Translated from Spanish

Exploring the Scripture

God brought the Israelites out of Egypt after 430 years of slavery. God led them by the roundabout way of the wilderness and went before them always guiding them. Throughout the whole experience the people complained, but God’s presence never left them.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he pursued the escaping Israelites. When the Israelites came to the shore of the Red Sea, the Egyptian soldiers were advancing on them. They cried out to the Lord in fear. But they murmured before Moses, and he told them, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:14). God did it—God divided the sea, the Israelites went across on dry ground, and the Egyptians drowned. Afterward, the Israelites held the Lord in awe and they believed in the Lord.

Then they came to Marah where the water was bitter, and again the people complained (Exodus 15:23–25). But God told Moses what he had to do, he obeyed, and the water became drinkable, and everyone could drink. Then the people were hungry, and again they complained against Moses; remembering when in Egypt they were not hungry (Exodus 16).

To reach the Promised Land the Israelites first had to cross the desert. They saw the hand of God in their favor, but they continued to complain. They quickly forgot God’s faithfulness.

They complained against Moses and Aaron, who were the leaders. However, Moses made it clear their complaint was against God (v. 8).

Perhaps they did not want to die in Egypt and did not want to die in the desert either. They just wanted food to satisfy their hunger. Anyone of us who misses a meal and goes hungry can understand their plight. God responded to the food complaint in much the same way as previous complaints. This time God promised Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven” to feed them (v. 4). God sent manna and quails. However, Israel still did not obey what God commanded.

In the New Testament, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray (Matthew 6:11). The inspiration for that prayer may have come from this daily bread provided for the Israelites in the desert. In John 6:31–33, after feeding 5,000 people, Jesus reminded the crowd that their ancestors had eaten manna in the desert. It was written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” He told them it was not Moses who gave the people bread from heaven, but “my Father” (v. 32). When the crowd asked Jesus to give them that bread always (John 6:34), Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). Do you see the analogy between the manna of the desert, the bread of heaven and Jesus Christ as the bread of life? The manna was white, perhaps reflecting purity and holiness, and sweet as honey. Jesus Christ is God’s gift, given to us freely, which reflects God’s grace and generosity

Faith Unfiltered Podcast

Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.

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Central Ideas

1. The bread God provided was not processed or a product of a bakery in the desert; it came straight from God to the people.
2. God is always the same. God continues to let people go free from slavery. God was the redeemer of Israel and sent Jesus with the mission to release the captives and oppressed (Luke 4:18–20).
3. The Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron. Complaints and murmurings by God’s people continue today as in the past. Sometimes we complain and blame our leaders for everything that happens in the country, community, or church.

Questions to Consider

1. How have you seen God providing bread, victories, and protection in your life?
2. When have you felt persecuted and faced “the sea” like Israel? When have you thought your end was imminent? How have you seen the hand of God acting in your favor?
3. Israel was not obedient to God’s commands. How important is it in our lives to obey God’s direction?
4. Seeing God’s generosity providing bread to God’s people, how do you and your congregation live out our Enduring Principle of Grace and Generosity?