God is our provision

Exodus 16

Christians in Nigeria continue to face persecution. Some of those abducted have been returned so we need to continue lifting them up in prayer.

Also two national guard troops were recently shot, one passed, Sara Beckstrom, and the other is in critical condition. So, be praying also for these involved.

Continued resolve of peace with Urkraine and Russia

LET’S PRAY

INTRODUCTION

How many like to take road trips??

Road trips can be lots of fun:

You can go visit someone that you haven’t seen in a long time.

You can go somewhere that you have never been; exploring new places.

It seems to be best when you are solo or maybe just one other person, especially if it is a long trip.

Now, that can be a completely different story if you are taking kids or certain SPECIAL people on a long trip.

Try taking a pregnant wife on a long trip...

Feeding young children chocolate donuts right before getting on a winding mountain road...

Not ideal situations...

You start hearing such things:

I am thirsty

I have to go to the bathroom

I am hungry

AND THE CLASSIC, “ARE WE THERE YET??”

Well this is what happened with the children of Israel.

God delivered them from Egypt and set them on a road trip through the wilderness.

But, expand the number of peeps to about 2 million.

With one father, or leader, Moses.

Just asking for lots of issues along the way.

Don’t you think??

READ

Exodus 16:1 “And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.”

It has been approximately a month since God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. The Israelites are now in the second month. If we recall back in chapter 13. We read: Exodus 13:4 “On this day you are going out, in the month Abib.” The first month in the Jewish calendar, also called Nisan in Nehemiah 2:1.

“Wilderness of Sin” - eastern shore of the Red Sea

Not to be confused with the “Wilderness of Zin” - which is south of Palestine and east of Edom (Numb 13:21)

“Sin” - in English not to be interpreted as a sinful place

Related to “Sinai” - meaning uncertain

READ

Exodus 16:2 “Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.”

2 things we need to note or pay attention to:

The Israelites were complaining

The Israelites were blaming Moses and Aaron

Complained - lun 3885 - in original Hebrew it has two meanings based on how it used - one meaning as used here is to grumble, complain, or murmur

In the original Greek it is translated as smoldering discontent individually or in a group that confer secretly

Complaining - is an expression of discontentment over one’s lot in life without a plea for help revealing a lack of trust and involves blame shifting

We observe this complaining repeatedly. (Ex 15:24, 16:2,7, 17:3, Numb 14:2, 27, 29, 16:11, 41)

One passage is in Numbers 14 where the Israelites are about to go into the Promised Land and they start complaining.

In Numbers 14:1–3 “So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?””

The Lord responds to their complaints:

Numbers 14:26–32 “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness.”

Here in Numbers most of the Israelites are complaining and refuse to go into the Promised land. God brings judgment upon them. Their refusal is because of a lack of trust or faith in God.

This is confirmed in:

Psalm 106:24–25 “Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe His word, But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 10:10 “nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.”

In short, they were not trusting God in their affliction and hardships.

Back in Exodus the Israelites express their complaint in the next verse.

READ

Exodus 16:3 “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.””

The Israelites:

Would have preferred to die at the hand of the Lord in Egypt with a full belly, than in the wilderness while hungry

2. Somehow forgetting or intentionally leaving out the mention of the bondage, the beatings, and the misery of the forced labor as slaves

They really did not have it easy in Egypt as they declare here.

This is confirmed back in chapter 3.

Exodus 3:7–8 “And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey

Doesn’t sound enjoyable to me.

3. Speaks of their own shortsightedness and self-centeredness

4. Although, even in the midst of their complaint they still acknowledge God’s miraculous intervention when mentioning “the hand of the Lord.”

Observations-

> The people were complaining and assigning blame

> There was no evidence of a thankful heart for all that God had done for them up to this point

> Their focus was on the problem

> There is no indication of believing in God to provide

A better response in life it to lay it all before the Lord.

1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

This requires faith and trust in God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

It is impossible to complain while one is rejoicing in the Lord and expressing thankfulness.

APPLICATION - SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES

What is our response when things become difficult?

Are we taking things into our own hands?

Are we trusting God in the midst of the hardship?

Are we applying the following verses in challenging times:

Philippians 4:6–7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Back in Exodus

READ

Exodus 16:4 “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.”

Now the Lord speaks to Moses

God responds graciously and says He will rain down bread from heaven in abundance - answering their request to have bread to the full

Also, accompanied with specific details as a test of obedience - “walking in My law or not”

Specific instruction - to gather a certain quota each day

This testing of obedience through faith was emphasized by Pastor Dan last week.

It was mentioned very clearly in the last chapter

Exodus 15:25–26 “So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.””

4 Commands of God

Diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God

Do what is right in His sight

Give ear to His commandments

Keep all His statutes

The Lord gives further instruction to Moses

READ

Exodus 16:5 “And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.””

God’s specific instruction continues:

On the sixth day a double portion will be gathered

In summary

God was going to provide bread

The people were to gather a certain amount for each person

The people were to gather a double portion on the sixth day

READ

Exodus 16:6 “Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt.”

Now Moses and Aaron are telling the people

God is going to miraculously provide food for them to confirm He is their deliverer, the only One they can trust

This is answering their shortsightedness of not remembering all that God had just brought them through only a month prior

READ

Exodus 16:7 “And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?””

Moses and Aaron still speaking to the people

Declaring they shall behold the GLORY OF GOD

Emphasizes : God hears their complaints against Him

Moses and Aaron rebuke: (Don’s paraphrase) Why are you complaining against us, we didn’t cause this??

But really this shows humility by acknowledging that God is in control, not them

Moses goes on to give further instruction to the people

READ

Exodus 16:8 “Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.””

Moses further said:

“This shall be seen” - referring to the “glory of the Lord” - previous verse

The “glory of the Lord” - seen when He gives meat to eat in the evening

The “glory of the Lord” - seen when He gives bread to the full in the morning

The is also responding directly to their longing for bread to the full

Again mentioning: “the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him”

Rebukes: (Don’s paraphrase) Why are you complaining against us, like we have any way of bringing about this situation. Your complaint is really against God, not us...

READ

Exodus 16:9 “Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’ ””

Now Moses is giving Aaron instruction

Telling Aaron to speak to the people and have them come near before the Lord

Repeating again, “For He has heard your complaints”.

Now Aaron continues to speak with the people

READ

Exodus 16:10 “Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.”

As Aaron is speaking

The glory of the Lord appears in the cloud

They behold the glory of the Lord

Glory of the Lord Revealed-

Exodus 24:17 “The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.”

Psalm 104:31 “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; May the Lord rejoice in His works.”

Isaiah 6:3 “And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!””

Matthew 17:1–2 “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”

Luke 2:9 “And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.”

“Glory of the Lord” - is the supernatural revealing of God’s presence resulting in awe of the beholder, giving way to worship

Isaiah 6:5 “So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.””

Isaiah beheld the King of the Universe and he was humanly speaking, “Undone.” It was more than he could handle in his earthly body.

May we hope for or long for that day when we will be “undone” or in complete awe of God’s greatness.

READ

Exodus 16:11–12 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ””

The Lord is speaking to Moses giving further detail that the people would eat meat at twilight and have the fill of bread in the morning.

Again mentioning that God has heard their complaints

This is mentioned four times (v 7, 8, 9, 12)

Repeated to emphasize:

You have made a complaint that should be a request directed to God and speaks of a focus on self

The Lord is mindful of the people’s condition and hears their concerns

Despite the grumbling and complaining God chooses to bestow His abundant grace and mercy

Exodus 34:6 “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,”

Psalm 136:1 “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Purpose/reason - to glorify the name of the Lord, that the people may know that He is God

READ

Exodus 16:13 “So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp.”

The Lord brought quail in the evening - the quail covered the camp

Morning - dew laid “all around the camp”

Happened just as the Lord said

Showing God’s faithfulness

READ

Exodus 16:14–15 “And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”

the dew of the morning lifted

a small round substance as fine as frost was on the ground

The people asked, “What is it?”

Moses answered, “This is bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”

the Lord granting the people’s want of “bread” - directly answering what the people had said they were lacking

Some try to discredit this happening as some type of natural event, which is just not possible in the abundance indicated.

It is truly a supernatural or God initiated occurrence that is beyond the natural order.

READ

Exodus 16:16 “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”

Moses speaking to the people

Emphasizing in detail God’s command-

every man is to gather according his family’s needs “those who are in his tent”, based on the number of persons -

one omer per person - slightly more than two quarts

READ

Exodus 16:17 “Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.”

To our amazement, shockingly, the people obeyed, despite their previous complaining

Now, we have to give them some credit here.

Are we really any different??

Don’t we have the same tendency to fall into disobedience and complaining?

READ

Exodus 16:18 “So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.”

God met the people’s needs daily, there was no lack or left over.

READ

Exodus 16:19 “And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.””

Moses gave further instruction to not leave any of it till morning the next day.

READ

Exodus 16:20 “Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.”

In the NASB95 Translation we read, “But the did not listen to Moses...”

THE CHILDREN ARE ACTING UP AGAIN ON THE ROAD TRIP

According to verse seventeen, previously, it seemed the people were going to have no problem in following instructions.

However, the people chose not to follow the instructions given.

They were disobedient.

God took care of their needs graciously, but as mentioned previously, it was also a test to see if they would be obedient.

They didn’t pass the test.

This roused Moses to anger because of their choices.

READ

Exodus 16:21 “So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.”

The heat of the sun would melt it.

God addressed their disobedience of leaving it until morning by allowing the sun’s heat to melt it since some were not gathering it and eating it as commanded.

READ

Exodus 16:22–26 “And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ” So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.””

YAY, so the people followed the instruction given

they were to gather enough based on each family’s needs for 5 days

then on the sixth day they were to gather a double portion so they could have enough to cover for two days, the sixth and the seventh

they were not to gather any bread on the seventh day

Here in verse 23 is the first time that “Sabbath” is actually mentioned in the Scripture.

Sabbath - sabat 7676 - (root meaning) - to cease, desist, to rest

It is to commemorate God’s day of rest.

We read in Genesis 2:1–3 “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

After God finished creation, God blessed and sanctified or set apart the seventh day on which He rested after He finished His work of creation.

This is God’s command to the Israelites that they observe the Sabbath, which is before the giving of the ten commandments when it was written down on the tablets of stone.

As quoted by Warren Wiersbe, “The Sabbath was a day given especially by the Lord to the Jewish people as a reminder of His covenant with them.

Confirmed in various scripture:

Exodus 20:8–11 ““Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

Exodus 31:12–17 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ””

Isaiah 58:13–14 ““If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.””

Mark 2:27–28 “And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.””

The day of rest, “the Sabbath” was given to man to commemorate or acknowledge God as our creator through following His example of taking a day of rest.

Not doing what is normally done during the week, but setting the day aside for the Lord as a day of “rest”

The emphasis is “rest”.

Given to man, because God knows us and if a day is not “sanctified” or set aside for Him, we will likely fill all our days with what we want to.

The “Sabbath Rest” is a type or foreshadow of things to come.

Colossians 2:16–17 “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

It is directing our attention to honoring Christ.

Hebrews 3:17–4:11 “Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.” Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”

The idea of rest coming from the “Sabbath” is directly related to Christ and His work on the cross.

God offers forgiveness and eternal life through Christ.

It can’t be earned, just received in faith.

This is where the “rest of Sabbath” comes.

We can strive to find favor with God and forgiveness, but we will always fall short and never reach the goal of a right standing with God.

It is only possible by faith in Jesus Christ.

We can’t obtain by action or merit. It can only be received through faith.

That is where the rest comes in. All we can do, is accept Christ and the work He has done. It is nothing of ourselves. We enter God’s rest through the finished work of Jesus Christ. That is the “Sabbath rest”.

Jesus said:

Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

READ

Exodus 16:27–28 “Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?”

THE CHILDREN ARE ACTING UP AGAIN ON THE ROAD TRIP

Again we read of their disobedience. Not following God’s commands.

How easy it is to fall into disobedience against the One, that has given everything for us. He even gave His very own Son, Jesus Christ.

READ

Exodus 16:29–30 “See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.”

Further instruction was given regarding the “Sabbath”. So the people rested as commanded.

READ

Exodus 16:31–36 “And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.” As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.”

The house of Israel called this “bread from heaven” Manna. Coming from the people’s first response, “What is it?” Taste of wafers and honey.

Psalm 78:21–25 “Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel, Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. 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.”

The Lord instructed them to lay some “Manna” aside as a testimony of God’s grace and mercy in which He provided for the children of Israel for 40 years while in the wilderness until they celebrated the Passover at Gilgal in the Promised Land.

Joshua 5:12 “Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.”

This “manna” is also a type or foreshadow confirmed in the New Testament.

The old testament “manna” provided food for the body. It sustained the Israelites while in the wilderness experience. Speaking of their need to look to God for provision. Challenging them not try to obtain on their own, but trust God.

The “manna” was temporary, but points to a far greater purpose extending beyond just the Israelites and is everlasting.

Isaiah 55:2–3 “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David.”

This “manna” is pointing all to an everlasting covenant with God through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of John after the feeding of the five thousand we read:

John 6:25–35 “And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 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. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And 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.”

Jesus emphasizes and exhorts those He is speaking with to stop pursing the food that perishes and only satisfies the body for a moment, and is temporary. But, the first priority is to seek the sustenance that satisfies the soul and leads to eternal life. This sustenance is everlasting, compared to the “manna” that sustained temporarily.

Jesus declares, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” Meaning: The “manna” given to the Israelites was preparing all for the true and everlasting “Manna” that God has graciously given to all expanding beyond just the Israelites.

And Jesus directly declares with great emphasis:

I AM- the Eternal Existing God

I AM - the eternal bread given by God bringing salvation

John 3:14–18 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Jesus is our only hope for life everlasting.

CONCLUSION

For the believer are you continuing to seek after the Lord Jesus Christ in obedience by faith feeding on His Word to sustain you until your race is finished?

For the unbeliever, for the one who has yet to receive Christ. Now is the time. It is not too late, you don’t want to wait any longer. We have no idea what will happen once we walk out those doors.

If you have not received Christ I am going to give you an opportunity. I am going to pray and if you want to receive Christ I just ask you to slip up your hand and repeat a prayer quietly where you are sitting. It is between you and the Lord. Let’s all bow our heads and pray.