Exceeding all Expectations

God has a way of providing in an exceeding and abundant way. My mom and I were talking about our Bible reading and she mentioned something that struck her as she was reading the book of Numbers.

Numbers 11:31,32

31. And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

32. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

God had just told Moses to do a census of the people and there were in excess of 603,550 males of 20 years old or older – obviously this number did not include boys under 20 or females of any age. When you add in the females and the children, I am sure there were in excess of 1,000,000 people that Moses was leading on this journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The people started whining and complaining to Moses that they wanted meat to eat so Moses went to God. God told Moses that he would provide the meat that people wanted. So it is then that the wind brought in the quail. Now let’s envision the quantity of quail that the Lord provided. A day’s journey in Bible days is generally equated to approximately 20 – 25 miles and a cubit is 18 inches. So the wind brought in enough quail to cover a 40 mile stretch of land 3 foot high. There was not one person who gathered less that 10 homers which equals 50 bushels. With my basic conservative math, even if only one person in each family unit of 4 (2 parents & 2 children), and conservatively assuming 1,000,000 people, that equates to God dumping in excess of 12,500,000 bushels of quail around about the camp – in ONE NIGHT! 12 ½ MILLION bushels!!! God didn’t just provide enough, he exceeded all expectations. Why do we always expect God to merely supply our need when he wants us to live abundantly.

Ephesians 3:20

19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.