Manna for Today!
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Psalm 34:19-22
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Exodus 15:22-16:36
Exodus 16
Manna and Quail
1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.” 9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud. 11 The LORD said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘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.’” 13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Matthew 22:23-40
Marriage at the Resurrection
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
Reflections: The power of these stories that have been recorded in the bible is that they serve as a record of God’s faithfulness to all generations. The psalmist recounts times where he felt evil was winning the day, only to be delivered by the faithful hand of the Lord. “The Lord will rescue his servants, and no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” Psalm 34:22
And we see the Israelites, right after they have been delivered from slavery to the Egyptians, begin to grumble about not having any food or water. The Lord miraculously gives them water, palm trees, manna and quail to provide for all their material needs, through Moses and Aaron. With the miraculous provision for all of their needs in the middle of nowhere, they still do not listen to his instructions about how much to gather, and how much to save for the Sabbath Day, which was a day of rest.
Then finally, we see the Sadducees who try to trap Jesus on a teaching about the resurrection. They too are worried about how they are going to be provided for after this life. Jesus tries to teach them that in heaven there will be no concern about provision, and all of our needs will be met. He tries to let them know that our needs in heaven will be way different than our needs on earth. At the heart of these stories is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to provide in any situation, even death.
Where are you tempted to trust in something other than God’s Word for your welfare? How have you subtly put your trust in other things for your happiness? God delights in providing for His children if they are open to the many and varied ways He makes His provision available, especially through all His glorious riches in Christ.
My words that I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children's children. Isaiah 59:21
The word of the Lord endures forever. That word is the good news that was announced to you. 1 Peter 1:25
We give thanks to you, gracious God, for the gift of Christ – your communication of who you are and what you want us to be. We have experienced your good news and we are determined to pass it on to future generations through our words and actions. Guide us in this endeavor. Amen.
Psalm 34:19-22
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Exodus 15:22-16:36
Exodus 16
Manna and Quail
1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.” 9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud. 11 The LORD said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘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.’” 13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Matthew 22:23-40
Marriage at the Resurrection
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
Reflections: The power of these stories that have been recorded in the bible is that they serve as a record of God’s faithfulness to all generations. The psalmist recounts times where he felt evil was winning the day, only to be delivered by the faithful hand of the Lord. “The Lord will rescue his servants, and no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” Psalm 34:22
And we see the Israelites, right after they have been delivered from slavery to the Egyptians, begin to grumble about not having any food or water. The Lord miraculously gives them water, palm trees, manna and quail to provide for all their material needs, through Moses and Aaron. With the miraculous provision for all of their needs in the middle of nowhere, they still do not listen to his instructions about how much to gather, and how much to save for the Sabbath Day, which was a day of rest.
Then finally, we see the Sadducees who try to trap Jesus on a teaching about the resurrection. They too are worried about how they are going to be provided for after this life. Jesus tries to teach them that in heaven there will be no concern about provision, and all of our needs will be met. He tries to let them know that our needs in heaven will be way different than our needs on earth. At the heart of these stories is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to provide in any situation, even death.
Where are you tempted to trust in something other than God’s Word for your welfare? How have you subtly put your trust in other things for your happiness? God delights in providing for His children if they are open to the many and varied ways He makes His provision available, especially through all His glorious riches in Christ.
My words that I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children's children. Isaiah 59:21
The word of the Lord endures forever. That word is the good news that was announced to you. 1 Peter 1:25
We give thanks to you, gracious God, for the gift of Christ – your communication of who you are and what you want us to be. We have experienced your good news and we are determined to pass it on to future generations through our words and actions. Guide us in this endeavor. Amen.
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