Although Elim sounds nice, the travel continues. Why not stay in Elim? Well, it’s neither the mountain of the Lord (Mt. Sinai) nor the promised land of Canaan for starters. More directly, though, the cloud and fire that leads them places ain’t staying in Elim. When the magic cloud and fire move, you pack up your goods and head out as well, twelve springs and seventy palm trees or otherwise.
They keep heading south (towards Sinai) and travel through the wilderness of Sin (Hebrew “Ciyn”, pronounced “seen”, unrelated, and not the same word, as “sin” being a transgression and separation from God). They are back in a desert and it’s been one month since they left Egypt. They have grumbled already against there being a lack of drinkable water, now the same complaint will arise due to lack of food. Before we are too harsh on them, these complaints are not completely without merit. The food and water issues are legitimate (otherwise God wouldn’t step in to remedy them). Even as they were overworked and deprived of the right to worship appropriately, lack of food or water was not mentioned as one of the issues in Egypt. Certainly, there is truth in the change of their situation here.
However, lest we be too easy on them, let’s not forget that they are following the aforementioned magic cloud on the daily. They have seen the mighty hand of Lord against the Egyptians, they have seen their first born spared, the nation that kept them as slaves send them out with jewels, a sea be held back to give them dry land to traverse it, and that same sea fall upon their hapless pursuers to close out God’s judgment against them. They had seen enough to know that Yahweh was the one true God, was more powerful than any ruler or god that might come up against Him, and that this one true God was with them and for them. And yet, here they are, grumbling.
Remember, they are a people in training. God was clear back in Exodus 6 that the Israelites weren’t simply being set free from Egypt, they were being brought to a new situation and identity, one in which they were to be the people of Yahweh, in His service. It is clear that they do not yet know how to do that. These times of testing are necessary so that God may demonstrate His faithfulness to them. Whereas the plagues and wonders in Egypt were aimed to ensure that the Egyptians knew who indeed was the Lord, these tests during the time in the wilderness will do much the same thing for the Israelites. Trust is not just a concept that can live within our mind, it must be acted upon, demonstrated. The Israelites will struggle, as we certainly do today, in putting complete faith in God for provision, trust in His way of doing things. In a nation where we are generally capable of providing for ourselves in almost every way, we must be cautious of not re-defining faith as purely a notional (shadow) concept.
God affirms this notion of testing in v. 4. After the people complain (insinuating that they might as well have died at the hand of the Lord in Egypt around pots of meat than at the hands of Lord’s lack of provision here in the desert), God tells Moses that He personally will provide bread to the people. This is a test as to whether they will walk in His law (torah) or not. Again, they are a people in training. God is showing His faithfulness so they will begin to trust Him in all that He is about to command them (following basic instructions on collections of free honey wafers will pale in comparison to the commands God will give them at Sinai and beyond).
Moses and Aaron receive the word from God and pass it on, but first they make sure it’s clear to the people that they are not worth grumbling at, the complaint is between the people and Yahweh. I don’t think Moses and Aaron are trying to deflect blame, instead they are trying to make sure it is clear that God is about to step in to solve (vs. Moses doing it, as they may have believed after the bitter water incident at Marah). This point is confirmed as Aaron is talking to the people and the “…glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud” in that moment. (The Lord has yet to provide such an exclamation point to any proclamations of mine.) Then God promises that they will eat meat at twilight and then bread in the morning. From this the people will know that Yahweh is the Lord their God. (This is interesting in that, back to chapter 6, God says they will know He is God when He gets them out of Egypt. Now the definition includes the provision action about to take place. There is a lot of grace and patience in this chapter that these people don’t particularly deserve.)
In the evening, quail show up and cover the camp. This is a one-time action that is a direct response to their grumbling about there being no food. And it’s not a meager amount, it covers the camp. The next morning, there is an interesting flaky substance on the ground that God has provided for them. The people see it and ask “what is it?” (Hebrew “man hu”, which is basically what they end up calling it (“manna”). Moses explains to them how it works. The Lord will provide it every morning and each person is supposed to gather what they can eat (an omer per person is the expectation), just enough for one day. Of course, there’s one in every crowd who thinks he is going to take advantage of the situation and tries to take extra, and the next morning it is covered in worms and had a stank on it. This makes Moses angry. As the sun gets hot, the manna melts. (It isn’t clear whether there are piles of manna-lick available for the animals at this point, I’m assuming there are.)
On the sixth day of the week, God provides twice the amount of manna for them (two omers each). He’s giving them the means to be able to rest. Moses tells them that the next day is a Sabbath (means “cease work”) so he gives them double the amount so they don’t have to collect any the next day. Unlike every other day, this double portion can be kept overnight without risk of worms and stank. Of course, there’s one in every crowd who doesn’t pay attention to the situation and some of them head out on day 7 looking to gather manna. God says He will give them rest and make sure provisions exist to ensure it and these wandering goons are out there the next morning trying to do more work. God is not pleased.
I’ll quote this in full as it remains important: “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and laws? 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.” So the people rested on the seventh day.”
A few things. The Sabbath is a gift. This day of rest was foreshadowed in the rhythms of God’s creation and He is instilling it in His people now. (Note, this is before the official 10 commandments). Fellas, we need this. If your life does not permit a consistent pattern of rest, you’re taking a gift that God has crafted for you (one that you need) and throwing it back at Him. Not a wise move. Sure, you don’t have to open your birthday presents, but you’d be a damn fool not to. That’s what’s happening when you are rejecting a day of rest. Put the priority on it (I’m guilty as charged on this).
Also, don’t over crank on the “…let no one go out of his place…” business. The context here was the collection of the manna, not a general house arrest because it’s Saturday. The goal was to provide a day of rest that would not require them to do the work they had to every other day.
God commands that some of the manna should be kept over the generations as proof to the Israelites that God has provided for them. Ultimately, it will be placed in the Ark of the Covenant along with the 10 commandments and a stick (yet to come). At the end of the chapter, we’re told that the people of Israel are fed on this manna for 40 years. This is a non-Moses addition to the text, at the time he dies they are still being fed by the manna.
Broadly, I was struck (probably convicted) by a few things. One, God has set them up to have to completely trust in Him day after day after day. The food was there every morning but wouldn’t last the night. You couldn’t horde it, couldn’t keep it to make you more powerful or rich than the next man. You got just enough, the rest went to worms. I’ll reinforce what I said earlier, at our level of wealth our understanding of “trust” runs the risk of being just a thought exercise. What things need to be on the table in your life to truly trust in God with? There’s not a difference here, boys, we’re in training to be the people of God. Let’s not get stuck at the grumbling/hording manna level of maturity.
Also, God’s provision and patience is a mercy that is undeserved yet intentionally and thoroughly provided. He gives what His people need, even in the face of their complaints and accusations. And even the manna itself, in a world where available sweeteners are either dried/condensed fruit or honey (which had to be harvested in the wild, which most folks weren’t doing), what God provides to make daily bread is quite possibly the best thing they’ve ever tasted.
Finally, take the rest.