And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
Some went out on the seventh day to gather manna despite the double portion given on the sixth day and the command to rest, and they found none because none fell on that day. This was a standing weekly miracle through nearly forty years, with a double quantity on the sixth day enough for two days, none on the seventh, and the Friday portion kept fresh through the Sabbath while on other days it spoiled. By withholding the bread on the seventh day God established that day as sacred rest rather than a day for gathering or work, and the weekly provision and preservation constantly reminded Israel of its obligation. The seventh day without manna was the test of Sabbath obedience pointing back to the Sabbath given in Eden before Sinai, yet the lesson did not bring the people to full obedience in the wilderness. As God brought Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, so He calls His people in the last days out of Babylon to keep His memorial Sabbath rather than the rival spurious sabbath, with Sabbath food prepared on Friday and no gathering or cooking labor on the holy day.
Wilderness Manna Miracle
The verse belongs to the history of Israel in Exodus 13-16 under the leadership of Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, with the manna connected to going out on the seventh day and finding none given by a miracle of God. It stands just after the deliverance from Egypt, where taskmasters had forced Sabbath labor by increasing the weekly work, and God brought the people to a place where they might observe unmolested all the precepts of Jehovah afterward spoken at Sinai.
Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather manna despite the double portion provided on the preceding day and the command to rest, and they found none because no manna was provided or fell on that day. The absence confirmed that God had provided for the Sabbath and that it was not a day for gathering or work.
The absence on the seventh day was part of a standing weekly miracle through nearly forty years of wandering. Every sixth day a double quantity was given, with enough provided on Friday for two days, and none on the seventh. The Friday portion was miraculously preserved fresh through the Sabbath, while on other days what was kept became unfit for use, and the provision and absence together marked the day as a double miracle. By this withholding God sustained the validity of the seventh day.
The wilderness bread was bread from heaven, food provided by the angels, sent out of God's great care and love and mercy. It was given for Israel's highest good, with everything concerning well-being the subject of divine solicitude and coming within divine law as part of an education embracing all habits of life. Its nature was suited to promote physical, mental, and moral strength, so that notwithstanding the hardships of wilderness life there was not a feeble one in all their tribes.
Sabbath Sacredness Taught
By withholding manna on the seventh day God sustained the validity of the seventh day, and the empty field where some went out to gather and found nothing confirmed that He had provided for the Sabbath beforehand and that it was not a day for gathering or work. The provision and the absence together were a double miracle that marked the day as sacred. That observance belonged to the purpose for which Israel was called out of Egypt, that they might keep God's Sabbath as a day of rest rather than gathering.
The withholding every seventh day, together with the miraculous preservation of the double portion gathered beforehand, constantly reminded Israel through nearly forty years of wandering of His appointed rest day. No manna fell on that day because the Lord had provided enough on Friday for two days, with a double portion on the preceding day joined to the command to rest. This weekly standing miracle reminded Israel of the Sabbath's sacred obligation.
The repeated provision was a reminder of the Sabbath law given in Eden. The recurring miracle continually testified to the Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was given at Sinai, with the sixth-day supply proving enough for the Sabbath.
The seventh day on which no manna was to be gathered was the test of Sabbath obedience, set after God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath. The miracle was threefold — a double quantity on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and its keeping fresh through the Sabbath while on other days it became unfit for use — designed to impress Israel with the sacredness of the Sabbath as bread from heaven provided in great care and love. Yet the weekly lesson did not lead the people to obedience, for their neglect of the Sabbath continued during the wilderness years despite the provision and command. After being abundantly supplied with food, the people were ashamed of their unbelief and murmurings and promised to trust the Lord for the future.
Last-Day Call and Practice
God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, and the seventh day on which no manna was to be gathered was the test of that keeping. That deliverance to keep the Sabbath is the pattern for the last-day call of God's people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast nor his image. The call is to keep God's memorial Sabbath instead of the rival spurious sabbath.
Those who honored God's Sabbath could share the heavenly food given to Israel in the wilderness, for some went out to gather on the seventh day and found none because none was provided. That miraculous provision of bread is an example of mercy, while God left His people to cooperate in providing for religious service.
Going out to gather food on the seventh day is wrong and finds nothing, because Sabbath food must be prepared on Friday. Eating places must be closed on the Sabbath with no labor done to cook or sell, but simple foods should be wrapped on Friday into little packages with a note of their cost and laid in baskets for people to take to their apartments to live on till work opens again. This Friday preparation is duty toward both customers and helpers. The plea that ordinary weekday food cannot be eaten on the Sabbath without making sick gives no excuse for Sabbath work, for good bread, crackers, and other simple wholesome food prepared beforehand is enough.
Some went out on the seventh day to gather manna despite the double portion given on the sixth day and the command to rest, and they found none because none fell on that day. This was a standing weekly miracle through nearly forty years, with a double quantity on the sixth day enough for two days, none on the seventh, and the Friday portion kept fresh through the Sabbath while on other days it spoiled. By withholding the bread on the seventh day God established that day as sacred rest rather than a day for gathering or work, and the weekly provision and preservation constantly reminded Israel of its obligation. The seventh day without manna was the test of Sabbath obedience pointing back to the Sabbath given in Eden before Sinai, yet the lesson did not bring the people to full obedience in the wilderness. As God brought Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, so He calls His people in the last days out of Babylon to keep His memorial Sabbath rather than the rival spurious sabbath, with Sabbath food prepared on Friday and no gathering or cooking labor on the holy day.
Wilderness Manna Miracle
The verse belongs to the history of Israel in Exodus 13-16 under the leadership of Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, with the manna connected to going out on the seventh day and finding none given by a miracle of God. It stands just after the deliverance from Egypt, where taskmasters had forced Sabbath labor by increasing the weekly work, and God brought the people to a place where they might observe unmolested all the precepts of Jehovah afterward spoken at Sinai.
Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather manna despite the double portion provided on the preceding day and the command to rest, and they found none because no manna was provided or fell on that day. The absence confirmed that God had provided for the Sabbath and that it was not a day for gathering or work.
The absence on the seventh day was part of a standing weekly miracle through nearly forty years of wandering. Every sixth day a double quantity was given, with enough provided on Friday for two days, and none on the seventh. The Friday portion was miraculously preserved fresh through the Sabbath, while on other days what was kept became unfit for use, and the provision and absence together marked the day as a double miracle. By this withholding God sustained the validity of the seventh day.
The wilderness bread was bread from heaven, food provided by the angels, sent out of God's great care and love and mercy. It was given for Israel's highest good, with everything concerning well-being the subject of divine solicitude and coming within divine law as part of an education embracing all habits of life. Its nature was suited to promote physical, mental, and moral strength, so that notwithstanding the hardships of wilderness life there was not a feeble one in all their tribes.
Sabbath Sacredness Taught
By withholding manna on the seventh day God sustained the validity of the seventh day, and the empty field where some went out to gather and found nothing confirmed that He had provided for the Sabbath beforehand and that it was not a day for gathering or work. The provision and the absence together were a double miracle that marked the day as sacred. That observance belonged to the purpose for which Israel was called out of Egypt, that they might keep God's Sabbath as a day of rest rather than gathering.
The withholding every seventh day, together with the miraculous preservation of the double portion gathered beforehand, constantly reminded Israel through nearly forty years of wandering of His appointed rest day. No manna fell on that day because the Lord had provided enough on Friday for two days, with a double portion on the preceding day joined to the command to rest. This weekly standing miracle reminded Israel of the Sabbath's sacred obligation.
The repeated provision was a reminder of the Sabbath law given in Eden. The recurring miracle continually testified to the Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was given at Sinai, with the sixth-day supply proving enough for the Sabbath.
The seventh day on which no manna was to be gathered was the test of Sabbath obedience, set after God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath. The miracle was threefold — a double quantity on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and its keeping fresh through the Sabbath while on other days it became unfit for use — designed to impress Israel with the sacredness of the Sabbath as bread from heaven provided in great care and love. Yet the weekly lesson did not lead the people to obedience, for their neglect of the Sabbath continued during the wilderness years despite the provision and command. After being abundantly supplied with food, the people were ashamed of their unbelief and murmurings and promised to trust the Lord for the future.
Last-Day Call and Practice
God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, and the seventh day on which no manna was to be gathered was the test of that keeping. That deliverance to keep the Sabbath is the pattern for the last-day call of God's people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast nor his image. The call is to keep God's memorial Sabbath instead of the rival spurious sabbath.
Those who honored God's Sabbath could share the heavenly food given to Israel in the wilderness, for some went out to gather on the seventh day and found none because none was provided. That miraculous provision of bread is an example of mercy, while God left His people to cooperate in providing for religious service.
Going out to gather food on the seventh day is wrong and finds nothing, because Sabbath food must be prepared on Friday. Eating places must be closed on the Sabbath with no labor done to cook or sell, but simple foods should be wrapped on Friday into little packages with a note of their cost and laid in baskets for people to take to their apartments to live on till work opens again. This Friday preparation is duty toward both customers and helpers. The plea that ordinary weekday food cannot be eaten on the Sabbath without making sick gives no excuse for Sabbath work, for good bread, crackers, and other simple wholesome food prepared beforehand is enough.