The people asked, and He brought quail, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. (Psalm 105:40)

We all know that, when in the wilderness, many of the Hebrews began to long for those things they had been familiar with in Egypt. They said, “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic” (Numbers 11:5). We also know that God brought quail to them and allowed them to eat meat — not so much to give them want they wanted, but to teach them that what they wanted was not what they needed. The fact that many died while the meat was still in their teeth underscores this notion. Then there is this: they left Egypt with flocks and herds; in other words, they had a meat source that traveled with them. So, why did they complain about the lack of meat?

As I mentioned at the beginning — they longed for what Egypt provided, and at the same time, turned their nose up at what God provided. They craved flesh, which hints that they longed for physical pleasure. There are numerous incidents that validate this, chief among them, their worship of the Golden Calf and their desire for meat. But God didn’t call them to be His people simply to give into these physical desires; He did not want them to continue being sensual, lustful beings and so He gave them bread from Heaven. As it is written, “He gave them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full” (Psalm 78:24-25).

This is to say that the Almighty wanted His people to acquire a spiritual appetite more so than a physical desire, which is why it is written, “He fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). As His people, we are to suppress our physical desires in deference to spiritual hunger; we should desire what God wants for us rather than what we want for ourselves. So, let us commit ourselves to being satisfied with the daily bread He provides and train ourselves to love the taste of His Word even as we turn from what this world provides.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill