In the morning, the whole congregation of the children of Israel were called upon by Aaron, (Moses having given him the direction,) to come near, and behold the glory of the Lord. As they stood, gazing at the cloudy pillar which rose high in the air between them and the distant regions of the wilderness, it became bright with an effulgent, yet mild radiance, indicating the peculiar presence of Jehovah.

We have no description of its particular appearance. Doubtless it was such an unusual and heavenly glory, as to impress them with a solemn awe and reverence; to lead them to feel that God was near them; and that he had come to inspect their conduct, and to see what would be the effect of his mercy towards them.

Some learned and pious men have thought, and not without reason, that this, and the other visible manifestations of the divine presence, mentioned in the Old Testament, were appearances, under the various forms which they assumed, of the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, who was in the beginning with God, and was God. They maintain, that the terms applied to Christ by Paul have, on this supposition, a peculiar significancy; when he speaks of him, in one place, as the image of the invisible God, and, in another, as the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.

In the evening, (or after-part of the day,) the

gracious promise of God began to receive its fulfilment. Flocks of quails, in rapid succession, came up from the Arabian gulf, darkening the very air, and settling down throughout the whole camp, so as to be easily taken, and to furnish an abundant supply. The Psalmist speaks of them, as being rained down as dust, and like the sand of the sea; they

were so numerous.

The ensuing morning, a copious dew was seen to be spread all round about the encampment; and, when it had melted away, there lay on the surface of the ground, covering it to a great extent, a small grain, white, like hoar-frost, round, and of the size of coriander-seed, having a taste like wafers made with honey. It was an entirely new substance to the Israelites. They inquired, one of another, "what is this?" A question which is the exact import of the Hebrew word, manna; so that the passage, in our English Bible, might have been translated thus:

"And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, what is this? for they wist not what it was."

Moses told them, it was the food which had been promised them; the bread from heaven; and it was to continue to be thus miraculously given by God, to furnish them with an abundant and sure supply, during their journeyings in the wilderness.

Our Saviour, alluding to this manna with which

the Israelites were provided, called himself, the bread which came down from heaven.

Jesus Christ, the crucified Redeemer, the one aton. ing sacrifice for sin, is our only hope. This truth, and the other truths connected with it, which he taught are the only food for the soul, to rescue it from starving, and perishing, and dying an endless death.

Do you hunger, my young friend, after this heavenly manna? Do you live on Christ by faith? Is he, to you, the true bread which came down from heaven?

CHAPTER XXVII.

How the manna was to be gathered. The Sabbath.

The falling of the manna as food for more than two millions of people, was a signal exhibition of the miraculous power of God, and of his mercy towards them. How is our wonder increased when we consider that it fell with the dew, regularly every morning, excepting on the Sabbath, for the space of forty years! On Friday, there fell a double quantity, to be gathered on that day as a provi

Moses

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sion for the ensuing day, which was the Jewish Sabbath.

An omer full, (about five pints,) was the daily supply for each person; and it had to be gathered in season, for when the sun waxed hot it melted. "He that gathered much, had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack."

Although an omer full daily, for each individual in a family, was procured, doubtless some ate less than this quantity, and others more. It is probable, therefore, that such an arrangement as the following took place. After what was supposed to be enough for a family was gathered, it was thrown into one stock, and then measured, allowing at the rate of an omer to each member. If there was a surplus, it was to be given to a neighboring family, where there was a deficiency; and thus, "he that gathered much, had nothing over, and he that gathered little, had no lack." None was to be kept till the ensuing morning, except on Friday; and, if any one acted in disobedience of this command, he gained nothing by it, for the manna thus hoarded up, bred worms, and became exceedingly offensive. On the Sabbath, however, that gathered the day before, remained perfectly pure and sweet. In this way the Israelites were forcibly taught their daily dependance on God; the need of putting their trust in him; and the duty of imparting of their superfluity to the wants of their brethren.

A striking illustration, drawn from this gathering of the manna, and not hoarding it up, but distributing to the necessitous, is given by Paul, (in his second epistle to the Corinthians,) of the obligations which christians are under, to take of their abundance for the aid of their destitute fellowchristians, that so there may be an equality. Another singular circumstance attended this bread from heaven. Although melted by the heat of the sun, when left in the field; it was of so hard a consistence, when brought into their dwellings, that the Israelites prepared it for food, by beating it in mortars, and making cakes of it, which were baked in pans. It seems that it was, also, sometimes boiled into a sort of jelly, if this mode of cooking it was preferred.

The first morning of the gathering of the manna, was a novel and busy scene in the camp of the Israelites. There was doubtless a great deal of curiosity to ascertain what this new kind of food, thus miraculously sent from heaven, would prove to be. And, when they came to use it, and found it so palatable and nutritious; if they had any ingenuous feelings in their breasts, we should think they would repent of their late mistrustful murmurings, and be filled with devout gratitude to God for this bounteous supply of their wants.

Some of them, however, showed a spirit of direct disobedience to the divine commands, as given