EGW WritingsExodus 16
Ellen G. White
Read Exodus 16 in the BibleExodus 16:1-36
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 24 (1909)
Ms 125, 1909
24LtMs, Ms 125, 1909, par. 16
Verses 6-9. And so it goes on their song. Now they came to a point. Exodus 16:1-3. “Flesh.” There is the great trouble. “When we did eat bread to the full” ... verse 6. Now He condescends to give them the bread of heaven, that they should eat to stop all their murmuring. If it was angels’ food, it was the best food that possibly could be given to them.24LtMs, Ms 125, 1909, par. 17
Verse 5. Why? Here was the Sabbath; they must keep the Sabbath.24LtMs, Ms 125, 1909, par. 18
Verses 6-8. They had angels’ food to eat, but it did not satisfy them. Verses 9-11, 21, 29-36.Patriarchs and Prophets
Chapter 26—From the Red Sea to Sinai
PP 291.1
From the Red Sea the hosts of Israel again set forth on their journey, under the guidance of the pillar of cloud. The scene around them was most dreary—bare, desolate-looking mountains, barren plains, and the sea stretching far away, its shores strewn with the bodies of their enemies; yet they were full of joy in the consciousness of freedom, and every thought of discontent was hushed.PP 291.2
But for three days, as they journeyed, they could find no water. The supply which they had taken with them was exhausted. There was nothing to quench their burning thirst as they dragged wearily over the sun-burnt plains. Moses, who was familiar with this region, knew what the others did not, that at Marah, the nearest station where springs were to be found, the water was unfit for use. With intense anxiety he watched the guiding cloud. With a sinking heart he heard the glad shout. “Water! water!” echoed along the line. Men, women, and children in joyous haste crowded to the fountain, when, lo, a cry of anguish burst forth from the host—the water was bitter.PP 291.3
In their horror and despair they reproached Moses for having led them in such a way, not remembering that the divine presence in that mysterious cloud had been leading him as well as them. In his grief at their distress Moses did what they had forgotten to do; he cried earnestly to God for help. “And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.” Here the promise was given to Israel through Moses, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”PP 292.1
From Marah the people journeyed to Elim, where they found “twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees.” Here they remained several days before entering the wilderness of Sin. When they had been a month absent from Egypt, they made their first encampment in the wilderness. Their store of provisions had now begun to fail. There was scanty herbage in the wilderness, and their flocks were diminishing. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Doubts filled their hearts, and again they murmured. Even the rulers and elders of the people joined in complaining against the leaders of God’s appointment: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”PP 292.2
They had not as yet suffered from hunger; their present wants were supplied, but they feared for the future. They could not understand how these vast multitudes were to subsist in their travels through the wilderness, and in imagination they saw their children famishing. The Lord permitted difficulties to surround them, and their supply of food to be cut short, that their hearts might turn to Him who had hitherto been their Deliverer. If in their want they would call upon Him, He would still grant them manifest tokens of His love and care. He had promised that if they would obey His commandments, no disease should come upon them, and it was sinful unbelief on their part to anticipate that they or their children might die of hunger.PP 292.3
God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land. In a marvelous manner He had brought them out from their bondage in Egypt, that He might elevate and ennoble them and make them a praise in the earth. But it was necessary for them to encounter difficulties and to endure privations. God was bringing them from a state of degradation and fitting them to occupy an honorable place among the nations and to receive important and sacred trusts. Had they possessed faith in Him, in view of all that He had wrought for them, they would cheerfully have borne inconvenience, privation, and even real suffering; but they were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power. They forgot their bitter service in Egypt. They forgot the goodness and power of God displayed in their behalf in their deliverance from bondage. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the first-born of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea. They forgot that while they had crossed safely in the path that had been opened for them, the armies of their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. They saw and felt only their present inconveniences and trials; and instead of saying, “God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation,” they talked of the hardness of the way, and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.PP 293.1
The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God’s dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan.PP 293.2
Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel. When brought into strait places, they murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. Though their present needs are supplied, many are unwilling to trust God for the future, and they are in constant anxiety lest poverty shall come upon them, and their children shall be left to suffer. Some are always anticipating evil or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only Source of strength, separate them from Him, because they awaken unrest and repining.PP 294.1
Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things. It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care. But our Lord does not tell us that there are no dangers in our path. He does not propose to take His people out of the world of sin and evil, but He points us to a never-failing refuge. He invites the weary and care-laden, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Lay off the yoke of anxiety and worldly care that you have placed on your own neck, and “take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28, 29. We may find rest and peace in God, casting all our care upon Him; for He careth for us. See 1 Peter 5:7.PP 294.2
Says the apostle Paul, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12. In view of all that God has wrought for us, our faith should be strong, active, and enduring. Instead of murmuring and complaining, the language of our hearts should be, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Psalm 103:1, 2.PP 294.3
God was not unmindful of the wants of Israel. He said to their leader, “I will rain bread from heaven for you.” And directions were given that the people gather a daily supply, with a double amount on the sixth day, that the sacred observance of the Sabbath might be maintained.PP 294.4
Moses assured the congregation that their wants were to be supplied: “The Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.” And he added, “What are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.” He further bade Aaron say to them, “Come near before the Lord: for He hath heard your murmurings.” While Aaron was speaking, “they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” A splendor such as they had never witnessed symbolized the divine Presence. Through manifestations addressed to their senses, they were to obtain a knowledge of God. They must be taught that the Most High, and not merely the man Moses, was their leader, that they might fear His name and obey His voice.PP 295.1
At nightfall the camp was surrounded by vast flocks of quails, enough to supply the entire company. In the morning there lay upon the surface of the ground “a small round thing, as small as the hoarfrost.” “It was like coriander seed, white.” The people called it “manna.” Moses said, “This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.” The people gathered the manna, and found that there was an abundant supply for all. They “ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Numbers 11:8. “And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” They were directed to gather daily an omer for every person; and they were not to leave of it until the morning. Some attempted to keep a supply until the next day, but it was then found to be unfit for food. The provision for the day must be gathered in the morning; for all that remained upon the ground was melted by the sun.PP 295.2
In the gathering of the manna it was found that some obtained more and some less than the stipulated amount; but “when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.” An explanation of this scripture, as well as a practical lesson from it, is given by the apostle Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians. He says, “I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.” 2 Corinthians 8:13-15.PP 295.3
On the sixth day the people gathered two omers for every person. The rulers hastened to acquaint Moses with what had been done. His answer was, “This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” They did so, and found that it remained unchanged. “And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”PP 296.1
God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick and suffering be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy, and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Many carelessly put off till the beginning of the Sabbath little things that might have been done on the day of preparation. This should not be. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them careful to do their own work on the six working days.PP 296.2
Every week during their long sojourn in the wilderness the Israelites witnessed a threefold miracle, designed to impress their minds with the sacredness of the Sabbath: a double quantity of manna fell on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and the portion needed for the Sabbath was preserved sweet and pure, when if any were kept over at any other time it became unfit for use.PP 296.3
In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, when none would fall, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?”PP 297.1
“The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” For forty years they were daily reminded by this miraculous provision, of God’s unfailing care and tender love. In the words of the psalmist, God gave them “of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food” (Psalm 78:24, 25)—that is, food provided for them by the angels. Sustained by “the corn of heaven,” they were daily taught that, having God’s promise, they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.PP 297.2
The manna, falling from heaven for the sustenance of Israel, was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, “I am that Bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven.... If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51. And among the promises of blessing to God’s people in the future life it is written, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna.” Revelation 2:17.PP 297.3
After leaving the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites encamped in Rephidim. Here there was no water, and again they distrusted the providence of God. In their blindness and presumption the people came to Moses with the demand, “Give us water that we may drink.” But his patience failed not. “Why chide ye with me?” he said; “wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?” They cried in anger, “Wherefore is this, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” When they had been so abundantly supplied with food, they remembered with shame their unbelief and murmurings, and promised to trust the Lord in the future; but they soon forgot their promise, and failed at the first trial of their faith. The pillar of cloud that was leading them seemed to veil a fearful mystery. And Moses—who was he? they questioned, and what could be his object in bringing them from Egypt? Suspicion and distrust filled their hearts, and they boldly accused him of designing to kill them and their children by privations and hardships that he might enrich himself with their possessions. In the tumult of rage and indignation they were about to stone him.PP 298.1
In distress Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do unto this people?” He was directed to take the elders of Israel and the rod wherewith he had wrought wonders in Egypt, and to go on before the people. And the Lord said unto him, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” He obeyed, and the waters burst forth in a living stream that abundantly supplied the encampment. Instead of commanding Moses to lift up his rod and call down some terrible plague, like those on Egypt, upon the leaders in this wicked murmuring, the Lord in His great mercy made the rod His instrument to work their deliverance.PP 298.2
“He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.” Psalm 78:15, 16. Moses smote the rock, but it was the Son of God who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, stood beside Moses, and caused the life-giving water to flow. Not only Moses and the elders, but all the congregation who stood at a distance, beheld the glory of the Lord; but had the cloud been removed, they would have been slain by the terrible brightness of Him who abode therein.PP 298.3
In their thirst the people had tempted God, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”—“If God has brought us here, why does He not give us water as well as bread?” The unbelief thus manifested was criminal, and Moses feared that the judgments of God would rest upon them. And he called the name of the place Massah, “temptation,” and Meribah, “chiding,” as a memorial of their sin.PP 298.4
A new danger now threatened them. Because of their murmuring against Him, the Lord suffered them to be attacked by their enemies. The Amalekites, a fierce, warlike tribe inhabiting that region, came out against them and smote those who, faint and weary, had fallen into the rear. Moses, knowing that the masses of the people were unprepared for battle, directed Joshua to choose from the different tribes a body of soldiers, and lead them on the morrow against the enemy, while he himself would stand on an eminence near by with the rod of God in his hand. Accordingly the next day Joshua and his company attacked the foe, while Moses and Aaron and Hur were stationed on a hill overlooking the battlefield. With arms outstretched toward heaven, and holding the rod of God in his right hand, Moses prayed for the success of the armies of Israel. As the battle progressed, it was observed that so long as his hands were reaching upward, Israel prevailed, but when they were lowered, the enemy was victorious. As Moses became weary, Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the enemy was put to flight.PP 299.1
As Aaron and Hur supported the hands of Moses, they showed the people their duty to sustain him in his arduous work while he should receive the word from God to speak to them. And the act of Moses also was significant, showing that God held their destiny in His hands; while they made Him their trust, He would fight for them and subdue their enemies; but when they should let go their hold upon Him, and trust in their own power, they would be even weaker than those who had not the knowledge of God, and their foes would prevail against them.PP 299.2
As the Hebrews triumphed when Moses was reaching his hands toward heaven and interceding in their behalf, so the Israel of God prevail when they by faith take hold upon the strength of their mighty Helper. Yet divine strength is to be combined with human effort. Moses did not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel remained inactive. While the great leader was pleading with the Lord, Joshua and his brave followers were putting forth their utmost efforts to repulse the enemies of Israel and of God.PP 299.3
After the defeat of the Amalekites, God directed Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Just before his death the great leader delivered to his people the solemn charge: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.... Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Concerning this wicked people the Lord declared, “The hand of Amalek is against the throne of Jehovah.” Exodus 17:16, margin.PP 300.1
The Amalekites were not ignorant of God’s character or of His sovereignty, but instead of fearing before Him, they had set themselves to defy His power. The wonders wrought by Moses before the Egyptians were made a subject of mockery by the people of Amalek, and the fears of surrounding nations were ridiculed. They had taken oath by their gods that they would destroy the Hebrews, so that not one should escape, and they boasted that Israel’s God would be powerless to resist them. They had not been injured or threatened by the Israelites. Their assault was wholly unprovoked. It was to manifest their hatred and defiance of God that they sought to destroy His people. The Amalekites had long been high-handed sinners, and their crimes had cried to God for vengeance, yet His mercy had still called them to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation’s doom. The care of God is over the weakest of His children. No act of cruelty or oppression toward them is unmarked by Heaven. Over all who love and fear Him, His hand extends as a shield; let men beware that they smite not that hand; for it wields the sword of justice.PP 300.2
Not far distant from where the Israelites were now encamped was the home of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. Jethro had heard of the deliverance of the Hebrews, and he now set out to visit them, and restore to Moses his wife and two sons. The great leader was informed by messengers of their approach, and he went out with joy to meet them, and, the first greetings over, conducted them to his tent. He had sent back his family when on his way to the perils of leading Israel from Egypt, but now he could again enjoy the relief and comfort of their society. To Jethro he recounted the wonderful dealings of God with Israel, and the patriarch rejoiced and blessed the Lord, and with Moses and the elders he united in offering sacrifice and holding a solemn feast in commemoration of God’s mercy.PP 300.3
As Jethro remained in the camp, he soon saw how heavy were the burdens that rested upon Moses. To maintain order and discipline among that vast, ignorant, and untrained multitude was indeed a stupendous task. Moses was their recognized leader and magistrate, and not only the general interests and duties of the people, but the controversies that arose among them, were referred to him. He had permitted this, for it gave him an opportunity to instruct them; as he said, “I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws.” But Jethro remonstrated against this, saying, “This thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.” “Thou wilt surely wear away,” and he counseled Moses to appoint proper persons as rulers of thousands, and others as rulers of hundreds, and others of tens. They should be “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.” These were to judge in all matters of minor consequence, while the most difficult and important cases should still be brought before Moses, who was to be to the people, said Jethro, “to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.” This counsel was accepted, and it not only brought relief to Moses, but resulted in establishing more perfect order among the people.PP 301.1
The Lord had greatly honored Moses, and had wrought wonders by his hand; but the fact that he had been chosen to instruct others did not lead him to conclude that he himself needed no instruction. The chosen leader of Israel listened gladly to the suggestions of the godly priest of Midian, and adopted his plan as a wise arrangement.PP 301.2
From Rephidim the people continued their journey, following the movement of the cloudy pillar. Their route had led across barren plains, over steep ascents, and through rocky defiles. Often as they had traversed the sandy wastes, they had seen before them rugged mountains, like huge bulwarks, piled up directly across their course, and seeming to forbid all further progress. But as they approached, openings here and there appeared in the mountain wall, and beyond, another plain opened to view. Through one of the deep, gravelly passes they were now led. It was a grand and impressive scene. Between the rocky cliffs rising hundreds of feet on either side, flowed in a living tide, far as the eye could reach, the hosts of Israel with their flocks and herds. And now before them in solemn majesty Mount Sinai lifted its massive front. The cloudy pillar rested upon its summit, and the people spread their tents upon the plain beneath. Here was to be their home for nearly a year. At night the pillar of fire assured them of the divine protection, and while they were locked in slumber, the bread of heaven fell gently upon the encampment.PP 302.1
The dawn gilded the dark ridges of the mountains, and the sun’s golden rays pierced the deep gorges, seeming to these weary travelers like beams of mercy from the throne of God. On every hand vast, rugged heights seemed in their solitary grandeur to speak of eternal endurance and majesty. Here the mind was impressed with solemnity and awe. Man was made to feel his ignorance and weakness in the presence of Him who “weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.” Isaiah 40:12. Here Israel was to receive the most wonderful revelation ever made by God to men. Here the Lord had gathered His people that He might impress upon them the sacredness of His requirements by declaring with His own voice His holy law. Great and radical changes were to be wrought in them; for the degrading influences of servitude and a long-continued association with idolatry had left their mark upon habits and character. God was working to lift them to a higher moral level by giving them a knowledge of Himself.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)
Ms 21, 1897
12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 7
Will my Sister Wellman consult her Bible, and she will know “What saith the Lord?” “And it came to pass on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath of the Lord; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe: and that which remaineth over lay up for you to keep until tomorrow.” [Exodus 16:22, 23.] “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Consider the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done; but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” [Leviticus 23:1-3.]12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 11
“Persons inclined to doubt the application of those ancient laws still scruple to cook food on the Sabbath, but merely rewarm what has been previously cooked, though one might question why there is more offense in baking or boiling what has been prepared before hand, than in rebaking or reboiling, or restewing, what has been already cooked.” Did our sister take the Word of God just as it reads? The Lord has said, “Tomorrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe, and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept for you until tomorrow.” [Exodus 16:23.]12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 12
That manna was given by a miracle of God. Please read this entire chapter. Who was the leader of the children of Israel? Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud. Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16 of the book of Exodus gives the history of the children of Israel. Chapter thirteen [fourteen] tells of the wonderful works of God in causing the Red sea to stand up as a wall on one side, so that the waters should not overflow, and a passage was made through the waters. Thus the whole of the vast army of more than a million people went safely over. The cloud that went before them rose high above them, and was as a wall of fire between them and the Egyptians; and not one soul of them perished.12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 18
Thus a loving, gracious, heavenly Leader was guiding the travels of the children of Israel. “And they took their journey through 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. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” [Exodus 16:1-3.]12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 21
“And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest day of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that ye will bake today and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” [Exodus 16:23.] The Lord had graciously promised to reverse all their grievances. He desired to give them a religious training under the eye of God, “that I may prove them, whither they will walk in my law or no.” [Verse 4.] The first lesson taught them that their constant dependence for daily nourishment was upon God, and that by Him their wants would be abundantly supplied.12LtMs, Ms 21, 1897, par. 22
My sister, the American mail must close this evening, and it is now past five p.m. Speak not lightly of the restrictions paced upon Israel in Sinai, regarding the cooking of manna. The Lord has placed barriers around His Sabbath, that it may not be regarded with the least carelessness or irreverence. When the Lord said, “Tomorrow is the rest day of the holy Sabbath; bake that ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe,” he means that Friday shall be our preparation day on which we are to do all our cooking. [Verse 23.] The Sabbath is not to be a day went tidbits shall be prepared or cooked. If it is really essential to have beans on the Sabbath, let them be cooked on Friday, and kept warm in the oven. They need not be eaten cold unless preferred. But let no remarks be made as though it were a very light thing whether we regard the special requirements of God in regard to the Sabbath or not. It is not left to any man or woman to venture to disregard any commandment of God.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)
Ms 132, 1898
13LtMs, Ms 132, 1898, par. 1
The Bible lies at the foundation of all true education. The faithful student finds that Scripture can only be tested by Scripture. There is no contradiction in the Word of God. The entire revelation which Jesus Christ gave to John is rehearsed by Moses in the Exodus, and in the plagues which the Lord brought upon Egypt.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)
Ms 11, 1903
18LtMs, Ms 11, 1903, par. 6
We do not make enough of Deuteronomy and Exodus. These books record the dealings of God with Israel. God took the Israelites from slavery and led them through the wilderness to the promised land. They had almost reached the end of their journey. Spies were sent over the Jordan to view the land and bring back a report.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)
Ms 151, 1905
20LtMs, Ms 151, 1905, par. 10
Suppose that for a time the students cannot be sent out as fully accredited physicians. They can work in connection with other physicians; and if they follow the Lord’s guiding, such valuable opportunities will present themselves that they will gain a better experience perhaps than if they had gone out with a diploma. It is the man’s real value that will give him standing room and influence. The nurse or physician who works with the Lord Jesus will gain success. Read the history of the children of Israel as given in the book of Exodus, and let each soul place himself fully on the Lord’s side. The experience of the Israelites is to be considered by the people of God living in these last days.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)
Ms 17, 1906
21LtMs, Ms 17, 1906, par. 3
If men had studied the Bible, if they had read the book of Exodus, they would have seen that in the proclamation of God’s law, the seventh day was specified as the day that is to be observed as the memorial of creation. In the fourth commandment, the true and living God is shown to be the one who created the world in six days; and the seventh day is pointed out as the day on which God rested, blessing and hallowing it.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)
Ms 185, 1907
22LtMs, Ms 185, 1907, par. 5
And there will be many discouraging things. The helpers may sometimes feel a spirit to rise against this or that or the other. I have found whole institutions nearly ruined by one talking with another, and another talking with another, and stirring up the jealousy and evil surmisings. Now, do not let this come in, because if you do, you are not learning of Christ. What we want is to be preparing for that city—that is out of sight now, but by faith we can view it—that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Now, if we expect a place in that city, we can have it if we will be obedient to the requirements of God. He has given us the special direction to denominate us as His people. In Exodus we read the conditions.The Story of Redemption
Chapter 17—Israel’s Journeyings
SR 126.1
The children of Israel traveled in the wilderness and for three days could find no good water to drink. They were suffering with thirst, “and the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”SR 126.2
The children of Israel seemed to possess an evil heart of unbelief. They were unwilling to endure hardships in the wilderness. When they met with difficulties in the way, they would regard them as impossibilities. Their confidence in God would fail, and they could see nothing before them but death. “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: and the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full, for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”SR 127.1
They had not really suffered the pangs of hunger. They had food for the present, but they feared for the future. They could not see how the host of Israel was to subsist, in their long travels through the wilderness, upon the simple food they then had, and in their unbelief they saw their children famishing. The Lord was willing that they should be brought short in their food, and that they should meet with difficulties, that their hearts should turn to Him who had hitherto helped them, that they might believe in Him. He was ready to be to them a present help. If, in their want, they would call upon Him, He would manifest to them tokens of His love and continual care.SR 127.2
But they seemed to be unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness before their eyes the continual evidences of His power. If they had possessed true faith and a firm confidence in God, inconveniences and obstacles, or even real suffering, would have been cheerfully borne, after the Lord had wrought in such a wonderful manner for their deliverance from servitude. Moreover, the Lord promised them if they would obey His commandments, no disease should rest upon them, for He said, “I am the Lord that healeth thee.”SR 127.3
After this sure promise from God it was criminal unbelief in them to anticipate that they and their children might die with hunger. They had suffered greatly in Egypt by being overtaxed in labor. Their children had been put to death, and in answer to their prayers of anguish, God had mercifully delivered them. He promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people and to lead them to a large and good land.SR 128.1
But they were ready to faint at any suffering they should have to endure in the way to that land. They had endured much in the service of the Egyptians, but now could not endure suffering in the service of God. They were ready to give up to gloomy doubts and sink in discouragement when they were tried. They murmured against God’s devoted servant Moses and charged him with all their trials, and expressed a wicked wish that they had remained in Egypt, where they could sit by the flesh pots and eat bread to the full.SR 128.2
The unbelief and murmurings of the children of Israel illustrate the people of God now upon the earth. Many look back to them, and marvel at their unbelief and continual murmurings, after the Lord had done so much for them, in giving them repeated evidences of His love and care for them. They think that they should not have proved ungrateful. But some who thus think, murmur and repine at things of less consequence. They do not know themselves. God frequently proves them, and tries their faith in small things; and they do not endure the trial any better than did ancient Israel.SR 128.3
Many have their present wants supplied; yet they will not trust the Lord for the future. They manifest unbelief and sink into despondency and gloom at anticipated want. Some are in continual trouble lest they shall come to want and their children suffer. When difficulties arise or when they are brought into strait places—when their faith and their love to God are tested—they shrink from the trial and murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. Their love does not prove pure and perfect, to bear all things.SR 129.1
The faith of the people of the God of heaven should be strong, active, and enduring—the substance of things hoped for. Then the language of such will be, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name,” for He hath dealt bountifully with me.SR 129.2
Self-denial is considered by some to be real suffering. Depraved appetites are indulged. And a restraint upon the unhealthy appetites would lead even many professed Christians to now start back, as though actual starvation would be the consequence of a plain diet. And, like the children of Israel, they would prefer slavery, diseased bodies, and even death, rather than to be deprived of the flesh pots. Bread and water is all that is promised to the remnant in the time of trouble.SR 129.3
“And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man, according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.SR 129.4
“And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not to Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.SR 130.1
“And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”SR 130.2
The Lord is no less particular now in regard to His Sabbath than when He gave the foregoing special directions to the children of Israel. He required them to bake that which they would bake, and seethe (that is, boil) that which they would seethe, on the sixth day, preparatory to the rest of the Sabbath.SR 130.3
God manifested His great care and love for His people in sending them bread from heaven. “Man did eat angels’ food”; that is, food provided for them by the angels. The threefold miracle of the manna—a double quantity on the sixth day, and none on the seventh, and its keeping fresh through the Sabbath, while on other days it would become unfit for use— was designed to impress them with the sacredness of the Sabbath.SR 131.1
After they were abundantly supplied with food, they were ashamed of their unbelief and murmurings, and promised to trust the Lord for the future, but they soon forgot their promise and failed at the first trial of their faith.SR 131.2
They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, and pitched in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. “Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.SR 131.3
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?”SR 131.4
God directed the children of Israel to encamp in that place, where there was no water, to prove them, to see if they would look to Him in their distress, or murmur as they had previously done. In view of what God had done for them in their wonderful deliverance, they should have believed in Him in their distress. They should have known that He would not permit them to perish with thirst, whom He had promised to take unto Himself as His people. But instead of entreating the Lord in humility to provide for their necessity, they murmured against Moses, and demanded of him water.SR 132.2
Moses smote the rock, but it was Christ who stood by him and caused the water to flow from the flinty rock. The people tempted the Lord in their thirst, and said, If God has brought us out here, why does He not give us water, as well as bread. That if showed criminal unbelief and made Moses afraid that God would punish them for their wicked murmurings. The Lord tested the faith of His people, but they did not endure the trial. They murmured for food and for water, and complained of Moses. Because of their unbelief, God suffered their enemies to make war with them, that He might manifest to His people from whence cometh their strength.SR 133.1
“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”SR 133.2
Moses held up his hands toward heaven, with the rod of God in his right hand, entreating help from God. Then Israel prevailed and drove back their enemies. When Moses let down his hands, it was seen that Israel soon lost all they had gained, and were being overcome by their enemies. Moses again held up his hands toward heaven, and Israel prevailed, and the enemy was driven back.SR 133.3
This act of Moses, reaching up his hands toward God, was to teach Israel that while they made God their trust and laid hold upon His strength and exalted His throne, He would fight for them and subdue their enemies. But when they should let go their hold upon His strength and should trust to their own power, they would be even weaker than their enemies, who had not the knowledge of God, and their enemies would prevail over them. Then “Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.SR 134.1
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: for he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” If the children of Israel had not murmured against the Lord, He would not have suffered their enemies to make war with them.SR 134.2
Before Moses left Egypt he had sent back his wife and children to his father-in-law. And after Jethro heard of the wonderful deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, he visited Moses in the wilderness, and brought his wife and children to him. “And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.SR 134.3
“And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them. And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.”SR 135.1
Jethro’s discerning eye soon saw that the burdens upon Moses were very great, as the people brought all their matters of difficulty to him, and he instructed them in regard to the statutes and law of God. He said to Moses, “Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.SR 135.2
“So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard cases they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.”SR 136.1
Moses was not above being instructed by his father-in-law. God had exalted him greatly and wrought wonders by his hand. Yet Moses did not reason that God had chosen him to instruct others, and had accomplished wonderful things by his hand, and he therefore needed not to be instructed. He gladly listened to the suggestions of his father-in-law, and adopted his plan as a wise arrangement.The Story of Redemption
Water From the Rock
SR 132.1
God had been continually manifesting His power in a wonderful manner before them, to make them understand that all the benefits they received came from Him; that He could give them, or remove them, according to His own will. At times they had a full sense of this, and humbled themselves greatly before the Lord; but when thirsty or when hungry, they charged it all upon Moses, as though they had left Egypt to please him. Moses was grieved with their cruel murmurings. He inquired of the Lord what he should do, for the people were ready to stone him. The Lord bade him go smite the rock with the rod of God. The cloud of His glory rested directly before the rock. “He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.” Psalm 78:15, 16.From Eternity Past
Chapter 26—Israel Meets With Difficulties
EP 200.1
From the Red Sea the hosts of Israel again set forth on their journey under the guidance of the pillar of cloud. They were full of joy in the consciousness of freedom, and every thought of discontent was hushed.EP 200.2
But for three days, as they journeyed, they could find no water. The supply which they had taken with them was exhausted. There was nothing to quench their burning thirst as they dragged wearily over the sun-burnt plains. Moses, who was familiar with this region, knew what the others did not—at Marah, where springs were found, the water was unfit for use. With a sinking heart he heard the glad shout, “Water! water!” echo along the line. Men, women, and children in joyous haste crowded to the fountain, when, lo, a cry of anguish burst forth—the water was bitter.EP 200.3
In their despair they reproached Moses, not remembering that the divine presence in that mysterious cloud had been leading him as well as themselves. Moses did what they had forgotten to do; he cried earnestly to God for help. “And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.” Here the promise was given to Israel: “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”EP 200.4
From Marah the people journeyed to Elim, where they found “twelve wells of water.” Here they remained several days.EP 201.1
When they had been a month absent from Egypt, their store of provisions had begun to fail. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Even the rulers and elders of the people joined in complaining against the leaders of God’s appointment: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”EP 201.2
They had not as yet suffered hunger; but they feared for the future. In imagination they saw their children famishing. The Lord permitted difficulties to surround them and their supply of food to be cut short, that their hearts might turn to Him who had been their Deliverer. If in their want they would call upon Him, He would still grant them tokens of His love and care. It was sinful unbelief on their part to anticipate that they or their children might die of hunger.EP 201.3
It was necessary for them to encounter difficulties and endure privations. God was bringing them from degradation to occupy an honorable place among the nations and to receive sacred trusts. Had they possessed faith in Him, in view of all that He had wrought for them, they would cheerfully have borne inconvenience, privation, and even real suffering. But they forgot the goodness and power of God displayed in their deliverance from bondage. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the firstborn of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea. They forgot that their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea.EP 201.4
Instead of saying, “God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation,” they talked of the hardness of the way and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.EP 202.1
God would have His people in these days review the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan. Many look back to the Israelites and marvel at their unbelief, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel. They murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. Though their present needs are supplied, many are in constant anxiety lest poverty come upon them and their children be left to suffer. Obstacles, instead of leading them to seek help from God, separate them from Him because they awaken unrest and repining.EP 202.2
Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare. Anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care.EP 202.3
Our Lord does not tell us there are no dangers in our path, but He points us to a never-failing refuge. He invites the weary and care-laden, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Lay off the yoke of anxiety and care that you have placed on your own neck, and “take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28, 29. Instead of murmuring and complaining, the language of our hearts should be, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Psalm 103:2.EP 202.4
God was mindful of the wants of Israel. He said to their leader, “I will rain bread from heaven for you.” Directions were given that the people gather a daily supply, with a double amount on the sixth day, that the sacred observance of the Sabbath might be maintained.EP 202.5
Moses assured the congregation that their wants were to be supplied. “The Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.” And he added, “What are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.” They must be taught that the Most High, not merely Moses, was their leader.EP 203.1
At nightfall the camp was surrounded by vast flocks of quails, enough to supply the entire company. In the morning there lay upon the ground “a small round thing, ... like a coriander seed, white.” The people called it “manna.” Moses said, “This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.” The people found that there was an abundant supply for all. They “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 like wafers made with honey.” Numbers 11:8; Exodus 16:31.EP 203.2
They were directed to gather daily an omer for every person and not to leave of it until the morning. The provision for the day must be gathered in the morning, for all that remained upon the ground was melted by the sun. “He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.”EP 203.3
On the sixth day the people gathered two omers for every person. The rulers hastened to acquaint Moses with what had been done. His answer was, “This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” They did so, and found that it remained unchanged. And Moses said, “Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”EP 203.4
God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past.EP 204.1
The Israelites witnessed a three-fold miracle to impress their minds with the sacredness of the Sabbath: a double quantity of manna fell on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and the portion needed for the Sabbath was preserved sweet and pure.EP 204.2
In the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?”EP 205.1
After leaving the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites encamped in Rephidim. Here there was no water, and again they distrusted the providence of God. The people came to Moses with the demand, “Give us water that we may drink.” They cried in anger, “Wherefore is this, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” When they had been so abundantly supplied with food, they remembered with shame their unbelief and promised to trust the Lord in the future; but they failed at the first trial of their faith. The pillar of cloud that was leading them seemed to veil a fearful mystery. And Moses—who was he? What could be his object in bringing them from Egypt? Suspicion and distrust filled their hearts, and in the tumult of rage they were about to stone him.EP 205.2
In distress Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do unto this people?” He was directed to take the elders of Israel and the rod wherewith he had wrought wonders in Egypt, and to go on before the people. And the Lord said unto him, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” He obeyed, and the waters burst forth in a living stream that abundantly supplied the encampment. The Lord in His mercy made the rod His instrument to work their deliverance.EP 205.3
It was the Son of God who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, stood beside Moses and caused the life-giving water to flow. All the congregation beheld the glory of the Lord; but had the cloud been removed, they would have been slain by the terrible brightness of Him who abode therein.EP 205.4
The unbelief manifested was criminal, and Moses feared that the judgment of God would rest upon them. He called the name of the place Massah, “temptation,” and Meribah, “chiding,” as a memorial of their sin.EP 206.1
A new danger now threatened them. Because of their murmuring against Him, the Lord suffered them to be attacked by their enemies. The Amalekites came out against them and smote those who, faint and weary, had fallen into the rear. Moses directed Joshua to choose from the different tribes a body of soldiers and lead them against the enemy, while he himself would stand on an eminence near by with the rod of God in his hand. Accordingly the next day Joshua and his company attacked the foe, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur were on a hill overlooking the battlefield. With arms outstretched toward heaven and holding the rod of God in his right hand, Moses prayed for the success of the armies of Israel. It was observed that so long as his hands were reaching upward, Israel prevailed; but when they were lowered, the enemy was victorious. As Moses became weary, Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the enemy was put to flight.EP 206.2
The act of Moses was significant, showing that God held their destiny in His hands; while they made Him their trust, He would fight for them and subdue their enemies. But when they should let go their hold upon Him and trust in their own power, they would be weak and their foes would prevail against them.EP 206.3
Divine strength is to be combined with human effort. Moses did not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel remained inactive. While the great leader was pleading with the Lord, Joshua and his brave followers were putting forth their utmost efforts to repulse the enemies of Israel and of God.EP 207.1
The Amalekites were not ignorant of God’s character or of His sovereignty, but they had set themselves to defy His power. The wonders wrought by Moses before the Egyptians were made a subject of mockery. They had taken oath by their gods that they would destroy the Hebrews and boasted that Israel’s God would be powerless to resist them. They had not been threatened by the Israelites. Their assault was unprovoked. To manifest their defiance of God they sought to destroy His people. The Amalekites had long been highhanded sinners, yet God’s mercy had still called them to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation’s doom. Over all who love and fear Him, God’s hand extends as a shield; let men beware that they smite not that hand; for it wields the sword of justice.EP 207.2
Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, now set out to visit the Hebrews and restore to Moses his wife and two sons. Moses, the great leader, went out with joy to meet them and conducted them to his tent.EP 207.3
As Jethro remained in the camp, he soon saw how heavy were the burdens that rested upon Moses. Not only the general interests and duties of the people, but the controversies that arose among them, were referred to him. He said, “I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws.” But Jethro remonstrated, saying, “This thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.” “Thou wilt surely wear away.” He counseled Moses to appoint proper persons as rulers of thousands, others as rulers of hundreds, and others of tens. These were to judge in all matters of minor consequence, while the most difficult and important cases should still be brought before Moses. This counsel was accepted, and it not only brought relief to Moses, but more perfect order among the people.EP 208.1
The fact that he had been chosen to instruct others did not lead Moses to conclude that he himself needed no instruction. The chosen leader of Israel listened gladly to the suggestions of the godly priest of Midian, and adopted his plan.EP 208.2
From Rephidim the people continued their journey, following the movement of the cloudy pillar. Their route had led across barren plains, over steep ascents, and through rocky defiles. Now before them in solemn majesty Mount Sinai lifted its massive front. The cloudy pillar rested upon its summit, and the people spread their tents upon the plain beneath. Here was to be their home for nearly a year. At night the pillar of fire assured them of divine protection, and while they were locked in slumber, the bread of heaven fell gently upon the encampment.EP 208.3
Here Israel was to receive the most wonderful revelation ever made by God to men. Here the Lord had gathered His people that He might impress upon them the sacredness of His requirements by declaring with His own voice His holy law. Radical changes were to be wrought in them; for the degrading influences of servitude and idolatry had left their mark upon habits and character. God was working to lift them to a higher moral level by giving them a knowledge of Himself.From Eternity Past
Sabbath Before Sinai
EP 204.3
“The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, ... until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” For forty years they were daily reminded of God’s unfailing care and tender love. God gave them “of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food” (Psalm 78:24, 25)—that is, food provided for them by the angels. They were daily taught that they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.EP 204.4
The manna was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven... . If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51.From Eternity Past
War With Amalek
EP 206.4
Just before his death Moses delivered to his people the solemn charge: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God... . Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Concerning this wicked people the Lord declared, “The hand of Amalek is against the throne of Jehovah.” Exodus 17:16, margin.Exodus 16:3
Christ Triumphant
Warnings Against a Depraved Appetite, April 14
CTr 111.1
Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth ... to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Exodus 16:3.Education
Chapter 5—The Education of Israel
Ed 38.2
The education of the Israelites included all their habits of life. Everything that concerned their well-being was the subject of divine solicitude, and came within the province of divine law. Even in providing their food, God sought their highest good. The manna with which He fed them in the wilderness was of a nature to promote physical, mental, and moral strength. Though so many of them rebelled against the restriction of their diet, and longed to return to the days when, they said, “We sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full” (Exodus 16:3), yet the wisdom of God’s choice for them was vindicated in a manner they could not gainsay. Notwithstanding the hardships of their wilderness life, there was not a feeble one in all their tribes.Testimony Treasures, vol. 1
An Unappreciated Blessing
1TT 33.2
Then I was pointed back to the years 1843 and 1844. There was a spirit of consecration then that there is not now. What has come over the professed peculiar people of God? I saw the conformity to the world, the unwillingness to suffer for the truth’s sake. I saw a great lack of submission to the will of God. I was pointed back to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. God in mercy called them out from the Egyptians, that they might worship Him without hindrance or restraint. He wrought for them in the way by miracles, He proved and tried them by bringing them into strait places. After the wonderful dealings of God with them, and their deliverance so many times, they murmured when tried or proved by Him. Their language was: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 16:3. They lusted for the leeks and onions there.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)
Lt 41a, 1874
2LtMs, Lt 41a, 1874, par. 28
God chose to restrict the diet of the children of Israel for their good. He even promised them that He would take all sickness away from the midst of them if they would be obedient and follow Him fully. He gave them angels’ food morning by morning. But what a pitiful sight do we see in the camp of Israel! Men and women are weeping in the doors of their tents, and there is heard the pitiful cry, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and did eat bread to the full.” Exodus 16:3. “Our soul,” say they, “loatheth this light bread.” Numbers 21:5. What, is it possible God could be so hard-hearted as to prescribe a died for the children of Israel which could not satisfy their wants or sustain their life? Would that God who created man require of him that which would make him miserable?. Oh no! Israel had been fostering a perverted appetite which would, if indulged, shorten their life. God, for their good, restricted their diet; but they rebelled against God’s requirements and thought themselves better able to choose their own food than God was to choose for them, and they would not submit to God’s requirement. The result was disease and death in the wilderness.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)
Lt 44, 1903
18LtMs, Lt 44, 1903, par. 22
The education of the Israelites included all their habits of life. Everything that concerned their well-being was the subject of divine solicitude and came with the province of divine law. It was because the Lord desired to make them His representatives that He provided them with a special bill of fare. They were placed under careful restrictions in regard to their diet. The use of flesh food was almost entirely prohibited. The people were to be holy, and the Lord knew that the use of flesh meat would be a hindrance to their advancement in spiritual life. By a miracle of mercy He fed them with the bread of heaven. The food provided for them was of a nature to promote physical, mental, and moral strength; and though so many of them rebelled against the restriction of their diet and longed to return to the ways “when,” they said, “we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full” [Exodus 16:3], yet the wisdom of God’s choice for them was vindicated in a manner that they could not gainsay. Notwithstanding the hardships of their wilderness life, there was not a feeble one in all their tribes.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)
Ms 69, 1912
25LtMs, Ms 69, 1912, par. 6
God brought Israel to the test on the point of appetite. They failed. Their appetites clamored for the rich food that they had used while in Egypt. “Would God,” they cried, “we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full!” Exodus 16:3.Exodus 16:3-26
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)
Ms 77, 1899
14LtMs, Ms 77, 1899, par. 17
“And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass that on the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe: and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up until the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worms therein. And Moses said: Eat that today, for today is the Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days shall ye gather it: but in the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.” [Exodus 16:3-7, 13-15, 21-26.]Exodus 16:4-28
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)
Ms 3, 1885
4LtMs, Ms 3, 1885, par. 12
The Lord brought Israel from Egypt, that they might keep His Sabbath, and He gave them special directions how to keep it. The instructions given to Moses were recorded for the benefit of all who should live upon the earth to the close of time. God has spoken; let us listen to His words and obey them. When the manna was given, the people were tested upon God’s law. Then said the Lord to the children of Israel through Moses, “I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law or no. ... And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” [Exodus 16:4, 22, 23.] Notwithstanding this special direction of God, some did go out to gather manna on the seventh day, but they found none; and the Lord said unto Moses, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?” [Verse 28.]4LtMs, Ms 3, 1885, par. 14
The fourth commandment is explicit. We are not to do our own work upon the Sabbath. God has given man six days for labor, but He has reserved the seventh to Himself, and He has pronounced a blessing upon those who keep it holy. On the sixth day all needful preparation for the Sabbath is to be made. “Bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe.” “To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” [Verse 23.] All purchases should be made, and all our cooking should be done, on Friday. Let baths be taken, shoes be blacked, and clothing be put in readiness. The sick require care upon the Sabbath; and whatever it may be necessary to do for their comfort is an act of mercy, and not a violation of the commandment. God does not desire the sacrifice of health, even on the Sabbath. But nothing of our own work should be permitted to encroach upon holy time.Exodus 16:5
Christ Triumphant
How Long Will You Refuse to Keep My Commandments, April 12
CTr 109.1
And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. Exodus 16:5.Exodus 16:11-18
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)
Ms 156, 1901
16LtMs, Ms 156, 1901, par. 24
Of the giving of the manna we read: “The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. ... And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, It is manna; for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.” [Exodus 16:11, 12, 14-18.]Exodus 16:18
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)
Lt 192, 1901
16LtMs, Lt 192, 1901, par. 9
The light given me in regard to the movements relative to the bakery at College View is that they were not in harmony with the Spirit of God. That experience the Lord forbids to ever be repeated. No man should subscribe his name to, or bind himself about with, such restrictions. God is not in it. The manna given to the children of Israel was for the whole people. “He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.” [Exodus 16:18.] The spirit manifested in that council at College View and its results, as revealed to me by the Lord while in Australia, will not soon be effaced from my memory. The spirit manifested by one of the representatives of the college, and his strong language, were displeasing to God. They made Satan rejoice. The circumstances that led to this crisis were the exercising of a power of brother over brother that God forbids. The Lord says, “All ye are brethren.” [Matthew 23:8.]Exodus 16:22
Homeward Bound
Double Manna, June 23
HB 196.1
And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread.—Exodus 16:22.Exodus 16:23
Counsels for the Church
Remember the Sabbath Day
CCh 262.5
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal labor that on the day when the Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His service. While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8. There was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)
Ms 57, 1897
12LtMs, Ms 57, 1897, par. 1
Letters have come to me from several persons with the request that I should write in regard to the manner in which we should observe the Sabbath. We have the Bible plain and clear upon this subject. We should not leave the work of the six working days to be done on the Sabbath. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which is left over lay up for be kept until the morning.” [Exodus 16:23.]12LtMs, Ms 57, 1897, par. 17
Then search the Scriptures, parents. Be not only hearers, but doers of the Word. Meet God’s standard in the education of your children. Let them see that you are preparing for the Sabbath on the working days of the week. All preparations should be made, every stitch taken, in the six working days. All the cooking for the Sabbath should be done on the preparation day. It is possible to do this; and if you make it a rule, you can do it. The command is, “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; for tomorrow is the rest day of the holy Sabbath.” [Exodus 16:23.] That day is not to be given to the cooking of food, or to pleasure seeking and worldly employment. Explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them help themselves and their parents in their preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. Lead your children to consider the Sabbath a delight, the day of days, the holy of the Lord, honorable. Do not allow yourself to spend the precious hours of the Sabbath in your bed. The heads of the house should be astir early.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)
Ms 114, 1902
17LtMs, Ms 114, 1902, par. 21
When the manna was given to the children of Israel, they were directed to gather on the sixth day a double portion. “Tomorrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord,” Moses declared. “Bake that which ye will bake today and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” [Exodus 16:23.]Manuscript Releases, vol. 10 [Nos. 771-850]
MR No. 815—Evangelizing Big Cities From Outposts
10MR 213.4
When the manna was given to the children of Israel, they were directed to gather on the sixth day a double portion. “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord,” Moses declared. “Bake that which ye will bake today and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning” (Exodus 16:23).Manuscript Releases, vol. 13 [Nos. 1000-1080]
MR No. 1049—Keeping the Sabbath Holy
13MR 293.3
Preparation for the Sabbath—The Sabbath should be as sacredly observed on the campground as it is in our homes. We should not let the bustle and excitement around us detract from its sacred dignity. No cooking should be done on that day. The instruction which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe“: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord” [Exodus 16:23]. God meant what He said when He gave these directions, and shall we, who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite? God forbid. There has sometimes been almost as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days; and the blessing of God has been shut out by our failure to honor Him in keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment.—Manuscript 8, 1882.Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6
Preparation for the Sabbath
6T 354.4
While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8. There was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day. This was a test to them. God desired to see whether or not they would keep the Sabbath holy.To Be Like Jesus
On Day Six, Prepare for the Sabbath, May 6
BLJ 137.1
This is what the Lord has said: “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.” Exodus 16:23, NKJV.The Gospel of Health
April 1, 1898
GosHealth April 1, 1898, par. 15
The Sabbath should be as sacredly observed on the camp-ground as it is in our homes. We should not let the bustle and excitement around us detract from its sacred dignity. No cooking should be done on that day. The instruction which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe;” for “tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Exodus 16:23. God meant what he said when he gave these directions; and shall we, who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite?—God forbid. There has sometimes been almost as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days; and the blessing of God has been shut out by our failure to honor him in keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment.Testimony Treasures, vol. 2
Scrupulous Sabbath Observance
2TT 184.3
The day before the Sabbath is to be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe.” “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Exodus 16:23.Testimony Treasures, vol. 3
Preparation for the Sabbath
3TT 21.3
While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8. There was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day. This was a test to them. God desired to see whether or not they would keep the Sabbath holy.Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 3 (1876 - 1882)
Ms 8, 1882
3LtMs, Ms 8, 1882, par. 15
The Sabbath should be as sacredly observed on the campground as it is in our homes. We should not let the bustle and excitement around us detract from its sacred dignity. No cooking should be done on that day. The instruction which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe;” “for tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Exodus 16:23. God meant what He said when He gave these directions, and shall we, who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite? God forbid. There has sometimes been almost as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days, and the blessing of God has been shut out by our failure to honor Him in keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment.Exodus 16:23-35
Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)
Ms 77, 1900
15LtMs, Ms 77, 1900, par. 5
But before the law was given from Sinai, God wrought a miracle each week to impress the people with the sanctity of the Sabbath. He rained manna from heaven for their food, and each day they gathered this manna, but on the sixth day they gathered twice as much, according to the directions of Moses: “This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. ... The Lord hath given you the Sabbath; therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.” [Exodus 16:23, 29, 30.]15LtMs, Ms 77, 1900, par. 6
“And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” [Verse 35.] Thus for forty years God worked each week a miracle before His people, to show them that His Sabbath was a sacred day.Exodus 16:28
The Desire of Ages
Chapter 29—The Sabbath
DA 283.1
The Sabbath was embodied in the law given from Sinai; but it was not then first made known as a day of rest. The people of Israel had a knowledge of it before they came to Sinai. On the way thither the Sabbath was kept. When some profaned it, the Lord reproved them, saying, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?” Exodus 16:28.From Heaven With Love
Chapter 29—Jesus Rescues the Sabbath
HLv 186.1
The people of Israel had knowledge of the Sabbath before they came to Sinai. On the way, the Sabbath was kept. When some profaned it, the Lord reproved them, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?” Exodus 16:28.Exodus 16:29-30
Christ Triumphant
Israel’s Experience Reminds Us of Sabbath Importance, April 13
CTr 110.1
See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day. Exodus 16:29, 30, NRSV.Exodus 16:35
To Be Like Jesus
Threefold Miracle Reveals Sabbath Sacredness, May 7
BLJ 138.1
And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Exodus 16:35, NKJV.EGW Writings — Ellen G. White. Ellen G. White Estate · all rights reserved
Exodus 16:1-21
Conflict and Courage
Complaining Again, March 29
CC 94.1
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Exodus 16:2.CC 94.2
Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel.46Ibid., 293.CC 94.3
God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land.... They forgot their bitter service in Egypt. They forgot the goodness and power of God displayed in their behalf in their deliverance from bondage. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the first-born of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea. They forgot that while they had crossed safely in the path that had been opened for them, the armies of their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. They saw and felt only their present inconveniences and trials; and instead of saying, “God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation,” they talked of the hardness of the way, and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.CC 94.4
The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God’s dealing with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan.47Ibid., 292, 293.