MURMURING IN THE WILDERNESS OF SIN–LESSON 16

LESSON 16

MURMURING IN THE WILDERNESS OF SIN

—by E. L. Bynum

Memory Verse: 16:4 (N.W. I Cor. 10:4)————Lesson: Exodus 16:1-36

I. THE MURMURING AND THE MANNA. v. 1-21

A. Murmuring For Food. v. 1-3

1. Location of their murmuring. v. 1. This wilderness was east of the Red Sea.

2. Leaders and the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses. v. 2. They murmured for bread for their body, but what they really needed was bread for the soul. Isa. 55:2, Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3. Longing for Egypt. v. 3. Now they speak of Egypt as if it was a wonderful place where they had plenty. Their fear of death in the wilderness reveals a lack of faith in God.

a. They questioned why God allowed this. So did Job, until he met God, then he forgot all his questions. Job 40:1-5, Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

b. God’s wisdom is beyond our understanding. He is in control, so trust Him. Isa. 55:8-9, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Rom. 11:33-36, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

c. We should not be asking, how can I get out of this problem, but what can I learn from them. Matt. 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

d. God had promised them that they would worship Him at Mount Sinai. Ex. 3:12. In unbelief they question the word of God, by suggesting that they would die in the wilderness.

B. Manna Promised By God. v. 4-12

1. God to rain bread from heaven. v. 4. This was grace, when they deserved judgment. Psa. 78:24, And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. See John 6:31-51

a. The manna came down upon them where they were, and so does the word of God.

b. It was pure, just like God’s word. Psa. 119:40, Psa. 12:6, The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

c. It was despised by the mixed multitude. God’s word is despised by the mixed multitude in the churches today who want something else. Preachers and churches are changing their message and practice today in order to satisfy them. Num. 11:4, And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

2. The special provision for the 6th day. v. 5

3. The evening revelation. v. 6. v. 12-13

4. Their murmuring was against the Lord. v. 7,8

5. They would have quail in the evening and manna in the morning. v. 8

6. The people assembled and informed. v. 9-10

7. God’s glory appears. v. 10

8. The Lord speaks. v. 11-12

C. Manna A Type Of Christ And Of The Word. v. 13-21

John 6:31-35, Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

1. The quail not a type of Christ, but flesh to satisfy their fleshly desires. v. 13

2. The manna was a supernatural gift. v. 14; v. 4. Manna means “what is it?”

3. The manna came down from heaven. v. 14. As a type of Christ, it came down into the Wilderness of Sin. Christ came into this wilderness of sin to save us.

4. The manna was small in size. v. 14

5. The manna was white (pure) and was a gift. v. 15

6. The manna was to be eaten. v. 15

7. They were to chew it, a type of meditation on the word and on Christ.

8. There was a sufficient supply for all. v. 16. Notice that each man was to receive it for himself. Christ our manna must be received personally. No one else can receive Him for you. An omer was about two quarts.

9. The manna was to be gathered every morning. God is not the author of confusion. He leaves us with instructions as to what we are to do.

10. Some gathered more, some less. v. 17. It is so with Christ and His word, some receive much and others receive little according to their appetite.

11. What was gathered must be used. v. 18-19. Many go and hear God’s word, but they never use it in their life for God. They are too occupied with worldly things.

12. The manna was despised by the mixed multitude. Num. 11:4-6

13. Those who partake contrary to God’s instruction are punished. v. 20

14. The manna met a daily need. v. 21.

a. God’s word is spiritual food for our souls and we should feed on it daily. Job. 23:12; Jer. 15:16; Heb. 5:12-14. Matt. 4:4, But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. I Pet. 2:2, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

b. The manna had to be gathered in the morning before the sun came up. Otherwise it would melt. They could not be lazy, or they would miss their food. Many lazy Christians lie in bed, rather than get up to feed on Christ and His word. Too many people do not do this, and the word disappears from them that day, just like the manna melted. This results in God’s people losing the benefits and blessings for that day.

c. There are some good examples of those who arose early to commune with God. They are, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Samuel, David, and Jesus Christ. Mark 1:35, And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

II. THE MANNA, THE SABBATH, AND THE MEMORIAL. v. 22-36

A. The Manna And The Sabbath. v. 22-30

1. Twice as much on the 6th day. v. 22

2. The sabbath to be kept. v. 23. We have no record of the Sabbath being kept by Israel until this time. This is the first time the word sabbath is found in the Bible. Manna was a miracle from God. Every sixth and seventh day there was another miracle when God did not allow it to spoil for an extra day.

3. Obedience rewarded. v. 24

4. No manna in the field on the 7th day. v. 25-26

5. The disobedient. v. 27. Some people seem to never really get the message they hear. It is the same in the churches today.

6. The displeasure of the Lord. v. 28

7. Instruction given and obedience practiced. v. 29-30

B. The Manna And The Memorial. v. 31-36

1. The description and taste of manna. v. 31. Like the Word of God and of Christ, it was pure and sweet.

2. The memorial of manna was for future generations. v. 32

3. It was to be laid up before the Lord. v. 33. Christ is now before the Father for us. Heb. 9:24, For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

4. The manna was kept with the law. v. 34. This was done after the Tabernacle was built.

5. They ate manna for 40 years. v. 35-36. Josh. 5:11-12, And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Let us learn the truth in this chapter that can be applied to us. After all it was written for us. I Cor. 10:6, Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Psa. 90:12, So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

—by E. L. Bynum

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Where were they when they murmured?

2. Who did they murmur against?

3. What was there in Egypt that they longed for?

4. Why do we say that the manna was given by grace?

5. What were they to do on the 6th day?

6. The manna was a type of__________and of the__________.

7. How was the manna a type of___________?

8. How was it a type of the _____________?

9. What happened when they gathered too much manna?