This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
now available for $7.50.

EXODUS
CHAPTER 16
1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

The "Wilderness of Sin" is generally considered by most to be a barren area
on the NW of Mt. Sinai Peninsula. The Israelites had only been gone from Egypt
for 31 days. This is another reason for believing that the "Red Sea" they had
crossed was the sea that is now called the Gulf of Suez.

2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

In verse 1 we see they had just left Elam, which was where they had plenty of
water. But now they begin to complain bitterly.

4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

God knows our every need before we ask. He speaks to Moses and tells him
that bread will be provided.
The people are to gather only enough for each day; and the day before the Sabbath,
they are to gather twice as much. This is so they will not be gathering
on the Sabbath.
Notice that in verse 4, God says this will "prove" (or test) them as to whether
they are willing to obediently follow His express will.

6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: 7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?

Moses says that the NEXT morning they will see that God provides all that is necessary.
People generally do a lot of complaining. And, sometimes, it is justified and necessary.
However, most times, we needn't complain about the leaders God has provided.
We usually just need to obediently follow His express will. If we have our personal
relationship with God in order, everything else pretty well goes along right.
As Christians, we need to focus more on "the glory of the Lord." (vs 7)

8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. 9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. 10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

That very evening they would receive meat to eat, and in the morning they would have
more bread than they could eat.
A word of caution here. Moses and Aaron are human leaders, not saviors. And they,
Moses and Aaron, call the people together so they can witness God's power and glory.
Then God caused them to SEE His glory in the "pillar of cloud." We are not
but, somehow, this cloud took on a new look.
This is called the "Shekinah," or glory cloud of the Lord. It was in this cloud that
Jesus ascended after his resurrection (Acts 1:9).
When we really focus our attention on obediently following God's will, we have a
NEW perception of His glory!

11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

God Himself spoke from the cloud to Moses with this assurance - it will be
as He has said.
If we'll believe that, it will usually quiet our "murmurings."

13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. 15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

That evening so many quail came over they were easy to catch. This provided them with
a feast.
Isn't it wonderful what God can do with nature for US?
Then, the next thing that God did was supernatural. He provided "manna" on the
ground after the dew was gone. The word manna means "what is it?"
They had never seen anything like it before, and there has never been anythihng like it since.
All indications are that they had this manna every morning for 41 years!
(see vs 35 and Josh. 5:12 together)
Christians, if we will focus on obedient servitude rather than our problems,
we will find that we can be satisfied with God's provisions all our lives!

17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. 19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

There was a "community harvest" of the manna. They pooled their collection
of it so that everyone had the same amount.
Moses gave a word of caution not to leave any for the next day. God teaches us that
we should ask Him to "Give us this day our daily bread..." (Matt. 6:11, 6:33-35).
Let's remember to be content with this day and sleep soundly knowing that God will also
provide for us tomorrow (Philippians 4:11).

20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Maybe some of the people didn't hear Moses due to the excitement. Maybe some weren't
paying attention. Then some tried to be "wise in their own eyes" and "lay up treasures
on earth," so to speak.
God will not allow blessings to be misused. That which we think to do for ourselves
only STINKS (Is. 64:6). Let's live GOD'S way and our lives will be
glory to Him and more satisfying for ourselves.

21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. 22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

One the day before the Sabbath they were to gather double. The extra woudl be kept for
use on the Sabbath and God would not let it be corrupted.
We should get everything as much in order as we can before the Sabbath
so that worldly and selfish desires will not encumber us on that day.
Remember what Jesus said, "..the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."
The Sabbath was created for man to have rest IN and WITH God. There are some
necessities we must care for on that day, but we must "Remember the Sabbath day,
to keep it holy." (Ex. 20:8)
There are repercussions of the sin of "profaning" God's holy day (Neh. 13:16-18).

28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

God saw that some didn't gather double on the day before the Sabbath, and
He saw as they went out on the Sabbath. Then God gave a command for all the
people to "be still."
It is when we come before God obediently LISTENING that He teaches us truth.
(See Job 37:14, Ps. 46:18)

31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. 34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

Moses told Aaron and the people that an "omer" (2 dry quarts) of this manna would be
sealed in a vase. It would be a memorial, and would help them to remember the
supernatural work of God in providing for them.
Later, this omer of manna would be placed in the "Ark of the Covenant."
Do you keep notes or records of the wonderful supernatural things God
has done for you?
Next time you are discouraged, you might pull out the record and
become encouraged!

Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.