Joshua 5:12

Ver. 12. And the manna ceased— The Israelites having no more need of this miraculous food, by reason of the plenty of corn and other provisions which they found in the land of Canaan, God, who never works a miracle unnecessarily, ceased to shower it down from heaven. Hence we see clearly, that the manna, of which the Israelites had hitherto eaten, was an extraordinary food, and that the divine hand which had given it them for so long a time had sent it in a miraculous manner for their subsistence.

On the morrow, &c.— On the 14th of Nisan, they sacrificed the paschal lamb; on the 15th, i.e. according to our calculation, the same day, after sun-set, they disposed themselves for eating it, and actually did eat it. On the morrow, the 16th, after having offered to God the homer, they began eating the corn of the country; and the 17th, the manna ceased to fall from heaven. What supports this calculation is, that the gomer, or sheaf, was offered the 16th of Nisan, in broad day-light, though pretty late. Now the manna did not fall till night, or very early in the morning; so that it cannot be said to have ceased falling the same day that the Israelites began to eat of the produce of the country. This, however, seems to us to be most probable; for nothing certain can be said upon the subject.

REFLECTIONS.—The people, being prepared by circumcision, might now partake of the other grand ordinance of God; accordingly we find, that before they entered upon action they kept the passover, as prescribed, on the fourteenth day of the month, exactly forty years from their departure from Egypt. Note; (1.) They, who would go forth with courage to fight the Lord's battles, should first solemnly devote themselves to him, and shew faith in him by the use of his sacraments. (2.) We must not expect to be fed by miracle when God puts ordinary means into our hand. (3.) Sweet and strengthening as manna are the ordinances of grace now to the militant believer; but when they have answered their design they will cease; when we come to the presence of God and the possession of glory, prayer, the word, and sacraments, will be no longer needful.