“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you.” Exodus 16:4
The memory is as bright and fresh as the sun shining across our table during breakfasts of my youth. The sun beams flashed across my cereal bowl with marked precision sending sparkles of light flickering into my sight. I rushed to capture each heaven sent morsel at peak timing to enjoy every bit of flavor available. Captain Crunch, no way! Lucky never charmed me! No, I was a Tony the Tiger girl, Frosted Flakes every day!
I was such a fan my dad would call me Terry the Tiger. If I was fortunate enough for the opening, my hand would shimmy down the inside of the box, through the sugary flakes, until locating the special bonus of a Tony the Tiger spoon, or some other wonderful prize. My hand and fingers not only found a prize, they exited the box covered with sugary dust which I promptly licked off with sweet enthusiasm. While I was certain milk had been discovered specifically for my Frosted Flakes, there was nothing worse than allowing my flakes to get soggy and old.
I was reminded of my affinity for Frosted Flakes while in Washington DC, visiting our children and grandchildren. As a part of celebrating my 55th birthday, we were given a personal private tour of the Museum of the Bible. Just a couple of blocks from the Capital Building, this eight story structure is magnificent, and a must see for anyone visiting the City. The Metro even has a stop in the same block, so it is easy to visit.
We were amazed before we entered the Museum. The entrance is a set of dramatic forty foot tall, two-and-a-half ton bronze doors, depicting text from Genesis 1, from an early edition of a Gutenberg Bible. These doors are a must see! Walking into the Museum, you are literally walking into the Bible.
While museums can sometimes be filled with dusty old things of the past, the Museum of the Bible was invigorating, with vibrant colors, and people from all of over the world. In our short visit, I noticed Amish and Jewish visitors, multiple languages being spoken, and many nationalities enjoying the Word. There were sections dedicated to the Old and New Testaments, over 600 artifacts, and 50 media programs, all designed to expand your Biblical horizon. You could literally walk from the Old to the New Testament, while making a stop in the City of Nazareth, with dramatic actors describing Jesus’ experiences in the town where he grew up.
And believe or not, the Museum even has a virtual reality ride! As we leaned into our pedestal, the ride carried us above the City of Washington, swooping in and out of buildings, across the Potomac, all to uncover the seemingly forgotten and powerful influence of scripture on the City, buildings, and landmarks. As we crossed the Potomac, a fine mist sprayed our faces, with a scent of river water to bring us back to reality.
My husband and I felt like VIP’s during our personal tour. But you know, we are very important to God. He tells us in the Word, “He knew us in our mother’s womb,” and “He knows the number of hairs on our head,” so it should not be surprising the place which honors His Holy Word would be true to what it says.
One of my personal favorite exhibits, besides seeing the historical Hebrew Bible, along with the Dead Sea Scrolls, was how the Bible has influenced the world’s music, fashion, and governments. It was fascinating seeing all the various musical artists using scripture, verbatim, in their songs.
The morning quickly ended, but we could not leave without eating lunch at five star chefs, Toddy Gray, and his wife Ellen’s “Manna” restaurant. According to the book of Exodus, manna is a coriander seed in size, white with the appearance of frost or fine flakes. Exodus 16:31 mentions the Israelites saying the manna tasted like honey wafers. Sounds to me like we are talking about the modern day miracle of Frosted Flakes!
If we look deeper into the history of Manna, we discover the Israelites; the people who wandered in the desert for forty years after God freed them from Pharaoh; were fed this food every day. In chapter 16 of Exodus we learn, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food from heaven as they need for that day.” No big choices to make for dinner. No long lines at the grocery. It was manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it was also God’s perfect food, and God’s complete provision.
But too much of a good thing can cause some greedy people to do the wrong thing, especially when they do not listen to God. When the people tried to horde the Manna for the next day, we discover in verse 19, the manna would be full of maggots and stink to high heavens! That’s a lot worse than soggy frosted flakes.
Here’s the lesson; trust God with your life! Obey God and inherit His blessings. When we dismiss, add to, or ignore God’s instruction, things do not work out so well. In fact, disobedience has a way of stinking up every area of your life, until you repent, and turn back to God.