Bible's Mythical Manna

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Manna was the food that came down from God to feed the children of Israel daily in the wilderness for the forty years of their journey to Canaan. 


What Is Manna? Bible Descriptions.

The word "manna" means "What is it?" in Hebrew. Manna is also known in the Bible as the "bread of heaven," "corn of heaven," "angel's food," and "spiritual meat."

This miracle bread from heaven saved God's people. 

Exodus 16:14 - "When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground." 

Exodus 16:31 - "The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers." 

Numbers 11:7 - "The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin."  

And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning” (Exod. 16:23).


Manna in the Wilderness.

Skim through Exodus 16, the story of the manna provided to Israel, in the desert, before Sinai. Manna was given to the children of Israel in such a way that it required them to develop self discipline.

1. It came each morning, except on the Sabbath day. It could be collected each day for that day alone, and only as much as could be eaten in one day.

2. If a person tried to collect more than needed or to store the manna for future needs, it would grow wormy and foul.

3. On the special preparation day ( sixth day) The Israelites should collect extra portion of Manna for the next day ie Sabbath day. 

4. On the Seventh Day, there will not be Manna from Heaven. 

5. Miraculously, the extra portion of Manna which was preserved on the Sixth day will be unspoiled.

In this way it was impossible for the Israelites to evade total dependence on God or to use the manna greedily for personal gain. 


Jesus is the Manna.

In the New Testament, manna is mentioned in both the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. In a sermon delivered shortly after the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus compares God’s gift of body-nourishing manna to his own ability to eternally nourish the soul: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” 



Life Changing Lessons from Manna.

The purpose of the manna was to test Israel's faith, to humble them, and to teach them that one "does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (Deut 8:3,16). A hungry Jesus used this quote to refuse Satan's suggestion that he turn stones into bread (Matt 4:4). Like the Israelites in the desert, Jesus was totally dependent on the provisions of his heavenly Father while in the wilderness of temptation (Matt 4:11).

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