THE MYSTERY OF THE MANNA

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When God brought Israel out of Egypt, people complained because they didn’t have enough food. The Lord then provided them with something where they may learn to depend on His provision, where the only thing that mattered was the Word that proceeded out of His mouth.

This provision from God is the Manna. We need to understand the Mystery of the Manna and the lessons that it teaches us. It is a principle that destroys the “slave mentality” in us and gives birth to our total trust in God.

The greatest challenge for Moses is not the lack of food; it is the “Egypt” inside the hearts of the Israelites. They would rather be slave in Egypt to eat its meat than to be freed by the Lord. When their journey becomes difficult, their carnal mind immediately seeks the familiar comfort of its former bondage.

Exodus 16:2–3“And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

The Israelites were willing to be slaves as long as they had “flesh pots.” They preferred the delicacies of a dictator over the freedom of the Lord. They forgot the slavery, the whip, the hard labor, and the bricks without straw because they longed for the flesh pots.

Think about this: the first thing that our Lord will do for us is to free us first. He can only work in us fully if we are free. That’s why He will do everything for you to be free first (Gal. 5:1). He would rather have you to be hungry for a while but free than be full but enslaved in Egypt. We must realize that God will often strip away your “flesh pots” to ensure that your soul is no longer owned by the systems of this world.

When God provides, He does it in a way that the human mind cannot categorize. It didn’t look like the bread of Egypt. It was unfamiliar.

Exodus 16:14–15“And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.”

The word Manna literally means “What is it?“

God’s provision often comes in a form that bypasses our recognition. Manna was not given for security, it was given so that Israel might learn to be dependent daily to God. Manna is humble and small food, and requires a daily gathering. It is not handed to you in a warehouse; it is found on the ground at the start of your day. You just need to go and collect it. Manna signifies God’s daily provision to us.

The most striking feature of the Manna was its expiration date. God was not just feeding their bellies; He was re-engineering their faith.

Exodus 16:16, 19“This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating… And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.”

The instruction was clear: No leftovers. Any attempt to hoard the Manna resulted in a stench.

Exodus 16:20“Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.”

Israel’s problem of not following God’s instruction about collecting Manna was not about spoilage; it was their refusal to trust God to provide for the next day.

When you try to secure your own tomorrow by hoarding today’s grace, you are operating in the spirit of an orphan. You are saying, “I don’t trust that my Father will be faithful when the sun rises tomorrow.” Manna was given to teach Israel—and every believer today—to be daily dependent on God.

We need Christ daily. This is why our Lord Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our DAILY bread (Mat. 6:11).” Not weekly. Not monthly. Why? Because He wanted you to trust Him daily.

Consider the story of a King and his son. If the King gives the Son a year’s worth of providence at once, the Son may only visit the King once a year. But if the King gives the Son enough for only one day, the Son must walk into the Father’s presence every single morning. God uses your “need” to ensure your “nearness” and to trust Him.

He is more interested in His Relationship with you than the Resources He would provide you.

We must understand that God is the Master of both corruption and preservation. He controls the “shelf life” of our provisions, our finances, and our strength. His grace and faithfulness are not designed as insurance for us just to wait. We need to discover them every day.

Each morning, Israel had to step outside their tents and discover whether God

would again be faithful. And each morning, He was. Everyday, enough provisions are given by the Lord to them. And these provisions are given by God everyday without fail, for almost 40 years! Until they have entered the Promised Land. This is how faithful God is! Whether Israel will keep His Word or not, He still provides for them, without falter everyday.

And mind you, collecting God’s provision is easy. Israel doesn’t need to go to a far place to collect the Manna. They don’t need to trek a high mountain or swim across seas to collect it. They don’t even need to plant or herd it. They just need to step outside their houses every morning and act on their faith to collect. The manna was easily accessible.

God’s provision is easily accessible. Why? Because it was Him who promised us that all our needs will be taken care of if only we seek His Kingdom first:

Mat. 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

On ordinary days, the Manna rotted if kept for the next day. But on the sixth day, a miracle occurred:

Exodus 16:22–24 “And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread… And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.”

On the sixth day, Israel was told to gather twice as much Manna. The extra portion did not wroth. This shows that the issue was never the manna itself. It means that it is God Himself Who controls both the corruption and preservation of our provisions.

It is Him that controls your business or work (your provisions). Whether they will prosper or not, it depends on God alone. Our sources of income are sustained by Him alone.

On ordinary days, it spoiled to the next day to teach us trust and daily dependence.
On the sixth day, it endured to teach us rest and be secured in Him.

Preservation happens not when we decide to “keep” it, but when God commands it to be kept. If God tells you to use it today, and you save it, it will rot. If God tells you to rest and wait, He will preserve what you have.

Manna was not merely “survival food.” It carried the taste of their destination – the Promised Land

Exodus 16:31 “And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.”

Manna tasted like wafer made of honey. This is like a glimpse of the Promised Land, as the Promised Land is flowing with Milk and Honey. This is the same with our daily walk with Christ—the True Manna— we are experiencing here on Earth a “sample” of the heavenly glory to come if we walk with Christ. Manna is the “earnest” of our inheritance.

Finally, God commanded that a portion of this “temporary” bread be placed in a golden pot and kept inside the Ark of the Covenant.

Exodus 16:33–34 “And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations… so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.”

The Ark is where the presence of the Lord is, that’s why the Manna never rotted there. It stayed fresh for centuries. This is the final lesson for every believer: Anything placed in the presence of the Lord is exempt from the laws of decay.

If your work, business, life and your family are all laid up before the Lord, they will be preserved by His Shekinah glory.

Remember that the story of the Manna was only a shadow. The reality is a Person.

John 6:32–35 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven… And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

Beloved Bride of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ is our Manna. He is the Manna that never rots. Do not come back to the “flesh pots” of Egypt anymore—the false security of world. Instead, step outside your tents every morning. Gather the Word everyday for yourself and for your love ones. The Manna is easily accessible; it is as near as the dew.

Your strength is not in your “reserves.” Your strength is in your Daily Discovery of the faithfulness of God. Start trusting the One who controls your provisions.

Christ is the Manna. You need to gather Him today.