Exodus 16:13-15 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.… I. THE BACKWARD LOOK OF THIS BIT OF HISTORY. Culminating point of a fit of murmuring. Shows sin and folly of persistent distrust. 1. Murmuring is a most unprofitable state of mind. Never did anybody any good. Source of all Israelites' troubles. Once a child was reading, apparently absorbed in the act: her parent asked what was the book; and looking up, she answered, with a sudden overflow of tears, "Oh father, the people have begun to murmur again, and now God will have to punish them some more!" 2. Murmuring is a most delusive disposition. It leads to dangerous self-deception in almost all instances. Christians reply to those who attempt to rebuke them, "It is my temperament." Often mere habit. Should be checked. 3. Murmuring is a most unwelcome indulgence. It prejudices piety. Makes a Christian disagreeable. 4. Murmuring is a growing sin in the heart. Israelites — sullen at first — now suspicious. They openly find fault. 5. Murmuring is contagious, and propagates itself far and wide. II. THE PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THIS BIT OF HISTORY. 1. Man's perversity. Little vexations make us petulant and revengeful. 2. God's patience. Lord Bacon quotes an old Spanish writer as saying: "To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; but to return good for evil is even godlike." Certainly this is what our God often does; but it would not do for any of us to presume upon such wonderful long-suffering. In ancient history we are told that there was once a statue of Jupiter erected at Crete; but the Cretans were liars, and the maker of the stone image had fashioned it without ears. The exultant people may have been pleased to think they had a god who could not hear their falsehoods; but they soon found that a deity who had no ears to hear prevarications had no ears to hear prayers either. We must remember that our God knows all our wickedness, and bears with us for a while; but it is to test our obedience to His law. 3. Heaven's sufficiency is also illustrated here. For in the story the promise takes a very significant and beautiful form; God says He will "rain bread from heaven" for their need (see Psalm 78:22-25; Philippians 4:19). III. THE FORWARD REACH OF THIS BIT OF HISTORY. 1. It was designed to be a type of Christ. (1) It came down to earth from heaven, as He did. (2) Every man must take of it for himself as he would need to take his own food. (3) It would work an individual experience of the new life; the book of Wisdom says that in the day of it the manna tasted to every one as he pleased. (4) It was free and sufficient for all: the rich and the poor, the sick and the well, the young and the old. (5) It must be sought not once for all, but daily. (6) It must be eaten; it must become part of one's self. (7) It was exclusive: there was no other food so safe in the desert. (8) It would cease only when no longer needed. 2. It was accepted as a type by our Lord Jesus Christ (see John 6.). (C. S. Robinson, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. |
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