“Manna was the food miraculously supplied by God to the Israelites during their years of wandering in the Wilderness. The Lord told Moses, ‘I will rain bread from heaven for you.’ (Exodus 16:4). The spiritual purpose of the daily provision was “that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good” (Deuteronomy 8:16).

The manna was to be gathered each day, except the Sabbath, by every household according to need (Ex. 16:16-18). Manna gathered in excess of need melted in the sun, or started to smell and became infested with maggots (Ex. 16: 20, 21). The miracle food, which fell like dew, is described as ‘a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground’ (Ex. 16:14). Although it was sticky when it appeared, the manna soon solidified so that it could be ground and baked into wafers or cakes. It tasted like “wafers made with honey’ (Ex. 16:31).The exact nature of this miracle food remains a mystery, although it is compared to ‘white coriander seed’ (Ex. 16:31). Some scholars believe it may have been a substance secreted by plant parasites as they fed on tamarisk trees in the Wilderness. God supplied manna for forty years until the Israelites entered Canaan and the ‘food of the land’ (Joshua 5:12) became available.

During the wilderness years, God provided water for the Israelites when Moses struck a rock with his rod (Ex. 17:6). Quail were also miraculously supplied when the people complained they had no meat to eat with their manna (Ex. 16:13).

Throughout the Bible, references are made to God’s provision in the Wilderness to show the Lord’s continuing concern for His people. Jesus alluded to the ‘bread from heaven’ given through Moses (John 6:32). But He described Himself as the ‘bread of life,’ which permanently satisfies (John 6:35).”

The New Open Bible Study Edition, p. 174