Excuse XVIII
No More Manna
Question:
Wasn’t God’s prohibition against acquiring and preparing Sabbath meals only in effect until the manna ceased?
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In an attempt to justify the practice of seeking out unbelievers who profane the Sabbath and paying them to work on his behalf, the leader of a prominent COG group advanced what just might be the most contrived argument in the history of this debate. According to him, God only prohibited the Israelites from gathering manna on the Sabbath, not from gathering food altogether. Here is how he advances his point.
By way of review, as manna was first given to Israel, the instructions were to gather enough manna on the sixth day to cover for the Sabbath, as well as enough for two days (vs. 23). Note this instruction specifically applied to the gathering of manna [nothing else]. Then, Exodus 16:25-26, 29 continued with further instructions to not gather manna on the Sabbath.
Protecting the Manna
Here, this minister is suggesting that God's purpose in Exodus 16 was to protect manna, not His Sabbath. According to his reasoning the Great Creator of heaven and earth allows His people to dine out, but prohibits them from ordering a coriander seed muffin with honey, when they do (Ex. 16:31). Does anyone honestly believe such reasoning?
The Statute of Limitations
He then claims that the Almighty's instructions regarding Sabbath meals were only in effect for as long as manna was being provided. Once it ceased, God's people were then free to do whatever they deemed necessary to feed themselves on holy time. Sadly, he doesn't offer one drop of legitimate scriptural evidence to support this claim. He just declares it a "Biblical fact." Here is how he expresses his theory
As noted above, gleaning [other food] in order to fill one’s hunger on the Sabbath was not forbidden for all time, especially after manna was to cease at some future time.
Sadly, this minister is not the only one to advance such an argument. One of the largest splinter groups expressed this same view in a letter defending Sabbath dining. Here is how they put it.
You ask, 'Why would God allow His people to procure ANY food on His Sabbath when He actually prohibited the children of Israel from doing such a thing when they wandered in the Sinai desert (Ex.16:16-25)?' The simple answer is that God does not deposit manna on our property six days a week.
Who is Your Provider?
What these leaders assert in this argument is despicably arrogant and shows utter contempt for God as a provider. The fact that He no longer rains down manna does not mean He no longer gives us our daily bread (Mt. 6:11). In essence, what these men are saying is: "God, if you want us to not acquire or prepare our food on your Sabbath, then you need to keep providing us with manna the other six days. Otherwise, we have no obligation to obey you in this matter." Can you imagine the audacity of such a statement?
God's command regarding the acquisition and preparation of food on His Sabbath is so clear that only the defiant would conclude otherwise. Furthermore, when COG leaders advance this kind of argument in defense of their SIN, they must rely on a patent rejection of the obvious.
