The Manna a Type of Christ

That manna was a type of Christ, He Himself has declared, in His conversation to the Jews in the sixth chapter of John. Here He drew a parallel between the bread that Moses gave to the Israelites and Himself, "The true bread of heaven;'' "It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. I am the bread of life" (John 6:32, 35). Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, uncreated, always dwelling in the bosom of His heavenly Father, was foreordained by God (I Peter 1:20) to "give life unto the world.''

In Exodus 16:15, we have a suggested source of the name, "They said one to another, what is it?" that is, "manhu," which also means, "It is manna." This substance is described as occurring in small round grains as hoar frost on the ground (Ex. 16:14); "It is like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey" (Ex. 16:31). In Numbers 11:8, its taste is described "as the taste of fresh oil." "And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan" (Ex. 16:35). It ceased the day after they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain, in the plains of Jericho (Josh. 5:10-12).

This food was gathered every morning, "every man according to his eating: And when the sun waxed hot, it melted" (Ex. 16:21; a portion of the previous day's gathering bred worms and stank if kept (verse 20); on the sixth day a double portion was gathered, and the Sabbath portion was miraculously preserved (verses 22-27). A pot — a golden one, Hab. 9:4) — with an omer of manna was "laid up before Jehovah" in the tabernacle (Ex. 16:33). Manna is described poetically as "food from heaven" and "bread of the Mighty" (Ps. 78:24); as "bread of heaven" (Ps.' 105:40); and as "Angels' food" (Ps. 78:25).

In John 6:31-63, our Lord frequently refers to "the manna" or ''bread from heaven" as typical of Himself. Paul in I Cor. 10:3 refers to it as "spiritual food," and in Rev. 2:17 we read, "To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna," reserved as the future food of the righteous.

Let us study manna, a type of Christ, as setting forth "a divine provision for a human need" and "Isreal setting forth the believer's attitude toward this divine provision."

The Manna Setting Forth a Divine Provision for a Human Need.

The manna was food from heaven to nourish and sustain the children of Israel. They did not know what the manna was when they saw it. "And Moses said unto them- This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, gather of it every man according to his eating" (Exodus 16:15, 16). But the true bread of heaven is Christ. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16), "For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world" (John 6:33); "and he that eateth this bread shall live forever" (John 6:58).

The manna was a loving provision of God for His earthly people. Hear His word: "I have heard the murmuring of the Children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God" (Exodus 16:12). He invited the Israelites, saying, "Come ye, buy, and eat; without money and without price." Christ is a loving provision for the believers of this age, the members of His body, the church. "If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1). "Rejoice in the Lord." "Be strong in Him, and the strength of His might' (Eph. 6:10).

The manna had to be gathered daily by the Israelites. "They gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating' (Exodus 16:21). And if any man gathered more than his appointed portion, "It bred worms, and stank." God was teaching them the value of daily trust and regular and uniform habits. Christ, too. must be laid hold of daily by faith. To neglect this phase of our life is to become shriveled Christians. Let us say with Paul, "Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus" ( Phil. 3:12). As we feed on Him, we "are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

The Israelites having eaten the manna found it sufficient to sustain life. "The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came into the borders of the land of Canaan" (Exodus 16:35). God provided abundantly for them, and they reached their desired haven. The believers, feeding upon the invisible table of God, grow stronger in Christ. "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him" (John 6:55, 56). "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me" (John 15:4). "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

The manna of one day did not suffice the need of the next. "Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.... But some of them left of it until morning, and it "bred worms and stank" (Ex. 16:19, 20). The manna had to be gathered daily. The blessings of one day were not sufficient for the next day's needs. Neither will the spiritual food of yesterday be sufficient for the needs of the believer today. But one must commune with Him daily. "Quench not the Spirit." "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, . . . . Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-18). "Submit yourselves therefore to God-. .Dray nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to you." "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:7, 8, 18).

Israel Setting Forth the Believer's Attitude toward This Divine Provision

God bestowed His grace and mercy freely upon the fickle Israelites, yet they valued not the manna, the heavenly provision. They cried out, Our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes" (Num. 11:6); "and our soul loatheth this light (accursed) bread" (Num. 21:5). God's loving watch care was forgotten, and they were turning from His grace, seeking to satisfy the desires of the flesh. Likewise, God's divine provision is not valued by His children, but we are foolish and fickle as was Israel and seek to do the works of the flesh for salvation. Alas! Alas! How many have begun in the spirit but are trying to be perfected in the flesh (Gal. 3:3). How many are saved by grace, but try to keep saved by their works, instead of the finished work of Christ. The Word of God says, "By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight." But it also says, "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him daily." May we heed the Spirit's voice, and serve because we love Him and not to try to earn salvation which is God's gift to us.

Israel sought the fleshpots of Egypt. "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick" (Num. 11:5). They would rather have been amid the fleshpots in darkness than to walk through the wilderness and feed on the bread of heaven. What a picture of the believers of today, who are seeking worldly things. Where are the vast majority of God's children found? In the theater, the ballroom, the park, the fraternity, and all sorts of worldly affairs. God says, "Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate;" but multitudes go on whoring after the earthly. God says, "Set your mind upon the things that are above, where Christ is;" but scores of His children say, "Let us delve in the muck and mire of filth and sin." God says, "Put on the whole armor of God;" but hosts of His children say, "Let us walk in the flesh."

They choose the husks which swine do eat,

Or meanly crave the serpent's meat."

When will God's people turn to Him and say:

"In thee alone thy children find Enough to fill the empty mind. Without this food, I starve and die ; No other can my need supply:

...............................................

O let me evermore be fed With this divine, celestial bread"

The Israelites lost many blessings because they railed against God's feeding them upon the manna, and their failure to trust Him fully.

"He fed them with a liberal hand, And made his treasure known;

He gave the midnight clouds command

To pour provision down."

Yet they spurned his gracious provision. "And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died" (Num. 21:5). Their awful sins brought fearful judgment. They "had sinned," and sin always means lost blessings, and broken fellowship and communion- The believers of today lose manifold blessings because they do not feed upon the "true bread of heaven." They do not recognize that they "through the law died unto the law," that they "might live unto God." They do not hear the Holy Spirit saying, "Be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12: 2). May the Spirit lead each one of us to say: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2: 20). Can we. nay let us make it more intensely personal, can I withhold my life, my all from Him. who gave up all for me?

"Oh, for his love let rocks and hills
     Their lasting silence break.
And all harmonious human tongues
     The Saviour's praises speak."