Passover and Provision

The Passover/Exodus story is familiar to most of us and yet there is always something more to think about. While reading Exodus 16, the account of manna bread from Heaven, I was struck by verse 3. The children of Israel were hungry and complaining and made mention of how in the land of Egypt they had pots of meat and enough bread to eat until they were full.

I never really thought about this fact. Usually when thinking about the plight of the Israelites in Egypt we think of how they were slaves who worked long hours under harsh conditions. However, at the same time they were more or less taken care of – in that they had a place to sleep, they were clothed and apparently had enough to eat!

Yet when they were in Egypt they also complained and cried out to God. So what was God rescuing them from? Was He taking them out of a place of misery and suffering or was He also taking them out of the place where they looked to their masters, the ones who provided their basic needs, as opposed to looking to God? Man’s nature is to always want more, even when there is enough for today, and to hold on to it in fear that there will not be enough for tomorrow.

As we read on in the story, God answers the people of Israel by supplying manna bread throughout forty years. They had to learn that they would have enough manna for today and no more. They had to trust there would be enough new manna again tomorrow.

During the years of their wandering, we see many times when the Israelites looked only to the physical, expecting the world to fulfill their needs. Simply put, while in captivity, they still complained, even when though they had food. While in the desert they complained and God sent bread from Heaven. Each time God heard, answered and provided. However, the nation continued to lack the ability to trust fully in God’s provision.

God’s final provision was Yeshua, the true bread of life. This was His answer to the children of Israel then and now. This is the answer sent for all mankind: And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Yeshua is the only One who can satisfy and fill all our needs for all time – physical, mental and spiritual.