Exodus 16: Bread from Heaven

Key Verse: Exodus 16:4"Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.’"

The excitement of deliverance is starting to fade.

It has been a month since Israel left Egypt. The Red Sea is behind them, but the wilderness is in front of them. They are hungry, tired, and uncertain about the future. And once again, they start complaining.

"Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!" (Exodus 16:3)

Just weeks ago, they were singing of God’s victory. Now, they are longing for Egypt.

How quickly they forget.

God’s Provision

But instead of rebuking them, God provides.

"Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you."

The next morning, they wake up to something new—manna. A fine, flake-like substance covers the ground. It is bread from heaven, and it will sustain them for the next forty years.

A Test of Trust

God gives them specific instructions:

• Gather only what you need for the day. If they try to hoard it, it will rot.

• On the sixth day, gather double. No manna will come on the Sabbath.

This isn’t just about food—it’s about faith. God is teaching them to depend on Him daily.

Some try to gather extra, afraid that there won’t be enough tomorrow. But when they wake up, the extra manna is full of worms.

Others go out on the Sabbath to gather, but there is nothing there.

God is training His people to trust Him. He is showing them that He is their provider—not just once, but every single day.

A Lesson for Us

God’s provision is not meant to be stored up in fear—it is meant to be trusted daily.

• We want to control the future—God calls us to trust Him today.

• We want to hoard security—God calls us to depend on Him.

• We want to see the whole plan—God calls us to walk in faith.

The Israelites had to wake up every morning and gather what God had provided. And so do we.

God’s mercies are new every morning. Will we trust Him to provide what we need today?