Manna Despised

[Editor's Note: This is the third sermon in a three-part series entitled The Heavenly Meal for a Hungry Multitude.]

To see an introduction to this message and the series entitled Manna - A Heavenly Meal For A Hungry Multitude, please see sermon one in this series. You can use portions of the introduction, and add to it as desired.

I. Israel's Heart was Focused in the Wrong Direction

A. The Children of Israel began to Lust after Egypt's Substance

Numbers 11:40-5, "And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:"

It's hard to imagine that this nation, which had been redeemed from the hard bondage of Egypt, would actually think upon it with fondness. In a physical sense, they had been delivered out of Egypt; but in a practical sense, Egypt was still in them. There is one word that describes their condition: Worldliness.

The course of rebellion against God may be very gradual, but it increases in rapidity as you progress in it; and if you begin to run down the hill, the ever-increasing impetus will send you down faster and faster to destruction. You Christians ought to watch against the beginning of worldly conformity. I do believe that the growth of worldliness is like strife, which is as the letting out of water. Once you begin, there is no knowing where you will stop.

I sometimes get this question put to me, concerning certain worldly amusements, "May I do so-and- so?" I am very sorry whenever anyone asks me that question, because it shows that there is something wrong, or it would not be raised at all. If a person's conscience lets him say, "Well, I can go to A," he will very soon go on to B, C, D, E, and through all the letters of the alphabet. . . When Satan cannot catch us with a big sin, he will try a little one. It does not matter to him as long as he catches his fish, what bait he uses. Beware of the beginning of evil, for many, who bade fair to go right, have turned aside and perished amongst the dark mountains in the wide field of sin. C.H. Spurgeon.

B. The Manna of God's Grace No Longer Satisfied

Numbers 11:6, "But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes."

The Israelites complained that what God was providing wasn't enough. They wanted more; they wanted variety. Clearly, they had lost their first love (Rev.2: 4). They were backslidden.

II. For Israel, The Manna of God's Grace had Lost its Sweetness

Exodus 16:31b, "...and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey."

Numbers 11:7-8, "And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil."

Numbers 21:5, "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread,"

Folks, just like Israel, when we get the eyes of our hearts off the Lord, and focused on the things of the world, even the grace of God and the word of His grace will no longer satisfy us. You see, there was nothing wrong with the taste of the manna; it tasted like "...wafers made with honey" (Ex.16: 31b), and "...as the taste of fresh oil" (Num.11: 8b). The problem here was not to be found in the food     God provided, but in the fleshliness of Israel's passions.

III. Israel Became Discouraged and Disgruntled

Numbers 11:10, "Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased."

Numbers 20:3-5, "And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! And why have ye brought up the congregation of the        Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink."

Numbers 21:4, "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."

The journey had been hard, and the tests of the wilderness seemed unrelenting. Pretty soon the children of Israel were discouraged, and tired of all the difficulties. But rather than drawing near to the Lord in their discouragement, they became disgruntled. In other words, they developed a bad attitude. What they once found to be satisfying, they now considered sickening ("...our soul loatheth this light bread" - Num.21: 5b).

A person who becomes physically ill often becomes sick at their stomach. Foods that were once palatable and flavorful, now nauseates them. The same is true in the spiritual realm. One who becomes spiritually sick (backslidden on God) will not partake of the grace of God, or the word of His grace, which would actually solve their problem.

IV. God became Exceedingly Displeased

Numbers 21:6, "And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live."

According to God's Word, we are saved by grace, through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary (Eph.2: 8 & 9). But folks, we are sanctified (set apart for God alone in our daily life) in the same manner. You and I must draw upon the manna of God's grace, and trust Him completely for each day. Paul put it this way: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal.2: 20).

The manna of God's grace is available to us in whatever quantity we need it. But worldliness will sicken the Christian to the very thing that will sustain them. Rather than permitting ourselves to become discouraged and disgruntled about life, we must learn to daily appropriate the grace needed for every trial. The writer of Hebrews puts it succinctly when he says:

Hebrews 4:15-16 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."