Deeper Roots – Exodus 16:27-30

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November 3, 2021

A humbled and open heart are fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Exodus 16:27-30

Now on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you [people] refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions (laws)? See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you the bread for two days on the sixth day. Let every man stay in his place; no man is to leave his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.

Exodus 16:27-30 AMP

The book of Exodus is the second book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the bible). Exodus comes from a Greek word for “going out”; a fitting title for the book of how the Hebrew people exited Egypt.

In Chapter 16, we find the Israelites in the wilderness; wandering the Sinai desert. Two months removed from bondage in Egypt, the people were grumbling. They craved the food of captivity and made it very clear to Moses and Aaron they were hungry. God gives provision, manna and quail, via very specific instructions. The people are to collect and divide the provisions for six days and rest on the seventh. In verses 27 through 30, we find that some people still went out to gather and were unsuccessful. God spoke to Moses again to reiterate that Sabbath is a gift for man and that HE provides double on the sixth day as provision for the seventh day of rest. God stresses the importance of keeping His commands and instructions regarding Sabbath.

This exchange highlights some key points about rest. Sabbath is a commandment to rest by the Lord. Rest was designed for us and we should use it as an opportunity to honor God. Even though there were some Israelites that went out to gather on the seventh day, God did not punish them for their sin. God’s patience is on display here, despite disobedience.

God sent provision to the Israelites, even in advance for days of rest. God shows that His ways are not like ours and that we must resist the urge to lean on our own understanding. We must continue to seek daily instruction from God and abide by it.

How frequently are you accessing God’s daily bread?

Are you taking periods of rest to acknowledge God for His provision in the wilderness seasons of life?

If not, let me invite you to enter into His rest. The anxieties of life fade away when you realize that God is in control. He is working, even when you can’t see it. Praise God in the now with the security of knowing that He is working things for the good.

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