Exodus chapter 16 verses 4-5 (NIV)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
Exodus chapter 16 verses 19-20 (NIV)
Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
God told Moses that He was testing the people to see if they would follow His instructions. God already knew that some would not do as He commanded, so perhaps it was to show Moses what he was up against and make his trust and obedience in the Lord grow. After all, as we now know, He was going to need it. The people were going to have to rely and trust in God for all their needs. God had already shown them that He would protect them from the Egyptians, but it seemed that this was not enough for many of them.
They were worried that God wouldn’t provide for their daily needs so they tried to make sure that there was a back door. But that didn’t work. God told them the Manna would spoil if they tried to keep it, except on the day before Sabbath. He meant what He said; He always does. The phrase, “to keep the back door open” means that if things don’t work out the way we hope, then we can leave by another route and try something else.
God doesn’t believe in back door strategies. He knows what He is doing and His ways are always right. He wanted the people to learn early on in their journey that they could trust Him but that they had to be obedient. Sadly, they never really did. But sometimes we are just as guilty of being completely wholehearted and wanting to leave the back door open too. God doesn’t want us to do anything except press forward. If we do He will give us all that we need for the circumstances we are in, but we need to trust Him too, and remember that He never makes empty promises.
Dear Lord,
Thank You that Your word can be trusted and You always mean exactly what You say and that’s why we can rely on Your promises. Help me to be wholehearted in obedience without wanting a way of escape. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.