Mana and Cattle

[Trusting Jesus]

I hope this is the right forum for this question. This is a question I have had for a while and wondered if anyone here might have an answer. When the Israelites left captivity, they left in a hurry, but took their livestock with them. In Exodus 10:25 Moses tells Pharaoh they needed the animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings, In Exodus 16, the Israelites are grumbling because they are hungry so God send manna for them to eat. We know that they still had the livestock, because in Exodus Chapter 17 they are grumbling again for water for themselves and their cattle (livestock).

Were the cattle (livestock) only for sacrifice? While they were wandering in the wilderness, they weren

[EricH]

I don't think the text addresses this directly.

[Trusting Jesus]

I haven't been able to find anything about it. The question came up in my Sunday school class one day and I have been curious ever since.

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Nathele

[Guest Greg Davies]

Who's to say some didn't have a little kabob. Like Eric said, the bible doesn't say one way or the other.

[EricH]

We could speculate, but it would be just that. Suffice it to say, God wanted them to be dependent on Him for their sustenance

[tsth]

The only thing that comes to mind to me, is that their cattle were probably viewed much like money to us today. They may have felt that because they didn't know what was going to be needed in the days to come, they MUST preserve their cattle for future needs. Much like we would have felt about money. Wouldn't want to use it all up, because it would probably be needed in the new land? But, this too is speculation at best.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[EricH]

The only thing that comes to mind to me, is that their cattle were probably viewed much like money to us today. They may have felt that because they didn't know what was going to be needed in the days to come, they MUST preserve their cattle for future needs. Much like we would have felt about money. Wouldn't want to use it all up, because it would probably be needed in the new land? But, this too is speculation at best.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Good point. I aslo thought that maybe the number of cattle they had wuold not have sustained the people in the desert very long

[whirlwind]

Nathele

I thought you raised a really interesting question. I asked a friend from another forum and the following was his reply:

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Think about it.....[Psalm 105:37-38] He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. Two and a quarter million people [Exodus 12:37].....and not one feeble one among them!

[Exodus 10:25-26] And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. This is before the institution of the Passover but Moses knows that the animals are to be used for sacrifice. Pharaoh says, "No way!"

While they were wandering in the wilderness, they weren

[Trusting Jesus]

Thank you, Whirlwind, and thank your friend. I think this is just one of those things that we just have to accept. They had cattle and they didn't eat them. Period. God had His good reason for that. I am sure that if they had eaten the cattle, after the first meal there would have been no more cattle!

Thank you one and all for your replies.

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Nathele

[whirlwind]

Thank you, Whirlwind, and thank your friend. I think this is just one of those things that we just have to accept. They had cattle and they didn't eat them. Period. God had His good reason for that. I am sure that if they had eaten the cattle, after the first meal there would have been no more cattle!

Thank you one and all for your replies.

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Nathele

You are very welcome and I will extend your thank you to my friend.

He sent an additional comment and I will include it here. I hope you find it interesting.

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These Israelites were stubborn, rebellious and stupid. I don't think I would have questioned someone who had just moved a couple of million folks from the bonds of slavery, found them ample water [Exodus 15:25], and was now providing them nourishment on a daily basis with no physical effort on their part......outside of just picking it up from the ground! But they did question....and they grumbled.

It took 40 years to travel 240 miles.....six miles a year! My grass grows almost that fast! When they reached Sinai in the third month The Lord promised that they would be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation......if they would only obey Him and keep His covenants. Up to this point He had saved them from Pharaoh [Exodus 14:26-28], He had provided them water in a trackless waste [Exodus 17:5-7] [Numbers 20:1-13] and He fed them....all they could eat and still they complained and grumbled.

Now I don't know much about you.....but if I had witnessed these miracles, and The Lord had told me that He was going to make me something special.....I'd say...."Let's do it!" These folks and their ancestors must have been taking "dummy drops" while they were laying on the banks of the Nile.....or something.

THEY REFUSED TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND! This was the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They arrived in Paran three days after a short march from Sinai [Numbers 10:11-13]....a little over two years from their exodus from Egypt. Twelve scouts were sent out to observe "The Promised Land" [Numbers 13:1-15]....but only Joshua and Caleb had the courage to report the truth [13:30][14:6-9]. But the rest were cowards, did not believe The Lord would protect them (DUH) and lied [13:31-33].

Forty years for every day their scouting party was gone [Numbers 14:33-35]. Wander and eat manna!

The Desert of Paran.....where Hagar and Ishmael went after leaving Sarah and Abraham [Genesis 21:17-21]. This is also where King David sought refuge after Samuel had died. He was hiding here from Saul [1 Samuel 25:1-4]. These stupid Israelites wandered around in here for another 38 years because they would not trust The Lord. Do you think He would let them have steaks and burgers after treating Him this way? They were about three days march from where Jerusalem would be!

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Apparently those "steaks and burgers" weren't to be on the menu!

............Whirlwind