273 - The Food of the Mighty One (Manna)#
273 - The Food of the Mighty One (Manna)
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Exodus 16:14-26,
14 After the dew had risen, there were on the surface of the wilderness a small round object, like white frost. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they did not know what it was, and they said to one another, "What is it?" Moses said to them, "This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, according to what he can eat; you shall take an omer per person, according to the number of persons in your tent.'"
17 The Israelites did so; some gathered more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to what he could eat. 19 Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it till morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.
21 So they gathered it every morning, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 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, and boil what you will boil; and all that is left over lay aside to be kept until morning.'" 24 So they laid it aside till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.
25 Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none."
Let's pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for preparing this wonderful time for us to share Your words together. The message we share today is about the food of the Mighty One. We are willing to receive this food, to be nourished in body and soul, to receive the food of the Mighty One every day, to live with the power of God, and to help our brothers and sisters who seek You. Let us find what we seek, lead each of us, renew our thoughts and minds. Thank and praise You! In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
The topic we share today: The Food of the Mighty One
What is this exactly? It is manna. The wilderness is a dry and waterless place. The Israelites lived in the wilderness for forty years. Without God's provision, they could not survive in the wilderness. The temperature in the wilderness can exceed 46°C during the day and drop below -10°C at night. There is almost no food or water in the wilderness. Under such extreme conditions, they were able to live for forty years, which must be due to God's provision.
For forty years, God's manna never ceased, providing continuously every day. We all need food, but the food we eat comes from the ground, while only manna comes down from heaven. The Bible calls this the food of the Mighty One.
God provides them with the food they need in a timely manner, allowing them to rest in their lives, to live in rest, and to look up to the blessings that come from above. This is also something we need to learn. Many people today often say, "I have to work, I have a family, and I worry every day about what to eat. If I didn't have these things, I would definitely worship God well."
Now think about it, did the Israelites have to worry about food, drink, or clothing? No, for forty years, God performed a miracle for them; their clothes did not wear out after forty years, and they did not worry about what to eat, drink, or use. But did they truly worship God with their hearts? No, so it is not that God has prepared everything for me, and I will worship You. We need to look up to the blessings that come from God in everything in our lives. This is what we need to learn, to look up to God's provision in everything in our lives.
Share the first point: Manna Falls at Night
Numbers 11:9, "And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it."
Although there was no rain, due to the large temperature difference, dew formed with the alternation of hot and cold, and when the dew fell on the camp, the manna also came down from heaven. The wilderness is a place full of tests, where various trials are experienced, just like today, but one thing remains unchanged: the manna continues to fall.
At that time, it was when they were sleeping, when they were quiet, that the manna fell. This group of people often complained during the day, as we can see in Exodus; for forty years, they frequently grumbled and complained. But at night, when they were sleeping, they were quiet, and during this time, God's provision continuously fell. This means that regardless of whether you complain to God or have many grievances against Him, His grace will never cease.
Believe: God will not stop blessing you just because you have insulted Him or do not believe He will bless you. No, as long as you believe in Him, God's blessings are always in supply, just like the manna. Remember: your sins can never outweigh God's grace; God's grace will always prevail over your sins. Even though sometimes you may complain to God, His grace has never diminished.
When they were sleeping at night and not complaining, mercy continued to fall everywhere. This also has a spiritual meaning; night symbolizes the darkest times, when darkness falls, representing our weakness and helplessness or when we encounter problems. In such situations, people's typical reaction is to complain, but we need to see God's grace and provision through these things, which is that God still sends down manna to supply us in the darkness. When you are sleeping, God's provision has already fallen. This is what we need to understand.
Sleeping is when you stop striving. When you stop striving, God begins to work. Many people often say, "I find that when I completely let go, God accomplishes things more easily." The reason is that when we feel we still have the ability to strive, things are always difficult to accomplish.
Some people say, "The doctor said there's no way to heal me, but I prayed to God, and He healed me." Later, when they encounter problems and pray, they find it is not so easy to receive promises. What is the reason? It involves your personal effort. When you truly let go of your personal efforts and solely look up to and believe in God's provision, you will find it easy to receive God's supply.
This tells us: At this time, the Israelites were all asleep, and God began to work. People always think about doing something; wanting to accomplish things is completely occupied by their own strength. When you are sleeping, God begins to work. This does not mean you no longer need to work, but rather that when you are at rest, we need to have God's rest and do not need to rely on our own strength to receive God's blessings; that is what is called rest. Relying on one's own strength is very painful and may not yield results, leading to continuous frustration. But when you rest, God begins to work. Amen!
Let me emphasize again, rest is not sleeping, nor is it doing nothing; rest is believing that God has already provided, and then you can live freely. If you were an Israelite, would you worry that God would not provide food for tomorrow? As long as God has said so, you need not worry anymore; sleep well at night, believing that before the sun rises tomorrow, you will go and collect the manna. Why think this way? Because you believe that God has already provided it, you do not need to wait for manna to fall from heaven at night; even if you are at home, God's blessings will still come down. Hallelujah!
Shouldn't we live like this today? This is the beginning of a new week; do you believe that God has already sent down His blessings this week? If you believe, then it is easy. Believe that God has prepared blessings, and in your work and life, you just need to receive the manna that God has already given. Amen!
The scripture also mentions that on the seventh day, God did not send down manna. On the Sabbath, God wanted them to worship Him and to rest. If anyone went out to gather, they would find nothing; God did not grant this blessing, and we cannot receive it. We need to check the Bible to see what promises God has given us. When you carry God's promises to do things, this is working in rest. Amen!
Share the second point: Gather According to Our Needs
Exodus 16:16, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, according to what he can eat; you shall take an omer per person, according to the number of persons in your tent.'"
Now look at Exodus 16:36, "(An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.)"
This is the end of Exodus 16, and it seems unnecessary to write this, but the Bible still states that an omer is one-tenth of an ephah. What is an ephah? It is a unit of measurement; an ephah is the amount supplied for ten days, similar to the measure we used to measure grain in the past. This ephah is the amount for ten days. God's way of calculating is different from ours; God uses ten days as a unit, which we also call a "decade," meaning ten days.
An omer is one-tenth, which is the amount for one day; one omer is approximately two to three kilograms. Is God's provision of manna enough to eat? In the wilderness, there were nearly two million people. Just think about it: when you wake up early in the morning, how much manna is there around the tents? It might be like snow, easy to gather, which is a very fortunate thing. But God also said to gather according to your personal needs; you do not need to take a big bucket and bring back ten buckets at once, as it would be useless if you cannot finish it.
Gather according to your personal needs. Is God's grace abundant? But you cannot be greedy; take only what you need, and God does not want us to keep it until the next day. If you keep it until the next day, it will spoil and breed worms. This proves that God wants to supply us fresh every day.
Why does the end of chapter 16 say that an omer is one-tenth of an ephah? The Holy Spirit wrote this for a unique purpose, which relates to the hidden manna. When the manna came out, God commanded Moses and Aaron to put one omer of manna in front of the mercy seat.
Exodus 16:32-33,
32 Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Let one full omer of manna be kept for generations to come, so that they can see the bread I gave you in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.'" 33 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come."
God specifically said to put a jar in front of the Lord. Why did God want to do this? One omer is one-tenth of an ephah, which tells us, and the Israelites, that the tithe belongs to God, it is the seed of God's blessing for us, and God is the source of all our blessings; He will ensure that we lack nothing. At the same time, it lets us know that the things we worry and fret about, God will continuously supply.
Do not worry about your problems; God's power will definitely surpass your problems. Who would have thought that God would send down such a thing in the wilderness? When they entered Canaan, did the manna stop falling in the first autumn? After that, if they wanted to eat this thing, it was gone because it could not be stored. This tells us that God's blessings are continuously supplied to us; He is the source of our blessings. If you know that this is God's free grace, then you will be willing to share it with others.
Exodus 16:16-18,
16 This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, according to what he can eat; you shall take an omer per person, according to the number of persons in your tent.' 17 The Israelites did so; some gathered more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to what he could eat.
God's provision is so abundant, but the problem is that when they gathered it and measured it with an omer (similar to our measure), a miracle happened: he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. What does this mean? It is like those who worked more and those who worked less received the same wages, is that the meaning?
If we do not understand, we might think that working more and working less is the same. This shows us that when they went to gather manna, they were receiving God's blessings. Clearly, you could eat one bucket just enough for one day, but if you suddenly brought back ten buckets, what would happen? The remaining nine buckets would spoil by the next day and have to be thrown away. Why did those who gathered less not lack? If we do not understand this passage through the New Testament, we will not understand what church life is about.
We can think of it this way: the life of the two million Israelites in the wilderness is a kind of church life. If you look at the book of Acts, there was a time when they also lived a church life. They lived in community, sharing everything, and this life is one where those who have more do not have excess, and those who have less do not lack; this is a kind of church life.
When you understand that this is God's free grace, those who gathered more will be willing to give to those who gathered less, willing to help each other. God taught them to live this kind of faith life in the wilderness, which is called a life of mutual care, because we are all recipients; manna is not something they earned through effort, but something they received.
Brothers and sisters, have you ever thought about this question: everything you have now is given to you by God; you have merely received it. But the world does not think this way; they believe this is what they have earned through their efforts, and they must carefully maintain it, but they may not be able to maintain it.
God wanted them to live this life of mutual care in the wilderness because each person before God is a recipient, knowing that God's provision is sufficient. Even if you gather more, if you cannot finish it by the next day, it will spoil and be of no use to you. Now we need to understand that through God's blessings, we see that God's blessings for you are absolutely sufficient for your needs every day.
Let's see how Paul breaks this down: those who gathered more had no excess, and those who gathered less had no lack.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15,
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, 14 but that as a matter of equality, your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."
What Paul is saying here, as it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack," is precisely what we are sharing today. Paul is quoting this passage to tell the Corinthians that in the church, if we believe that everything we have is supplied by God, including food and finances...
All of this is supplied by God, so we should have a heart to help each other. That is why Paul said, "I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened." Why did he say this? Because problems arose among the brothers and sisters in other churches, and now Paul is telling the Corinthians that they can donate to help those in need.
In the eyes of the Corinthians, they might think: "Why should I help him? He is not a believer in our church, and I do not know him. Why should I help him?" They might think that helping him means he gets the supply without working. But what Paul means here is that in God's principle, there should be equality, so that your abundance can supply their need.
If you do not understand this, you can understand it through the principle of manna. If you gathered two buckets, but you can only eat one bucket a day, and you have the strength to gather the manna, would you be willing to give that one bucket to those who have larger families? Because when the sun comes out, the manna melts, and if you want to gather it again, it will be gone. Some people gather more and can share with those who have less, making them also prosperous.
It says here that in the future, your needs may also be supplied. Today, when we use our finances, time, and love to help those in need, God can make up for our shortcomings and give us spiritual rewards, which are heavenly rewards. Isn't Jesus also telling us: "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal, which is a reward that lasts forever"?
Here, Paul uses this principle to tell us about equality. They gathered the manna and put it in the omer; if they had more, they would share with others, and just enough for themselves would be fine. This passage tells us the principle of equality. Why does God want us to have this principle of equality? To eliminate greed and pride.
People in the world hope to live a life of equality, fairness, and freedom, where they can get what they need. But if there is no greed, everyone can achieve this; with greed, it will never be realized. The principle of equality is what God wants to tell the Israelites: you need to eliminate greed and pride, so that everyone solely looks up to God's provision and His help, because manna is very easy to obtain. Therefore, we should live this way, which is called the food of the Mighty One.
The words you are hearing now are also God's words, which are food. You should live by this food of the Mighty One, which should distinguish you from the world. The world relies on their efforts to find manna, to analyze where it is...
We go where God's manna falls; it is not us chasing this blessing, but God's blessings chasing us. They did not just stay still in the wilderness for forty years; the Israelites followed the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire forward. Wherever they went, God sent down manna around their tents that night, and it was the same in other places. So this blessing followed the Israelites. Amen!
With this understanding, working becomes much easier than striving to chase blessings, because you may not necessarily catch up. We need to look at things from God's perspective. When did people start to pursue the world continuously? It was after Adam sinned. Before that, the order of the world was like this: God was at the top, Adam was below, and the world was below Adam. This order was correct; Adam listened to God, and the world listened to Adam. Adam managed the world with God's wisdom, which was very easy. All these blessings followed Adam, so wherever he went, the blessings of the world followed him. Everything was very harmonious.
But after they sinned, this order was reversed. God is still at the top, but the world moved to the middle, and people moved to the bottom. So all the people began to chase the world, and this order was turned upside down. Is the world comfortable?
Romans 8 says that all creation is subjected to futility, waiting for the children of God to be revealed to manage them.
Using God's words to control them will make things normal. Now people are chasing the world, and the world has gone into futility, which has caused everything to become chaotic. We chase wealth and find it hard to catch; we pursue health and find it difficult to achieve. How do we solve these problems?
We need to restore the order to normal. Do not chase the world; let the world chase you. Do not pursue blessings; let those blessings chase you. Just pursue Jesus. When you follow Jesus, the world will follow behind you. When Jesus was on earth, did He not restore this order?
His eyes were focused on the Father above, so the world followed behind Him. Jesus never worried about what to eat, what to wear, or what to drink because when He looked to the Father, all these provisions were already sufficient. This is called the principle of equality.
God began training the Israelites in the wilderness, teaching them to look up to God for their lives. We are easily influenced by the world, by the concepts of people. You come to church, and I will tell you what God's laws are. You need to live by the words of the Mighty One, believing in God's words, and you will find that everything in the world becomes easy. Those who do research merely discover things that God has already created. Where do these inspirations come from? The world calls it inspiration.
You can understand it as the Holy Spirit telling you a word, and that matter is accomplished; it becomes very simple. Some people have inventions that can bring you endless wealth, but many people insist on chasing wealth and find it hard to catch. God wants us to learn to look up to Him and live.
Just now, we read about the principle of equality. Let's look at how God taught the Israelites to first learn to look up to Him and live a life of mutual help in the church.
Leviticus 25:35-38,
35 "If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. 36 Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. 37 You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God."
This tells the Israelites how to interact with their brothers and sisters in life. Why can the Israelites do what the Gentiles cannot? When the Gentiles see their brother becoming poor and lacking, they say, "Good opportunity has come; it's time to lend at high interest... finally, I can take advantage of you, since you have to rely on me now."
But in God's eyes, God tells the Israelites: "If you see your brother lacking, you should help him, let him live with you, and supply him with everything he lacks." If it were not for the words that come from God, without this supply from the Mighty One, who would be willing to make such a losing deal?
It also says here: "You shall not take interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you." Should we help those who are lacking and weak? Are the brothers and sisters in the church doing such things? There are certainly those who are wealthy and those who are poor in the church. Through these offerings, we help those who are poor and weak, which brings about equality. It seems like you are helping him, but in fact, you have not lost anything; God has left you with heavenly blessings, and on earth, you can receive double blessings from God.
Verse 38 says, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."
How did the Israelites gain the strength to do these things? By helping each other, they must think about how God brought them out of Egypt. Brothers and sisters, when God brought them out, did He ask them to pay any fees? We have to pay a lot of fees when we go abroad. Did God also take the Israelites out of Egypt? Did He ask them for an exit fee? Everything was free.
God wants them to understand: "I brought you out like this and gave you the land of Canaan. I want to be your God, and you should live according to the way I have told you, for it is beneficial for you." So they ate the food of the Mighty One, and what they lived out was the image of the Mighty One. Even today, even if the whole world does not believe in Jesus, they feel that this kingdom is a mysterious kingdom. How many countries want to destroy this small Israel, but they all fail because there is God's protection among them, and they live according to God's way.
You can also understand that the food they ate was the food of the Mighty One. Although they were few in number and seemed insignificant, the God behind them was the Mighty One. Today, as we receive God's grace, we should also live out the pattern of this grace.
Grace has a characteristic: it possesses God's power. If we merely learn some knowledge, these words will not benefit you in life. I hope everyone listens to the word, but I also hope that this word can be lived out in life. Although it may seem like a losing deal that the world does not do, God tells us that when we do it, we will see God's blessings, and God's provision will be upon us.
There are also some people who worry excessively about tomorrow, lacking confidence in God's promises, so they dare not finish all the manna they gather each day, leaving some for tomorrow. Why do they have this thought? They think: What if God does not provide tomorrow? Or what if He forgets? Do people not have this worry? It is not just the Israelites who have this thought; anyone who does not know God's provision will have this thought.
In the past, I knew a sister whose family always lived frugally. The couple saved two-thirds of their income. Can you guess what they saved this money for? They said, "We save this money in case one day our child gets sick." It is good to have plans to buy a house in the future, and I encourage you to have such plans, but do not say, "This money is for when my child gets sick."
What is the purpose of saving money? Is it just for your child to get sick? Eventually, her child did get sick, having two episodes a week, each costing over four thousand yuan. In less than a year, their savings were exhausted. Brothers and sisters, we should not make such plans. You must believe in God's provision. I do not mean to encourage you to waste money or spend it recklessly without a plan; I want to tell you: believe in God's provision. Hallelujah! Each day's trouble is sufficient for that day; do not worry about tomorrow.
I once told everyone a joke. When my daughter was just born, a college classmate of mine also had a boy. I congratulated him on having a boy, and he said, "I am so worried; I think about how he will need to buy a house and marry a wife in the future. I am so worried that I can't sleep." Isn't this called worry?
When you have such worries, your behavior will change. He looks at his child and worries so much that he cannot sleep at night. Does he blame the child? No, he has forgotten God's provision. We must believe in God's provision. Many people worry about what to do in the future, what to do with their children... You do not need to worry about them; just entrust them to God.
You think that what you have now is for them, but by that time, it may no longer be useful.
Recently, I watched a TV series where their clan left behind a pile of treasures that would be useful to them. After much hardship, they finally found the treasure, only to discover it was an old cannon that was very valuable at the time. But by the time of the Republic of China, during the War of Resistance against Japan, was that thing still useful? It was already outdated. But at that time, their ancestors wanted to leave a large fortune for their descendants, only to find it was no longer useful. The Israelites taught their children to know God and His wisdom, which is to believe in God's provision so that they would not worry about everything in the future. Amen!
Matthew 6:33-34,
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Why were some Israelites afraid to finish the manna? Was it because it was too delicious? No, they were worried that if they finished it, what if God did not provide tomorrow? It would be better to leave some. But God has already said, "If you leave it until the next morning, it will surely spoil." They did not believe, and as a result, the next day, it either bred worms or became rotten and could no longer be food.
This reveals something: God only gives them daily provision. Could God not provide a ton of manna for each person at once? He could, but God does not do it this way. God gives them what they need daily; this is God's fresh supply every day. Isn't this a good way? It allows us to have no lack every day and to receive God's new provision every day, which is also our way of living today. Hallelujah!
In Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, it has been said that the most blessed way of living in the world is that you labor all day and can enjoy what you have earned. Many people are just money-making machines; they only know how to earn money and do not know how to spend it. They have no time to take care of their families, to accompany their loved ones, or even to take a stroll around the city. Every day is a rush to work and a rush home, and they live this way year after year. The Bible says this is a calamity. God does not want us to live like this; He wants us to have work, rest, and time to enjoy His words and life. Hallelujah!
Let the Israelites learn this principle in the wilderness first: to believe in God's provision and His words. As a result, some people did not believe, and the next day, it all spoiled and could not be eaten. We should take this as a warning and not learn from such Israelites. Through these things, God teaches us a lesson: His provision is available every day; God never gives us stale things but supplies us with His grace every day. Amen!
This passage says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." When Jesus said this, He had not yet gone to the cross, and God's kingdom and righteousness had not yet been accomplished. Today, many people ask me if we should still recite the Lord's Prayer. I say it is fine; you need to know what Jesus has done for you. This is a good thing, but you need to understand the meaning of the Lord's Prayer correctly. For example, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Has His kingdom and righteousness been accomplished now? Do we still need to pray, "Lord, let Your kingdom come, let Your righteousness come..."?
No, because it has already been accomplished. When Jesus went to the cross, His kingdom had already come. He said to the thief beside Him, "Today you will be with Me in paradise." This proves that at that time, His kingdom had already come down. When He paid the price for our sins, God's kingdom was already accomplished. What about His righteousness? When Jesus shed His blood for us on the cross, the moment you believe in Him, Jesus' righteousness is also upon you. So today, His kingdom and His righteousness have been accomplished, and through Jesus on the cross, it has been achieved for us. Everything that follows, He says, "All these things shall be added to you," refers to your life. Amen!
Today, many people fall into a strange cycle. Some teach that "our prayers have an order; for example, you should first seek God's kingdom and righteousness, then pray for the nation, family, and church, and finally for yourself. If you do not follow this order, God will not hear your prayers." But the Bible says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." How do we view this passage today? God's kingdom and righteousness have already been accomplished. Hallelujah!
Verse 34 says, "Therefore," referring to the previous verse. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, which tells you that when God's kingdom and righteousness are accomplished, everything you need will be freely added to you. Just like the Israelites were willing to follow God, was the manna not an added benefit? Was the quail not an added benefit? Was the land of Canaan not an added benefit? These are all added benefits; it is not that I believe in God to obtain those things. It is because you are willing to follow God that those things are freely added to you, which do not require you to pay; God is willing to give them to you.
The following says, "Do not worry about tomorrow." I have also told everyone before that not worrying about tomorrow means you say, "I am so worried; what will happen tomorrow?" Tomorrow has not yet happened. You can look back and see that more than sixty percent of our lives are spent in empty thoughts, daydreaming, and imagining things that have not happened, resulting in great anxiety. God says that each day's trouble is sufficient for that day. This tells us to follow the principle of manna: just eat today's manna and do not worry about tomorrow. You can make plans for the year, but do not worry about the year; believe that tomorrow God will surely send down everything you need for tomorrow, and today God has already given you everything you need. Believe in what Jesus has done for you on the cross, and you can claim God's promises and provision. Every time you receive God's word and leave the gathering, you will feel empowered and free.
Do not be like the Israelites who always complained. Complaining comes with unbelief. They saw the manna and said, "We do not like this light food." But manna is the best thing. Many people say, "I would rather watch a TV show or go out to play than listen to the word." But do you know that this is the best manna? It can truly solve all your problems in life, including changing your life.
The Israelites at that time said they wanted to eat meat and did not want manna. They gave up the best thing. When you give up the best manna to eat something else, it will always bring you some problems. They did not want manna and insisted on eating quail. Did a plague not occur at that time? God provided them with good things, but their selfish desires led to the plague. The quails flew outside the camp, and they twisted them and left them at the door. The heat and cold caused the corpses to stink, resulting in a plague.
The Bible says that while the meat was still between their teeth, the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and many of them died. This was actually a plague. Did God send down manna cause a plague? This is green, pollution-free food. Before the sun rises, this thing is still there; when the sun comes up, it disappears completely.
If manna still existed today, it would be the best food in the world. How much would you have to pay to buy it? Today, we need to eat various foods to supplement our body's nutrition, but for forty years, the Israelites did not experience malnutrition, which proves that this was already the best food in the world. But they gave it up. Today, do not miss it; God has also left us the best food, the food of the Mighty One, His words. If you know this is the best, make listening to the word a habit in your life, and then live according to God's words, and your life will become powerful like Jesus.
Share the third point: The Food of the Mighty One
Psalm 78:23-25,
23 Yet He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
This food comes down from heaven, and God calls it the grain of heaven. This is called the food of the Mighty One, which benefits both body and soul, and miracles occur, as they do not fall ill. Today, we eat grains and still get sick, but eating manna does not make you sick. Would you want such food? Food that you can eat for a lifetime without getting sick; apart from manna, there is nothing else.
Isaiah 55:1-3
1 "Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 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. 3 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."
Here, Isaiah gives a prophecy, saying, "Come here, everyone." This is a prophecy about Jesus Christ: "Come here to seek Jesus Christ!" Those who have no money can come, and those who are thirsty can come; you do not need to pay to buy wine and milk because Jesus has already paid the price. Today, we can receive God's grace freely. Amen!
The world is still using their labor to buy what does not satisfy, but today you come here, and your spirit and body are both satisfied. In God's house, God says, "You can eat what is good and enjoy abundance, and your heart will be joyful." But the world is different; many people earn a lot of money, but their families are broken.
Many people rely on the music in KTV to feel comfortable for a while, but when they leave that door, they immediately return to their original state. The joy that Jesus gives you comes from within, making your heart joyful, and your body is also satisfied. God says, "Come, I want to make an everlasting covenant with you; I want to give you grace." What does this refer to?
John 6:51, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
This refers to the Holy Communion. When we eat the food of the Mighty One, God's power is within us. Here, the mention of Jesus' flesh refers to the communion bread, and Jesus' blood refers to the communion cup. The communion is not just a symbol of Jesus; it refers to Jesus Himself. If you think about it this way, the Israelites ate manna in the wilderness, which allowed them to be healthy for forty years. Today, I also have the food of the Mighty One, which is the Holy Communion. You are not different from them; you do not need to go to the wilderness to seek that manna. Today, God has given you something better, and you do not need to wait for the sun to rise for it to disappear. This manna will not disappear; you can receive it anytime, anywhere. Amen!
Matthew 26:26-28,
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Jesus said very clearly: "This is My body; this is My blood of the new covenant." In the previous scripture, God said, "Come, let us make an everlasting covenant; I want to give you the sure mercies of David." Today is the time when you can realize this covenant. When you take the communion cup, you can say, "I am a person with an everlasting covenant with God; the sure mercies of David can also be fulfilled in my life."
When you take the communion bread, you can say, "This is like eating manna; I can have God's health, possess God's power, and all diseases will disappear." God did not want the Israelites to sit at home and do nothing on the Sabbath; He wanted them to enjoy God's rest. He prepared double on the day before so that they would have time to rest before God, to receive His rest, and to receive His words to start a new week. And we are the same; every first day of the week, we come before the Lord to receive His words. This is also the power of Jesus, guiding you into the beginning of a new week. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord!
Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture that we can meditate on this week:
Matthew 11:28-30,
28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
This refers to whether you are under the law, relying on your own efforts, and carrying a heavy burden in your family, life, and existence. Jesus says, "Come to Me; I want to make an everlasting covenant with you. I want to give you the sure mercies of David, just like the Israelites received manna. I want to give you this abundant grace. Come to Me, and I will give you rest." Amen! Every time you come to God's house and listen to His words, it will always bring you rest and empower you to start a new week.
Jesus said, "I am gentle and lowly in heart; you should take My yoke upon you."
This means that when you seek Jesus, you will also be gentle and lowly in heart, believing that everything you have is supplied by God. What you do will surely be filled with God's blessings. Now is the time to look up to Jesus and follow Him, and the whole world and the blessings of the world will follow you. It does not matter what you do; the key is to look up to Jesus in what you do and receive His wisdom and power.
It says here to learn from His example. How do we learn God's example? It is as Jesus is, so are we. Just as Jesus used authority to deal with life, you can do the same. Just as Jesus took the bread and looked up to heaven to bless it, you should also bring your problems to the Father and look up to Him in everything. Then your heart will surely find rest. Hallelujah!
No matter what problems or difficulties you are facing now, you should look up to heaven to give thanks, believing that the Father will surely grant you His power. You must believe that Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light. Whenever you seek Him, there is always great power to give you, and you will live with His power, witnessing and glorifying the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for helping us with these words. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, You provided them with the food of the Mighty One, manna. Today, You have also given us this food, the Holy Communion, so that we can receive the food of the Mighty One in our lives, filling our bodies with God's power, allowing our hands to possess God's power to do things. I can also be like the Israelites, with a thriving soul and a strong body.
I live with the powerful words, distinguishing myself from the world, because I am set apart for Jesus Christ. I belong to Jesus, possessing the power of Jesus within me, and the Holy Spirit dwells in me. I am willing to emulate the example of Jesus Christ, who looks to the Father for provision in everything.
I also believe that the blessings and provisions You have prepared today are also prepared for tomorrow. I do not worry about tomorrow; I am willing to follow You, believing that blessings will continuously follow me. Thank and praise You!
All glory be to the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!