Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never go thirsty. John 6:35
Read Genesis 3:8-24. Take notice and look closely at the word bread (some translation may use the word food). Did you notice how the word bread/food was a part of sin’s consequence? When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, they gathered their food from the trees. When they sinned, the ground was cursed. Now Adam and Eve had to work at growing their food. This was not easy work, but very hard work.
Awe! Bread!! IT is good. Bread is a provision. After Adam and Eve sinned, they would have to work for it. By this I mean, they would have to gather, sift, clean, and ground the grain to make flour that would then turn into bread. This is how God provided for us after the fall. The bread was a staple in the Israelites diet. Then when they were wandering in the desert, they found themselves without bread. They panicked. What would they do? Have you ever found yourself in this situation? They had forgotten God’s promise to them. They have forgotten that God provides for them. The Israelites then grumbled and complained. Yet what does God do? He provided Manna for them from heaven. The Israelites had taken their eyes off God and God got their eyes to look back at Him. This was God’s way of showing them how he will provide for them. God was merciful to the Israelites. God alone was their provider and He is our provider today.
Have you had an experience where only God could provide for you? How does this resonate with you? Do you keep a remembrance log of all God does to provide for you?
God is faithful. God provides for His children. He did it in the past, He does in the present, and He will do it in the future. God is faithful. He may even delay His answer to provide the best provision possible for us. How does this resonate with you?
Let’s look at the times that God provided for the Israelites.
- Passover Festival – Exodus 2:2-20 and Leviticus 23:5. This is where God provided deliverance of Israel out of Egypt.
- Feast of firstfruits – Lev. 23:6-8. God’s provided Israel out of Egypt and includes a day of firstfruits fo the barley harvest.
- Feast of Harvest – Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Lev. 23:15-21. God providing the law at Mount Sinai. A day of Firstfruits for the Wheat Harvest
- Feast of Trumpets – Lev. 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6. Blowing of the trumpets to signal the beginning of the Civil New Year
- Day of Atonement – Ex. 30:10; Lev. 23:26-22. The High Priest would make atonement for the Nation’s sin.
- Feast of Tabernacle – Lev. 23:33-43; Num. 29:12-39; Deut. 16:13. The forty years of wandering in the wilderness
- Feast of Dedication – John 10:22. The purification of the temple by Judas Maccabaeus in 164 B.C.
- Feast of Purim – Esther 9:26. The deliverance of the Jewish people in the days of Esther.
The festival of Unleaved Bread, which is celebrated during the Passover, is to remind the Israelites how God delivered them from slavery. It was also a time to sacrifice firstfruits to the Lord. This was to remind the people that everything of theirs came from God. Jesus was our offering on our behalf. He rose from the grave during the well-known festival. This is a beautiful picture of Jesus being the bread offering in our place.
Do you know what the meaning of Bethlehem is? Bethlehem means the house of Bread. Think about this! The House of bread was where the Bread of Life was born. Bethlehem was where Jesus was born. God’s plan was that Jesus would be the Bread of life, and He chose for him to be born in the city bearing that same name. How awesome is this little nugget?
When the bread as a consequence of sin, God had a plan of redemption through Jesus our bread of life to pay the penalty of our sins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are so amazing. Your ways are so meaningful and wonderful. Thank you for having your word come alive to each of us. Thank you for providing the bread of life to us in an amazing way.
In Jesus Name
Amen
