THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #110 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #92
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3795
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #110
THE LIFE OF MOSES #92
FROM ELIM TO THE WILDERNESS OF SIN #2
MANNA POINTS TO JESUS AS OUR BREAD OF LIFE
When the Israelites fled Egypt, after over four hundred years of slavery, they spent forty years wandering in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land.
During this time, God provided substance for them to eat every day in the form of quail (meat) and manna (Exodus 16).
Manna, basically a word that means “what is it?” is a bread-like substance that fell from heaven (Psalm 78:24), and that tasted like honey.
The Israelites would go and collect a daily portion of manna each day, ensuring to get a double portion before the Sabbath (so they didn’t work for their food on the Sabbath). If they grabbed too much or too little, they suffered the consequences (Exodus 16:20).
An exercise in trusting God’s provisions, the Israelites ate this bread of heaven throughout their 40 years' stay in the wilderness.
We see manna first introduced in Exodus 16. Right before this, the Israelites complained to Moses, saying he brought them out to the desert to die, with no food substance.
While they grumble and say their days in slavery in Egypt were better, God provides food and doesn’t let them go hungry.
Numbers 11:8 describes what the Israelites did with this bread from heaven. They made it into cakes, boiled it, and ground it into flour.
What spiritual lesson can we glean from Manna?
Even if we fulfill our physical needs, we have spiritual needs as well.
John 6:38 makes mention of manna as well. It says that even though manna filled the physical needs of the Israelites, it didn’t prevent death.
On the other hand, the bread of life (Jesus) prevents spiritual death.
Manna was the food which was appointed, prepared by God, and given to the Israelites, for their portion, in order to support their lives.
So Christ is the gift of God, (John 4:10 ) - that excellent gift, foreordained by God (1 Pet.1:20 ).
Thus Jesus Himself declares (John 6:51): “I am the living bread, which came down from heaven: If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.”
The manna was given to the Israelites, when they were least concerned about the blessings of God. In fact they put a greater value on the good things of Egypt, and had again tempted God.
Christ came into the world when it was most corrupted, and offered His spiritual blessings, at a time when the very best could not let go of earthly and carnal things.
Israel did not know the manna when it was first given, though promised by Moses. Though Christ was so often promised by Moses and all the holy prophets, yet when He came into the world, the world knew Him not, (John 1:10).
But we know Him as the Bread of Life.
Listen to what He says of Himself in
John 6:32-35.
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
So whenever we pray "Give us this day our daily bread " we know it means "Give us this day our daily Jesus."
We need Him as our spiritual strength every day.
For His words in John 15:5 will keep on reminding us:
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
