I mean when he was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness right that's how he responded to that temptation to to make the stones into bread by saying by quoting this very passage meant is not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. But what does that mean man does not live by bread on your we talked about the fact that bread and water. But bread especially symbolizes the essentials that bring life right and so when you say when you have someone on the street. What is the essential necessary thing for life. They might say pizza or bread or something like I got a job job and have a car but but it's actually not that it's God's words.

Words themselves man was delivered will sustain you when you don't have a job you don't have a car you're in prison you're sick you're right that right the word of God nourishes that deep deep place of life within us where we are without resource apart from God yet.

And one could actually say if you asked a man on the street in the desert for the exits for what sustains you. What's the necessary essentially to say the word of God sustained. God says, and it happens God's word sustains us, that would be from the wise people to grumble to us all, but it is interesting to the change they have to make two coming out of Egypt their dependents the daily dependents for life rank Egypt and so God needed to wean them of that dependency. So when they would get to a place in the desert with its over. This does not look like Egypt is not looking at resources God would say hello. I have resources and they may be hidden until I ring them on you but but you will live out here not with dependence on Egypt and wishing you had Egypt to depend on but independent that's what's going on a daily dependents daily dependents and with with a day of luxury rest got thrown in cyst is the best things is what God gives to you. So that's what is teaching with manna, by the way manna means what is it what is it was that stuff that's up manna means literally.

Now you know your first Hebrew word, what's that it's manna minutes when man is annexed to transliterate that way. I wanted to kind of finish. Also with this ideal portion God gives you a portion he gave them a portion to give them what they needed. What was sufficient. What they needed and in the end that idea extends all to the Bible, not just with no miracle food in the desert but with God himself and what were my favorite passages comes from Psalm 73 where he says my flesh and my heart. My heart may fail God is the strength of my heart and my portion right forever. That's where my source of life comes from that for my sufficiency that for my necessary things for life come from, and that's all wrapped up in the idea of manna and that's all wrapped up in the New Testament no idea of Jesus, the bread who comes from heaven. That's what this is all he is he is enough. He is sufficient and I need look no where else. That's what is fascinating to me that even when God says if you look if you look out there on the seventh day, you're not gonna find it, but people still go out there on the seventh day when God tells him you're not going to find it.

People still go looking in places to find life were God told him it will not be there and that continues to this very day in our culture people looking places for life. For God warns him. It's not gonna be there and they're not gonna find it and are disappointed just know if you if you hearken want to what God says about where you'll find life, you will find life. Are you willing to trust his word for life comes from where you going to go out surgeon on the seventh day, despite his word really is. The question is that as we just sit in this account and think through the story. Think about the repeated grumbling question comes back. You know, will we depend on God for the daily essentials of life will you to commend his word and trust only believe what his word is to us and will walk in his that's exactly right. And that's why this is the test.

Are you willing to bank your dependent day by day on God word stuff that's okay and that raises the question, does God still test. Indeed, he dies in the New Testament. So you know these verses from James first Peter, so our time is flying. Flying from this story I was wishing and keep reminding yourself portion so therefore I have Zach so I'm Jim glad you're with us here on Main Street church is solely responsible to contact us with your questions or comments right okay three