God is accused of being anti-life

Israel would live and flourish because God rescued them from Egyptian servitude, and yet one chapter after the exodus Israel didn’t see it as a good thing. On the brink of the Red Sea, and with the Egyptians at their back, they lamented:

It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. —Exodus 14:12

Another two chapters later, worrying about their dwindling supply of food, they complained to Moses,

Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. —Ex. 16:3

They blamed God for their predicament and concluded death was a better option.

Is God pro-life, or is following Him dangerous? Is He anti-life?

As we know, God saved Israel by drowning the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Ex. 14:15-31). He then spared His people from hunger by sending manna and quail (Ex. 16:11-19). These experiences were tests: Did they believe in God? Would they learn to trust Him?

It’s not unusual in the biblical narrative for God to supply people with daily bread. He truly does “know what we need before we ask,” before there’s a crisis. Let’s look at the record.

• When mankind was created, God told them He’d already made plants and trees to serve as food for them and the animals (Genesis 1:29).
• When God designed the ark for Noah and his family, He included space for the food they should bring along (Gen. 6:21).
• After the worldwide flood, God expanded the food supply by giving mankind the lesser creatures to kill and eat (Gen. 9:3).
• Before a worldwide famine hit, God prepared Pharaoh through special revelation. He then placed Joseph in a high government position so the lives of God’s covenant people and others could be saved through his wise planning. 
• The law would call for Sabbath years (every seventh) and years of Jubilee (every 50th) when the people and the land could rest, but God would ensure there would be enough food to last. (Leviticus 25:1-22)
• Before large crowds became hungry, Jesus expressed compassion for them and prepared to give them food (Mark 6:34-44, 8:1-8). 
• In Matthew 6:11, Jesus invited disciples and others within the sound of His voice to ask their heavenly Father for daily bread.

These episodes are not surprising because God knows our frame, that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). He knows we don’t function well when we’re “hangry,” and that we’ll die if we go too long without sustenance. He looks out for our needs when we don’t.

Of course, we don't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from God's mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3). Nevertheless, God created our physical bodies with the need for food (Gen. 2:7). He cares about our physical existence, and expects us to care about the physical well-being of other people.

• God’s law lays out means for individuals and communities to feed the poor (Lev. 19:9-10, 23:22; Dt. 14:28-29, 15:7-11, 24:20-22).
• Jesus told His disciples to serve the food to the multitudes as He multiplied it (Mk. 6:34-44, 8:1-8).
• Jesus taught that caring for the physical needs of others was being a “good neighbor” (Luke 10:25-37).
• The apostles understood that physical needs should not be neglected in the delivery of spiritual food (Acts 6:1-7, Galatians 2:10). Both are necessary.
• Paul encouraged believers to “do good to all,” beginning with “the household of faith” but not limited to believers only (Gal. 6:10).

In 2 Corinthians 8:13-15, Paul interpreted the gathering of manna as an illustration of sharing, with an eye toward the equal distribution of resources. The implication is that those Israelis capable of gathering more than they needed for a day’s meals could share with others who were unable to gather enough—perhaps the elderly or families with many young children. 

While our world is capable of producing food in quantities sufficient for all, it isn’t always evenly distributed. As the account of Joseph illustrates, it was not wrong for a government to appropriate surplus food during years of abundance so it can be redistributed during years of leanness. 

These observations may upend some of our current assumptions. We can be certain, however, that God is watching over us. 

Do we believe God? Have we learned to trust Him? 

He has made His wonders to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. —Ps. 111:4-5 

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. —Mt. 6:31-33

We can take it as a warning that whenever we're tempted to prefer death it could be that we've begun to blame God for our dilemmas rather than expressing faith in Him. 

Next: Building a culture of life through law

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Related: Is God pro-life?

Image credits: Gathering Manna, Storing Up Manna, workshop of Friedrich Brunner, 1497–99