Weekly readings: Exodus 13:17-17:16; Judges 4:4-5:31; John 6:15-71
Fresh from release from Egyptian captivity, the Israelites make their way into the desert, led by Moses and guided by the Lord's presence. Soon they are confronted with new threats to their existence: annihilation by the pursuing Egyptian army, death by thirst, death by starvation.
The story is well-known: as each problem provokes the people to panic, so God responds with patient care and miraculous provision - the Red Sea is parted and the Egyptian army completely destroyed; bitter water is made sweet; manna and quail are provided daily for food; water is caused to spring from desert rock.
Provision of Bread
Despite all these miracles, Israel's 40-year desert wanderings are marked by a persistent, community-wide refusal to trust in the Lord and his promise of provision. The scriptures record this as a time when God tests the Children of Israel – and sadly, they in turn respond by testing him (Ex 15:25; 17:2; Deut 6:16).
When manna is provided each morning, along with the instruction that each person should gather only what they need for that day, some obey without question. Others insist on hedging their bets and gathering enough for the following day - only to find that it rotted overnight (Ex 16:20). Then, despite this ongoing miracle of daily 'bread from heaven', it is not long before the Israelites begin to complain because they doubt God's willingness to provide water (Ex 17:1-7).
The Bread of Life
In John 6, we again witness varied responses to God's divine provision – in this case his provision of Jesus as the Bread of Life, the fulfilment of the prophetic foreshadow of the manna. In this passage Jesus makes a speech that – for those without understanding of its spiritual significance – seems to make very little sense (and was even thought offensive). In the face of this "hard teaching" (John 6:60), how do people respond?
As with God in the Exodus desert, some turn against Jesus and grumble. Many of his 'disciples' leave him from that day on. Only Peter has the courage to declare faith in Jesus – not understanding of his words, necessarily, but faith that he is the Holy One of God, the giver of life.
Who Does the Testing?
In both of these passages, God tests his people, requiring them to take steps of faith and trust which lead them beyond their own strength and understanding. His desire is for them to learn the deeper lesson that "man does not live by bread alone, but...by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord" (Deut 8:3, 16).
Ultimately, when God tests us with difficult circumstances, he is not testing our endurance, strength or intellect, our ability to understand difficult teaching or even our capacity to discern spiritual truth – he is testing our willingness to put our faith in Jesus.
Our response to the matter in hand reveals our heart towards God himself: will we trust him? Will we follow him joyfully and willingly - or doubtingly, trying at every turn to wrest control from his hands? An old hymn states: "we never can prove the delights of His love, until all on the altar we lay; for the favour He shows, for the joy He bestows, are for them who will trust and obey."1
If our response is as those who tried to collect two days' worth of manna – to test the Lord by making a show of obedience whilst trying to retain control – then we love ourselves more than we love God. Bonhoeffer remarked that "Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry."2
Willingness to Trust
In the journey of faith, God does not require us to be especially skilled or talented, intelligent or experienced. He does not even require us to have the strength needed to obey his call – just the willingness. As Deborah put it in Judges 4-5, when some Israeli tribes turned out to fight the Canaanites and some hung back, God is simply looking for "willing volunteers" (5:9).
Do we think our God has changed since Bible times? No, he is the same yesterday, today and forever. Psalm 95 exhorts: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did...in the desert where your fathers tested and tried me" (7-9). Instead, we are to "bow down in worship...kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care" (95:6-7). It is the heart of God to provide and care for your every need – will you trust him today?
Author: Frances Rabbitts