Manna: The Bread of Life

The “Old Testament” (OT) is just a book of history and fables of how the earth was created. The God of the OT is an unfair vengeful God. Jesus could not be the same as the Father because they have a different nature. “Au contrare!” I say because the God of the OT IS Jesus of the “New Testament” (NT). They are one and the same! When JHQH (GOD) was graceful in the OT it was of the same righteousness of Jesus of the NT. In fact, God was showing His people the Way.
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Looking at the Exodus (flight from Egypt) we can see that by God's grace he delivered the Israelites out of the hands of the Egyptians (sin). Not because they were “good” enough, but because their leaders were righteous, albeit imperfect. By grace God cares for those who call on Him. Here we find that the Israelites, even after seeing miracle after miracle, still didn't have faith in God enough to depend on Him for their continued existence. (We are to remember that God made a covenant with Abraham and passed it on to Isaac and Israel).

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Exodus 16:8 “And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him:” … 13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host... 15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. “

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God feeding his children is a picture of Jesus! What's quail and manna got to do with Jesus?

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Luke 9:16 “Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. 18And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? … 29And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering... 35And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. “

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Quail is meat. Fish was also called meat in Scripture. Just as God provided quail to the hungry in the desert of the Wilderness of Sin, Jesus provided fish to feed the 5000 in the desert of the city of Bethsaida. God provided “Manna” (bread from heaven) for the sustenance of the Israelites on Egypt and he provided bread to the 5000 at Bethsaida. God revealed Himself to the OT fathers that He is the salvation of the people, and Jesus revealed Himself at Bethsaida that he is the Messiah, the son of God! It goes even further:

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John 6:57 “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”

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Jesus is the “Bread of Life”! He that eateth (believes) in Him and lives by Him has eaten of the Bread of Life! Unlike the Israelites who were saved for a time and then died, those who eat the Manna (Jesus) shall live forever! Didn't God have a great plan? All (not just the Israelites) can eat the Manna announced at Bethsaida and glorified on Calvary. You don't have to be good first. Just as the Israelites were murmuring (doubtful) against Moses and Aaron, people today still murmur about Jesus. They don't trust Jesus, but he IS trustworthy! He'll do what he said he'll do. He'll save you in your sins. That's grace! God's grace. (The same yesterday today and forever)!

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