Difference between revisions of "Manna"

<p> There is a connection between the natural '''''Manna''''' and the supernatural. The natural is the sweet juice of the '''''Tarfa''''' , a kind of tamarisk. It exudes in May for about six weeks from the trunk and branches in hot weather, and forms small round white grains. It retains its consistency in cool weather, but melts with heat. It is gathered from the twigs or from the fallen leaves. The Arabs, after boiling and straining, use it as honey with bread. The color is a greyish-yellow, the taste sweet and aromatic. [[Ehrenberg]] says it is produced by an insect's puncture. It abounds in rainy seasons, some years it ceases. About 600 or 700 pounds is the present produce of a year. The region wady Gharandel (Elim) and Sinai, the wady Sheich, and some other parts of the peninsula, are the places where it is found. The name is still its Arabic designation, and is read on the [[Egyptian]] monuments ( '''''Mennu''''' , '''''Mennu Hut''''' , "white manna".) [[Gesenius]] derives it from '''''Manah''''' , "to apportion." The supernatural character of the manna of Exodus at the same time appears. </p> <p> '''(1)''' It was found not under the tamarisk, but on the surface of the wilderness, after the morning dew had disappeared. </p> <p> '''(2)''' The quantity gathered in a single day exceeded the present produce of a year. </p> <p> '''(3)''' It ceased on the sabbath. </p> <p> '''(4)''' Its properties were distinct; it could be ground and baked as meal, it was not a mere condiment but nutritious as bread. </p> <p> '''(5)''' It was found not merely where it still is, but Israel's whole way to [[Canaan]] (and not merely for a month or two each year, but all the year round). The miracle has all the conditions and characteristics of divine interpositions. </p> <p> ''(1)'' A necessity, for [[Israel]] could not otherwise have been sustained in the wilderness. </p> <p> ''(2)'' A divine purpose, namely to preserve God's peculiar people on which His whole providential government and man's salvation depended. </p> <p> ''(3)'' [[Harmony]] between the natural and the supernatural; God fed them, not with the food of other regions, but with that of the district. </p> <p> The local coloring is marked. Moses the writer could neither have been deceived as to the fact, nor could have deceived contemporaries and eye-witnesses. (Speaker's Commentary) The [[Scripture]] allusions to it are in &nbsp;Exodus 16:14-36; &nbsp;Numbers 11:7-9; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 8:3-16; &nbsp;Joshua 5:12; &nbsp;Psalms 78:24-25 ("angels' food"; not as if angels ate food, but food from the habitation of angels, heaven, a directly miraculous gift), &nbsp;Matthew 4:4; &nbsp;John 6:31-50; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:3. The manna was a "small round thing as the hoar-frost on the ground," falling with the dew on the camp at night. They gathered it early every morning before the sun melted it. </p> <p> If laid by for any following day except the sabbath it bred worms and stank. It was like coriander seed and bdellium, white, and its taste as the taste of fresh oil, like wafers made with honey (&nbsp;Numbers 11:7-9). Israel subsisted on it for 40 years; it suddenly ceased when they got the first new grain of Canaan. Vulgate, Septuagint, and [[Josephus]] (Ant. 3:1, sec. 6) derive manna from Israel's question to one another, '''''Maan Huw'''''' " 'what is this?' for they knew not what it was." God "gave it to His beloved (in) sleep" (&nbsp;Psalms 127:2), so the sense and context require. Israel each morning, in awaking, found it already provided without toil. Such is the gospel, the gift of grace, not the fruit of works; free to all, and needed by high and low as indispensable for true life. </p> <p> To commemorate Israel's living on omers or tenth deals of manna one omer was put into a golden pot and preserved for many generations beside the ark. Each was to gather according to his eating, an omer apiece for each in his tent, a command testing their obedience, in which some failed, gathering more but gaining nought by it, for however much he gathered, on measuring it in his tent he found he had only as much as he needed for his family; type of [[Christian]] charity, which is to make the superfluity of some supply the needs of others. "that there may be equality" (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:14-15); "our luxuries should yield to our neighbor's comforts, and our comforts to his necessities" (John Howard). The manna typifies Christ. </p> <p> '''(1)''' It falls from above (&nbsp;John 6:32, etc.) as the dew (&nbsp;Psalms 110:3; &nbsp;Micah 5:7) round the camp, i.e. the visible church, and nowhere else; the gift of God for which we toil not (&nbsp;John 6:28-29); when we were without merit or strength (&nbsp;Romans 5:6; &nbsp;Romans 5:8). </p> <p> '''(2)''' It was gathered early; so we, before the world's heat of excitement melt away the good of God's gift to us (&nbsp;Psalms 63:1; &nbsp;Hosea 5:15; &nbsp;Hosea 6:4; &nbsp;Matthew 13:6). </p> <p> '''(3)''' A double portion must be gathered for the sabbath. </p> <p> '''(4)''' It was ground in the mill, as Christ was "bruised" for us to become our "bread of life." </p> <p> '''(5)''' [[Sweet]] as honey to the taste (&nbsp;Psalms 34:8; &nbsp;Psalms 119:103; &nbsp;1 Peter 2:3). </p> <p> '''(6)''' It must be gathered "day by day," fresh each day; so today's grace will not suffice for tomorrow (&nbsp;1 Kings 8:59 margin; &nbsp;Matthew 6:11; &nbsp;Luke 11:3). Hoarded up it putrefied; so gospel doctrine laid up for speculation, not received in love and digested as spiritual food, becomes a savor of death not life (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 8:1). </p> <p> '''(7)''' To the carnal it was "dry" food though really like "fresh oil" (&nbsp;Numbers 11:6; &nbsp;Numbers 11:8; &nbsp;Numbers 21:5): so the gospel to the worldly who long for fleshly pleasures of Egypt, but to the spiritual it is full of the rich savor of the [[Holy]] Spirit (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 2:14-16). </p> <p> '''(8)''' Its preservation in the golden pot in the holiest typifies Jesus, now in the heavenly holiest place, where He gives of the hidden manna to him that overcometh (&nbsp;Revelation 2:17); He is the manna hidden from the world but revealed to the believer, who has now a foretaste of His preciousness; like the incorruptible manna in the sanctuary, the spiritual food offered to all who reject the world's dainties for Christ is everlasting, an incorruptible body, and life in Christ at the resurrection. </p> <p> '''(9)''' The manna continued with Israel throughout their wilderness journey; so Christ with His people here (&nbsp;Matthew 28:19). </p> <p> '''(10)''' It ceases when they gain the promised rest, for faith then gives place to sight and the wilderness manna to the fruit of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God (&nbsp;Revelation 2:7; &nbsp;Revelation 22:2; &nbsp;Revelation 22:14). </p>

<p> The food miraculously supplied from heaven to the Israelites during the forty years of their wanderings. Its name signifies 'what is it?' for they knew not what it was. It fell every morning except on the Sabbath, and had to be gathered early, or it melted. If kept till the second dayit bred worms, except the double quantity gathered on the day before the Sabbath, which was good on the second day. The quantity to be gathered was on an average an omer (about 4 pints) for every man. Some gathered more and some less, and when they measured it with an omer "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating." </p> <p> The explanation given by the Rabbis is that though several in a family went out to gather the manna, when it was brought home and measured it was found to be just an omer for each of them. The more probable explanation is that though on an average an omer was the portion for each, some needed more and others less, and therefore every one gathered 'according to his eating,' according to what he knew he would require, and thus every one had enough and there was nothing wasted. The former part of the passage is quoted in &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:15 , to show that in making a collection for the poor saints there should be the carrying out of this divine principle of 'equality,' the abundance of some contributing to the need of others. </p> <p> The manna ceased as soon as the Israelites had crossed the Jordan, and eaten of the old corn of the promised land. The manna is described as being likecoriander seed, of the colour of bdellium. It was ground in mills, or pounded in a mortar, and baked in pans, or made into cakes. It tasted like wafers made with honey, &nbsp;Exodus 16:31; but afterwards, when the people had lost their relish for it, like fresh oil. &nbsp;Numbers 11:6-9 . The people, alas, murmured because they had nothing to eat but the manna. </p> <p> The manna is typical of Christ Himself, the vessel of God's good pleasure, and of heavenly grace here on earth — the heavenly One in the midst of earthly circumstances. He is this heavenly grace now for His own, so that grace is ministered to them for the wilderness journey. When they are viewed as in the land, that is, as made to sit in heavenly places in Christ, and entering in spirit upon their heavenly and eternal portion, then Christ in glory, the centre of all the Father's counsels, is their food, as the 'old corn' of the promised land. The Christian, whose heart is not set for God's purpose, gets tired of the manna, and longs, alas, for other food, as the Israelites did. &nbsp;Exodus 16:15-35; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 8:3,16; &nbsp;Joshua 5:12; &nbsp;Nehemiah 9:20; &nbsp;Psalm 78:24; &nbsp;Hebrews 9:4 . In &nbsp;Revelation 2:17 the Lord promises to give to the overcomer in the church in [[Pergamos]] to eat of the [[Hidden Manna]] that is, some sweet secret communion with Himself, known in the glory as the One who suffered here. </p>

<p> '''Manna.''' ''(What Is This?).'' (Hebrew, '''man''' ). The most important passages of the Old Testament on this topic are the following: &nbsp;Exodus 16:14-36; &nbsp;Numbers 11:7-9; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 11:5; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 11:16; &nbsp;Joshua 5:12; &nbsp;Psalms 78:24-25. </p> <p> From these passages, we learn that the manna came every morning, except the [[Sabbath]] , in the form of a small round seed, resembling the hoar frost, so that it must be gathered early, before the sun became so hot as to melt it; that it must be gathered every day except the [[Sabbath]] ; that the attempt to lay aside for a succeeding day, except on the day immediately preceding the [[Sabbath]] , failed because the substance becoming wormy and offensive; that it was prepared for food by grinding and baking; that its taste was like fresh oil, and like wafers made with honey, equally agreeable to all palates; that the whole nation, of at least 2,000,000, subsisted upon it for forty years; that it suddenly ceased when they first got the new corn of the land of Canaan; and that it was always regarded as a miraculous gift directly from God, and not as a product of nature. </p> <p> The natural products of the [[Arabian]] deserts and other Oriental regions which bear the name of manna have not the qualities or uses ascribed to the manna of Scripture. The latter substance was undoubtedly wholly miraculous, and not, in any respect, a product of nature, though its name may have come from its resemblance to the natural manna. The substance now called [[Manna]] in the Arabian desert, through which the Israelites passed, is collected in the month of June from the ''Tarfa'' or ''Tamarisk Shrub'' ( '''Tamarix gallica''' ). </p> <p> According to Burckhardt, it drops from the thorns on the sticks and leaves with which the ground is covered, and must be gathered early in the day or it will be melted by the sun. The Arabs cleanse and boil it, strain it through a cloth and put it in leathern bottles; and in this way, it can be kept uninjured for several years. They use it like honey or butter with their unleavened bread, but never make it into cakes or eat it by itself. The whole harvest, which amounts to only five or six hundred pounds, is consumed by the Bedouins, "who," says Schaff, "consider it the greatest dainty their country affords." </p> <p> The manna of European commerce conies mostly from [[Calabria]] and Sicily. It's gathered during the months of June and July from some species of ash, ( '''Ornus europaea''' and '''Ornus rotundifolia''' ), from which it drops in consequence of a puncture by an insect resembling the locust, but distinguished from it by having a sting under its body. The substance is fluid at night and resembles the dew, but in the morning it begins to harden. </p>

<p> '''Manna,''' ( ''What Is This?'' Heb. ''Mân'' ). The chief food of the Israelites in the wilderness. &nbsp;Exodus 16:14-36; &nbsp;Numbers 11:7-9; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 8:3; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 8:16; &nbsp;Joshua 5:12; &nbsp;Psalms 78:24-25. The most remarkable things about the manna of the Israelites were: 1. That double the quantity was supplied on the day preceding the Sabbath or seventh day; 2. That on the Sabbath or seventh day none was furnished; 3. That what they kept from the sixth day to the seventh was sweet and good, while what they kept from any other day to the next day bred worms and became offensive. These miracles were wrought in attestation of the sanctity of the Sabbath. The manna of the Jews is described as "a small round thing," as small as "the hoarfrost on the ground," "like coriander seed" (in shape doubtless, perhaps in size and density), "of the color of bdellium." "and the taste of it like wafers made with honey." For forty years this miraculous supply of food was furnished daily to between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 of people. &nbsp;Deuteronomy 29:5-6. It ceased while they were encamped at Gilgal, immediately after they had celebrated the passover for the first time in the Land of Promise. To commemorate this wonderful miracle a golden pot was provided, &nbsp;Exodus 16:33; &nbsp;Hebrews 9:4, and an omer (or one man's portion) of the manna put up for preservation and placed in or near the ark, that succeeding generations might see with their own eyes the very substance on which their fathers were miraculously fed in their long and perilous journeyings from Egypt to Canaan. The manna which is now used in medicine as a mild laxative is the juice of the flowering ash, a native of Sicily, Calabria, and other parts of the south of Europe. It is either naturally concreted, or exsiccated, and purified by art. The best manna is in oblong pieces or flakes of a pale yellow color; light, friable, and somewhat transparent. It has no characteristics in common with the manna miraculously supplied to the Israelites while journeying through the wilderness. Wherever the manna is referred to in Scripture, it is invariably regarded as a miraculous food sent directly from God. The Lord Jesus accepted the manna as a type of himself—the living bread which came down from heaven. "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world." &nbsp;John 6:33; &nbsp;John 6:48; &nbsp;John 6:50. The phrase "hidden manna," &nbsp;Revelation 2:17, figuratively describes the spiritual food which Christ supplies to those who believe in him and live by faith in him. </p>

<div> '''1: '''''Μάννα''''' ''' (Strong'S #3131 — Noun Neuter — manna — man'-nah ) </div> <p> the supernaturally provided food for Israel during their wilderness journey (for details see &nbsp;Exodus 16 and &nbsp; Numbers 11 ). The [[Hebrew]] equivalent is given in &nbsp;Exodus 16:15 , RV marg., "man hu." The translations are, RV, "what is it?;" AV and RV marg., "it is manna." It is described in &nbsp;Psalm 78:24,25 as "the corn of heaven" and "the bread of the mighty," RV text and AV marg. ("angels' food," AV text), and in &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 10:3 , as "spiritual meat." The vessel appointed to contain it as a perpetual memorial, was of gold, &nbsp;Hebrews 9:4 , with &nbsp;Exodus 16:33 . The Lord speaks of it as being typical of Himself, the true [[Bread]] from Heaven, imparting eternal life and sustenance to those who by faith partake spiritually of Him, &nbsp;John 6:31-35 . The "hidden manna" is promised as one of the rewards of the overcomer, &nbsp;Revelation 2:17; it is thus suggestive of the moral excellence of Christ in His life on earth, hid from the eyes of men, by whom He was "despised and rejected;" the path of the overcomer is a reflex of His life. </p>

<p> &nbsp;Deuteronomy 8:3 (a) This bread is a type of [[Christ]] the living Bread. GOD gave it to Israel in a miraculous way. He is the living bread which sustains the lives of GOD's people. It was always pure white. It was sweet. There was enough for all. (See also &nbsp;John 6:49; &nbsp;Hebrews 9:4). </p> <p> &nbsp;Revelation 2:17 (a) This bread is a type of some sort of unseen and unknown blessings which are given by GOD for the blessing of His people when they live victorious lives for Him. It is a gift that is lovely, precious, attractive and satisfying, but the character of it is unknown. </p>

<p> ''''' man´a ''''' ( מן , <i> ''''' mān ''''' </i> ; μάννα , <i> ''''' mánna ''''' </i> ): The Hebrew man is probably derived, as Ebers suggests, from the Egyptian <i> ''''' mennu ''''' </i> , "food." In &nbsp; Exodus 16:15 , we have a suggested source of the name, "They said one to another, What is it?" i.e. <i> ''''' manhu ''''' </i> , which also means, "It is manna" (see margin). </p> 1. Old Testament References: <p> This substance is described as occurring in flakes or small round grains, literally, "hoax frost"; it fell with the dew (&nbsp;Numbers 11:9 ) and appeared when the dew left the ground (&nbsp;Exodus 16:14 ); "It was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey" (&nbsp;Exodus 16:31 ). In &nbsp;Numbers 11:8 , its taste is described "as the taste of fresh oil," margin "cakes baked with oil." "And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years, until they came ... unto the borders of the land of Canaan" (&nbsp;Exodus 16:35 ). It ceased the day after they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain, in the plains of [[Jericho]] (&nbsp;Joshua 5:10-12 ). Although an important article of diet, it was by no means the sole one as seems implied in &nbsp;Numbers 21:15; there are plenty of references (e.g. &nbsp;Exodus 17:3; &nbsp;Exodus 24:5; &nbsp;Exodus 34:3; &nbsp;Leviticus 8:2 , &nbsp;Leviticus 8:26 , &nbsp;Leviticus 8:31; &nbsp;Leviticus 9:4; &nbsp;Leviticus 10:12; &nbsp;Leviticus 24:5; &nbsp;Numbers 7:13 , &nbsp;Numbers 7:19 f, etc.) which show that they had other food besides. The food was gathered every morning, "every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted" (&nbsp; Exodus 16:21 ); a portion of the previous day's gathering bred worms and stank if kept (&nbsp;Exodus 16:20 ); on the 6th day a double amount was gathered, the Sabbath portion being miraculously preserved (&nbsp;Exodus 16:22-27 ). A pot - a golden one (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:4 ) - with an omer of manna was "laid up before Yahweh" in the tabernacle (&nbsp;Exodus 16:33 ). Manna is referred to in &nbsp;Nehemiah 9:20 . It is described poetically as "food from heaven" and "bread of the mighty" (&nbsp;Psalm 78:24 f); as "bread of heaven" (&nbsp; Psalm 105:40 ); and as "angels' bread" (2 [[Esdras]] 1:19; The Wisdom of [[Solomon]] 16:20). </p> 2. New Testament References: <p> In &nbsp;John 6:31-63 , our Lord frequently refers to "the manna" or "bread from heaven" as typical of Himself. Paul (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:3 ) refers to it as "spiritual food," and in &nbsp;Revelation 2:17 we read, "To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna." </p> <p> Manna, as might be expected, figures largely in rabbinical literature. It was, it is said, adapted to the taste of each individual who could by wishing taste in the manna anything he desired (compare The Wisdom of &nbsp;Song of Solomon 16:21 ). Manna is reserved as the future food of the righteous (compare &nbsp;Revelation 2:17 ), for which purpose it is ground in a mill situated in the third heaven (Chag 12b; Tan. Beshallach 22). </p> 3. Natural Explanations: <p> No substance is known which in any degree satisfies all the requirements of the Scriptural references, but several travelers in the wilderness have reported phenomena which suggest some of the features of the miraculous manna. </p> <p> (1) In the Peninsula of Sinai, on the route of the children of Israel, a species of tamarisk, named in consequence by Ebers <i> Tammaris mannifera </i> , is found to exude a sweet, honey-like substance where its bark is pierced by an insect, <i> Gossyparia mannifera </i> . It collects upon the twigs and falls to the ground. The Arabs who gather it to sell to pilgrims call it <i> ''''' mann ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' es ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' samā ''''' </i> , "heavenly manna"; it is white at first but turns yellow; in the early morning it is of the consistency of wax but when the sun is hot it disappears. This substance occurs only after mid-summer and for a month or two at most. </p> <p> (2) A second proposal is to identify manna with a lichen - <i> Lecanora esculenta </i> and allied species - which grows in the Arabian and other deserts upon the limestone. The older masses become detached and are rolled about by the wind. When swept together by sudden rain storms in the rainy season they may collect in large heaps. This lichen has been used by the Arabs in time of need for making bread. It is a quite reasonable form of nourishment in the desert, especially when eaten with the sugary manna from the trees. </p>