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We read in Ex 16:13- 18 how Israelites were fed with Manna from Heaven:
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.
Last two verses are noteworthy, in that they refer to an ancillary miracle in continuation of the Manna miracle. To illustrate: Suppose Yohan and Isov were friends- each having a family, comprising five members each, staying in separate tents. Thus, each would require 5 omer of Manna. Now, Yohan was joined by his three sons in collecting the Manna , and he gathered much. Isov having three daughters decided to do the harvesting job by himself and was barely able to collect enough for the family. But, when both Yohan and Isov took measure of what they had collected, it turned out to be 5 omer on each side !
One wonders whether the narration of `each getting enough with nothing over and no shortage ‘has some special significance say, in the role of a fore-frame of heavenly reward that each Christian looks forward to. In fact, the “omer”; looks like a symbol of the spiritual measurement which fits in to each one’s capacity and need. My question therefore is: Does the “omer” of Exodus 16 stand for the measurement of heavenly reward? Inputs from any denomination are welcome.
