Daily Bread & Divine Tests | Exodus 16

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.’”
Exodus 16:4-5

It’s one of the most comforting phrases in the Bible — “I am about to rain bread from heaven for you.” And yet, what immediately follows it is unexpected: “That I may test them.”

Why would God turn a miracle of provision into a test?

Because for God, provision is not just about meeting physical needs — it’s about shaping spiritual hearts.

Provision That Trains
We often assume that when God gives, He’s simply solving our problem. But in Exodus 16, He gives food to reveal faith. He provides not just to feed, but to teach.

John MacArthur puts it this way: “God’s provision is designed not to pamper His people but to prove their faith.” God was preparing Israel not for comfort, but for covenant obedience. Would they trust His instructions? Would they rely on His daily portion — or grasp for more?

William Perkins emphasized this theme in his teaching on providence: “God’s outward blessings are inward lessons. Every loaf is a sermon; every cup is a test.” The daily collection of manna was not merely a task — it was a spiritual practice of dependence.

The God Who Provides in Measure
Why only a day's portion at a time? Why no storing up for the week? Because God wanted His people to look to Him each morning with open hands. Not once a month. Not once a week. Daily.

This reminds us of Deuteronomy 8:2–3, where Moses later explains:

“...that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart… that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone.”

That verse became the very words Jesus quoted to Satan in Matthew 4. In the wilderness, Jesus passed the test that Israel — and we — often fail. He lived in total obedience, trusting the Father completely, feeding on the Word more than food.

The Test Continues Today
You may not be collecting flakes off the ground this morning, but God is still testing your trust through provision. Whether you live with much or little, you are in a classroom of dependence. And your heart is always being taught something — either to trust in God’s sufficiency or to rely on your own stockpiles.

Matthew Henry noted wisely: “We are most in danger of forgetting our Provider when our portion appears plentiful.”

So the question is not simply: Has God provided? The question is: What is God teaching me through this?

Three Ways to Respond Today

1. Embrace Today’s Portion
   Don’t waste your day wishing for tomorrow’s security. Take what God has provided today and use it with gratitude. His grace is sufficient — for today.
2. Obey in the Small Things
   The Israelites were told not to store up manna. It seemed like a small command, but it was a test of trust. Obeying God in small things is how we train for faith in greater ones.
3. Thank God for the Test
   Trials and tests feel burdensome, but they are evidence that God is still at work in us. Thank Him for caring enough to stretch your faith.

Final Encouragement
The daily manna came with a lesson: trust God every morning. Don’t live off yesterday’s obedience or tomorrow’s anxiety. Live in today’s provision. And let your prayer not be for excess or ease — but for the kind of faith that finds joy in God's enough.

Jesus taught us to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.” So let’s pray it — not just with our mouths, but with our lives.