Bread from Heaven

The story of God's provision of the manna in Exodus 16 has always captured my imagination. After the triumphal exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt where God miraculously opened up the Red Sea and delivered them from the pursuing Egyptians, the people quickly forgot the power of Yehovah and began to murmur and grumble. Recollections of the savoury lamb stew and furnace-baked bread in Egypt made their mouths salivate in the barren surroundings of the wilderness. In typical human fashion, they had repressed the memories of the harsh conditions under which they had partaken of the ample provisions. They could only think now of how their appetites had been satiated, rather than rejoice they were no longer under the austere oppression of Egyptian slavery. However, their grumbling reached the LORD's ears and He graciously made provision in the desert.

The manna, which the LORD faithfully proffered six mornings a week for the next forty years, was a substance never seen before on earth:

When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was. So Moses told them, "It’s the bread God has given you to eat..." Exodus 16:14 -15 (MSG)

It was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Exodus 16:31 (NKJV)

What an amazing provision! Surely this bread from heaven was exquisite! It strikes me that it would have been sweet and delicate to the palate, something nutritious and to be enjoyed. The Psalmist exclaims in Psalm 78:25 that God rained down manna and men ate 'angels' food'. Angels' food for breakfast! What a treat!

Now that I have mentioned 'bread from heaven', I am sure your mind has already gone to John ch 6 in the New Testament. There the Lord Jesus reminds His audience that Moses did not provide the bread from heaven, but His Father 'gives the true bread from heaven'.

For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (v33)

Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. (v35)

Do we grumble about life? Are we dissatisfied? Our hunger can only be satisfied by Christ, the Bread of Life. His presence is as sweet as the honey-tasting manna rained down from heaven several millenia ago. Manna became Man so that He could lay down His life and rise from the dead to procure eternal life for those who believe in Him. When you walk with Him and your heart is strangely warmed, you're feeding on the Bread from Heaven.

Bread of heaven

Feed me till I want no more!

Comments

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14 ESV) In the past few days, I have read several articles that question the claims of Easter — ‘There is no evidence of the resurrection,’ the proponents write, ‘it is a fabrication, the Biblical text is not reliable…’ On the contrary, the existing evidence presents a solid argument. The apostle Paul asserts that the litmus test of Christianity is the resurrection. The more I read and analyze the evidence, the more I become convinced intellectually in addition to knowing the living Christ by faith. Testimony of Women The Gospel writers record that the first witnesses of the empty tomb were women: Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. (Luke 24:10 ESV) In the first century, a woman’s testimony did not count; if the story had been fabricated, Luke and the o...

The Mystery that is Macedonia

When I first came to Macedonia on a visit in 2001, I found this little country so intriguing and breathtakingly beautiful that I happily accepted the invitation to return for a longer period. That ‘longer period’ has now extended itself to several years during which I have had many enriching, memorable experiences. I thought it might be interesting to jot down a few observations about the difference in culture. I appeal to my Macedonian readers not to misunderstand my intentions. What I have observed are customs and habits which are as normal to you as breathing and sleeping, but to someone from an entirely different culture, they are both interesting and noteworthy. It is always thrilling for me to explore how various nations function and it is nothing short of a privilege to experience a foreign culture first-hand. Hospitality Macedonians are a friendly, hospitable people. I do not know how many times they have almost literally killed me with kindness. Indeed, I have often...

Is Belief In God Blind Faith?

Stephen Hawking famously said: There is no heaven or afterlife for broken-down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark. Comparing the human brain to a computer, he firmly declared his atheistic stance. Dr John Lennox’s reply to this statement turned it on its head: Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the light! Who has the correct perception? Are we just living in a sphere of darkness without God or can we find evidence for God’s light and creatorial power? Evidence for God’s existence The order and design of creation. This is the most compelling sign in my opinion. I cannot look at the beauty and detail of creation without marvelling at the Creator. In the 1980s theoretical biologist, Dr Hans Meinhardt, began to wonder how the beautiful patterns of shells formed. As he researched, he discovered that the rules which govern the formation of the patterns in nature such as leaf arrangements, sand dunes and snowflakes, were the s...

Musings

Search This Blog