After an extended stay in the land of the twelve springs, the entire Israelite community departed from Elim and set forth toward the Desert of Sin, located between Elim and Sinai. It had been merely a month and a half since their exodus from Egypt, yet the entire community began to voice their discontent toward Moses and Aaron, grumbling and voicing their frustrations regarding the scarcity of food.
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.” – Exodus 16:3 (NIV)
Partial Remembrance
Once again, the Israelites expressed their lack of faith by even longing for death during the plagues that struck the Egyptians, rather than trusting in the LORD. They reasoned that it would have been better to perish with the Egyptians than to make this arduous journey through the desert. Ironically, they seemed to forget the reality of their lives in Egypt—they were slaves, subjected to relentless oppression and suffering. Their lack of exposure to anything beyond their lives as slaves left them clinging to familiar, though painful, memories. Their current situation in the desert, though difficult, was not as dire as they claimed. They still had considerable livestock, which could have provided them sustenance but they wanted Moses to provide them with supernatural supply of food.
This brings up a broader question: Why do we often suffer from partial recollection, idealizing the past and feeling nostalgic for “the good old days” rather than moving forward in faith? The Israelites, despite being freed from slavery, seemed unable to fully imagine what true freedom could look like. This is not an uncommon struggle. People moving from developing nations to developed countries, for example, rarely wish to return to the jobs and struggles they left behind.
Yet, when it comes to faith, we frequently find ourselves yearning for the comfort of our “old days,” rather than embracing the new and often challenging journey of following God. Just as the Israelites struggled to envision the freedom God was leading them toward, we too often falter, letting fear of the unknown hold us back. True faith requires letting go of the past, trusting in God’s plan, and walking forward—even when the path ahead seems uncertain.
Manna and Quail
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. 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.” – Exodus 16:4-5 (NIV)
This daily supply of manna was not only an act of provision but also a test to reveal whether they would follow His instructions faithfully. On the sixth day, they were instructed to gather twice as much to prepare for the Sabbath. This provision served as a spiritual exercise to strengthen their faith and dependence on God.
While tests often carry a negative connotation, they can be reframed as opportunities for certification of faith. Rather than seeing God as subjecting us to trials like “lab rats,” we can view these moments as chances to solidify and grow in our trust in Him. Just as certifications validate competence in a skill, God’s tests are His way of helping us “certify” our faith.
Dogs are often considered the most faithful animals—not because of their nature, but because of their complete dependence on their owners. Dogs cannot hunt, prepare food, or provide for themselves; they rely entirely on their owners for daily sustenance. Our faith should not mimic such dependence. While we rely on God for provision, our faith must be rooted not in helpless dependency but in a conscious, loving trust in His character and plan for us. True faith grows beyond passive dependence, embracing an active and trusting relationship with God.
Moses and Aaron told the Israelites that their complaints were ultimately directed at the LORD, not them. They assured the people that in the evening they would receive meat and in the morning an abundance of bread, proving that it was the LORD who brought them out of Egypt. As Aaron spoke to the community, the glory of the LORD appeared in a cloud in the desert. God confirmed to Moses that He had heard the Israelites’ grumbling and would provide meat in the evening and bread in the morning, so they would recognize Him as their God.
The Bread of The LORD
That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. –
Exodus 16:13-15 (NIV)
The bread of the LORD is more than just physical sustenance; it is deeply spiritual and life-giving. The Israelites marveled at the manna they received in the desert, a miraculous bread they had never seen before. Similarly, the disciples of Jesus desired the bread that He had given them when he fed the multitudes who had come to hear Him speak.
If all of us, like Jesus, commit ourselves to doing the will of the LORD, that obedience becomes our everlasting bread, sustaining us in ways that go beyond the physical. As Scripture reminds us, we cannot live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the LORD. Even with the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to ask for our daily bread, emphasizing the need to rely on God for both physical and spiritual provision. This “daily bread” symbolizes the nourishment we need for each new day, reminding us of our dependence on the LORD for sustenance, guidance, and grace.
New Bread Each Day
Moses instructed the Israelites to gather the bread provided by the LORD, taking an omer for each person in their household. Everyone gathered as much as they needed, and regardless of how much or little they collected, no one had too much or too little. Moses warned them not to keep any of the bread until morning. However, some disobeyed and kept it overnight, only to find it spoiled with maggots and a foul smell, which angered Moses.
Storing the bread was not allowed because each day brought fresh provision, teaching the Israelites to experience God’s grace anew every day and to rely on Him consistently. This daily dependence was meant to cultivate trust in God as their provider.
The situation can be likened to a starving street dog brought into a home. Initially, the dog, not used to regular food, might try to bury leftover bones, fearing it won’t have food the next day. It hasn’t yet placed its trust in its new owner to provide for it daily. Similarly, we often hoard the LORD’s blessings, clinging to past provisions instead of trusting Him for fresh grace every day.
This mindset can lead us to recount old stories of God’s work in our lives without fully enjoying the new blessings He provides daily. If we had truly tasted and seen the goodness of God, we would continually return to Him, like coming to living water, to experience His grace afresh each day.
The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan. – Exodus 16:35 (NIV)
Discussion Questions
- Why do we idealize the past and cling to nostalgia instead of trusting God and moving forward in faith?
- Is God testing our faith like an experiment?
- What does the bread of the LORD symbolize?
- Why were the Israelites prohibited from storing the manna provided by the LORD?
The Jordan Valley 
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