Recap: Seeing Jesus in the Word, discussing the Road to Emmaus.
Feeding from the Tree of Life
Feeding on Jesus, the Bread of Life
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.“Matthew 4:1-4
Where was it written?
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.Deuteronomy 8:3
Why would He quote Scripture, and the Old Testament?
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.2 Timothy 3:16-17
He went back to the Word because the Word is perfect.
Observe: We do not live by bread alone; Let’s check what we are ‘eating’. We are brought from hunger and are fed by every Word that proceeds for the mouth of God.
Manna was given in the wilderness, and bread was discussed in the wilderness as well.
Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, “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.”Exodus 16:2-3
They went as far as to wish God killed them in Egypt, out of their hunger. They didn’t care and just remembered the bread and meat in slavery.
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.Exodus 1:11-14
The rigor and the bitter lives they had, the bondage – they were free from that. They saw the plagues of Egypt, the pillars of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea. They even sang after crossing the sea, but here all they remembered and appreciated was the bread and the meat.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.Exodus 16:4
God answered them with bread from heaven. It was pointed out that there was no Law (The Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law began by Exodus 20).
Manna grew in the morning, every day, and would go bad at the end of the day. But on the sixth day they were told to get a double portion because there would be no Manna on the seventh day. There’s no mushroom, sap, or coriander that could match that.
Take note that the next time they complained, the Law was around. God answered them with quail but as soon as they chewed, they started dying.
Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,
Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.
Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.
Psalms 78:23-25
The bread from heaven before the Law was delicious in quality, and plentiful in quantity. But they grew sick of it, apparently:
Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”Numbers 21:4-5
They went as far as calling it ‘worthless bread’.
When we don’t value the Word, we may very well be calling it worthless.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.John 6:49-50
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”John 6:32-33
The true Bread is Christ, and by Him we claim the promises of the Word. The enemy will try to discourage us with deceit and doubt, ‘Did God really say this?’ ‘If You are the Son of God…’
WISDOM
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.1 Corinthians 1:22-25
My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;
For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.Proverbs 1:8-9
Not just a delicious morsel but a graceful ornament.
He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.
Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”Proverbs 4:4-9
FREEDOM
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”John 8:31-32
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.Matthew 6:9-11
The Israelites were told to go out to gather manna every morning. We should probably consider taking in Christ as our Daily Bread.
He is as mercy that is new every morning. Apparently the mercy for yesterday was for yesterday (as the manna rotted).
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:22-24
‘Lord, reveal Your love for me today. Reveal Christ to me today‘
Conclusion
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.2 Corinthians 3:17-18
As we see Jesus in the Word, there is transformation. There is transfiguration, from the inside out. From the spirit through the soul and the body.
I’ve started going through the Word first thing in the morning, and one of the last things before sleeping. Admittedly because of what happened to us last Saturday, sure. But I think it was used for our good in that, well, I hungered for it, am hungering for it; Bread instead of flesh.
Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, because You are the Bread of Life. You sustain me, and when I consume You by the Word, I know I shall never hunger. I shall not want. Thank You, for the sharing of Your Word, and the opportunity to nourish each other with the Word.
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”Daniel 12:1-4
First of all… note, ‘everlasting contempt‘; This causes me to just think that I really just want to awake to everlasting life, and I am thankful that it comes to me – I HAVE it in and through my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Much talk about food, and what is junk, what is poison, and what truly sustains.
But I’m reminded of the quality food – the quality Manna, the quality of Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. The reverse of poison, His word is Spirit and is LIFE. Transformation.
How can we NOT take in His Word, His Manna? And praise God! It’s not such a rare commodity, it’s given to us new every morning, fresh for every day!
It’s from the Creator, it’s freely given, abundant in quality and quantity, nourishing and the best we can take in for our entire being. That is who Christ is. Salvation, Sustenance, STRENGTH.
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalms 103:1-5
Because of the reflection of the Israelites grumbling about the manna, and the meat and the bread of Egypt, I’m also reminded of Paul’s tirade at the end of Romans 7.
But who has set us free of that body of sin – The Bread of Life, the Word of Life, Jesus Christ!
Amen, and thank You, Lord! Thank You, Father, for the Manna from heaven, for all of us, Jew and Gentile. Thank You, Jesus, for the Word that is Spirit and Life. Thank You, Spirit, for the conviction and the reminders from Scripture to take heart, and to take in as life!
All glory and honor to the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; The Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Maker of Time and Space; The Glorious Father of our good and glorious Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen!
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