The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 43

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Chap. xvi-The manna of the body.-.A homi1y on povidence. "They said one to another, what is this? (marg.) for they wist not what it was" (Ex. xvi.1:5). Jntro- duction :-Trace the journey from Elim to the sea (Nu.m. xx.xiii. 10); and thence to the wilderness of Sin; and give a thoroughly good exegetical exposition of the facts of the manna story. It would be well also to show the supernatural character of the manna.; a.nd, a.t the same time, that the manna supernatural was not unlike (and yet unlike also) the manna. natural of the desert of to-day; that God, in a. word, did not give the food of either Greenland or Australia in the Arabian wilderness. The spiritml lessons of the miracle move on two levels, one higher than the other. There is a. body, and a soul: food for the one, a.nd for the other. 'l'here are then in the manna stury truths concerning Divine providence, and also touching Divine grace. Hence two homilies on the manna.. 'l'his on the manna of providence. I. BODILY NEED IS AN APPEAL TO Goo. Before Israel articulately prayed, its need cried: so now with twelve hundred millions of men. No ma.u "gets his own living," but God gives it. Imagine one fa.mine round the world, a.nd every living thing would become dumb a.nd dead. 'The world's need is one majestic monotone of prayer. II. 'lu ANSWER IS FULL AND FREE. No stint in that desert-no stint now. A picture pf the fuluess with which God ever gives bread. There has never been such an event as universal famine. Ps. civ. 21-28. III. THERE IS MYSTERY IN TllE ANSWEit. Note the question of the text, and the wonder of the people, which was never relieved through all the forty years. So with bread to-day. A great mystery! A common thing to common minds; nod perhaps tu uncommon minds, that woulu. like, ns scientists, to bow all mystery out of the universe. But ns there was mystery in the manna., so is there in every grain of corn. No scientist could produce one, were he to try for fifty years. Why? Decause the secret of life is a. secret of God; a.nd the creation of organization lies in his own power a.lune. IV. THE BLAME OF WANT IB NOT WITH Gon. The question arises: if God hears the moaning of the world's need, and gives answer, why is there so much want? Mur- murina a.aainst Moses and Anron, Israel murmured a,,uninst the Lord; so we, grumbling against s:Condnry causes, may be arraigning the First Cause._ But the blame lies not there. Political economy might give auswer to the question :-,Vhy want? But behind its answers lie deeper causes-nil suuuued up in the one word sin-not only the folly nud siu (improvidence, drunkenness, etc. etc.) of the individual, but of all the ages, that is to say, self-centrcdness (the root principle of sin), forming anu soli,lifying customs and institutions, which have for their effect the oppression and privation of millions. 'l'he instances arc numberless. V. llut if all the heritage uf sin were to disappear MAN MUST WORK. Israel .:..ust  4t THE DOOR OF EXODUS. [er.. XVI. 4-36.