Nothing At All

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Category: General | Mar 1991

"Blow, blow, thou winter wind:

Thou art not So unkind as man's ingratitude".

Shakespeare's words adequately describe the unthankfulness of Israel to God's miraculous gift of the manna. For something like 12,500 days God sent daily manna by the ton to satisfy the needs of two or three million people. The total tonnage supplied must have been astronomical. In contrast to His raining of fire in judgement on Sodom and fire and hail on Egypt. He rained in kindness on Israel's camp, the bread of the mighty. "They did eat, and were well filled", says the psalmist (78:24-29). Yet they said, ".. there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to" (Num. 11:6). They spurned God's loving provision, and wept for the food of their cruel bondage. How selective the memory is! "We remember the fish... ~ the cucumbers ... melons... leeks ... onions garlic" (v.5). How quickly they had forgotten the threats to destroy their baby boys, the lash and the bleeding backs, the daily oppression of slavery from which they had been miraculously delivered. They murmured and

moaned: "... there is nothing at all save this manna". What more did they need than God's unique miraculous provision which none had seen before? The' manna was a complete, wholesome food, sweet and nutritious; yet they despised it. Man's ingratitude!

The attitude was no different when the antitype of the manna appeared on earth in the person of Christ. "I am the living bread", He said to His people. "... if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever" (John 6:51). But the time came when He had to remind them: "... ye have seen Me, and yet believe not" (v.36). He who was the true bread was born in Bethlehem the house of bread. As the Babe He reminds us of the smallness of the wilderness manna (Son of Man); the roundness in the manna's shape may indicate His eternal character (Son of God); its white colour is suggestive of His purity; and its sweetness may suggest His kindness. He is altogether lovely, the only One able to cure spiritual hunger and satisfy the longing soul. And He proved it to those who

came to Him in faith, but the unbelieving saw no beauty in Him. "He was despised ... rejected ... a Man of sorrows" ('s. 53:24). His rejectors preferred their old sinful ways rather than accepting Him who is the Way, the Truth, the Life - the story of Israel all over again.

Today the same mistakes must not be made. Paul warns: "... in the last day.... men shall be... unthankful ..." (2 Tim. 3:1-2). This must not be our attitude toward Him who is the Manna, the Bread of God. Nothing must hinder our spiritual appetite. We must eat of Him and be filled. As Israel stooped to gather the manna in the wilderness, so we must come humbly to feed on Him day by day, by reading and meditating in God's Word. As we absorb and allow His life to flow in and through us, so we become satisfied. Peace and contentment replace restlessness and uncertainty. Our fellowship with Him will take on a spiritual sweetness and satisfaction which counteracts murmuring. We become content in Him, and need not to say "there is nothing at all... save this manna ..." He is the bread that satisfies and we do not need to yearn for the food which perishes. Our spiritual growth is related to our spiritual appetite for the true Bread, Christ.

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Mar 1991
General