Did God Feed Israel Manna In The Wilderness?

             Did God Feed Israel Manna In The Wilderness?

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Those ancient Jews lived in a prescientific era unable to understand things we do today. Their Bible stories were just myths, or ignorant imaginings. If miracles happened then, we would see them happen today, but we don't.

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This thinking may seem so reasonable to us today but let's give it fair open-minded consideration. Perhaps we've never given it serious thought that ancient people could know more than we realize. In this article, I want to challenge what may be our erroneous assumptions and to expound some unusual characteristics of this biblical event.

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Consider five assumptions some persons think make biblical miracles incredible or impossible.

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Some assume no Creator of the universe exists. But we know the universe didn't exist and didn't create itself, so something had to create it. That creator had to be self-existent, eternal and unchanging or else it would cease to exist. It had to be immaterial or spiritual since it brought matter, space-time into existence. It had to be an infinite living Mind and will in order to explain all the living intelligent things we see around us daily. Something can't give what it doesn't have. In other words, it has to be what we would describe as the Almighty, all knowing God. Moreover, there can be no more than one God or absolute. 

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Some too assume nature's laws would prevent a Creator God from acting in our world. But it's not difficult for the universe's Creator to do much lesser things. The Lord of nature can direct his laws to act in any way at any time it suits his purpose.Thus, extraordinary things as miracles and prophecies are his prerogative. But can we recognize such things if they occur?

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Others assume we couldn't know or identify God acting supernaturally in our world. People have always recognized nature's usual patterns. But if a spokesman for God waves his staff and water forms walls for people to walk between, we know that's of God. People can't walk on water, but if they see a man doing it and claiming to be God, that's decisive. If a woman becomes pregnant not having known a man, that takes an act of God. If a person's ear is severed by a sword and someone who claims he existed before the world did restores it back normal, that's God in action. The Bible is filled with such things. Skeptical astonished persons knowing nature's ordinary patterns but seeing such extraordinary events came to believe God does indeed act in our world. Further, if men claiming God spoke to them of things impossible to know come to pass, that too is another way to know God acts in our world. Clearly God acted--such things can't be considered accidents of chance or anomalies or ignorance or superstition or fraud--they're the real thing.

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Again, some assume God wouldn't take on human form to tell us who he is. Who can make a rule that man's Creator can't take on a human nature and body to tell us and show us who he is? Certainly, we see we are the highest form of creation above other living things.  God being a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who before creation enjoyed fellowship as  persons sharing the same essence, then it's reasonable he made us in his  rational, moral, immortal image for relationship with him and to bring him glory. See my article on Great Mysteries of the Christian Faith.

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Lastly, some assume the Jews would endure torture and death knowing all the while the miracles were lies.  For their faith biblical writers were ridiculed, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, murdered. Zechariah was stoned, Isaiah  sawed in two, Uriah killed with the sword, as were others  (Heb. 11:36-37). Jesus assured faithful believers they would be persecuted (Matt. 5:12). John the baptizer, Peter, Paul and others met horrible deaths. Can we seriously believe they would endure such treatment knowing their writings and testimony were all a lie? It's simply incredible.

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Now let's look at the particular characteristics of God feeding Israel manna in the dessert.
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The manna's appearance seems an undeniable historical event.  The wilderness setting, conditions, places, names, descriptions all correspond with what is known of that region today. Israel's difficulties, complaints, unbelief, and rebellion  illustrate human nature under such conditions. Frequent Bible references confirm Israel considered it a real event in their history (Ex. 16:1-5, 14; Num. 11:1-9; Neh. 9:15, 20; Josh. 5:12; Ps. 78:20, 22-25; 105:40; Jn. 6:22-59; Heb. 9:4).  This can't be a once upon a time in a far away land made up child's story. It really happened.

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The manna's unique nature. It was a small round flaky substance that appeared on the ground when the dew melted.  It could be made into cakes and stewed or baked. It looked like white  seed and tasted like honey wafers or like pastry prepared with oil. It was nutritious and may have been suited to each person's taste. 

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It's perennial appearance. God promised Israel food from heaven. When discovered, the people asked, "What is it?" Although they had been living in the area two and a half months, this was something new they had not seen before. It was seen when the sun melted the dew. The manna appeared all seasons and ever place Israel camped for 40 years.

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It's  six day appearance and spoilage. It came consistently six days a week but not on the seventh. The manna was to be gathered in the mornings and completely eaten each day with none left over or else it stank and became wormy. But the people were to gather up twice as much on the sixth day to last over the Sabbath and then it didn't spoil. God was teaching them the seventh was to be their day of rest and worship and they were to honor him with their obedience.

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It's constant quantity. Regardless of how much or how little manna was gathered there was always  enough to feed two million people. Everyone in each household was fed but had to be eaten that day. While Israel had other foods this was the bread God promised them from Heaven.  

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It was a promised sign. Israel never regarded the manna as a mere product of nature. It was a gift and sign of God's presence and provision to her in her need. It was designed as a test of their faith and belief in it may serve as a test of our faith today. Critics try to explain it away as the sweet-tasting excretion left by insects on the twigs of the tamarisk trees. But that appeared only in June and July and did not spoil in 24 hours. The manna, however, came all year around everywhere Israel camped and must be eaten that day. Also, the manna appeared two and a half months after Israel had been in the wilderness and stopped forty years later when Israel ate from the promised land of milk and honey.
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It was a perpetual memorial. Three quarts of manna were placed in a jar in the ark of the covenant. It was kept there unspoiled  for future generations to see. This was unspoiled undeniable evidence to future generations of God's presence and supply of the people's need in the dessert wilderness.

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It's verification by the Lord Jesus. The wilderness manna was a type or representative of the spiritual food only Jesus can give. Manna fed physical bodies that perished, but Jesus is spiritual food bringing eternal life. He is the true bread come down from Heaven to give life to every believer.
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Dear reader, if you feel this is God's truth that you should trust in Jesus for spiritual and eternal life, that's God speaking to you in love offering you forgiveness of sins, acceptance and peace with God. Won't you open your heart now by saying: Lord, I trust you now and forever to forgive me, be with me, and guide me through this life and help me live for You until I die or You come to receive me. Thank you my loving Lord Jesus and Messiah. Amen (so be it).
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Now get into the Bible which is God's instructions of how we can live to please our Mastor. Pray and worship with God's believing people, and share your new faith with friends and loved ones. Sharing these articles too can bring them to the Lord in an exciting new life, hope, and joy in Jesus. God bless.
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