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In Numbers 11, the “rabble” began to complain about the food. Then the children of Israel were influenced by the complaining and felt sorry for themselves.

They remembered–they lusted after–the food they used to have in Egypt. They mulled it over in their minds–the battle is in the mind; lust is fed by our thoughts. How often is our “hunger” in our mind instead of true hunger?

They were unsatisfied with manna that was as coriander seed…

And the color of bdellium…

Every day, God was faithful to provide manna with the dew that fell on the ground. The people would gather it up, grind it, and bake it into cakes that tasted like “fresh oil”…

The people grew tired of God’s good provision. They were ungrateful. Manna was beautiful, healthy, and tasty. But they got bored with it. They said their soul “is dried away.” They wanted meat.

They looked to the food rather than the provider to fill their soul. They lusted after variety and what they’d had before.

And God’s anger burned against them.

They didn’t understand that we don’t live by bread or manna alone–but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. In Hebrew, the “mouth of God” is”divine revelation.”

We live by the presence and revelation moment by moment of the living God–not by the food He provides.