Exodus 16

Because the Israelites disobeyed God’s specific instructions, Moses became angry. Moses had come to the place of complete confidence in the word of the LORD. He didn’t have the patience of God that saw them as children in the school of faith. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t believe God’s word.

Sometimes your leaders are impatient as well. We wonder why you can’t discern something is not of God, or how you could dabble in the world, when the Word of God is clear on that subject. We get upset when you do not take God at His word. It’s not that we are mad at you, but that we know your obedience to the Word is best for you. We all need to have patience. You see, we are all in school. We may be in different classes, but we are all in the school of life nevertheless.

This story so clearly shows us God’s attributes of patience and loving- kindness. After all they’ve seen, they are still maligning God’s intentions for bringing them out of Egypt. “…you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

How heartbreaking that must have been for God to hear, and yet, He knows their stage of spiritual growth and is humbling them to teach them that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3[notes1] )

The answer to the question, “Why God?”, is always the same. Because He loves us! It’s because He wants our faith to grow for our eternal good. (Galatians 5:6[notes2] ) He accepts us as we are because of our faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, but He won’t leave us where we are. That is why He tests us. That is why He leads us to places of thirst and hunger, so that we will hunger and thirst after Him and find Him to be the answer to our need.

²⁷ On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. ²⁸ And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? ²⁹ See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

The Sabbath is a controversial topic to many today. When we get to the laws given to Moses, we’ll discuss it more fully. The Sabbath rest goes all the way back to the creation story. (Genesis 2:2-3[notes3] ) It preceded the laws of Moses. This was another test, just as the order to gather only a certain amount on certain days, so they were to rest on the Sabbath and devote it to the worship of God.

The New Testament clearly shows us that for the early Christians the day of worship became the first day of the week, Sunday. (1Corinthians 16:2[notes4] ) It was called the Lord’s Day. The author of Hebrews declares that Jesus is our Sabbath rest. (Hebrews 4:9-11[notes5] ) The Apostle Paul tells us a number of times that we are no longer under the law. His most definitive statement on a day of worship is in Romans 14:5 (ESV) ⁵ One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

If you decide to take a day, whether Saturday or Sunday and do nothing but worship, good for you. If you are convinced that every day you should be dedicated to God in your every action, then good for you. We all answer to God for our own convictions and not for another’s. (Romans 14:13[notes6] ) Know in your own heart how God is leading you. Don’t condemn another believer because they are led differently in regards to these debatable issues. (Colossians 2:16-17[notes7] ) Physiologically it is good for you to take a day off. No other culture at the time had this custom. God blessed His people with rest. We need it! God isn’t a slave driver. He’s a loving Father.

3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

[notes2] Galatians 5:6 (ESV)

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

[notes3] Genesis 2:2-3 (ESV)

2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

[notes4] 1 Corinthians 16:2 (ESV)

2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

[notes5] Hebrews 4:9-11 (ESV)

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

[notes6] Romans 14:13 (ESV)

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

[notes7] Colossians 2:16-17 (ESV)

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

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