One of the most interesting things about manna to me is that it is apparently what Angels eat/ate.

"Man did eat angels' food: He sent them meat to the full." [Psa 78:25]

Think of that! But even though the Israelites were being sustained on Angel’s food, they murmured! Even though bread miraculously appeared every day except on Sabbath, they forgot and they lusted for meat! (But we shouldn’t condemn them so soon; I think we’ll soon see that we can do the same thing.)

Notice also what happens to them spiritually,

"They soon forget His works; they waited not for His counsel: but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul." [Psa 106:13-15]

They lusted for something greater than just “bread,” and because of that they received “leanness into their soul[s].” What a word of warning for us!

Moses shows us the initial provoking to this tempting of God,

"And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." [Num 21:4-5]

The bread which miraculously appeared and fed them for so long had become weary. The became wearied and began to loathe God’s bread. They began to hate the bread that came down from heaven because the way God was taking them became hard.

Sometimes it is like this in our lives as well: we become discouraged because of the way God is taking us. We start to mumble and groan because things are tough. And when that happens, we can be tempted to ask for something more, tempted to ask God for quails as it were. But take heed from the Israelites, who despised the manna. They were eating Angel’s food and eating it to the full, but they despised it because the way had grown hard. They grew tired of God’s bread and wanted something new, something different. They got too familiar with the miracle of heavenly bread and lusted, tempting Christ. Paul warns us,

"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents." [1 Cor 10:9]

So let us not follow in that example and ask God for something more than Christ Jesus. For He is that bread which came down from heaven. Jesus is our manna. Though the way becomes tough, beloved brethren: endure. For there is no spiritual food greater than Christ. Though the way be tough, Christ is what we need!

"For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world…I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me may never hunger: and he that believeth on me shall never thirst at any time." [Jn 6:33; 35]

CONCLUSION

Don’t despise Christ Jesus, who is the bread of God, the bread which came down from heaven. Jesus is the bread of life and if we desire, we may come to Him and eat, eating to the full, being glutted with Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us come to Christ and eat of Him, not tempting Him, not growing weary or tired from His words, from His presence. It can be tempting to want something more, but Jesus is enough: don’t let familiarity harden you, don’t let tribulation sway you. Continue on the good way, the good path, and eat of Jesus Christ our Lord.