The LORD indeed did something enormous when, about five thousand years ago, He sought out Abram and told him to leave his homeland in Ur of the Chaldees, and travel over a thousand miles to a different land. As God changed Abram's name to Abraham ("father of a multitude"), and promised him that his seed would be as infinite in number as the stars (Gen. 15:5, Gen. 17:1-7), He was not just founding a family line, or a people, or even a nation, but also a called out assembly of people out of every nation of earth, looking down many generations and individuals, even to you and me. God had each one of us in His sight, and He provided the Gospel of Salvation for us, when He called Abram out of Ur:
"Just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." Gal. 3:6-9
The LORD said to Abraham, "In you...", not "By you...". When the LORD looks at what we see as a single individual, He sees every future person, or generation, who is inside us, just as we were present and destined inside our preceding generations. This is the infinite power in the seed, and this is just one reason why each life is purposed and important.
By this same principle, what the LORD teaches each of us individually is not just for ourselves and our lifespan here on earth and our own eternity in heaven, but for all of our future generations as well. I am not just speaking of our natural generations of related descendants, but of our spiritual generations of faith. While Abraham eventually had several natural children, his infinite descendants are in the spiritual generations of faith that followed in the likeness of Abraham's faith. Jesus defined Abraham's descendants as those who do the works of Abraham, including believing the truth spoken by One sent from God, Himself (Jn. 8:36-40). This is a principle that the scripture from Galatians is teaching us.
(*Interesting to Note:Jesus' implication in the Jn. 8 verses that we might be able to garner is that He is the One who taught Abraham from God. The verse from Galatians quoted above agrees, saying that "The Scripture" foresaw us and preached the Gospel to Abraham! And Jesus is The Word of God (Jn. 1:1-2,14, Rev. 19:11-16).
The importance of Abraham as a physical and spiritual progenitor of God's called out assembly of people ("ekklesia"), both Jew and Gentile (Rom. 1:16-17), is found in God's statement:
"And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." Gen. 18:17-19, also Gen. 22:18
The reason the LORD knew Abraham, and sought a relationship with him was for our benefit. According to Galatians also, the LORD taught Abraham the Gospel for our benefit, those future generations.
When God spoke to Abraham, and revealed secret things to him, He did it with Abraham's descendants of faith in mind. The LORD was revealing these things to us in Abraham, therefore, before we were even born, for the purpose of our salvation. Such is the mind and heart of the Father towards us.
How did God reveal the Gospel to Abraham, that Abraham, in turn, passed to his future generations? He revealed it in the most powerful and intimate way possible, as the LORD took Abraham to Mount Moriah, and brought him to the point of the near sacrifice of his son of the promise, Isaac. At that same time, the LORD revealed the principle of the substitute sacrifice of atonement to Abraham, which would be supplied by God and not man, His only begotten Son, when He revealed the Ram of sacrifice (El) caught in the thicket instead (Gen. 22:13-14). The Son of God, Jesus, would be sacrificed in the flesh at that exact location as well, many generations later. The LORD taught Abraham the resurrection from the dead when Abraham declared that both he and his son, Isaac, would return from Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:5), even though he had been commanded to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22:1-2).
The LORD even taught Abraham about the New Jerusalem, the city of God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband, revealed in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 21:1-3):
"By faith Abraham believed when he was called to go out...for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God...Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude - innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore." Heb. 11:8-12, also see Gen. 22:17
Abraham was told and shown all of these things for our benefit, as a blessing to us.
Sometimes, our vision is limited to what we can see now, and we become caught up in this limitation all too easily. However, the LORD is not limited in that way at all. He declares the end from the beginning, and He created and sees all that exists in time, before time, and after time. The LORD spoke this to us when He said"
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways", says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. 55:8-9
Abraham learned these things in order to teach us, and we learn these things in order to teach countess future "others" who are in us by their faith).
Our Father foresees and speaks to the generations.
The image above is Norman Rockwell's painting "Freedom to Worship". It depicts people of different types - young and old, of different ethnicity and race, worshipping together. It is a beautiful depiction. Rockwell was known best for depicting American life, usually at our most noble, or charming moments, but he also tackled our problems and difficulties, even our shame. Another painting by Rockwell is a 1964 painting titled "The Problem We All Live With". This painting depicts a true event involving little 6 yr.old Ruby Bridges of New Orleans, dressed immaculately, with her hair done just so for this special day as she attempted to attend her first day of school. She had to be escorted by four guards in the midst of racial slurs and taunts. Those who know God, those who know Christ, those who are led by the Spirit of God, identify this racial hatred immediately as evil, or it is to be hoped that we do. Prejudice does not just seek to destroy the souls of the ones hated, but the souls of the haters also.
The scriptures describe the Kingdom of God, those redeemed by the Lamb, this way:
"...For You (the Lamb, Christ) were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." Rev. 5:9-10 (also Rev. 14:6)
Jesus ministered to all types of people from different ethnic groups, different religious, social and economic standings, and people who were judged by others to be "untouchable" for various physical or even religious reasons. Many despised Him for this.
Jesus also taught that one of the signs we should watch for that would point to His soon return would be racial and ethnic ("nation") hatreds and violence, as well as severe persecution against those who hold faith in Him (Mt. 24:7-9).
We are indeed seeing an increase in manifestations of these terrible prejudices today, as Christ's return draws near. It is an evil that dwells in the hearts of men, and appearing with disturbing frequency. Because prejudice so deeply pervades our hearts, I think Rockwell's title, "The Problem We All Live With", is very true.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
"The heart is deceitful (sly, insidious, slippery, attack at the heel, assail insidiously, supplant, circumvent, overreach, swell up) above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick, malignant disposition of mind); Who can know it? I, the LORD, search (penetrate, examine intimately, investigate) the heart (the understanding, soul, inner man, conscience, determination of will, seat of appetites, emotions and passions), I test the mind (interior self, inmost mind), even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:9-10
The LORD spoke this to Jeremiah regarding His knowing those who trust in Him, but we know that the same truth applies regarding the LORD's ability to see who we really are, even in the innermost man that we often avoid examining. He also knows our prejudices. The word "prejudice" comes from the Old English "prae" +"judicium", meaning "to judge in advance". It is one of the greatest wrongs that can exist in any legal system, and as it turns out, in the spiritual realm as well.
Jesus confronted these prejudices in His ministry, and He confronted these prejudices among His disciples, and later, apostles. His followers had, and still have, an important task ahead of them of taking the gospel, and making disciples of all nations, and there would be no room for prejudice of any kind. In Christ's command is the very obvious message that the gospel is to all. However, in spite of Christ's personal example in ministry, as well as this direct command, at least one of His disciples had a problem with this precept.
In Acts 10, during the early years of the Church, Peter received a revelation that he was to consider nothing "common" that God called "cleansed". This appeared to him three times. Immediately messengers from a gentile named Cornelius came to his door asking Peter to minister to his household. The Holy Spirit had told Peter that they would seek him out, and that Peter should go with them. Peter went to Cornelius' house, and before he began preaching, he told Cornelius:
"...You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean....In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." (v. 28, 34)
As Peter began to preach the gospel to them, the Holy Spirit fell and baptized the members of Cornelius' household, and the many that he had gathered in his home. The Jews with Peter were astonished that even the gentiles could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (v.45).
However, the scriptures tell us that even after this emphatic demonstration, Peter still harbored prejudice against gentiles, and preferred not to associate with them when Jews were present. Peter feared what the Jews would think of him. Paul wrote that he had to correct Peter to his face about this issue (Gal. 2:11-13). Peter's behavior affected the Church. Barnabas, who ministered with Paul to the gentiles was influenced by Peter's prejudice: "...so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy."
Paul, in the same Book of Galatians, conveyed his own revelation from God:
"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Gal. 3:26-28
Prejudice, like other evils of the heart, is deceiving and sly. It hides itself behind reasonings and practicalities, behind customs and traditions. In any case, prejudices can affect the ministry of Christ tremendously. Prejudice in the Church can rob the Church of precious giftings and purposes, of completion, and, perhaps worse, it can unjustly and falsely deem a fellow believer in Christ with a degree of unworthiness before God because of physical characteristics, or station in life. Prejudice can prevent the preaching of the saving gospel to an individual whom God has called to hear it, but to whom man has despised the telling of it.
We may look at ourselves and say that we have no such prejudices, but, as Jeremiah revealed, God looks upon the places inside us that we refuse to look into, and sees everything. Racial and ethnic tensions are on the rise. As Norman Rockwell illustrated, these destructive and ungodly prejudices are "The Problem We All Live With." However, we are meant to shine the light of the truth of God on this evil that hides in men's hearts, even in our hearts, and our lives are to reflect this truth. Our churches should reflect this truth also.
Our Father's beautiful, holy kingdom is out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
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There is a wonderful miracle of provision in scripture dealing with the feeding of God's people while they were in the wilderness. In Ex. 16, the LORD miraculously feeds the children of Israel quail in the evenings, and a miracle bread in the mornings after the people complained about missing the food they had while they were slaves in Egypt. The LORD promised, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you." (Ex. 16:4). The bread which appeared as the morning dew lifted was called "manna"(exclamatory question of how, why, by what means,), because the people asked "What is it?" It looked like white coriander seeds, and tasted like wafers made with honey (Ex. 16:31). It is also revealed to be the food of angels (Ps. 78:25). Israel included the manna as one of the items placed in the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies (Ex. 16:33-34, Heb. 9:3-4). The Israelites were provided manna to eat for forty years until they came to the border of the promised land (Ex. 16:35).
The miracle of the manna from heaven was very precious in the memory of Israel. It is referred to in other scriptures as Israel encouraged itself remembering the love and care of God for His people:
"The people asked, and He brought quail, and satisfied them with the bread from heaven."
Ps. 105:40
"You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, and told them to go in to possess the land which You had sworn to give them." Neh. 9:15
It is important to remember here, however, that the people who were eating the manna, complained about it, desiring instead the sweet treats of Egypt. They said:
"...but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" Num. 11:6
When Moses heard these complaints against the miraculous provision and deliverance of God, he was heavily burdened and discouraged with the people.
As precious and miraculous as this manna was to Israel, a greater manna would come. Jesus revealed that this miracle bread from heaven also had a prophetic significance which He had come to fulfill. The people challenged Jesus to perform a sign to prove who He was, and to prove that what He was telling them was true. Jesus had just performed the miracle multiplication of the fish and loaves feeding thousands, but evidently this didn't count! They mentioned the sign of the manna from heaven given to Israel in the wilderness. Jesus answered:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread (root: to raise up, lift up, elevate; to remove, to carry away, such as sin) from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world...I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger... Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
Jn. 6:32-51 (excerpt)
Jesus went on to say that they must eat His flesh, and drink His blood or they will have no life in them. They must feed on Him. Many turned away in great offense and distaste at hearing that (Jn. 6:51-57). This is manna. Many believers today would turn away also.
I don't think that the "manna" of the New Testament is the same as the gospel message which is to be given to all. Manna is for those who believe, for those who come to Christ. This is "the children's (child/son) bread" (Mt. 15:21-28), and not necessarily meant for anyone else's, or a stranger's, consumption. An exception might be if the stranger is specifically seeking out Christ, and then they can handle perhaps a crumb of the bread. This is the power in the purpose of manna.
In another place in scripture, the resurrected Christ fed His disciples fish and bread that were provided miraculously for breakfast, which He prepared Himself (Jn. 21:9-14). Jesus then had a conversation with Peter in which He asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. After each time that Peter answered affirmatively, Jesus commanded, "Feed (to supply the requisites for the soul's need) My lambs", "Feed My sheep", and "Feed My sheep" (v. 15-17). Jesus was not speaking of natural food for the hungry, but the Bread of Life that if one eats of it, he will not die.
Jesus said that only those who have been drawn by the Father, have the opportunity to eat of the Living Bread of Christ:
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God". Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." Jn. 6:44-45
This post came about because I dreamed that I was visiting a church for breakfast. The church workers were carrying out large steam trays of food for those who came. Some of the workers were elderly and frail looking, and I felt sorry to see them working so long and hard to prepare our food. The church workers were dressed in the white kitchen outfits with hair coverings, like one might expect to see in professional food preparation. It was obvious that they had experience and efficiency in preparing this quantity of food for others. I got up and walked to the steamer trays of food that had been put out, but I could not find anything healthy to eat. Instead of seeing eggs and toast as expected, the foods in the trays were various sugary desserts. Even what was supposed to pass for bread was really fried dough covered in sugar. I walked from tray to tray, but there was nothing I felt I could eat. My plate remained almost empty.
Why was the church I visited in the dream serving all of that sugar? My guess is that rather than offering the authentic Manna of Christ to the people, they were trying to counterfeit the honey taste of the Manna that comes from heaven with the sugar. However, only the heavenly Manna gives everlasting life. Sadly, that church probably didn't have any of the authentic Manna to offer.
We have been given the opportunity to eat of this Manna, learning from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and God has entrusted us with this same Bread to feed to others so that they might live also: "Feed My sheep, feed My lambs". This is the food for the sheep. Why would we feed them anything less? Our natural bodies have begun to suffer various serious illnesses because of the diet that we have been fed and have chosen. As in the case with our natural bodies, many who have been called to Christ by the Father still crave sugary spiritual food that will not bring life. If this sugary diet continues in the church, the church will begin to see, and is seeing now, the spiritual diseases that result. However, we must bring them the Bread of Life in spite of that unhealthy preference. Feed the children what they need to live, not necessarily what they crave. We must "feed the sheep" the food for which Christ gave Himself, and commanded His disciples to provide.
Like the children of Israel in the past, some may complain over the Manna, and look instead for the sugary food they crave, but eventually they will understand that this Living Bread, created from Jesus' own flesh, has brought them everlasting (olam: from the most ancient times, antiquity, continuous existence, unending future, hidden time. Root meaning- hidden, secret, veiled from sight) life (Jn. 6:40). As we can see, the eternal life we have in Christ has a "hidden" quality to it. Manna, also, may be hidden, and is given by Christ Himself:
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."
Rev. 2:17
Let us be thankful if we have someone in our lives who has been given to us, the sheep of His pasture, to point us to the manna of Christ, someone who takes the responsibility of feeding the Lord's sheep seriously. These are those who edify the church (Eph. 4:11-13). Let us also seek and treasure the hidden manna given to us by Christ, through His Spirit.
Give us this day, Lord, our daily bread.
Our Father has rained Living Bread from heaven.
