Exodus 16

Specificall Exodus 16:4 - God "admits" that he tests his people. I do not like this much since I so often fail. But it's not my opinion that counts. Now he never tempts us to sin. There is nothing wrong with gathering more of the bread from heaven except God says not to. Assuming you do not take so much that it deprives someone else of enough to eat. But that does not seem to be the problem here.

But if God told you not to, to do it anyway is disobedience. God also tells them not to save any over until the next day. People tried to do both things.

When has God tested us like this? Were we obedient?

I am at a bit of a loss here. I really need to have better understanding. I tend to think if is not obeying one of the ten commandments then it is OK to do. But I suspect God tells us to do things, or not do things simply as a test of our obedience. I am afraid I bull right through many tests without even noticing. I ignore the still small voice. That is probably why God has never been able to use me much. It's probably true of many of us.

Right now I can think of one thing God is telling me to not do. I am to stop teasing. I really do not think there is anything wrong with teasing. But I am to hold my tongue. I know it hurts some people. I also know from past experience that in situations where I have refrained from teasing God has given me favor. I do have a misguided idea that teasing makes people closer.

One need not know why God gives us an instruction. The people of God in Exodus found out why when they disobeyed. But God did not tell them beforehand. Maybe they could figure it out but they insisted on testing God, not trusting his word. Moses was angry with them. I suspect God was too, but his feeling was mostly disappointment. They had proved that they could not be trusted.

God told them to pick enough for each day. More will be supplied the next day, enough for that day too. God was testing to see if they would trust God for their daily bread. There was one exception. On the day before Sabbath they would pick enough for two days and this time it would not spoil. God wanted them to make this seventh day, this Sabbath a special day.

So God has sent a test for Israel, his people. We can expect that we too, if we are God's people, will be tested. Lord help me to listen and know when you are testing me. He me to be obedient to your instructions trusting that you have a reason in my life.

God was checking to see if his people would be faithful in a little thing so he could trust them with bigger things. I think that is why he tests us too.

Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, See, I will send down bread from heaven for you; and the people will go out every day and get enough for the day's needs; so that I may put them to the test to see if they will keep my laws or not.

Deuteronomy 8:2 Don't forget how the LORD your God has led you through the desert for the past forty years. He wanted to find out if you were truly willing to obey him and depend on him, (16) He also gave you manna, a kind of food your ancestors had never even heard about. The LORD was testing you to make you trust him, so that later on he could be good to you.