Question 1

What was happening when Israel came to the wilderness of Sin?

Accepted Answer

The people of Israel had recently left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. They had seen God rescue them from slavery and destroy Pharaoh’s army. After camping at a place called Elim, with its springs and palm trees, they moved on into the wilderness of Sin, a dry and barren area between Elim and Sinai. By this time their stored food from Egypt was running out. Faced with hunger in a harsh land, the entire congregation began to feel afraid and desperate, which led them to complain against Moses and Aaron.

Question 2

Why did the Israelites murmur against Moses and Aaron here?

Accepted Answer

The Israelites complained because they were hungry and could not see where their next meal would come from. Instead of crying out to God in trust, they blamed Moses and Aaron for leading them into the wilderness. They even said they wished they had died in Egypt where they remembered sitting by pots of meat and eating bread until they were full. Their words showed how quickly they forgot the misery of slavery and the power God had already shown, and how easily fear can turn into harsh words against leaders and against God Himself.

Question 3

What does it mean that God would “rain bread from heaven”?

Accepted Answer

When God says, “I will rain bread from heaven,” He is promising a miracle. Food would not come from fields, markets, or their own work, but straight from God’s hand, day after day, like rain falls from the sky. This bread, later called manna, would appear on the ground each morning so the people could gather it. It shows that God can provide in ways no one expects and that He cares for both the bodies and the hearts of His people in hard places where they cannot help themselves.

Question 4

Why did God give the manna as a daily test for Israel?

Accepted Answer

God told the people to gather a set amount of bread each day so He could “prove” them, or test them. The test was simple: would they trust Him enough to take only what He said and rely on Him again the next day? This daily rhythm taught them to depend on God rather than hoard for themselves. By giving double on the sixth day and none on the seventh, He also taught them to follow His pattern of work and rest. Their response to the manna showed whether they would walk in His ways or keep doubting Him.

Question 5

Why were they to gather twice as much on the sixth day?

Accepted Answer

God told Israel that on the sixth day they would gather twice as much bread as on other days. This was so they would have enough for the seventh day without going out to work. It pointed to the day of rest He had set apart, later called the Sabbath. Even before detailed laws were given, God was training them to prepare ahead, to trust that He would provide enough, and to honor a rhythm of rest. This extra portion was not just about food, but about learning obedience and relying on God’s care while they paused from gathering.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God is patient, generous, and faithful even when His people complain. The Israelites spoke harshly and doubted His care, yet God did not abandon them. Instead, He promised bread from heaven and heard their murmuring. At the same time, He used this gift to test and shape them, not just to fill their stomachs. We see that God listens, provides in impossible places, reveals His glory, and cares about both obedience and trust, not just outward needs. He leads through human leaders, but the care and authority are truly His.

Question 7

Why did Moses say, “What are we, that ye murmur against us”?

Accepted Answer

Moses reminded the people that their complaints were not really about him and Aaron. They had not freed Israel by their own power or chosen this path for themselves. God had called them and sent them. By saying, “What are we?” Moses pointed the people back to God as the true leader. Complaining against God’s servants was, in the end, complaining against God’s plan and care. This helps us see that when God appoints leaders, how we speak to them and about them often shows how we are responding to God’s own guidance.

Question 8

How can this story about manna apply to my life today?

Accepted Answer

This story challenges us to think about how we react when needs are not quickly met. Like Israel, we can forget past help and focus only on present lack. Instead of grumbling, we are invited to bring our needs to God and trust Him for “daily bread,” the right amount for each day. It also warns us against longing for old ways that were not truly good, just because they felt easier. Finally, it encourages simple, steady obedience: listening to God’s word, following His ways, and resting when He says to rest, even when we cannot see far ahead.

Question 9

What does it mean that Israel would see “the glory of the LORD” in the morning?

Accepted Answer

When Moses said they would see “the glory of the LORD” in the morning, it pointed to God making His presence and power known among them. This would happen as He answered their complaints with real food: meat in the evening and bread in the morning. The glory was not only a bright sign, but also His clear care and faithfulness shown in action. By feeding them and showing Himself, God wanted them to know that He, not Egypt, had brought them out, and that He was still with them in the wilderness, hearing their words and meeting their needs.

Exodus 16:1

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

Manna and Quail from Heaven

The LORDProvides Manna

Cross References

Exodus 16:1

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

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Manna and Quail from Heaven

The LORDProvides Manna

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