3) Ground between Millstones or Beaten
in a Mortar, Boiled in Pots, and Made into Cakes

"The people went about and gathered it, and ground it between millstones or beat it in a mortar, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it" (v. 8a). The fact that the manna could be ground, beaten, and boiled indicates that it was solid. After the people had prepared the manna in this way, they made cakes of it. These cakes were a form of fine bread and were nourishing. This indicates that manna was good for nourishment. As our real manna today, Christ is rich in nourishment.

4) Its Taste Like the Taste
of Fresh Oil, or of Cakes Baked with Oil

"The taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil" (v. 8b). The Hebrew words translated "cakes baked with oil" may also be rendered "fresh oil." The taste of fresh oil or of cakes baked with oil signifies the sweet taste of the Holy Spirit. Oil typifies the Holy Spirit. When we eat Christ as our manna, we taste the Spirit of God. The oil here is fresh. The Spirit we taste when we enjoy Christ as manna is always fresh.

5) Falling with the Dew

"When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it" (v. 9). This indicates that every morning the manna came with the fresh mercy of God (Lam. 3:22-23).

In the Bible, dew signifies God's gracious visitation from the heavens. The manna always comes with God's gracious visitation. Whenever we touch Christ as our life supply, we have the sense that heaven has come to us in a soft, watering, refreshing manner.

The manna surely was a marvelous supply to the children of Israel. Nevertheless, in spite of such a wonderful miracle every day, they grew bored of this manna and longed for the food of Egypt.

2. Moses Complaining That the People
of Israel Were a Heavy Burden upon Him

At this juncture, Moses became very bothered. Up to this point, he did not have much experience in leading God's people. According to verses 10 through 15, Moses went to God and complained that the people were a heavy burden upon him.

3. God Raising Up Seventy Elders
as Helpers to Moses

"Jehovah said to Moses, Gather for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may take their stand there with you" (v. 16). Here we see that God raised up seventy elders as helpers to Moses. Seventy is the number of completion and fullness. God's raising up these seventy elders indicates that when He does something, He does it completely and in full.