You were very patient with our ancestors.\par You let them mistreat you for many years.\par You warned them with your Spirit.\par You sent the prophets to warn them.\par But our ancestors {\cf2\super [58]} didn’t listen.\par So you gave them to people in other countries.\par
The people of Israel saw it and asked each other, “What is that?” [105] They asked this question because they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “This is the food the Lord is giving you to eat.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will cause food to fall from the sky. This food will be for you to eat. Every day the people should go out and gather the food they need that day. I will do this to see if the people will do what I tell them.
But the people were very thirsty for water. So they continued complaining to Moses. The people said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did you bring us out here so that we, our children, and our cattle will all die without water?”
I will stand before you on a rock at Horeb (Mount Sinai). Hit that rock with the walking stick and water will come out of it. Then the people can drink.”
The Lord led his people through the desert,\par and they never became thirsty!\par Why? Because he made water\par flow from a rock for his people!\par He split the rock,\par and water flowed out!”\par
The people will not be hungry.\par They will not be thirsty.\par The hot sun and wind will not hurt them.\par Why? Because God comforts them\par and God will lead them.\par He will lead them near springs of water.\par
Then I will come down and speak with you there. The Spirit [158] is on you now. But I will also give some of that Spirit [159] to them. Then they will help you take care of the people. In this way, you will not have to be responsible for these people alone.
Jesus answered, “You don’t know about the thing God gives. And you don’t know who I am that asked you for a drink. If you knew these things, you would have asked me and I would have given you living water.”
But the person that drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. That water I give will become like a spring of water flowing inside that person. That water will bring that person life forever.”
Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me. Do this because of our Lord Jesus and the love that the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [158]} gives us.
The next morning, the special food from heaven stopped coming. This happened the day after the people ate the food that grew in the land of Canaan. From that time on, the people of Israel did not get the special food from heaven.