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Series 3:
Lesson 40: |
MOSES
THE MANNA |
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Passage to Study: Exodus 16:1-36.
Read with the class: Exodus 16:11-21.
Memorization Texts: Younger children - John 6:35. “I am the bread of life; he that
cometh to Me shall never hunger.”
Older children - John 6:35.
OBJECTIVES:
Note: We include Scene 1 as an option. It is the first lesson to be learned by the
Israelites in the desert at Mara before receiving the manna.
1. Mention that the bitter past has come to an end and is replaced by the sweetness of the
present through confidence in God.
2. Indicate that God provides food for the hungry and maintains them through his infinite
resources.
3. Describe the special characteristics of the manna and how they suggest truths about the
Lord Jesus.
4. The Lord Jesus is spiritual food for us, which we need to take in daily.
5. Warn against selfishness and showing disregard of others.
6. Show that the provision of the manna was permanent while in the desert, as is the
blessing of God.
SCENE No. 1. (Optional. Based on Ex. 15:22-27. An event previous to the provision of the
manna). Israel has reached a desert oasis called Mara.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- In their desert journey, the Israelites need water or they will die.
Apl. In the life of every person, there is need for refreshment such as water gives, to
carry us through our earthly journey.
- There are over a million people and all, without exception, are thirsty.
- Mara means bitter. Mara was in the route laid out by God. They are not
outside His will.
- Although they had to face a problem, they were still the redeemed of God.
Cns. The world offers it sources, but only that which has its origins in God can
completely satisfy the thirsty.
- What looked to be good water turned out to be bitter, or brackish.
Apl. There are things in life which seem to offer satisfaction for man’s thirst, but
like the water seen by the Israelites, they turn out to be bitter and unpleasant, when we
hoped for something sweet and refreshing.
Sug. With the older students, it would be proper to mention experiences which turn bitter,
such as quick romances, looking for satisfaction in carnal pleasure, pornographic
literature, etc., which come from the bitter water of the world.
- The people complain and forget God, whereas Moses turns to Him.
- The people should have learned to turn to the Lord, inquiring what He wanted to show
them in this trial, instead of murmuring. See Ex. 15:25-26.
- The Israelites seem to have forgotten the great deliverance God gave them at the Red
Sea.
- Despite the hard heartedness of this ungrateful people, Moses turns to the Lord for
help.
- It was necessary to introduce something into the waters that would make them sweet.
- The tree cut off at it’s roots (and therefore dead) represents what was once life
in Egypt, but which is now over.
- They are at the beginning of a new life.
- The water that became sweet represents the new life as a source of satisfaction and
pleasure. The Israelites are to find this from now on in God.
- The word SWEET means: Pleasant to taste.
- Like Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, salvation too is an experience of
deliverance, (Col.1:13) and means a permanent transfer from the kingdom of darkness into
the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
Apl. When the Christian takes his place with Christ (Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:10),
he/she better understands that unhappy and bitter experiences are permitted by God to
teach us lessons.
- For the Israelites, the lesson was that the bitter past is finished and the new life
will be sweet as it is lived in fellowship with God.
Cns. The act of throwing the dead tree into the bitter waters symbolizes the end of a sad
experience. The miracle of the water made sweet by the power of God symbolizes the
joy to be experienced in the new life.
- These experiences are sweetened when we realize that the Lord wants to make Himself
known to us through them, and show us His power to solve the problem.
- Although it is a difficult concept for children, try to show them that the things that
happen in life do not occur unless God permits them, and when they are correctly
understood, sweetness is found in them.
SCENE No. 2. An Israelite camp in the desert.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- Besides the water needed for drinking, the people needed bread to eat.
- The Israelites would have the meat of their animals, but other food was also necessary.
- God turned the needs of the people into an opportunity to show His power to provide for
them miraculously.
- Instead of asking humbly and politely, the people complain and murmur against the
servants of God.
- The short memory of the Israelites causes them forget the miracles of the past and to
show a lack of confidence with regard to the future, while criticizing Jehovah for what He
was doing with them.
Sug. It is wise to point out to the students how quickly we fixate on the problems of the
moment while forgetting the care God has had toward us in the past.
Apl. Mention that many children are disrespectful of their parents when things happen in
the home and the children attribute unworthy motives to the parents. This is sin.
Apl. Comment on the ways students ask older people for favors.
- Moses turns to God and is instructed as to what to do.
SCENE No. 3. Desert surrounding the Israelite camp, where manna is being gathered for
every family.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- The word for Manna in Hebrew is “Man-Hu” which means “What is
it?”
- The manna is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sug. Make a list with large letters with the following points so the children can follow
the teaching.
a. It came from heaven.
b. It was white.
c: It was round.
d. It was small.
e. It satisfied the needs of everyone.
f. It was a constant provision.
g. It had to be gathered in order to be of benefit.
APPLICATION:
a. It came down from heaven, as did the Lord Jesus.
b. It was white, expressing the purity of the Lord Jesus.
- He came from a place of purity and despite being in the world, was never contaminated by
its sin.
- The perfection of the Lord Jesus was seen wherever He went.
- Despite the manna covering the face of the earth, it was not contaminated. Nor was
the Lord Jesus.
c. It was round in shape, the roundness teaching that in the person of the Lord Jesus
there was never any roughness, only gentleness.
d. The manna was small in size, and not highly regarded by the people. Isa. 53:3.
- So was the Lord Jesus in the eyes of man; he was unknown and despised during His life.
e. It completely satisfied the needs of the people: adults, young people, children and
infants.
f. It continued to be provided for them throughout their desert pilgrimage.
g. In order to receive its benefits, the people had to go out early to gather it.
Apl. The Christian ought to start the day seeking to find something of Christ in His Word
for the good of his/her soul.
- God ordered that only what was sufficient for the needs of the day was to be gathered.
Lsn. This is a good moment to mention to the students that selfishness and unbridled
ambition are the cause of much damage in the family, amongst friends and at school.
Everyone wants more than is good for them.
Sug. Imagine with your students what the reactions would be when someone disobeyed
and gathered more than he/she was told to, finding it wormy the next day. It showed
distrust of God.
Cmt. It is good to stimulate the thinking of the children regarding the gratitude each
Israelite would feel on gathering up his portion each day. They did not have to go
and buy bread nor did they have to bake it.
Sug. Apply this to the gratitude God expects from us for the gift of His Son.
Cmt. Notice that when one went out to gather for the rest of the family, he/she was
serving the others in love.
Cns. What about the family member who does not want to cooperate?
SCENE No. 4. Review.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- The manna represents the Lord Jesus who came from Heaven and was not recognized by the
people. Not even King Herod knew about Him when the Wise Men came looking for Him.
- The Lord multiplied a few loaves of bread to feed the multitude, thus satisfying their
hunger, and declared that He was the Bread that had come down from Heaven to meet their
spiritual need.
- John the Baptist did not want to baptize Jesus for he recognized the perfection of His
character.
- To eat the manna means meditating on the Lord Jesus in one’s heart.
Apl. This shows the daily need each one has of reading the Scriptures. This is how we
gather manna from the Word of God. |
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