Grace be with you all (He 13:25). Amen.
We can say it now—whether it is tomorrow or soon. It is a different kind of great Minnesota get-together. Back to school. That may cause one’s heart to speed up or stomach to sink down. Either way, it doesn’t change the fact. It is time for classes to resume within days or weeks.
That means that there was probably the annual pilgrimage to the store. A student needs new sweats and nice shoes as well as eight spiral notebooks and twelve #2 pencils.
It could also include an appointment with the doctor. He may test your reflexes. Or she may check your ears. But there is also the eye chart. A student has to be able to see the blackboard or whiteboard (whatever color they come in now). If there is a problem, maybe the recommendation is for glasses to have 20/20 vision. (Hopefully not too many will need bifocals. Save that for later in life.)
Moses didn’t need frames for his eyes. He had faith in his heart. And faith’s eyes see Christ clearly.
Moses was born at a dangerous time. At least, for boys. The children of Israel were no longer welcomed guests in Egypt, but oppressed slaves—baking bricks and building cities (Ex 1:11,14). The memory of what Joseph did for them during the huge famine was long gone (Ex 1:8). The Pharaoh went so far as to declare an edict that every baby boy was to be thrown into the Nile River (Ex 1:22).
Then along came Moses. “He was a fine child” (Ex 2:2), “no ordinary child” (He 11:23). So his parents hid him for three months by faith (He 11:23). When they couldn’t keep him concealed any longer, his mom made a basket and set him in the river. It was Pharaoh’s daughter who found him, drawing him out of the water, and adopted him, calling him her own. Moses didn’t just have it good. He had it great. An excellent education in an elite culture (Acts 7:21,22). (I wonder if he ever complained about learning his hieroglyphics.)
But when Moses was older, he made a decision. It was “by faith” (He 11:24). “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (He 11:24). He declined the certain position and the special privileges that he had in the palace and the perks that accompanied it. And it cost him. You know how that it is. When you say “no” to something, you are saying “yes” to another thing. Shutting off YouTube (“no” to a funny clip) translates into doing homework (“yes” to a math assignment).
How did that look for Moses? He turned down his royal place and turned to his real people. “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” (He 11:25). He suffered with God’s nation rather than satisfy his sinful nature. And there was a price. Whatever abuse fell to them fell on him.
That doesn’t make pleasant things wrong. Those are gifts from our heavenly Father (Ja 1:17). But not at the expense of our relationship with God. The enjoyment of earthly amusements only lasts a short time. Think of a present at Christmas. Toys break for a child. Jeans fade for an adult. What God has in store for us is eternal (2 Co 4:18). That is why Joshua encouraged the tribes of Israel at Shechem to get rid of the false gods/idols. We add our voice to his in announcing: “We will serve the LORD” (Josh 24:15). He is worthy of our undivided loyalty to him in response to his undeserved love to us.
It came down to Moses’ mindset: “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (He 11:16). Whatever abuse there was didn’t matter. Moses knew about the coming Messiah. Later he even wrote about him in the first five books of the Bible (Jn 5:46). He urged the people to watch for and wait for the One who would crush Satan’s head (Ge 33:15) and proclaim God’s Word (Dt 18:15). That is because faith’s eyes see Christ clearly. We might compare it to an artist painting an individual (or perhaps a butter sculpture like at the Minnesota Fair). He will stare at that one so that he can reproduce her accurately. (You don’t need that same concentration when drawing a stickman.) Moses kept his attention fixed on and focused on Christ.
We do the same as we gather in God’s house publically or as we grow in God’s grace privately (He 10:25; 2 Pe 3:18). It is valuable for us to not do that annually as optometrists suggest, but daily as God speaks. The eyes of faith view the future, not just the present. Our God holds out the “reward” of heaven, not because we have produced it by ourselves, but because he has provided it through Jesus. He gave up everything to give us everything (2 Co 8:9). We join Peter in asserting when so many were walking away from Jesus: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn 6:68,69). Jesus is the One who makes us right with God, dying on the cross for our sin and delivering his perfection to us.
Moses was God’s man to rescue Israel from Egypt (Acts 7:25). That also was “by faith” (He 11:27). (That is the second time the unknown writer highlights that quality.) “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger” (He 11:27). Moses could lead an estimated 2 million people from their captivity without any concern for the king’s rage boiling over. Why? “He [that is, Moses] persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (He 11:27). That is God. The Lord would guide and guard. That was very evident at the Red Sea. The situation was serious. The dry desert to the sides of them, the deep water in front of them, and the determined Egyptian army behind them. But God walled up the water so that they could walk through without getting their sandals wet and then washing over the enemy.
Our eyes of faith see the Invisible One protecting us and providing for us (He 11:1; 1 Pe 1:8). We can sing to the Lord with the psalmist: “Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go; for you are my rock and my fortress” (Ps 71:3). In him we are safe and secure.
But we need to backtrack a bit. Pharaoh was not so excited to let the free labor go free. The Lord had to convince him. There was plague after plague—9 in all. But still Pharaoh would not budge. God decided that there would be one more to break his iron grip—the death of the firstborn of both man and animal. But not of Israel. The Lord made that possible. They were to take the blood of a one-year-old lamb and paint it on the doorframes of their houses. They were to eat the meat of that animal, ready to head out quickly. That evening, the Lord would pass over those places and spare the oldest. That blood saved them. And Moses inaugurated that annual celebration. That was “by faith” (He 11:28). (That is the third time that the unnamed author emphasizes that characteristic.) “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel” (He 11:28).
Year after year lamb after lamb lost its life as the children of Israel commemorated that critical night. But that paschal slaughter only pointed ahead to the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus, “who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). He has lifted up and carried off our guilt. It is no more. He redeemed us, paid the price necessary to set us free, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood (1 Pe 1:18,19). Faith’s eyes see Christ clearly. He gave up his life to grant us life. He has cleansed us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).
Back to school. That could be significant or insignificant depending on who you are. That may or may not bring new clothes, supplies, or glasses. We can be grateful for a checkup today. Faith’s eyes see Christ clearly. By faith, we live with him right now, even when there is pain. By faith, we live with him forever in Paradise. Thank you, Lord, for the same eyesight of faith as Moses.
We read from Hebrews 11:24-28:
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (He 13:20,21).
August 26, 2018
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Monday, August 6, 2018
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Exodus 16:2-15)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:2). Amen.
Behold. I don’t know if you use that word. If you do, I am going to guess probably not that often. It sounds like something from William Shakespeare. As in: “Behold how the tempest rages against yonder window pane.” (That is not really from one of his comedies or tragedies as far as I know. So it is not plagiarism. But then again, I only had a semester of his plays in college. Besides, I am not sure what kind of glass they had in Bill’s day.)
“Behold” (or the word in the original language) is fairly common. And when it appears, it is often left untranslated because we just don’t talk that way. But it is a valuable word. Along the lines of “Look!” It is an interjection demanding attention. In a way, it is almost as if the writer is pointing his finger because this is important. It is something that he wants us to witness, drawing us into the account—pulling us inside. It is like a child pointing at one of the birds that patrols our field: “Hey, that is a big hawk.” Or “Behold.”
The first time that it comes up is in verse 4. It is kind of bland: “I will rain down bread from heaven for you” (Ex 16:4). Really: “Behold I am going to cause it to rain for you bread.” Again with the idea: “Moses, see what I am going to do.” The Lord wanted him to observe what was about to occur.
The more important one is in verse 10. “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and [behold—the 2nd time] there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud” (Ex 16:10). It is that phrase “glory of the Lord” that we want to consider. (The glory of the Lord is also in verse 7, but there is no “behold.”) This is the first time that it shows up in Scripture. There are others. But perhaps it is like a ranger at Teddy Roosevelt State Park in the North Dakota Badlands. The views are impressive initially, but quickly become ordinary. We don’t want that to be. So it is worth our considering. Behold the glory of the Lord.
We need to backtrack a bit. The Israelites were about a month removed from some major events. The Lord through Moses convinced Pharaoh to let them go from the country and their slavery. It came in the form of 10 Convincers, or Plagues—the final one being the death of the first-born of man and animal. Then when the Egyptians had second thoughts about their free labor leaving, the army took off after them. Again the Lord intervened. The water at the Red Sea walled up and the entire nation passed through without getting their sandals wet. The forces of Pharaoh didn’t make it out alive when the water came crashing down.
And they had set up camp again after a bit of travel. It is not too hard to imagine that whatever foodstuffs that they had brought with them had been used up. So what do you do? The same thing that they became experts at over the years. Complain.
They are not the only ones who are good at it. When things get hard, we grumble too. Even too much. We can be pretty proficient at it—almost shaking a fist at God.
Moses and Aaron often found themselves working behind the complaint counter—the targets of discontent. “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron” (Ex 16:2). In this dry and desolate region, there was no missing their dissatisfaction and displeasure. There is even an accusation as well as an allegation: “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” (Ex 16:3). Talk about selective memory—remembering what they wanted and forgetting the rest. They called to mind the delicious food, but the cruel treatment slipped their minds. They forgot the troubles of the past when facing the problems of the present.
It is that way when we grouse. How quickly we forget the hardships of the days gone by and turn them into the “good old days.” Those days in Egypt weren’t so good. Now that it is August we can mention back to school. That sounds like a 5th-grader contending that 4th-grade math was so easy when there was plenty of bellyaching the year before about the subject.
What does the Lord do? He doesn’t destroy them (maybe that is what we might have done), he delivers them once again. That is the same thing that he does when we moan and groan. He forgives us in Jesus. The apostle Paul used the picture of dressing correctly—peeling off the old and changing into the new—like from bedtime pajamas to a black tuxedo. “And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). God has brought it about that we are right with him and holy before him. He wipes our account of sin and it shows in our life for him. The psalmist David had us sing: “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise” (Ps 145:3).
The forecast called for bread. But it had a short shelf life. “[Recall that it starts with a “behold.”] 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” (Ex 16:4). And there would be a regular rotation—bread every day. That sounds like how Jesus taught us to pray in that model prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Mt 6:11). We recognize that what is in our pantries, closets, and garages come from him.
The exception being the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath. “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” (Ex 16:5). Already they were being conditioned to think of the rest that the Messiah would one day bring—refreshment from their guilt. We come to Jesus for the same (Mt 11:28).
Moses then mentioned, along with Aaron: “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD” (Ex 16:6,7). That would be part of their personal experience. God was teaching and training them to rely on him day-to-day.
Moses is correct when he points out that murmuring against them goes up the chain—where the real object of their frustration was:
“Because he [that is, the LORD] has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” (Ex 16:7).
“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” (Ex 16:8). It is the Lord of love who stands behind the gift of food. And it was not just a bite, but a bunch. They would feast and be full. He is the compassionate Supplier.
It is no different with us—not just daily, but richly too (cf. Explanation to the First Article and The Fourth Petition). It is David who declares: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing” (Ps 145:15,16).
Moses wanted Aaron to have them report: “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling’” (Ex 16:9). And then it came about: “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and [there is a second “behold.”] there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud” (Ex 16:10). That must have been quite a sight.
But there is more to it than a fireworks show after a ballgame—the glory of the Lord.
The Lord is making his presence known in a very special way. He wanted them to know that he was there.
It is a visible sign of God’s burning desire to carry out his gospel promise. When it is present, The Lord is advancing his plan to rescue his people. It is with the Savior in mind.
So there is a bit of repetition: “The LORD said to Moses, ‘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.”’” (Ex 16:11,12). It is obvious that he understood the children of Israel. But they will definitely be able to appreciate personally that he is …
The LORD (13x in this selection)—gracious and compassionate, lifting up their rebellion and continuing his mercy (Ex 34:6,7).
Your God—they could call and claim him as their very own.
There is no surprise that is exactly what transpired.
“That evening quail came and covered the camp” (Ex 16:13). This was not a great coincidence, but God’s explicit command, his specific directive—when and where. Some estimate that the population numbered around 2 million individuals. That is no small task.
“And in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, [There is the third “behold.” It is as if we are right in the midst of this incredible gift.] thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor” (Ex 16:13,14). This was not by accident, but by announcement. The people could be flexible as far as preparation—baking it or boiling it, even eating it raw.
And this would continue for the next 40 years. A miracle of epic proportions and with enough portions. It was Moses who cleared up the confusion. “When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat’” (Ex 16:15). They were to be sure how this came about—from the Lord. Jesus made that point too when the people asked Jesus for some “miraculous sign” (Jn 6:30). They mistakenly attributed the manna to Moses. But Jesus corrected them. It came from God.
Jesus had just fed 5000+ men, women, and children from a small boy’s lunch box—5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fish (Jn 6:1-15). The people got excited and followed Jesus for another possible free lunch the next day (Jn 6:26). But that is not why he came—to be a “Bread King” (Jn 6:15). He made that evident—eternal needs, not earthly ones. “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (Jn 6:29). To trust in the One whom the Father sent to give life—a living relationship with the Lord. That only comes through Jesus. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (Jn 6:35). It is Jesus who gives us what is essential, life—right now and forever. To God be the glory for our physical bread and spiritual Bread.
“Behold” may not be an everyday word for us. But it is everywhere in the Old Testament even though we might not always be able to spot it. It places us at the scene of what is going on. When the Israelites protested, God provided. But that is how he operates. Behold the Glory of the Lord who graciously and abundantly supplies our needs in Christ.
We read from Exodus 16:2-15:
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. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.”
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love (Eph 6:24). Amen.
August 5, 2018
Behold. I don’t know if you use that word. If you do, I am going to guess probably not that often. It sounds like something from William Shakespeare. As in: “Behold how the tempest rages against yonder window pane.” (That is not really from one of his comedies or tragedies as far as I know. So it is not plagiarism. But then again, I only had a semester of his plays in college. Besides, I am not sure what kind of glass they had in Bill’s day.)
“Behold” (or the word in the original language) is fairly common. And when it appears, it is often left untranslated because we just don’t talk that way. But it is a valuable word. Along the lines of “Look!” It is an interjection demanding attention. In a way, it is almost as if the writer is pointing his finger because this is important. It is something that he wants us to witness, drawing us into the account—pulling us inside. It is like a child pointing at one of the birds that patrols our field: “Hey, that is a big hawk.” Or “Behold.”
The first time that it comes up is in verse 4. It is kind of bland: “I will rain down bread from heaven for you” (Ex 16:4). Really: “Behold I am going to cause it to rain for you bread.” Again with the idea: “Moses, see what I am going to do.” The Lord wanted him to observe what was about to occur.
The more important one is in verse 10. “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and [behold—the 2nd time] there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud” (Ex 16:10). It is that phrase “glory of the Lord” that we want to consider. (The glory of the Lord is also in verse 7, but there is no “behold.”) This is the first time that it shows up in Scripture. There are others. But perhaps it is like a ranger at Teddy Roosevelt State Park in the North Dakota Badlands. The views are impressive initially, but quickly become ordinary. We don’t want that to be. So it is worth our considering. Behold the glory of the Lord.
We need to backtrack a bit. The Israelites were about a month removed from some major events. The Lord through Moses convinced Pharaoh to let them go from the country and their slavery. It came in the form of 10 Convincers, or Plagues—the final one being the death of the first-born of man and animal. Then when the Egyptians had second thoughts about their free labor leaving, the army took off after them. Again the Lord intervened. The water at the Red Sea walled up and the entire nation passed through without getting their sandals wet. The forces of Pharaoh didn’t make it out alive when the water came crashing down.
And they had set up camp again after a bit of travel. It is not too hard to imagine that whatever foodstuffs that they had brought with them had been used up. So what do you do? The same thing that they became experts at over the years. Complain.
They are not the only ones who are good at it. When things get hard, we grumble too. Even too much. We can be pretty proficient at it—almost shaking a fist at God.
Moses and Aaron often found themselves working behind the complaint counter—the targets of discontent. “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron” (Ex 16:2). In this dry and desolate region, there was no missing their dissatisfaction and displeasure. There is even an accusation as well as an allegation: “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” (Ex 16:3). Talk about selective memory—remembering what they wanted and forgetting the rest. They called to mind the delicious food, but the cruel treatment slipped their minds. They forgot the troubles of the past when facing the problems of the present.
It is that way when we grouse. How quickly we forget the hardships of the days gone by and turn them into the “good old days.” Those days in Egypt weren’t so good. Now that it is August we can mention back to school. That sounds like a 5th-grader contending that 4th-grade math was so easy when there was plenty of bellyaching the year before about the subject.
What does the Lord do? He doesn’t destroy them (maybe that is what we might have done), he delivers them once again. That is the same thing that he does when we moan and groan. He forgives us in Jesus. The apostle Paul used the picture of dressing correctly—peeling off the old and changing into the new—like from bedtime pajamas to a black tuxedo. “And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). God has brought it about that we are right with him and holy before him. He wipes our account of sin and it shows in our life for him. The psalmist David had us sing: “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise” (Ps 145:3).
The forecast called for bread. But it had a short shelf life. “[Recall that it starts with a “behold.”] 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” (Ex 16:4). And there would be a regular rotation—bread every day. That sounds like how Jesus taught us to pray in that model prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Mt 6:11). We recognize that what is in our pantries, closets, and garages come from him.
The exception being the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath. “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” (Ex 16:5). Already they were being conditioned to think of the rest that the Messiah would one day bring—refreshment from their guilt. We come to Jesus for the same (Mt 11:28).
Moses then mentioned, along with Aaron: “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD” (Ex 16:6,7). That would be part of their personal experience. God was teaching and training them to rely on him day-to-day.
Moses is correct when he points out that murmuring against them goes up the chain—where the real object of their frustration was:
“Because he [that is, the LORD] has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” (Ex 16:7).
“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” (Ex 16:8). It is the Lord of love who stands behind the gift of food. And it was not just a bite, but a bunch. They would feast and be full. He is the compassionate Supplier.
It is no different with us—not just daily, but richly too (cf. Explanation to the First Article and The Fourth Petition). It is David who declares: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing” (Ps 145:15,16).
Moses wanted Aaron to have them report: “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling’” (Ex 16:9). And then it came about: “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and [there is a second “behold.”] there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud” (Ex 16:10). That must have been quite a sight.
But there is more to it than a fireworks show after a ballgame—the glory of the Lord.
The Lord is making his presence known in a very special way. He wanted them to know that he was there.
It is a visible sign of God’s burning desire to carry out his gospel promise. When it is present, The Lord is advancing his plan to rescue his people. It is with the Savior in mind.
So there is a bit of repetition: “The LORD said to Moses, ‘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.”’” (Ex 16:11,12). It is obvious that he understood the children of Israel. But they will definitely be able to appreciate personally that he is …
The LORD (13x in this selection)—gracious and compassionate, lifting up their rebellion and continuing his mercy (Ex 34:6,7).
Your God—they could call and claim him as their very own.
There is no surprise that is exactly what transpired.
“That evening quail came and covered the camp” (Ex 16:13). This was not a great coincidence, but God’s explicit command, his specific directive—when and where. Some estimate that the population numbered around 2 million individuals. That is no small task.
“And in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, [There is the third “behold.” It is as if we are right in the midst of this incredible gift.] thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor” (Ex 16:13,14). This was not by accident, but by announcement. The people could be flexible as far as preparation—baking it or boiling it, even eating it raw.
And this would continue for the next 40 years. A miracle of epic proportions and with enough portions. It was Moses who cleared up the confusion. “When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat’” (Ex 16:15). They were to be sure how this came about—from the Lord. Jesus made that point too when the people asked Jesus for some “miraculous sign” (Jn 6:30). They mistakenly attributed the manna to Moses. But Jesus corrected them. It came from God.
Jesus had just fed 5000+ men, women, and children from a small boy’s lunch box—5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fish (Jn 6:1-15). The people got excited and followed Jesus for another possible free lunch the next day (Jn 6:26). But that is not why he came—to be a “Bread King” (Jn 6:15). He made that evident—eternal needs, not earthly ones. “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (Jn 6:29). To trust in the One whom the Father sent to give life—a living relationship with the Lord. That only comes through Jesus. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (Jn 6:35). It is Jesus who gives us what is essential, life—right now and forever. To God be the glory for our physical bread and spiritual Bread.
“Behold” may not be an everyday word for us. But it is everywhere in the Old Testament even though we might not always be able to spot it. It places us at the scene of what is going on. When the Israelites protested, God provided. But that is how he operates. Behold the Glory of the Lord who graciously and abundantly supplies our needs in Christ.
We read from Exodus 16:2-15:
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. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.”
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love (Eph 6:24). Amen.
August 5, 2018
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