Angel Food

If you Bibles turn to Exodus chapter 16.

After asking why do we study the Old Testament after all were no longer under the Mosaic law as a rule of law under the new covenant instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ.

So why not just confined our studies to the New Testament. While there are many answers to that important question let me just give three reasons. First of all, the Old Testament is the word of God.

Apology rice in second Timothy three verse 16 writes all Scripture is inspired by God is breathed out by God not contact Paul is referring primarily to the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is also the word of God and is given to us as Paul would say for our profit. Secondly is very difficult to understand the New Testament without a basic understanding of the Old Testament and the more we understand the Old Testament, the more accurately we will interpret and more easily understand the New Testament.

For example, it would be almost impossible to understand the book of Hebrews without a working knowledge of the Pentateuch. The first five books of the Old Testament. And tonight, for example, as related look at Exodus 16 we see that a large refers to this passage in the New Testament. Third, the Old Testament provides many examples admonitions and warnings which help us to follow more more closely our Lord Jesus Christ. All rights in Romans 15 verse four whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Interesting isn't it, that it is through reading the Old Testament Scriptures that our hope in God is strengthened again. Paul writes in first Corinthians 10 verse 11.

Now these things happens to them as an example is reviling to the Israelites. Some of the very stories that we are considering from Exodus. These things happen to them as an example, but there was written down thought out instruction on whom the end of the ages has come the passage were looking at today continues the study in the life of Moses and that continues the subject of murmuring and complaining.

Last week we saw an example of that is, the people were complaining that the waters that had nothing to drink in the when they came to drink the waters work better die we find another example. Next the 16 which is our text this evening.

I really don't chapter don't apologize for that. The reading of Scripture is the most important part of any service as we worship God. So let's pay attention to the words of God is inspiring. I would ask this chapter 16. They sent out from UM and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of sin, which is between Eli and the limb and sin and deny on the 15th day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt and the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and the people of Israel said to them, would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt. When we sat by the meat parts and ate bread to the full.

For your brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger and the Lord said to Moses bold. I'm going to rain Blanton 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 prepared what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily so Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel and evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord because he's hard you're grumbling against the Lord for what have we that you grumbled against us. And Moses said when the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat it in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has hard you're grumbling that you grumbled against him are we your grumbling is not against us, but against the Lord and Moses said to Aaron, say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel come near before the Lord for he is parent your grumbling and the centers. Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel look toward the wilderness, and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the clouds and the Lord said to Moses, I've had the grumbling of the people of Israel say to them at twilight usually meets in the morning you shall be filled with bread, then you shall know that I am the Lord your God, evening quail came up and covered the camp and in the morning dew lay around the camp and when they do have gone up there was in the face of the wilderness, a fine flick like thing finest frost on the ground with the people of Israel said that they said to one another. What is it for. They didn't know what it was.

And Moses said to them, it is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded Domino that each of you as much as you can. Each usually taken. Omar according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent. The people of Israel did so, they gather some more, some less, but when they measured it with a number. Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack, each of them gathered as much as he could eat and Moses said to them, let no one leave any of it over till the morning but they didn't listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning and it bread warms and stank and Moses was angry with them morning by morning, they gathered it each as much as he could eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread two overs each and when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses he said to them, this is what the Lord is commanded tomorrow is a day of solemn rest of the holy Sabbath of the Lord, make what you will bacon while what you will borrow and all that is left overly assigned to be kept till the morning so they laid it aside till the morning. As Moses commanded them and it did not stink. And there were no worms in it was a said either today for today is a Sabbath to the Lord today. You will not find it in the field six days you shall govern 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 find none in the Lord said to Moses, how long will you refuse to keep my commandments of my laws.

See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath benefit on the sixth day gives you bread for two days remain each of you in this place.

Let no one go out on this place on the seventh day so the people rested on the seventh day by the house of Israel called its name mana.

It was like coriander seed quite the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said this is what the Lord is commanded, let him know more of it be 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 said to Aaron to get John and with the normative manner in it and place it before the Lord to be Throughout your generations as the Lord commanded Moses. So in place that before the testimony to be kept the people of Israel ate the manna 14 years till they came to a habitable land. The ate the manna so they came to the barcode of the land of Canaan.

A number is the 10th part of an e-file, a man that is Exodus 16 credit chapters in the we see first of all Israel complaints Israel complaints Israel grumbles here is Israel again grumbling men. Think of it this her allies had been delivered from the slavery of Egypt had been led through the Red Sea had witnessed the total destruction of Pharaoh and his armies are not on the way to the promised land. Last week we saw that they grumbled because they couldn't drink the water.

Then the Lord turned the bitter sweet member of the log going in and provided for them abundantly in the first time Springs chapter 15 verse 27 they came to Elam where there were 12 springs of water and 70, palm trees and then camp there by the water, so the rested there for some time enjoying the water enjoying the dates free from the Egyptian taskmasters.

After all, there's only recently been delivered know they progress after this time of Elam a time of refreshment time where there's abundance foods, abundant water and began to travel in the come to the wilderness of sin.

And did you notice as I read the next.

The 16 verse two that they grumbled against again against the leaders Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and this time � two. It is the whole congregation amazing is, and I quickly they forget that hungry. What do they do they look back at Egypt and when you look back at Egypt. You know what the remember the meat parts. The bread which they could eat according to verse three to the fool. Witness the 10 plagues in Egypt and witnessed the Passover, they had seen the opening of the Red Sea that seen the enemies of God being destroyed. They had seen the tightening of bitter water into suites, but they continue to grumble and as they look back at Egypt. All the remember is the food that the dates and the remarkable, but he didn't remember the slavery is a remarkable. They don't speak about the taskmasters. They said nothing about Pharaoh killing other little baby boys know as they look back at Egypt. The remember as a kind of Golden corral you familiar with that restaurant Golden corral you need as much as you like only been to it once in my life and that I was invited there and is there food in abundance and that when I was there. The people were really stuffing themselves the golden cup that's that's the kind of attitude isn't it.

Egypt was at Bayside's wrong way, was a kind of Golden corral that forgotten the Abraham promises they have forgotten the promise of God to them that he was going to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey, and instead of looking forward, looking back at Egypt under grumbling and when they grumbled are questioning the goodness of God and the power of God know what God's country. Although they were complaining against the leaders, Moses and Aaron verses seven and eight make it very clear that they were grumbling against the Lord, instead of being God centered.

Instead of being concerned with the glory of God.

They were self-centered that were self-serving. That's why they're going to be reminded in verse seven of the glory of the Lord God is going to again remind them in his patients in his kindness to them is going to remind them that he is the true Lord God this complaining was rebelling against the most high in the desert. It was testing 778 recalls the scene. Verses 17 through 19. It was testing God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God saying can God spread the table in the wilderness. There rebelling against the valley God, who had delivered them grumbling and complaining her Christian testimonies blotted when we mumble and complain when were complaining whether we say were saying we don't deserve the circumstances we find ourselves in. We are saying that God is my design that we deserve much better.

Instead of surrendering to the will of God in a particular circumstances I exalted this morning. We complain and we tend to draw others in to our self-pity, goodness, and to our complaining. So the whole congregation ends up complaining and grumbling is not what happens is a group of people, maybe 10 of the one or two of them start complaining about something before the end of the evening. Everyone is complaining drawn then to that grumbling drawn into that self-pity and bitterness.

As I started this � myself or my a complainer. My grumbling my a more modern.

Are you are you are you the kind of person who's the first to complain that your work about the supervisor. Cows are you the kind of person who can be 100 wonderful things going on with you the kind of person who focuses on the negative, and you draw people in to that grumbling about you and your personal life at home. The terrible thing to live with somebody who's a grumbling or complainer. And we forget so quickly as Israel did some warning to us. Paul says that the first Corinthians 10. He gives grumbling as an example so warning to us that God in his grace has shown us how shy would you with grace upon grace upon grace and yet we grumble within the wonderful Israel grumbles what does God do God provides for you or I would've said okay go back to Egypt go back to the flesh parts go back to your slavery would God graciously provides and he provides grants from heaven. He provides the food of angels six days out of seven. As we read quail came in the evening and manna type of bread came in the morning that it was a divine provision. Verse 15 it is the Brad that the Lord has given you to eat this people attended the one sure what it was and they said what is it in Hebrew, and that it becomes known as manna which means what is this, Psalm 78 verse 25 says man. Eight of the Brad of the Angels, some hundred and five verse 40 gave them Brad from heaven in abundance.

We read in verse 31 it was like wafers made with honey, I love honey wafers made with honey angel food from heaven. Literally, Brad from heaven. Did you notice in verses 17 and 18.

Read them again in case you missed them so important. They gathered some more, some less, but when they measured it with a gnome or whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no like each of them gathered as much as he could eat for each person, whether you ate a lot or whether you ate little there was sufficient to foot and three single person miraculous wasn't gathered much gathered little but know this, very importantly, that the manna had to be gathered every day and if you gathered more than you needed for the day.

The manna stank. We read in verse 21 worms formed in it.

I wonder if I would to be one of these people who don't rush to and gathered more than I needed in the sort of greedy. We are not sure about tomorrow is going to take care of me. Tomorrow is a reminder tomorrow so let me get more like watching some people go through the buffet line is you got so much on that plate is and I don't care about you. I'm in as much as I can on my plate and I'm talking about Christians in the kind greedy, lack of faith will God tells me know.

I just have to take enough for this day, but now I'm going to disregard that because I really don't trust God, I'm so greedy. I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow so I'm just going to take twice as much and it stinks and warms commitment.

The wonderful thing is this in the medical of God, the day before the Sabbath the people to gather for two days last 29 the Lord has given you the Sabbath that foot on the sixth day he gives you Brad for two days and on the second day. The manna didn't think on the second day the would be on the Sabbath and then develop worms. So if there Sabbath was from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday and so the day before the Sabbath, they gathered twice as much.

The eight that day. The day before the Sabbath and then the day of the Sabbath.

They had the second supply and was always fresh.

The Sabbath was a gracious gift to God.

No Sabbath in Egypt. Nothing about rest in Egypt know in Egypt with the taskmasters could quickly forgo the Sabbath is going to be part of the 10 Commandments Exodus 20 but they Sabbath. Think of it this way was not made as a legalistic oppression that was to tested people and it was made as a gracious provision by God.

So, day by day morning by not morning there was a visible demonstration for Israel that God is providing for his people with all Israelites we get up on Monday morning and then it is the man is on the enough for Monday. Tuesday morning we get up and then it is every one has enough to eat point, but utterly dependent upon God. Each day for our food and this was so important that in the article of the covenants that I got of Hebrews is going to talk of this in Hebrews 9 and narrative. The covenant you may remember there were three different items but was an act of the covenant. Well, that was the law of the 10 Commandments. Then there was Aaron's staff that bonded member in the fruit and the almonds and then there was to be a jar of bread reminder right in the holy of holies, a reminder to the people that God supplied all of their needs for 14 years as they went through the wilderness. When they came to the promised land limited it to you. I think this is so instructive for us in Joshua chapter 5 verse 12 and the manna ceased, the day after they ate of the produce of the land and there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year for 14 years, God faithfully provided every day, six days out of the seven manna, and there was enough on the day before the manna before the Sabbath to be fed on the Sabbath day, but when they came into the promised land that miraculous provision that Brad from heaven stopped and so that would partake of the fruit of the promised land use it well.

This is so far removed from us. Yes, and in some ways it is but can I remind you that I would God living God, the same God is the God of Israel. God has provided all that we need in Jesus Christ and that the manna is a picture type of Jesus Christ coming our Bibles to John chapter 6 gray chapter 4 Jesus says I am Brad of life. Let's read about it here is the divine common survey on Exodus 60 John chapter 6 and the board reads all of the section is a pretty long one from from verse 22 through the through the end of the chapter. Let me read from verse 30 John six verse 30 they said to him, and what sign do you do that we may see and believe you what work do you perform our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness as it is written, he gave them Brad from heaven to eat. Exodus 16 Jesus said, then said to them, units listening.

Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is he who comes dying from heaven and gives life to the world they said to set give us this bread always.

Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst wonderful. Yes, God provided the bread from heaven to Israel in the wilderness God provided the bread to Israel, but in Jesus. He is the bread of heaven. Verse 41 Jesus says I am the Brad that came down from heaven.

Jesus is teaching that just as the manna for 40 years, came from heaven to so now he the son of God comes down from heaven and verse 33, he gives life to the world the Israelites ate the bread from heaven. The manna, but they died. The manna could not produce eternal life commentary and that is in the Deuteronomy 8 that man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the Mike of God know the manna did not give eternal life.

But Jesus is saying look at verse 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever on the Brad that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh, she left ourselves we will die in our sins, just as Israel would've died in the wilderness, apart from the divine provision of manna so we who are dead in our trespasses and sins would have experienced eternal death.

Apart from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Brad of heaven coming from heaven to be is the Brad of life, one who comes to him will never hunger whoever believes in this one. The bread of life will never thirst was the lesson. Salvation is totally a gift from God. All of God's grace did Israel desire of the manna, absolutely not. The grumbled and complained.

Do you desire of eternal life salvation. Absolutely no there is nothing in this, but we say to God I desire of your salvation, though it's all of grace is the mercy of God. So Jesus comes to save us to deliver us to give us life to give life to those who are spiritually dead and it's fine and that as we embrace Christ as we trust in Christ. Nathaniel was asking those being baptized, have you placed your trust in the Lord Jesus, the answer is found in Christ and him alone, who comes from heaven to earth as the bread of life, and he gives life to those who come to him and he will live forever. Other set lessons for us. Here are some obvious ones first one is on mom.

Don't complain. Don't grumble, stop, stop. Some of us here have got into the habit of complaining. It's contagious.

Isn't it when the writing people who complain we start complain that your your your with friends and you're enjoying a meal. I was in a restaurant and and someone starts complaining about something lately.

The potatoes are too cold or too hot, and before the end of the evening. Everyone is caught up in the complaint complaint complaint but don't be like that little life glorifying God.

You know every single one of us here without exception faces disappointments, difficulties and problems in life. We live in a fallen world that is always something to complain about. If you look for it is neither life is not perfect, that's heaven. When a fallen world. We interact with fallen people, even those who are saved by the grace of God are not perfect people. You don't live with perfect people. This is not a perfect church, things are not always the way we would like in life in the church life and in our work and our family. There's always something to complain about, but don't do it. Remember this. Remember how God has blessed you in the past. Think of where you would be apart from the grace of God. God has intervened and talking to those of you who are authentic followers of Jesus Christ, God has intervened in your life, and delivered you and me from the slavery far worse than the slavery of Egyptian bondage so don't grumble positively daily. I emphasize daily trust the Lord afresh each day come to the Lord and feed on him as the Brad of life you when I'm having a shower in the morning. I like to think of that as a spiritual Charlotte as well. I'm getting ready for the day and I'm recommitting my life to Christ daily dependence on the Lord, all you need for today is found in Jesus Christ. When you come to him.

He will never hunger when you come to him. You will never thirst. He will never fit failure. All you need is found in Christ, the bread of life we sign guide me or the great Jehovah Pilgrim through this bottomland I am weak, but thou art mighty hold me with thy powerful hand Brad of heaven, feed me till I want no more daily trust the Lord daily trust do you do do that to give Israel think of the principle of the Sabbath and I'm glad with organizations like Chick-fil-A, but close on the Lord's day, and there told well. It would make more money if you are open seven days.

I am not sure. I'm not going to be legalistic about this. Each of us is answerable to the Lord, but not when I was studying at Denver University. I made a commitment for the Lord is never going to study on the Sunday why I went to church. I II serve the Lord, even if I had a big big exam on Monday morning. I thought know I'm going to trust the Lord. You can study all the time. You can't some good for you got to make you that way and I have friends and believers who studied and studied and studied and studied and they came to the examiner Monday morning on the brain is what good and functional. God is made us to rest and if you're in business. Have you ever thought of not running your business on the Lord's that use around the gate like I could make money when I was practicing law. Myself and my partners.

We did not do business on the Lord's day is a temptation because more work you do, the more money comes in, but we thought know we're going to trust God not added of a sense of legalism, but so that we truly could dress so that we could focus on spiritual things in heaven and and demonstrate at least from our convictions that are trust laws in God leads you to consider that, but with of you think of the Lord's day daily trust the Lord. Third, study the words that's whenever themes were 2020, but study the word every single day, the Israelites gathered the manna each day.

You might say why did God make it so difficult.

Couldn't God have supplied all of the bread for the week and miraculously provided that it didn't stink worms then come close to could have supplied it for the whole month made it easy for them.

Jesus Carlin gathered a one-month story than that it is you don't have to go out each day. Why would God only give them what they needed for each day. You know the answer to that so that they would trust on him, so that the rich to show humility that they would understand that this was coming from the Lord that the dads would say to that, we boys were going out today for the manna, and I believe that God has supplied the manna today. Yes, that it is. Isn't God wonderful is God gracious God has given us this was part of the Lord's prayer. Give us this day what our daily bread.

Not for the week. Not for the month. That's what we would like we want guaranteed from God that everything is going to be provided in the life and God says no.

I want you to trust me each day, each day that brings a spirit of thankfulness that deepens our faith were wonderful way to live is a well that's just for missionaries that just work a few people know this for all of us.

My we used to smiling that is widely by my grandmother. She was given a cup of tea and a little biscuit would always bow ahead and give thanks existing or you want to thank God for a cup of tea, yes it was done ritualistically.

I don't know are hard but wasn't she acknowledging that cup of tea that biscuit was coming from Carhart. Thank you God less would take things for granted the provision of God that God wants us to trust him each day so wonderful way to live isn't it in God's provision of the manna was of no use to the Israelites unless they gathered it and ate it. If they sat in the tent and looked out and said that it is wonderful to do them a bit of good. No, they get out of the tents. They had to gather it, bring it back each day. Several of the Bible. Yes, many of us have many Bibles you know your Bible is no use to you, unless you open unless you read it coming up Bible at home in the car bringing it to church wonderful, but it is to be ran. Each day I was speaking to one of the lines groups today and said what I'm going to say no but I can testify from my own experience that my days are very very different with her know I've spent time in this book not because of a preacher not preparing to preach, but as of my own desire to feed on Christ to draw the bread of life, and many of you know that each day which they use it well you could read it on a whole book up to and and that will do for all week. Or you could read 10 books and that will do for a month. That's not the way this is each day we come speak to me Lord God once, you and me to be in this book each day beginning of this year I exhorted you to do that. I plead with you to do it.

Don't neglect it and maybe 10 minutes of maybe 15 minutes. Perhaps some of you can spend more. I trust you can. But even if just five minutes. Open this book humbly look to the Lord and say thank you Lord, I need you this day to be like the billions who sets the Scriptures daily says to see whether these things were so at 17 verse 11 is individualized and understand mother they said what is it that's what my limits what what is this and there's a sense in which we don't understand much about the bread of life. But we know that we don't live by bread alone by ivory but by every word that comes from the Lord, do I understand all of this is I read each day. No, I don't but I do know it's a supernatural book and I know that God speaks to me and to you through his work and our deepest needs in life are spiritual needs and God meets them as we come to Christ.

It is supernatural provision, and the more we feed on Christ.

The last we will feed on the things of the world, and the more you study this book, the more like Jesus Christ you will become a supernatural underlayer shooting the words, the less you want to. And the more likely you will be to murmur. God has promised to be faithful to you each day.

He's promised day by day and with each passing moment regarding assaying strength. I find to meet my trials here.

God has promised his grace is sufficient for me today all the strength I need all the wisdom I need. He has promised to give me today tomorrow to be totally different. I don't know what would happen tomorrow. Why my wandering about tomorrow why my trying to wonder what decisions I'm in a make a week from now. What I know is this that God has promised each day as you faithfully fed his people has grumbling people through the wilderness. So he has promised you, brother, sister to be with you each day to provide you would need each day. Don't worry Don Fred. He gives us the strength and the help each day as we look to him for his help.

Dennis Lynn tells the story of the bombing raids on London in World War II when when when many children were separated from their parents and some of them. That difficulty feeding many of them were sent to concentrate they received food and shelter, but the children were traumatized and even in the presence of good care. They had experienced so much trauma that they difficulty sleeping at night. These children were terrified because of the blitz and the lack of food and separation from parents and all the rest of it than there were terrified to go to sleep in and in case they would wake up and find that there were homeless and hungry and Dennis Lynn says the adults tried to reassure them until someone sent a child to bed with a loaf of bread and holding on to the loaf of bread. The children could sleep if you woke up in the middle of the night that the bride seemed to remind them I ate today I was cared for. Today, things are going to be all right tomorrow. Life is sometimes uncertain, wasn't it in and we we we scarce can hold on and we are split. Where were traumatized by the things that happen in our lives. Some of you know exactly why Mina and life is hard in life is difficult, what do we do in uncertain days. We hold onto the bread of life. We look to Christ is all sufficient. He didn't fail his ancient people he loves you with an everlasting love. Keep feeding on Christ reading his work.

He never fails.

Father, help us because we like Israel. Sometimes we grumble their faith is sometimes weak. Thank you for this reminder that you give us, not just our daily bread, physical bread, but you've given us Christ the ready bread of life that comes from heaven to us the infinite resources blast with every spiritual blessings in Christ. Help us to feed on.

Help us to depend on him each day encourages father, we do pray in Christ name