Christ in the Wilderness: Manna, Bread from Heaven, and Divine Teachings

1. Christ in the Wilderness Study 2 – “Manna – I am the bread from heaven” Christ in the Wilderness

2. Murmuring on the Sabbath Israel murmured 13 times in the wilderness. Num. 33:10 – Camped by the Red Sea after Elim – Principles of baptism – a new start. Sin = “thorn”or “bramble”. Territory of the Amalekites. Cp. Deut. 25:17-18. Sinai = “thorn bush”. Cp. Ex. 3:1-2. Their preservation guaranteed. 15th of 2nd month – a sabbath – next day manna given for 6 days. Hence, 14th Abib had been a Wednesday. “Assembly” – qahal – Heb. equiv. of Ecclesia. Christ in the Wilderness

3. Bread from Heaven – Ex. 16:4 “Bread” – lechem – used 8 times in chap. Called manna v.15 – “What is it?” “Manna” – used 5 times in Ex. 16 & 5 times N.T. Ps. 78:23-25 – Rained from heaven – “corn” – dagan - wheat, cereal, grain, corn. “Man” (ish) ate “angels’ food (lechem)”. “Angels” - abbiyr - mighty, valiant. Root – abiyr - strong, mighty - used only to describe God. “meat (tsedah - provision, food) to the full (soba - satiety, abundance, fulness)”. This word is first used in Ex. 16:3 where Israel complained that they ate "bread to the full" in Egypt! Christ in the Wilderness

4. “Gather a certain rate every day” Christ in the Wilderness

5. Manna and the Word of God Ex. 16:4 – Purpose to “prove” Israel – nasah – to test, try, prove, put to the proof. 1st occ. O.T. - Gen. 22:1. Used Ex. 15:25. Cp. Deut. 8:1-3. To gather “a certain rate” – dabar - speech, word, speaking, thing, matter. Noun used 3 times (v.4,16,32) and verb 4 times in chapter (7). V.14 – Dew a symbol for the word – Deut. 32:2. V.14 - “small” – daq - thin, small, fine, gaunt. Translated “small” - 1 Kings 19:12. V.16 – An omer for “every man” – gulgoleth – a skull, head – Judges 9:53; 2 Kings 9:35. Christ in the Wilderness

6. “I am the bread of life” – John 6:35 The wilderness generation asked "what is it?" (Ex.16:15) - The Jews in Christ's day failed to perceive "the bread from heaven" - John 6:28-33. The glory of Yahweh was manifested before the manna (Ex.16:10) - So Christ revealed God's glory as the only begotten of the Father – he was “the word made flesh” - John 1:14. Christ in the Wilderness

7. The Bread of Life - John 6 "bread" occurs 21 times in chapter. The contrast is between the "meat" (food) which "perisheth" and that which "endureth unto everlasting life" (v.27); i.e. between natural bread related to mortality and spiritual bread related to immortality. The terms "life", "living", "live", "quickeneth" occur 19 times from vv.27-69. By contrast "dead", and "die" occur in v.49,50,58. "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead" - v.49. Christ in the Wilderness

8. Dividing Natural from Spiritual ThinkersJohn 6:59-71 “All” taught of God – drawn (helko – drag) by learning – Vv. 37-44. Eating his flesh – Vv. 51-58. Two words “eat” - - phago – to eat (11 occs. in chap. = failure) - trogo – to chew, gnaw; hence to eat (4 occs. in chap. – only 6 in N.T.). • Christ had no desire to lose any – Vv. 37,39. • God’s words are spirit and life – Vv. 63, 68-69. “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

9. Comparison of Isa. 55 & John 6 Isa. 54:13 – “And all thy children shall be taught of Yahweh” Isa. 55:1- “come ye, buy and eat” V.1 – “he that hath no money” V.1 – “Ho, every one” V.6 – “Seek ye Yahweh” John 6:45 – “It is written …., And they shall be all taught of God” V.5 – “Whence shall we buy bread” V.7 – “200 penny worth …not sufficient” V.7,40 – “that every one” V.26 – “Ye seek me” Christ in the Wilderness

10. Isa. 55 John 6 V.27 – “Labour not for the meat which perisheth” V.27 – “meat which endureth unto ever-lasting life” V.33 – “which cometh down from heaven” V. 35 – “he that believeth on me shall never thirst” V.2 – “and your labour for that which satisfieth not” V.3 – “an everlasting covenant…the sure mercies of David” V.10 – “as the rain cometh down” V.1 – “every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters” Christ in the Wilderness

11. Isa. 55 John 6 V.40 – “have everlasting life” V.54 – “Whoso eateth my flesh” V.62 – “ascend up where he was before” V.63 – “the words that I speak….they are spirit, and they are life” V.3 – “your soul shall live” V.2 – “eat ye that is good” V.11 – “it shall not return unto me void” V.11 – “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth” “And they shall be all taught of God” Christ in the Wilderness

12. Thoughts and WaysIsa. 55:8-11 RAIN Cause Thoughts Motivation Given by God Returns fulfilled BREAD Effect Ways Product Seed – continuation (others) Bread – sustenance (self) Christ in the Wilderness

13. Three Types of Manna – Foreshadowed Christ Corrupted after one day if left overnight (Ex.16:19-20) - Type of Christ's mortality shared in common with his brethren. Lasted over the 'weekend' (Ex.16:23-24) - Foreshadowed Christ's preservation from corruption in the grave (Acts 2:31). Incorruptible manna laid up before Yahweh in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex.16:33-34) - Type of Christ's immortality and ascension into the presence of God until he appears to give "the hidden manna" to those who overcome (Rev.2:17). Christ in the Wilderness

14. Manna as a type of Christ Flesh of quail was given before the manna (Ex. 16:12-13) - Christ said his flesh was the substance of the bread he gave for the life of the world -John 6:51. Manna appeared after the dew (symbol of resurrection - Ps. 110:3; Isa. 26:19) - Christ rose "early in the morning" as the firstfruits of them that slept -John 6:54-58,62. Christ in the Wilderness

15. Manna - The Taste Test Like “fresh oil” – Num. 11:8. Ex. 16:31 – “wafers” – tsappiychith – a flat thin cake (hence unleavened). “taste” – ta’am – taste, judgement, decision, decree. Translated "behaviour"1 Sam. 21:13, Ps. 34 (Title); "advice"1 Sam. 25:33; "understanding"Job 12:20; "judgement"Ps. 119:66; "discretion"Prov. 11:22; "reason"Prov. 26:16. Christ in the Wilderness

16. Next study…….. God willing “The Rock that followed them” Christ in the Wilderness