The doctrine of manna

1. Manna came down every day, but it didn’t — Exodus 16:4,5,22-27. God provided manna every day except Saturday, the Sabbath. Therefore on Friday God told the Jews to gather double. If manna was kept overnight it spoiled but if it was kept overnight on Friday it was preserved for the Sabbath. The application: Some Bible doctrine is used daily, like Rebound and Faith-Rest. Some Bible doctrine is preserved in the right lobe for special circumstances — suffering, prosperity, love, service, etc.

2. Those who gathered a lot of manna did not have any more than those who gathered little manna. So whether you had a lot or a little it was always the same because a lot meant your capacity for a lot or a little matched your capacity for a little — Exodus 16:16-18; 2 Corinthians 8:15. This is the law of equality. God always matches capacity. Some people seem to get more than others but some people have more capacity than others. Those who gathered a lot of manna did not have any more than those who gathered a little manna because each person gathered according to his capacity, and each one therefore had that which satisfied his capacity. God will always meet your capacity and your capacity is based on doctrine. Capacity is Bible doctrine in the human spirit and in the right lobe.

3. Manna spoiled, but it didn’t spoil — Exodus 16:19,20. If kept overnight it spoiled. If kept overnight on the sixth night it was preserved. Therefore if anyone was going to enjoy manna he must follow divine instructions. He must have the divine viewpoint about manna. There is just one way, God’s way, and that is learning Bible doctrine. Doctrine must be more real to you than anything else in life.

4. Manna spoiled if kept overnight but it was preserved indefinitely in the ark of the covenant — Exodus 16:19,20; Hebrews 9:4; Exodus 16:33. Doctrine you learn through the function of GAP can be used to construct an ECS, to form norms and standards and viewpoint in the right lobe. That doctrine can reside in you forever. There never will be a time when that doctrine doesn’t reside there and the only thing that can ever destroy it is when you start going backward. You still have free will and you never stand still. You are either going forward or backward in your Christian life.

5. Manna melted, but it didn’t melt — Exodus 16:21. Only manna which has been gathered withstood the rays of the sun. The manna carried into the tent in those days remained all day but the unguarded manna outside of the tent melted when the sun came up. Only Bible doctrine absorbed under GAP can help in time of pressure or prosperity. Ungathered manna is like Bible doctrine still in the Bible. You have to gather it. The only manna that did any good was the manna gathered and brought into the tent. Only Bible doctrine absorbed is usable. This emphasises the daily function of GAP — Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3; Jeremiah 15:16.

6. Manna tasted good to some and bad to others. This illustrates positive volition toward doctrine. In Exodus 16:31 the people who were positive loved it, it tasted like honey. But to the people who were negative, Numbers 21:5, it tasted horrible. What was the difference? Attitude!

7. Manna came as a complaint from Israel — Exodus 16:2-4. Therefore manna is grace provision. The Jews did not earn it or deserve it — Psalm 78:18-25. God provided manna when the Jews were negative toward doctrine and generally in revolt. So regardless of how the Jews had sinned, how they had failed, or the condition of their soul, manna was delivered on schedule every day, except the Sabbath — Exodus 16:35.

8. The rejection of grace [manna] resulted in divine discipline — Numbers 21:5,6. God blesses the believer through grace, and when the believer decides he wants to operate outside of grace it is called falling from grace in Galatians 5:4, and failing grace in Hebrews 12:15. So God disciplines in grace those who do not like direct blessing from grace.