Manna & Water - Exodus Series
Today in Calvary Kids, we learned that God wants us to depend on Him daily, we should trust God and not complain, God provides exactly what we need, and that Jesus is the true Bread of Life and Living Water.
Read 16:1-35; 17:1-7
It's been 45 days since they left Egypt - just six weeks! In that time they saw: ten plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea parting, Pharaoh's army destroyed, bitter water made sweet, and a beautiful oasis at Elim. But now they're hungry, and suddenly they've forgotten ALL of God's faithfulness. They were acting like God didn't just do so much for them. It would be like if your parents had always provided food for you, and then one day, you suddenly became worried that you would never eat again just because lunch was a little late.
Listen to what they said: "We wish we had died in Egypt! At least we had food there!" Wait - they're seriously saying slavery with food is better than freedom and waiting for food? They're accusing Moses of bringing them out to kill them as if Moses was in charge! God led them out! The people weren't really complaining about Moses; their complaint was really about God. We should remember this whenever we complain about our parents. This is what complaining does - it makes us forget God's goodness and focus only on what we don't have right now. When you start complaining, 'Why don't I have what they have?' or 'This isn't fair!' or 'God doesn't care about me!' - you're doing exactly what Israel did (Philippians 2:14). You're forgetting all the ways God has helped you before, and you're acting like God brought you into a hard situation just to hurt you. Complaining reveals that we don't really trust God!
Even though they complained, God graciously said "I will provide food", and it came down from heaven. God wasn't just going to give them food, He was going to TEST them. The test was: will you obey My instructions about how to gather the food? God said gather only what you need for each day, don't try to hoard extra. On the sixth day, gather double because no manna would appear on the Sabbath. This was teaching them to depend on God daily and to honor His rest day. God wasn't just providing food, He was teaching them trust and obedience. God wants us to depend on Him daily as well and go to him.
It was called manna because when they saw it, they said 'What is this', and that's what manna means. Numbers 11:7 says the manna was coriander seed on the ground, so the people had to gather it up and make it into bread. So they had supplies for bread in the morning and meat at night for dinner. That sounds like pretty good meals! Exodus 16:31 says the manna tasted like wafers and honey, and in Numbers 11:7-8, it says the people would make cake or pastries and cook them in oil. God didn't have to do that for them and could have given them dry crackers with no taste, but He is a loving God who knows how to take care of us. When God provides for you in unexpected ways - maybe your family gets help from somewhere you didn't expect, or a problem gets solved in a way you didn't see coming - remember that God is showing you 'I am the LORD your God.' He wants you to know Him through His provision!
God gave specific instructions: gather what you need for that day. This shows God's daily provision. But God gave them an instruction to not keep some for the next day and Moses warned: "Don't keep any overnight." And what did some people do? They disobeyed! They tried to hoard manna, just in case God didn't provide for the next day... It showed that some people didn't trust God.
The next morning, the manna they kept was full of worms and smelled horrible! Moses was angry because their disobedience showed they didn't trust God to provide the next day. This is what happens when we try to control things instead of trusting God (Matthew 6:25-26). Those people who kept extra manna were basically saying 'I don't think God will provide tomorrow, so I better take care of myself.' And it rotted! When you try to hoard things or worry about tomorrow instead of trusting God day by day, you're showing the same lack of faith.
On the sixth day, people found twice as much manna on the ground - God provided double! There were no worms and it didn't stink! God was teaching them to honor the Sabbath - a day of rest where they trusted God completely. For six days they worked to gather manna, but on the seventh day they rested and trusted what God provided the day before. God was showing the people that rest is important. He knows we need rest and provided that as well. We rest in Him by spending time with Him. Matthew 11:28 says 'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'
As the people would move around they came to a new place that didn't have water So what did they do? They complained and once again, God provided. Going without food for awhile is easier than going without water, especially in the desert. God told Moses to take his rod and strike a rock at Horeb. God said, "I will stand before you there on the rock." God Himself was present at that rock! When Moses struck the rock, water came out - enough for millions of people and animals! After all they'd seen - the plagues, Red Sea, manna every morning - they still questioned whether God was with them! It makes you wonder if the people would ever just believe, but this can be the same for us. Sometimes we complain and forget that God will always provide for us. Do you ever question whether God is really with you when things get hard? Do you think 'If God really cared, this wouldn't be happening'? That's the same question Israel asked. But God was right there - literally standing on that rock and He provided. God is with you even when circumstances are difficult (Matthew 28:20)!
You need food every day to live physically, but you also need Jesus and God's Word every day to live spiritually (John 6:35)! You can't just go to church on Sunday and think that's enough - you need to depend on Jesus every single day, reading your Bible, praying, and trusting Him. Just like Israel needed manna every morning, you need Jesus every morning!
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: "The manna fed Israel's bodies temporarily in the wilderness, but Jesus is the true Bread of Life who feeds our souls eternally!"
Comparison Chart:
1. Manna came down from heaven (Exodus 16:4) → Jesus said 'I am the living bread that came down from heaven' (John 6:51)
2. Manna gathered daily (Exodus 16:4) → We depend on Jesus daily (Luke 9:23).
3. Manna from heaven sustained physical life (Exodus 16:15) → Jesus came from heaven to give eternal life (John 6:51, Matthew 4:4).
4. Manna was mysterious, "What is it?" (Exodus 16:15) → Jesus was not recognized or understood by many (John 1:10-11).
5. Manna tasted sweet, like honey (Exodus 16:31) → Jesus' presence and Word are sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10).
6. Manna was given freely by God's command (Exodus 16:4) → Salvation through Jesus is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
7. The rock followed them (spiritually) (1 Corinthians 10:4) → Jesus is always present with His people (Matthew 28:20).
8. They drank from the rock in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6) → Jesus was that Rock (1Corinthians 10:4).
9. Rock was struck once (Exodus 17:6) → Jesus was struck once on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5).
The Greater Provision:
In John 6, after Jesus fed 5,000 people with bread and fish, the crowd asked Him for more miraculous bread like the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness. Jesus responded with one of His most important teachings: "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:32-35) Jesus is saying the manna was just a picture pointing to Him! The manna sustained physical life for a while, but everyone who ate it eventually died. But Jesus gives eternal life that never ends. When you trust in Jesus, you will never spiritually hunger or thirst again - He completely satisfies your deepest needs. Also, Paul makes a direct connection between the water from the rock and Jesus: "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). The rock that was struck so water could flow out was a picture of Jesus being struck on the cross so that living water (the Holy Spirit and eternal life) could flow out to us! Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38). Gospel Connection: Just as Israel needed manna every day to survive in the wilderness, you need Jesus every day to have real life. You can't earn eternal life by being good enough - just like Israel couldn't create manna themselves, you can't create salvation yourself. God provides it freely as a gift! When you trust in Jesus, He becomes your daily bread, your living water, your complete provision. He doesn't just help you survive - He gives you abundant life! But you have to come to Him every day, depend on Him every day, and trust Him every day. He's not just for emergencies or Sundays - He's for every moment of every day!
Application:
1. When you're facing something scary that seems impossible, cry out to God first before panicking or complaining.
2. Remember God's past faithfulness when facing new challenges - don't let fear make you forget.
3. Trust that God can make a way when there seems to be no way.
4. Let God fight your battles instead of trying to handle everything yourself.
5. After God delivers you, respond with worship and grateful remembrance - write it down, tell others, let it build your faith.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think God led Israel to camp at a place where they'd be trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea?
2. What did the Israelites do wrong when they saw the Egyptian army approaching, and what should they have done instead?
3. What does it mean that "the LORD will fight for you"? Can you think of a time when you needed God to fight for you?
4. How is baptism like the Red Sea crossing?
5. What's one impossible situation you're facing right now where you need to trust that God can make a way?
Memory Verse:
"But Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."" - Luke 4:4
Read 16:1-35; 17:1-7
It's been 45 days since they left Egypt - just six weeks! In that time they saw: ten plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea parting, Pharaoh's army destroyed, bitter water made sweet, and a beautiful oasis at Elim. But now they're hungry, and suddenly they've forgotten ALL of God's faithfulness. They were acting like God didn't just do so much for them. It would be like if your parents had always provided food for you, and then one day, you suddenly became worried that you would never eat again just because lunch was a little late.
Listen to what they said: "We wish we had died in Egypt! At least we had food there!" Wait - they're seriously saying slavery with food is better than freedom and waiting for food? They're accusing Moses of bringing them out to kill them as if Moses was in charge! God led them out! The people weren't really complaining about Moses; their complaint was really about God. We should remember this whenever we complain about our parents. This is what complaining does - it makes us forget God's goodness and focus only on what we don't have right now. When you start complaining, 'Why don't I have what they have?' or 'This isn't fair!' or 'God doesn't care about me!' - you're doing exactly what Israel did (Philippians 2:14). You're forgetting all the ways God has helped you before, and you're acting like God brought you into a hard situation just to hurt you. Complaining reveals that we don't really trust God!
Even though they complained, God graciously said "I will provide food", and it came down from heaven. God wasn't just going to give them food, He was going to TEST them. The test was: will you obey My instructions about how to gather the food? God said gather only what you need for each day, don't try to hoard extra. On the sixth day, gather double because no manna would appear on the Sabbath. This was teaching them to depend on God daily and to honor His rest day. God wasn't just providing food, He was teaching them trust and obedience. God wants us to depend on Him daily as well and go to him.
It was called manna because when they saw it, they said 'What is this', and that's what manna means. Numbers 11:7 says the manna was coriander seed on the ground, so the people had to gather it up and make it into bread. So they had supplies for bread in the morning and meat at night for dinner. That sounds like pretty good meals! Exodus 16:31 says the manna tasted like wafers and honey, and in Numbers 11:7-8, it says the people would make cake or pastries and cook them in oil. God didn't have to do that for them and could have given them dry crackers with no taste, but He is a loving God who knows how to take care of us. When God provides for you in unexpected ways - maybe your family gets help from somewhere you didn't expect, or a problem gets solved in a way you didn't see coming - remember that God is showing you 'I am the LORD your God.' He wants you to know Him through His provision!
God gave specific instructions: gather what you need for that day. This shows God's daily provision. But God gave them an instruction to not keep some for the next day and Moses warned: "Don't keep any overnight." And what did some people do? They disobeyed! They tried to hoard manna, just in case God didn't provide for the next day... It showed that some people didn't trust God.
The next morning, the manna they kept was full of worms and smelled horrible! Moses was angry because their disobedience showed they didn't trust God to provide the next day. This is what happens when we try to control things instead of trusting God (Matthew 6:25-26). Those people who kept extra manna were basically saying 'I don't think God will provide tomorrow, so I better take care of myself.' And it rotted! When you try to hoard things or worry about tomorrow instead of trusting God day by day, you're showing the same lack of faith.
On the sixth day, people found twice as much manna on the ground - God provided double! There were no worms and it didn't stink! God was teaching them to honor the Sabbath - a day of rest where they trusted God completely. For six days they worked to gather manna, but on the seventh day they rested and trusted what God provided the day before. God was showing the people that rest is important. He knows we need rest and provided that as well. We rest in Him by spending time with Him. Matthew 11:28 says 'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'
As the people would move around they came to a new place that didn't have water So what did they do? They complained and once again, God provided. Going without food for awhile is easier than going without water, especially in the desert. God told Moses to take his rod and strike a rock at Horeb. God said, "I will stand before you there on the rock." God Himself was present at that rock! When Moses struck the rock, water came out - enough for millions of people and animals! After all they'd seen - the plagues, Red Sea, manna every morning - they still questioned whether God was with them! It makes you wonder if the people would ever just believe, but this can be the same for us. Sometimes we complain and forget that God will always provide for us. Do you ever question whether God is really with you when things get hard? Do you think 'If God really cared, this wouldn't be happening'? That's the same question Israel asked. But God was right there - literally standing on that rock and He provided. God is with you even when circumstances are difficult (Matthew 28:20)!
You need food every day to live physically, but you also need Jesus and God's Word every day to live spiritually (John 6:35)! You can't just go to church on Sunday and think that's enough - you need to depend on Jesus every single day, reading your Bible, praying, and trusting Him. Just like Israel needed manna every morning, you need Jesus every morning!
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: "The manna fed Israel's bodies temporarily in the wilderness, but Jesus is the true Bread of Life who feeds our souls eternally!"
Comparison Chart:
1. Manna came down from heaven (Exodus 16:4) → Jesus said 'I am the living bread that came down from heaven' (John 6:51)
2. Manna gathered daily (Exodus 16:4) → We depend on Jesus daily (Luke 9:23).
3. Manna from heaven sustained physical life (Exodus 16:15) → Jesus came from heaven to give eternal life (John 6:51, Matthew 4:4).
4. Manna was mysterious, "What is it?" (Exodus 16:15) → Jesus was not recognized or understood by many (John 1:10-11).
5. Manna tasted sweet, like honey (Exodus 16:31) → Jesus' presence and Word are sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10).
6. Manna was given freely by God's command (Exodus 16:4) → Salvation through Jesus is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
7. The rock followed them (spiritually) (1 Corinthians 10:4) → Jesus is always present with His people (Matthew 28:20).
8. They drank from the rock in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6) → Jesus was that Rock (1Corinthians 10:4).
9. Rock was struck once (Exodus 17:6) → Jesus was struck once on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5).
The Greater Provision:
In John 6, after Jesus fed 5,000 people with bread and fish, the crowd asked Him for more miraculous bread like the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness. Jesus responded with one of His most important teachings: "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:32-35) Jesus is saying the manna was just a picture pointing to Him! The manna sustained physical life for a while, but everyone who ate it eventually died. But Jesus gives eternal life that never ends. When you trust in Jesus, you will never spiritually hunger or thirst again - He completely satisfies your deepest needs. Also, Paul makes a direct connection between the water from the rock and Jesus: "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). The rock that was struck so water could flow out was a picture of Jesus being struck on the cross so that living water (the Holy Spirit and eternal life) could flow out to us! Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38). Gospel Connection: Just as Israel needed manna every day to survive in the wilderness, you need Jesus every day to have real life. You can't earn eternal life by being good enough - just like Israel couldn't create manna themselves, you can't create salvation yourself. God provides it freely as a gift! When you trust in Jesus, He becomes your daily bread, your living water, your complete provision. He doesn't just help you survive - He gives you abundant life! But you have to come to Him every day, depend on Him every day, and trust Him every day. He's not just for emergencies or Sundays - He's for every moment of every day!
Application:
1. When you're facing something scary that seems impossible, cry out to God first before panicking or complaining.
2. Remember God's past faithfulness when facing new challenges - don't let fear make you forget.
3. Trust that God can make a way when there seems to be no way.
4. Let God fight your battles instead of trying to handle everything yourself.
5. After God delivers you, respond with worship and grateful remembrance - write it down, tell others, let it build your faith.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think God led Israel to camp at a place where they'd be trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea?
2. What did the Israelites do wrong when they saw the Egyptian army approaching, and what should they have done instead?
3. What does it mean that "the LORD will fight for you"? Can you think of a time when you needed God to fight for you?
4. How is baptism like the Red Sea crossing?
5. What's one impossible situation you're facing right now where you need to trust that God can make a way?
Memory Verse:
"But Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."" - Luke 4:4
Posted in Calvary Kids