When Jesus called Himself “the Living Bread,” He was not claiming to be exactly like manna. He was claiming to be even greater! The manna only sustained life for the Jews, but Jesus gives life to the whole world. The Jews ate the daily manna and eventually died; but when you receive Jesus Christ within, you live forever.

When God gave the manna, He gave only a gift; but when Jesus came, He gave Himself. There was no cost to God in sending the manna each day, but He gave His Son at great cost. The Jews had to eat the manna every day, but the sinner who trusts Christ once is given eternal life.

It is not difficult to see in the manna a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. The manna was a mysterious thing to the Jews; in fact, the word manna means “What is it?” Jesus was a mystery to those who saw Him.

The manna came at night from heaven, and Jesus came to this earth when sinners were in moral and spiritual darkness. The manna was small (His humility), round (His eternality), and white (His purity). It was sweet to the taste (compare Psalm 34:8), and it met the needs of the people adequately.

The manna was given to a rebellious people; it was the gracious gift of God. All they had to do was stoop and pick it up. If they failed to pick it up, they walked on it. The Lord is not far from any sinner. All the sinner has to do is humble himself and take the gift that God offers.

Verse for meditation: “Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35).

Also consider: Exodus 16; John 6:25-59.

Action assignment: Thank God for the Living Bread and consider how you can give this Bread to some spiritually hungry person

WARREN W. WIERSBE
www.backtothebible.in