God Promises to Rain Bread From Heaven
October 14, 2025
Commentary
The wilderness of Sin was the perfect place for God to test and shape His people’s hearts. One month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites ran out of food. Instead of trusting the LORD, they began to complain against Moses and Aaron (vv. 1–2). Hunger made them forget their slavery and focus only on what they had lost—the food of Egypt (v. 3). They didn’t truly want to return to Egypt; they simply wanted relief from the pressure of the moment.
As they faced danger and discomfort, the people grumbled. Yet God still heard their cries with compassion. He used this moment to teach them to trust Him daily. The LORD told Moses He would “rain bread from Heaven” for His people (vv. 4–5). But this miracle came with instructions – a test of obedience. Each person was to gather only what they needed for the day and to rest on the Sabbath. Through this test, God was training them to trust Him one day at a time.
Moses told the people what God had said (vv. 6–8), and as they looked toward the wilderness, they saw the glory of the LORD appear in the cloud (vv. 9–10). God’s presence reminded them that He had not forgotten them. That evening, quail covered the camp, providing meat. The next morning, thin flakes like frost covered the ground—the manna God had promised (vv. 11–13).
This was no small miracle. With over two million people in the wilder-ness, it would take an enormous amount of food every day. Yet God faithfully provided what they needed, when they needed it. He was showing them that He alone could sustain them in the desert, just as He provides for us in our daily needs today.
Application
When I face pressure or a genuine need, do I complain like the Israelites, or do I ask the LORD to provide, trusting that He will? He knows exactly what I need and has promised to care for me. Instead of wishing life were easier or wanting more, I will thank Him for what He has given and be happy with what He provides.
Exodus 16:1–13 (NET)
1 When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt. 2 The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they walk in my law or not? 5 On the sixth day they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather every other day.”
6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”
8 Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of the Israelites, ‘Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”
10 As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the wilderness, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, 11 and the Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.