What Appeared Before the Manna?
The story of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness is filled with miraculous events, one of the most remarkable being the provision of manna from heaven. Before the manna appeared, however, several significant occurrences set the stage, both physically and spiritually, for this divine provision.
1. The Exodus from Egypt and the Beginning of the Journey
Before the manna appeared, the Israelites had just experienced the miraculous deliverance from Egypt. The Exodus involved:
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God’s mighty acts through Moses, including the plagues that struck Egypt.
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The Passover, which marked their final night in Egypt and symbolized God’s protection.
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Crossing the Red Sea, where the waters parted to allow their escape and then returned to engulf the pursuing Egyptians.
At this point, the Israelites were free but entering an unfamiliar and barren wilderness, completely dependent on God for sustenance.
2. Initial Hunger and Complaint
As the Israelites traveled, they soon realized that the wilderness offered no immediate food. Their hunger began almost immediately after leaving Egypt. The text in Exodus 16:2-3 captures this moment:
“The whole community of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’”
This complaint demonstrates two things:
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The people were unprepared to rely on God’s provision.
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Their memories of Egypt’s food, even in slavery, shaped their perception of scarcity.
3. God’s Promise of Provision
Before the manna physically appeared, God had already prepared a spiritual and practical framework for their sustenance. He assured them that He would provide food. He told Moses:
“I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.” (Exodus 16:4)
Here, God established the principle of daily dependence and trust—manna would appear only each morning (except before the Sabbath), teaching the Israelites to rely on God rather than on their own ability to store or plan ahead.
4. The Morning Appearance of Manna
The actual manna first appeared after the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness, as a visible, tangible form of God’s provision. According to Exodus 16:
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Manna appeared on the ground in the morning, often described as small, flaky, or like frost.
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It was edible and had a taste like wafer made with honey.
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The quantity could be gathered in accordance with the family’s needs, not in excess.
Thus, the manna itself was the first actual sustenance, but it was preceded by a period of hunger, complaint, and divine instruction about reliance and obedience.
5. Significance of What Preceded the Manna
What appeared before the manna—hunger, complaint, and God’s promise—served a greater purpose:
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Testing Obedience: The Israelites had to trust God’s word before seeing the actual provision.
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Teaching Dependence: Their dependence on manna taught daily reliance on God.
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Preparing Hearts: Experiencing scarcity sharpened their awareness of God’s miraculous care.
Without this preceding experience, the miracle of manna might have been taken for granted rather than revered as a divine provision.
Conclusion
Before manna appeared, the Israelites experienced a critical period of transition—escaping Egypt, facing hunger in the wilderness, and hearing God’s promise of daily sustenance. This sequence of events was not just a logistical necessity but a spiritual lesson: it prepared the Israelites to recognize, appreciate, and rely on God’s miraculous provision in their journey. The appearance of manna was thus preceded by both physical hunger and spiritual preparation, ensuring that God’s provision would be seen as a true miracle.