The Way
Manna from Heaven
Each morning, a day's bread on the dew
Story
Leaving Elim, the people entered the Wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth day of the second month since they had come out of Egypt. When their food ran out, the whole community gathered around Moses and Aaron and grumbled. If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt, when we sat beside the pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. You have brought us out into this wilderness to starve us all to death.
That evening quail flew in and covered the camp. The next morning, when the dew around the camp had lifted, something fine and white like frost lay over the wilderness. The people looked at one another and asked, What is it? Moses said, It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. It tasted like wafers made with honey.
They were told to gather an omer for each person, just enough for that day. Some did not listen and kept a little until morning, and it bred worms and began to stink. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much, and on the seventh day, the Sabbath, they rested. The children of Israel ate this manna for forty years, until they came to a land where people lived, the border of Canaan.
Walk this scene on the map →God's Words
Look, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather just enough for that day.
At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.
This is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Ex 16:1–36
Background
The name manna is explained as coming from the Hebrew man hu, meaning what is it. An omer was a tenth of an ephah, thought to be a little over two litres. Aaron put an omer of manna in a jar and placed it before the tablets of the covenant.
Pause and Reflect
Am I missing today's grace because I'm worried about tomorrow?