Exodus 16:13
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. 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.
At evening the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay round about the host, with bread falling from heaven around the tents during the night. This was a miracle by which God sustained Israel through the forty years in the wilderness and preserved the Sabbath law, upholding the binding claim of the seventh-day Sabbath hallowed at creation and given in Eden before it was proclaimed at Sinai. The feeding is repeated when Christ feeds thousands from five barley loaves and two small fishes, showing He is the divine giver of bread, and the manna is continual spiritual nourishment, for Christ is the living bread whose words are to be received continually so that those who come to Him and believe shall never hunger nor thirst. God's plan was not to give flesh but to feed them with the bread of heaven, and the quails came only after they murmured against that heaven-appointed food and craved Egypt's food, yet He could have supplied flesh as readily as manna but restricted it after one day for their good to correct appetite and restore taste for the food given to Adam and Eve in Eden. Contentment with the provision is a blessing and discontent a curse, and the account shows God is mindful of physical wants and can sustain His people miraculously, giving precedent for trusting Him to provide food during the time of trouble even by sending manna from heaven.
Evening Quails, Morning Manna
At evening the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. The daily bread fell from heaven around the tents during the night. This evening and morning feeding belonged to the miracle by which God sustained Israel through the forty years in the wilderness and preserved the Sabbath law. Even when Moses was absent God continued to feed the Hebrews morning and evening by divine care, protecting, leading and supplying them. When they longed for Egypt's food He gave manna, leading Israel and teaching them to change their eating habits.
This was God's first answer to Israel's clamors for flesh just before reaching Sinai, when quails came into the camp at evening. The flesh thus granted was furnished for only one day, the quails being eaten only one day. God could have supplied flesh as readily as manna, but restricted it for their good to correct appetite. He withheld flesh-meat because it was not the best food for them while traveling in the wilderness, removing flesh food in great measure to supply food better suited to their wants than the feverish diet of Egypt. The restriction was discipline to establish them in Canaan a pure, happy, healthy and righteous people, to bring the perverted appetite into a healthy state to enjoy the food given to Adam and Eve in Eden.
Had they willingly denied appetite in obedience to His restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them, and their descendants would have possessed physical and mental strength, clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination and sound judgment. Their unwillingness to submit, their murmuring at the restriction, and their lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt kept them from that standard and blessing, and when God let them have flesh it proved a curse to them. The provision granted was plenty of palatable food, quails at evening and manna with the morning dew, so wonderful it is called angels' food. The manna was sweet and nourishing when the God-given portion was accepted, and discontent with that provision brought worms in the manna, showing contentment to be a blessing and discontent a curse.
The bread sent from heaven was one of the marked events of the deliverance from Egypt never to be forgotten. It was given by direction from the pillar of cloud through Moses to the children of Israel, to be preserved as a memorial. It was to be told to children when they inquired about it, that they might know how the Lord brought His people out of bondage and oppression that they might serve Him and keep His Sabbaths.
Sabbath, Christ, and Providence
The evening quails and morning dew were part of the miracle by which God sustained Israel through the forty years in the wilderness and preserved the Sabbath law. The manna was given by God's miracle as food for Israel in the wilderness.
That miracle upholds the binding claim of the seventh-day Sabbath, which was hallowed and sanctified at creation. Its sacredness was afterward proclaimed in the giving of the commandments on Mount Sinai, where it stands in the very bosom of the Decalogue, yet this holy institution is discarded for a spurious first-day sabbath. The provision of manna testified continually to the Sabbath commandment, which God had given in Eden before proclaiming it at Sinai.
God's feeding of Israel with manna in the desert in the days of Moses is repeated when Christ feeds thousands of hungry people from five barley loaves and two small fishes, which no human power could do. That likeness shows Jesus is the divine giver of bread and He whom Moses had foretold, of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. The wilderness provision is an image of continual spiritual nourishment, for Christ is the living bread and His words are to be received continually. Temporal food is of far less consequence than spiritual food, for the wilderness bread points to the true bread from heaven that God Himself gives through Christ, the living bread that endures unto eternal life so that those who come to Him and believe on Him shall never hunger nor thirst.
The quails at evening and manna with the morning dew were plenty of palatable food so wonderful it is called angels' food, proving He is mindful of the physical wants of His followers and will provide food to satisfy bodily necessities. Care for the body as well as the soul is part of His provision through the manna that supplied the wilderness church's needs, and the blessings He gives are to be shared with those who are less favored. God provided for His people then and still lives, reigns, guides, and supplies what His people need for the work He gives them. That supply includes skill and understanding for their work. God provides for the benefit of His people.
Though the wilderness bread was miraculous mercy, He could have provided in the same miraculous way everything necessary for religious service, but He did not. In His infinite wisdom He saw that the moral discipline of His people depended on their cooperating with Him, every one doing something. Therefore as long as truth is progressive the claims of God rest upon men to give of what He has entrusted to them for that purpose, each bearing his share according to his abilities.
The quails arriving at evening and dew surrounding the camp in the morning show that God continued to feed the Hebrews morning and evening by divine care, even when Moses was absent. God provided food for Israel when the people were hungry, protecting, leading, and feeding them.
Appetite, Health, and Trust
God's plan in bringing Israel from Egypt was not to give flesh but to feed them freely with the bread of heaven, and the evening quails came only after they murmured against that heaven-appointed food, craving and demanding flesh and longing for Egypt's food, as a concession to rebellion rather than a continuing flesh diet. He could have supplied flesh by miracle as readily and as easily as manna, but He granted it for only one day and then withheld and removed it in great measure, restricting it for their good to correct perverted appetite. That restriction was to supply food better suited to their wants than the feverish diet of Egypt and to bring appetite into a healthy state to enjoy again the food given to Adam and Eve in Eden.
The restriction was discipline to establish them in Canaan a pure, happy, healthy, and righteous people. Had they willingly denied appetite in obedience, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them, and their descendants would have possessed physical and mental strength, clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But unwillingness to submit, murmuring at the restriction, and lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt kept them from that standard and blessing. The meat demanded was eaten to excess and proved a curse and a rebuke to appetite ruling them, with speedy consequences as many died while the flesh was yet between their teeth. The experience teaches that eating flesh shortens life and that God's people should study Israel's rebellion and learn not to demand flesh meat.
God was leading Israel and teaching them to change their eating habits, and the same God will now give His people knowledge of how to provide food in a simple, inexpensive manner from fruits and grains without flesh meats. In this way those who cannot obtain expensive preparations need not live on an impoverished diet. Knowledge of diet reform and simplicity of living, with lessons in hygienic cookery, is an essential part of education to be given in schools and in new places where the truth is presented. The provision was sweet and nourishing when the God-given portion was accepted, but discontent with it brought worms in the manna, showing contentment is a blessing and discontent a curse. That account shows God can sustain His people miraculously and is a precedent for trusting Him to provide food during the time of trouble, even by sending manna from heaven.