The True Manna from Heaven — Joseph Hall on Exodus 16

The True Manna from Heaven

Exodus chapter 16, verses 13–36, and John chapter 6, verses 30–35

And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.

John chapter 6 verse 35

Their meat was strange, but nothing so much as their bread. To find quails in a wilderness was unusual; but for bread to come down from heaven was yet more. They had seen quails before, though not in such number; manna was never seen till now. From this day, till their settling in Canaan, God wrought a perpetual miracle in this food.

A miracle in the place; other bread rises up from below, this fell down from above; neither did it ever rain bread till now; yet so did this heavenly shower fall, that it is confined to the camp of Israel. A miracle in the quantity; that every morning should fall enough to fill so many hundred thousand mouths and maws. A miracle in the composition; that it is sweet like honey-cakes, round like corianders, transparent as dew. A miracle in the quality; that it is melted by one heat, by another hardened.

A miracle in the difference of the fall; that (as if it knew times, and would teach them as well as feed them) it fell double in the even of the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath fell not. A miracle in the putrefaction and preservation; that it was full of worms, when it was kept beyond the due hour for distrust; full of sweetness, when it was kept a day longer for religion; yea, many ages, in the ark, for a monument of the power and mercy of the Giver.

A miracle in the continuance and ceasing; that this shower of bread followed their camp in all their removals, till they came to taste of the bread of Canaan; and then withdrew itself, as if it should have said, you need no miracles, now you have means.

They had the types, we have the substance. In this wilderness of the world, the true manna is rained upon the tents of our hearts. He that sent the manna, was the manna which he sent. He has said, "I am the manna that came down from heaven." Behold, their whole meals were sacramental. Every morsel they did eat was spiritual. We eat still of their manna: still he comes down from heaven.

He has substance enough for worlds of souls, yet only is to be found in the lists of the true church; he has more sweetness than the honey, and the honey-comb. Happy are we, if we can find him so sweet as he is.

The same hand that rained manna upon their tents, could have rained it into their mouths, or laps. God loves we should take pains for our spiritual food. Little would it have availed them, that the manna lay about their tents, if they had not gone forth and gathered it, beaten it, baked it. Let salvation be never so plentiful, if we bring it not home, and make it ours by faith, we are no whit the better. If the work done, and means used, had been enough to give life, no Israelite had died.

Their bellies were full of that bread, whereof one crumb gives life; yet they died many of them in displeasure. As in natural, so in spiritual things, we may not trust to means. The carcass of the sacrament cannot give life, but the soul of it, which is the thing represented. I see each man gather, and take his just measure out of the common heap. We must be industrious, and helpful each to other; but, when we have done, Christ is not partial. If our sanctification differ, yet our justification is equal in all.

He that gave a gomer to each, could have given an ephah. As easily could he have rained down enough for a month, or a year at once, as for a day. God delights to have us live in a continual dependence upon his providence, and each day renew the acts of our faith and thankfulness. But what a covetous Israelite was that, which, in a foolish distrust, would be sparing the charges of God, and reserving that for morning, which he should have spent upon his supper?

He shall know, that even the bread that came down from heaven can corrupt. The manna was from above, the worms and stink from his diffidence. Nothing is so sovereign, which being perverted may not annoy, instead of benefiting us.

Yet I see some difference between the true and typical manna; God never meant that the shadow and the body should agree in all things. The outward manna reserved was poison: the spiritual manna is to us, as it was to the ark, not good, unless it be kept perpetually. If we keep it, it shall keep us from putrefaction. The outward manna fell not at all on the Sabbath. The spiritual manna, though it baulks no day, yet it falls double on God's day; and if we gather it not then, we famish.

In that true Sabbath of our glorious rest, we shall for ever feed of that manna which we have gathered in this, even of our life.