Note: I am deeply indebted to Mr. Herbert Lockyer in his Book “All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible for much of the material in my sermon. Jack D. Harris
PROPHETIC PORTRAYALS OF CHRIST
The Manna
Int. Manna was a gift from Heaven, designed to sustain the people of Israel physically, to discipline them mentally and to enrich them spiritually. While it resembled certain things with which the people were familiar, at the same time, it was unlike anything they had seen before.
One of the most amazing things about it was, while it possessed the capacity to satisfy fully yet, the duration of its shelf-life was quite fragile. Each person would have all that he needed, but it was impossible for him to retain more than was necessary. The fact that it was given without anyone on earth having to do anything to make it available is without question, one of the most impressive examples of the Grace of God.
The manna fell for the first time while the Israelites were in the desert of Sin, six weeks after their departure from Egypt. They had been murmuring about the things of which they were deprived in the desert, so in response, God initiated the provision of the manna. “Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” (Exodus 16:4-5)
When the dew fell during the night, the manna came and as the dew dried up, the manna appeared. “When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, it is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.” (Exodus 16:14-15) It was to be gathered quickly before the heat of the sun melted it. The quantity to be gathered was limited to one omer per person, a little less than three quarts. Any amount gathered more than that per person would putrefy and breed worms, except the portion which was reserved for the Sabbath. Though it was probably eatable in the natural state, it was usually ground in a mill or beaten in a mortar and then boiled and made into cakes.
There are many similarities between the wilderness manna and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I. THE MYSTERY THAT IS EVIDENT IN THE MANNA.
Along with the giving of the Manna, the first mention is made in the Scriptures of the display of the Glory of God. “Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for He has heard your grumbling. While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the Glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.”
A. The Miracle Involved in its Provision.
This fact is clearly evident in the dialogue between the Jews of Jesus’ day and the Lord Himself. “So they asked Him, ‘What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: “He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.” Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, ‘it was not Moses who has given you the bread from Heaven, but it is my Father who 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 .’”
By no means could man have ever accomplished the phenomenal task of providing such help!
B. The Secret Concealed in its Substance.
The words of the original man hu may either be translated “what is it?” or “This is a gift.” The Hebrew word for ‘to give’ is manan. The Israelites could not explain what they were seeing until Moses informed them of what it was. In contrast to the fleshpots of Egypt, this mysterious bread was what David called “angels’ food,” or “the bread of the Mighty.” In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Moses said, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of our Lord.” Such language implies that the ingredients were God’s secret.
C. The Uniqueness Indicated in its Taste.
“It…tasted like wafers made with honey.” (Exodus 16:31) :And it tasted like something made with olive oil.” (Numbers 11:8) It was certainly thoughtful of God to make the heavenly manna palatable to human taste. In fact, the Jews had a tradition that the taste of the manna varied with the wish of the eater, and tempered itself to every man’s liking. Honey is a pleasant and delightful food!
D. The Insignificance noticeable in its Appearance.
The manna was small, round and rather light in weight, similar to a wafer or cake. It could easily be gathered, even by children. It was not particularly impressive in its appearance, no beauty in its form, and in fact, it was rather plain. Certainly there was nothing to attract the people to it except for the need they had of it. Since they could not display it or feel proud when it was in their possession, to the people, its’ only value lay in what it could do for them.
The manna was given by God in order to meet an immediate need, but in a greater sense, it embodied many of the features to be seen later in the Lord Jesus Christ.
II. THE MINISTRY THAT IS EXTENDED IN THE MANNA.
God had a long-range plan that He had made known several hundred years before the descendents of Abraham found themselves being led from the place of their gestation period through the birth waters of the Red Sea, and into the desert where He could begin to shape the body of a nation. Some four hundred years before the Exodus, God had planted the “seed” of His people into the “Womb” of the land of Egypt. The Exodus is the account of the “delivery room” that God had arranged in order to bring His people into Nationhood. Now that they are in the wilderness, the manna from Heaven is God’s “breast-feeding” of this “infant.”
A. For the Manna to be Beneficial, it required Immediate Attention.
While God was most generous in His provision, nothing was to be wasted. If the manna was exposed to the fierce heat of the desert sun, it would quickly decompose and become useless. For this reason, each morning, the people were to be up and about the task of gathering the day’s supply. It had to be secured and eaten just at the right time. As every man had to take a lamb for his family (Exodus 12:4), so with the manna “every man according to his eating,” meaning that each fresh morning each man gathered according to his immediate need and that of his family. Each day, each person knew what he was supposed to gather. The manna was to be sought while it could be found. If the people slept in, or made it a point to rise in mid-morning, they missed out on their daily needs.
The divine instruction about having none of the gathered manna left over was meant to remind Israel of their complete dependence upon God for food from day to day. They were to understand fully that they were to place absolute trust and confidence in God.
B. The Manna supplied the Essential Nourishment for God’s Chosen People.
Since it is God who gave life to man, it is God who knows better than anyone else, just what man’s body needs for its development and nurture. The fleshpots, garlic and cucumbers of Egypt had kept the people in a state of existence during the period of their slavery. But now, God wanted the people to move beyond a simple existence and into a life of really living. While we are concentrating on the bread God rained down from Heaven, we should note that he also gave them meat. In the morning, manna was given and gathered, and at evening the quails covered the camp as they were blown in with the wind. In the land of the East, quail was regarded as a delicacy. Although there is no miracle in the fact that the quails were found where Israel sojourned from time to time, since they are migratory birds. The miracle was in their daily appearance in such vast quantities for almost forty years. These were adapted, along with the manna to Israel’s principle nourishment for such a long period
C. The Manna appeared for as Long as it was Needed.
The tally for each day, as we have noted, was something less than three quarts per person. If the families averaged four members, each man would have to gather, on an average, some twelve quarts. If 500,000 men gathered this amount, the daily supply would have been something like 187,000 bushels. This was the table that God furnished in the wilderness. If we give some thought to this, let us note, that during the forty years of wandering, the Israelites would have consumed two thousand, seven hundred and twenty millions, four hundred and seven thousand and one hundred bushels. “He rained down manna for the people to eat, He gave them the grain of Heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; He sent them all the food they could eat.” (Psalm 78:24-25) The manna never failed for a period of forty years. The wilderness provision for this nation was a most extraordinary miracle, worthy of God and most beneficial to man.
Margaret Sangster puts it this way:
“Twas in the night the manna fell, that fed the hosts of Israel,
Enough for each day’s fullest store, and largest need, enough, no more,
For willful waste, for prideful show, God sent no angel’s food below,
Still in our nights of deep distress, the manna falls our hearts to bless,
And, famished, as we cry for bread, with heavenly food our lives are fed,
Each day’s need finds each day’s store, enough, dear Lord, we want no more.”
III. THE MAJESTY THAT IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE MANNA.
When God promised the manna, He issued a command that would ever keep before the people His divine intervention on their behalf. “Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt….As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept.” (Exodus 16:32, 34) “The ark contained the golden jar of manna.” (Hebrews 9:4) This was to be a perpetual memorial of God’s unfailing faithfulness. For some 12,500 mornings Israel saw the manna on the ground around the camp. At the same time, hidden away inside the Ark of the Covenant, was the golden jar containing the manna that did not putrefy nor did it breed worms. This was indicative of the long range plan of God, the plan that usher in the True Bread that God would bring down from Heaven, even the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. The Prophetic Portrayal of the Earthly Accomplishments of Christ.
In the several features of the manna we have just considered, recognition must be noted of the Messianic importance reflected in the manna. In the fact that man had nothing to do with the gift of the manna, there is a parallel to be seen in the miracle of Jesus’ conception, as Mary was impregnated by the Holy Seed of God’s Spirit. “For the Bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) In His remarks to the Jews in John chapter six, Jesus asserted at least seven times that He came down from Heaven. The Apostle Paul listed at least seven steps in our Lord’s descent on His way from the throne of Glory to the tomb. “Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! “ (Philippians 2:6-8) We will never know how deep were the depths into which He descended that He might become the Bread of Life to those who were dead in sin, and provide a way for sinners to go to Heaven. Like the manna, He was given from Heaven for the benefit of man.
Rich as it was, the old manna was only a type, and like all other types and symbols, it was inadequate to fully manifest the person and work of Christ. Noah’s ark was not large enough to represent His great heart of love. Jacob’s ladder was not wide enough to reveal the breadth of His compassion. No sacrificial lamb was ever pure enough to portray His sinless nature. Certainly, no “angels’ food” was sweet enough to express the perfect sweetness of His grace. Isaac Watts captured this thought when he wrote:
“All types are too mean to show His worth, Too mean to set my Savior forth.”
Jesus is the True Bread. He is more than sufficient for all the necessities of our pilgrimage through life. In His miracles of feeding the hungry, He revealed the truth that He is the source of supply. He is the living and life-giving Bread. Jesus’ emphasis in His answer to the Jews in John six, is on the Giver rather than the gift. Moses was the Law-bringer, God is the Life-Giver, and God Himself became the Gift. He is the True Bread.
B. The Dynamic Testimony of the Eternal Nature of Christ.
In the ancient narrative which speaks of that which the manna symbolized, we have the great “I AM.” This is the identity, the Jehovah term, which God gave of Himself to Moses at the burning bush. In the Gospel of John, especially, Jesus uses this term a number of times to emphasize His divine nature. He shows that He is not something, but that He is Someone! In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life.” Again in verse 48, He declared, “I AM the Bread of Life,” and in verse 51, He claimed, “I AM the Living Bread that came down from Heaven.” What a pregnant description this is of Christ. If Christ is of God, He must be God, for no mere imperfect man could satisfy the craving of human souls for salvation and satisfaction as Christ declared He was able to do. Jesus would never have used this high and holy identity, if He had not been conscious that He was the eternal God, and, therefore, as the living God, the living Bread. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) He is the Support of our life and because of His inexhaustible resources; He is the satisfaction of our life. All who receive Him have everlasting life.
Conclusion: In order to become the Life Giving Bread, Jesus had to be “oppressed and afflicted,…cut off from the land of the living…crushed and caused to suffer…and…made a guilt offering….He poured out His life unto death and…bore the sin of many.” “This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world…Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day…(he) remains in me and I in him.” ( John 6: 52, 54, 56)
