A Brief Study of the Tabernacle

By Ellsworth A. Archer

Chapter 12

THE POT OF MANNA.

Ex. 16.

     A short time after Israel had left Egypt they began to complain because of the shortage of food, so the Lord told Moses that He would rain bread from heaven every morning. This was a miracle that lasted for forty years. Throughout all their wanderings in the wilderness, Jehovah supplied bread for them. That the people might not forget the mercy of the Lord in thus supplying their needs he commanded that an omer (about five pints) of it be placed in a pot and kept, that future generations might see the bread with which Jehovah fed them when he brought them forth from the land of Egypt. (Ex. 16:3234; Heb. 9:4.)

     Notice that this manna was to be given fresh every day, and they were not to keep it until the next day or it would become stale and unfit for use. There was but one exception to this, and that was on the sixth day they were to gather a double supply to last over the Sabbath. In this case it did not spoil.

     We may receive a fresh supply of grace every day. Some people act as though they must get sufficient grace on the Sabbath to last throughout the week. But "as thy days, so shall thy strength be." As God was faithful in giving the manna to the Israelites, so He will be faithful in supplying grace and strength for each day if we but ask Him and trust Him for it. "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19.) He does not say that He will supply our wants, or what we think we need, but what He sees we need.