Manna, Bread From Heaven: A Lesson in How to Handle the Word of God

    I am taking a correspondence course on Old Testament Survey 1.  It is by Wendall Parr and is extraordinary.  I love it!  I wish I was in class so I could ask questions.  But this is way better than no class at all!  I am learning a lot.  

      Last night I learned about how the Manna/Bread in Exodus 16 is a type and shadow for the written and living word of God.  What they were told to do with the manna, you can do with the word.  

For instance,

1. It came from heaven= the manna is supernatural, like the written word and the living word of God.  Nothing has been able to stop the bible or Jesus from spreading.

2. Came to people where they were= God comes to us, the word comes to us.

3. small in size= the bible is small and yet powerful.

4. white in color= white symbolizes purity

5. Made to be eaten= the word is made to be eaten and used if it is to be of any value to us.  It goes to waste if not used.  Like the manna when it was stored.

6. To be gathered daily= the word should be gathered into our hearts every day, too.

7.  To be gathered in the morning=  it is best to seek God first.

8. Obtained by the individual= you have to feed yourself the word of God

9. It was gathered by stooping over= you need to have a reverence to God's Word while gathering it.

10. Some will gather more, some less, but it will be what they need= some of us will study more, some less, but we are gathering and that is all that matters.  Let us not judge.

11. What is gathered has to be eaten or it will go bad= use the word you gather, do not just read and read and never put it into practice or you will put off a foul odor to non believers.

12. Incomprehensible to the natural man=they did not know what it was, hence the name Manna, that means what is it.  Neither does the natural man understand the word of God.  In Numbers 11 the mixed multitude of people hated manna, the word of God.

13. Preserved in the Ark= manna was saved and taken into the ark.  Jesus is the ark, the word incarnate.

14.  Will last as long as it is needed= the word will last and work as long as we need it to...rely on it.

      I am sure there are more things that can be deduced from these readings…that is what is wonderful about the Bible…always something God shows you, for you, for that moment, that day!  He provides all We need…let us praise Him!  Gloriously!