Moses summarized the purpose of manna. When Jesus the Messiah quoted this verse to the devil, it was completely appropriate for the temptation he faced. The context of this verse was astoundingly relevant! [Verses 4-6] Your clothing did not get old upon you; neither did your feet swell, these forty years. You shall also consider in your heart that, as a man chastens his son, so Yehovah your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of Yehovah your God, to walk in His ways, and to revere him.
Forty years earlier, Israel had been taught with manna to obey and reverence God. That whole generation did not learn the lesson, even though manna was given to them daily.
The generation Moses was now addressing grew up eating manna. The only thing they ever knew was complete dependence upon God. They had watched their parents suffer and die because of disobeying God’s commandments and they were ready to obey. After they would go into the Promised Land, manna no longer would be provided, so Moses prepared them for that time.
As the record progresses, God warned the people not to forget Him and the lessons of humility that they learned in the wilderness. The land they were about to enter was rich with water and crops. They would no longer need to depend on Yehovah’s provision of manna and water. However, we know that when things are going well, the tendency of man is to forget that Yehovah is the reason for a good life. Moses’ message was: do not forget!
When Jesus said, "It is written," he understood the full significance behind the one verse he quoted. The key issue is humble faith obedience. Jesus the Messiah knew that if he obeyed the word of God, bread would always be provided by his God and Father. He understood that the devil was enticing him to be self-dependent. Knowing the history of Israel, Jesus understood that if he endeavored to be self-sufficient, the results would end up rotten and stinky!
Matthew 4:3-4: And when the tempter came to him, he said, IF you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Later in his ministry, Jesus fed 5,000 people with two loaves and two fish; and another time he fed 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few fish. To turn these stones to bread seems to have been within his realm of possibility. However, the big difference that we see between feeding the multitudes and this incident was one of obeying God’s command. God inspired him to feed the multitude. When Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God," he understood it to mean: "What God tells me to do is what I will do. God will provide."
The devil was tempting him to forsake God and be self-dependent. The first temptation was aimed at the most fundamental principle to having a relationship with Yehovah by faith humbly obeying His word.
To be self-dependent and self-reliant is our constant temptation. We are enticed to meet our needs by relying on ourselves to meet our needs, which ultimately rots and stinks. Humble faith obedience is the beginning of our relationship with Yehovah and is absolutely necessary to maintain if we are to have a lasting fellowship with Him. When we think we can live life on our own terms, we are rejecting Yehovah, just as Israel did in the wilderness, and as Adam did in the beginning.
Jesus the Messiah withstood the temptation. First and foremost, he knew that he was being tempted. Secondly, he relied on God to provide. He did not try to wrestle with the devil using his own intellect and power. He quoted the word of God and understood the full significance of the verse that he used. He understood all that we have just read in Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Notice: Manna was used to teach Israel in a loving, yet tangible and emphatic way, that Yehovah was their Provider. They were to be completely dependent on Him for their every need. This lesson was given to them daily!
The generation of Israel, which was brought up in pagan Egypt, did not know God and therefore did not trust and love Him completely. God helped them to learn humble obedience which is not only the beginning of but also essential to maintaining, a lasting relationship with their God, Yehovah. Humble faith obedience is the realization of one’s total dependence and reliance upon Yehovah while understanding one's own powerlessness and the unmanageableness of one's life.
Manna taught them to obey God because He meant what He said and said what He meant. Whenever they disobeyed His simple instructions about what to do with the bread – manna He provided daily, things rotted and stank. It taught them the word of Yehovah was true, reliable, trustworthy, and the means by which Yehovah could sustain His people. If they would humbly obey His word, bread would never be an issue in their lives, even if they got a little hungry at times.
The generation which came out of Egypt was hardhearted. Even with all that God did for them, they refused to obey His voice and love Him. Their rejection of God was their ruin as that whole generation died in the wilderness with the exception of two men; Joshua and Caleb.
In Deuteronomy, which began the fortieth year and the eleventh month after leaving Egypt, Moses taught the new generation the lessons God had taught their parents. Exodus is the record of Israel’s first year in the wilderness, while Deuteronomy is their last year. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy.
Remember: For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. [Romans 15:4]
Jesus speaking to the Rabbis:
John 6:27-40; 44-45: Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him has God the Father sealed.
Then they said unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God that you believe on him whom He has sent.
They said therefore unto him, What sign show you then, that we may see, and believe you? What do you work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread of God is he which has been commissioned from heaven and gives life unto the world.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that you also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. For, I was commissioned from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all that He has given me I should lose nothing but should raise them up at the last day.
No man/woman can come to me, except the Father who has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that has heard and has learned of the Father, comes unto me.
Our Manna is to eat – inculcate the word God gave to the lord Messiah Jesus [the true bread from heaven] to give to us and walk in faith obedience of that word day by day, in our lives.
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