The Lord spoke to Moses from the pillar of cloud, Christ Himself leading Israel unseen by day and night, to answer their complaints and clamor for food while testing them with the promise of meat in the evening and bread in the morning so they would know He was their God. He sent bread from heaven daily with the falling dew by a miracle only divine power could perform, angels' food and the best food possible, in which all shared as clear evidence of His power, goodness and care. That miracle continually testified to the seventh day hallowed at creation in Eden and afterward proclaimed at Sinai in the bosom of the Decalogue, and it stands as a memorial of deliverance from Egypt's bondage to be repeated to children in the home. The same divine work Christ repeated in feeding thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes, proving He is the prophet Moses foretold, the living bread to be continually fed upon, and the pledge that in the future time of trouble the saints' bread and water will be sure. The same God still lives to supply bodily needs as well as spiritual, giving knowledge of simple diet from fruits and grains without flesh meats and reforming eating habits, while purposely leaving men to cooperate with Him by systematic benevolence bearing equally on all according to ability.
Wilderness Provision Described
The Majesty of heaven communicated God's will to Moses from the pillar of cloud, speaking to him concerning manna given by a miracle of God in the history of Exodus 13-16. Christ Himself was Israel's invisible Leader in that history, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. From that pillar He spoke to Moses to provide food for hungry Israel and quiet their murmurings, with lessons to be given to the children of Israel.
God spoke to answer Israel's complaints, murmurings, and clamor for food while testing the people in the wilderness journey. He promised meat in the evening and bread in the morning, so that the people would know that He was their God. The clamor answered was especially for flesh meat when manna was first given just before reaching Sinai.
The provision was bread from heaven sent daily with the falling dew, a work only divine power could perform in which all the people shared its benefit. It was angels' food, the best food possible, given to stop murmuring yet not satisfying them. It displayed His power and goodness and His working for the benefit of His people.
The flesh meat answered the longing for Egypt's food and was first given just before reaching Sinai. It was eaten for only one day and then was withheld because it was not the best food for them while traveling in the wilderness. God used this provision as part of reforming their eating habits. Israel's later craving for meat and rejection of His provision brought judgment.
The speaking stands among God's wondrous works for a people blessed with great light and precious opportunities to know His will. Those works include defending them against the vast army of Pharaoh, giving springs of cool water flowing from the Rock, and manifesting His glory to them. They include guiding and protecting the people and supplying their necessities, with care for bodily needs belonging alongside care for spiritual needs. Christ led Israel in the pillar of cloud, taught them, gave them laws, and provided heaven's blessings, which they were to share with those less favored, as clear evidence of divine care.
Sabbath, Christ, and Promise
The miracle of manna sustains the validity of the seventh day, for God Himself upheld the day He had hallowed and sanctified at creation in Eden. Its sacredness was afterward proclaimed in the giving of the commandments on Mount Sinai in the very bosom of the Decalogue, and the manna continually testified to that Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was proclaimed at Sinai. This holy institution remains binding, though it has been discarded for a spurious first-day sabbath.
The feeding of Israel in the desert was a work only divine power could perform, and all the people shared in its benefit. Christ's feeding of thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes repeats that same divine work of feeding Israel in the desert. By that repetition He is proved to be the same divine provider, and to be the prophet Moses foretold who should come into the world.
The heavenly food provided for the people in the wilderness is a picture of continually feeding on Christ, the living bread. God's sustaining of His people with food from heaven illustrates how He will sustain the saints during the future time of trouble. Then their bread and water will be sure, and they will not lack food.
The bread sent from heaven was a marked event never to be forgotten, a memorial of the miraculous escape from Egypt to be preserved. It commemorated the wonderful deliverance the Lord wrought in bringing Israel out from bondage and oppression that they might serve Him and keep His Sabbaths. When children should inquire regarding these memorials they were to be told of the great events that took place when Israel was leaving Egypt. The bread from heaven stands with the water provided from the rock as first lessons parents are to repeat to their children in the home training school.
Present Lessons and Duties
The manna given after the Lord spoke to Moses shows mercy and that bodily needs can be supplied, with care for bodily necessities belonging alongside care for spiritual needs. The same God still lives and reigns, guiding His people and giving skill and understanding for their work, giving wisdom in answer to earnest prayer to those who do duty conscientiously and intelligently, and blessing their efforts with growth and success. He works for the benefit of His people, guides them and provides for them in their work today, and gives fresh provision suited to their needs. Christ led Israel in the pillar of cloud, gave them laws, and provided heaven's blessings, which they were to share with those less favored.
As God answered complaint with meat in the evening and bread in the morning so they would know He was their God and provided what they needed, so He now gives His people knowledge and skill about preparing food rather than entrusting that knowledge to only one person or group. He will give knowledge of how to provide food in a simple manner, preparing foods from fruits and grains that are more simple and less expensive than many foods now obtained. This teaches diet reform, hygienic cookery, and living without flesh meats, so that those who cannot obtain expensive preparations need not live upon an impoverished diet. The manna answered longing for Egypt's food, and God used that provision as part of reforming eating habits under Christ's leading, teaching, and clear evidence of divine care.
Bread was provided in the wilderness by a miracle of mercy, proving everything necessary for religious service could have been provided directly. It was purposely not so provided because in infinite wisdom it was seen that moral discipline depended on cooperating with Him with each one doing a part and every one doing something. As long as truth is progressive a portion of what has been entrusted to men is claimed for that purpose, with systematic benevolence instituted to bear equally on all according to ability and several abilities. Every one is left to be his own assessor to give as purposed in the heart.
The Lord spoke to Moses from the pillar of cloud, Christ Himself leading Israel unseen by day and night, to answer their complaints and clamor for food while testing them with the promise of meat in the evening and bread in the morning so they would know He was their God. He sent bread from heaven daily with the falling dew by a miracle only divine power could perform, angels' food and the best food possible, in which all shared as clear evidence of His power, goodness and care. That miracle continually testified to the seventh day hallowed at creation in Eden and afterward proclaimed at Sinai in the bosom of the Decalogue, and it stands as a memorial of deliverance from Egypt's bondage to be repeated to children in the home. The same divine work Christ repeated in feeding thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes, proving He is the prophet Moses foretold, the living bread to be continually fed upon, and the pledge that in the future time of trouble the saints' bread and water will be sure. The same God still lives to supply bodily needs as well as spiritual, giving knowledge of simple diet from fruits and grains without flesh meats and reforming eating habits, while purposely leaving men to cooperate with Him by systematic benevolence bearing equally on all according to ability.
Wilderness Provision Described
The Majesty of heaven communicated God's will to Moses from the pillar of cloud, speaking to him concerning manna given by a miracle of God in the history of Exodus 13-16. Christ Himself was Israel's invisible Leader in that history, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. From that pillar He spoke to Moses to provide food for hungry Israel and quiet their murmurings, with lessons to be given to the children of Israel.
God spoke to answer Israel's complaints, murmurings, and clamor for food while testing the people in the wilderness journey. He promised meat in the evening and bread in the morning, so that the people would know that He was their God. The clamor answered was especially for flesh meat when manna was first given just before reaching Sinai.
The provision was bread from heaven sent daily with the falling dew, a work only divine power could perform in which all the people shared its benefit. It was angels' food, the best food possible, given to stop murmuring yet not satisfying them. It displayed His power and goodness and His working for the benefit of His people.
The flesh meat answered the longing for Egypt's food and was first given just before reaching Sinai. It was eaten for only one day and then was withheld because it was not the best food for them while traveling in the wilderness. God used this provision as part of reforming their eating habits. Israel's later craving for meat and rejection of His provision brought judgment.
The speaking stands among God's wondrous works for a people blessed with great light and precious opportunities to know His will. Those works include defending them against the vast army of Pharaoh, giving springs of cool water flowing from the Rock, and manifesting His glory to them. They include guiding and protecting the people and supplying their necessities, with care for bodily needs belonging alongside care for spiritual needs. Christ led Israel in the pillar of cloud, taught them, gave them laws, and provided heaven's blessings, which they were to share with those less favored, as clear evidence of divine care.
Sabbath, Christ, and Promise
The miracle of manna sustains the validity of the seventh day, for God Himself upheld the day He had hallowed and sanctified at creation in Eden. Its sacredness was afterward proclaimed in the giving of the commandments on Mount Sinai in the very bosom of the Decalogue, and the manna continually testified to that Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was proclaimed at Sinai. This holy institution remains binding, though it has been discarded for a spurious first-day sabbath.
The feeding of Israel in the desert was a work only divine power could perform, and all the people shared in its benefit. Christ's feeding of thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes repeats that same divine work of feeding Israel in the desert. By that repetition He is proved to be the same divine provider, and to be the prophet Moses foretold who should come into the world.
The heavenly food provided for the people in the wilderness is a picture of continually feeding on Christ, the living bread. God's sustaining of His people with food from heaven illustrates how He will sustain the saints during the future time of trouble. Then their bread and water will be sure, and they will not lack food.
The bread sent from heaven was a marked event never to be forgotten, a memorial of the miraculous escape from Egypt to be preserved. It commemorated the wonderful deliverance the Lord wrought in bringing Israel out from bondage and oppression that they might serve Him and keep His Sabbaths. When children should inquire regarding these memorials they were to be told of the great events that took place when Israel was leaving Egypt. The bread from heaven stands with the water provided from the rock as first lessons parents are to repeat to their children in the home training school.
Present Lessons and Duties
The manna given after the Lord spoke to Moses shows mercy and that bodily needs can be supplied, with care for bodily necessities belonging alongside care for spiritual needs. The same God still lives and reigns, guiding His people and giving skill and understanding for their work, giving wisdom in answer to earnest prayer to those who do duty conscientiously and intelligently, and blessing their efforts with growth and success. He works for the benefit of His people, guides them and provides for them in their work today, and gives fresh provision suited to their needs. Christ led Israel in the pillar of cloud, gave them laws, and provided heaven's blessings, which they were to share with those less favored.
As God answered complaint with meat in the evening and bread in the morning so they would know He was their God and provided what they needed, so He now gives His people knowledge and skill about preparing food rather than entrusting that knowledge to only one person or group. He will give knowledge of how to provide food in a simple manner, preparing foods from fruits and grains that are more simple and less expensive than many foods now obtained. This teaches diet reform, hygienic cookery, and living without flesh meats, so that those who cannot obtain expensive preparations need not live upon an impoverished diet. The manna answered longing for Egypt's food, and God used that provision as part of reforming eating habits under Christ's leading, teaching, and clear evidence of divine care.
Bread was provided in the wilderness by a miracle of mercy, proving everything necessary for religious service could have been provided directly. It was purposely not so provided because in infinite wisdom it was seen that moral discipline depended on cooperating with Him with each one doing a part and every one doing something. As long as truth is progressive a portion of what has been entrusted to men is claimed for that purpose, with systematic benevolence instituted to bear equally on all according to ability and several abilities. Every one is left to be his own assessor to give as purposed in the heart.