When the Israelites grumbled against God, God promised to give them meat in the evening and bread from heaven in the morning. In the early morning, there was dew everywhere and once the dew melted, they saw tiny white flakes on the ground. Those were the size of coriander seeds and tasted like wafers made with honey.
God instructed them thru Moses to collect around one omer per person. Israelites collected it as instructed. When they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. No one was supposed to keep any leftovers for the morning. Some people disobeyed and kept some for the morning and it was full of maggots and began to smell.
On Saturday, they were instructed to collect double portions because they were expected to keep the sabbath rest on Sunday. Whoever went outside to find manna on the Sabbath day did not find any because God did not provide any. Also, God instructed Aaron thru Moses to take a jar and put an omer of manna and keep it for future generations to see it so they will know about the bread that God gave them in the wilderness. The Israelites ate manna for forty years until they came to Canaan.
One omer of manna was neither too much, nor too less but it was just enough. It was not supposed to be saved for the next day except for the Sabbath. While it got spoiled during the rest of the days, only on the day before Sabbath, it stayed fresh. And the one that was preserved for future generations did not spoil at all. And God fed six hundred thousand men plus women and children for forty years, every single day. God must have left the count of women and children to our imagination as it would be a humongous number. God kept track of the quantity for each family for each day. He kept track of double portion for the Sabbath day. He kept track of all these details for 40 years.
All of this care and kindness was towards the Israelites who were known to be stiff-necked and rebellious, constantly disobeying people, just like us. This just shows a glimpse of God’s never failing faithfulness even when we prove always to be faithless.
Mathew 6:31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat” or “what shall we drink?” or “what shall we wear?”.
- For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
- But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
