God Provides

Theme: God met the needs of His people

Objectives:

Know: God met the needs of the Israelites when He provided bread from heaven and water from the rock.

Think: Have the mindset that you are under the constant, attentive care of your heavenly Father.

Do: Thank God for His provision and obey His Word to demonstrate your trust in Him.

Scriptures: Exodus 16:1-17:7

Notes and questions:

B1 What are needs? List some.

B2 What is grumbling? Why do we grumble? Why have the Israelites started grumbling again?

B3 They have now traveled 30 days. Food and water are scarce in this area. The people start to complain. Has God ever failed them?

B4 Exodus 16:1-3,

• Why does Israel always wished they had died in Egypt? They have used this excuse before.
• Is this a logical argument?

B5 Exodus 16:4-8,

• Was God angry with them? If you were god, would you have been angry at them?
• God is going to give them food. Why did God set up a test? Has God ever tested you? Can you give an example?
• What is the test?
• Why didn't the people pray to God? Why did they complain to Moses and Aaron as if it were their fault?

B6 Exodus 16:9-16,

• What food did God sent in the evening? Was there enough quail for everyone?
• What is manna? How did it come to the Israelites? (I imagine this food looked like corn flakes to us. The dew was not the manna. The manna was on the dew. See Numbers 11.9. Manna tasted like wafers and honey (Exodus 16:31). The people needed to gather it, grind it, prepare it, bake it, then eat it. They could also boil it (Numbers 11:8)).
• How does feeding the Israelites quail and manna cause the Israelites to know that Yahweh is God? (I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: “At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God." Exodus 16:12).
• An omer is believed to be about 1.35 kg (~3 pounds, or 2 liters).
• When God has provided for us, what did we learn? How can we apply that for our next need?
• How much did God charge the Israelites, that is, how much money did they have to pay God?

B7 Exodus 16:17-20, why did some Israelites keep manna until the next day? Why was Moses angry with them?

B8 Exodus 16:21-30,

• What are 2 ways the Israelites could prepare the manna?
• Why did the manna not spoil on the Sabbath?
• Why some of the people disobey God and went to gather manna on the Sabbath?
• Is following God's instructions important? Why?

B9 Exodus 16:31-36,

• Why did God tell the Israelites to preserve some manna? Do some people need more proof than others?
• How long did they eat manna?

B10 Exodus 17:1-7,

• Why do the Israelites always bring up the idea that Moses is trying to kill them in the wilderness, etc.?
• What is the root cause of their problem?
• What can we do to avoid this same attitude?
• What are some of the most important things that God can provide people? Does He?

B11 Other questions

• Do we get tired of what God provides us? Why? Can you give any examples?
• Does God know our needs?
• How can God provide for our needs? Has He provided for you?
• What might God allow for us in order  to teach us that He will provide?
• How can we understand God's timing in meeting our needs?
• When God meets our needs, what are we to do?

Next week:

Angels: God's assistants

Theme: What is the truth about angels?

Scripture:

1. Colossians 1:16-17
2. Revelation 22:8-9
3. Matthew 26:53
4. Hebrews 13:2