Grumbling & Glorious Provision

As the people of Israel begin their journey to Canaan, we see that leaving the borders of Egypt did not cure their sin-sick hearts. They are still a people who quickly grumble against God and His leaders (in this case, Moses). Yet despite their sin, God does not immediately strike with judgment. Instead, He displays his great patience by providing for their needs without rebuke. The bread that God rains down, called manna, comes daily for them throughout the rest of their journey. This manna not only satisfies their physical hunger but serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and calls for dependence on Him as they gather it day by day. This sign of bread from heaven becomes the picture Jesus uses to describe Himself. He is the true bread of heaven, provided by God for His people in the wilderness so that they will no longer hunger. However instead of satisfying a physical hunger for a day, Jesus satisfies our eternal longings forever.