Ex. 16 –17:7  Jesus our Manna and Our  Rock That was Smitten

 

Intro: In our Study last week – saw how the Lord Provided Manna from Heaven – talked how the Manna was likened to the Word

A)   Tonight we want to discuss how the manna Speaks of Living Word – Jesus

 

B) In John 6: Feeding of the 5,000 – afterwards that Jesus gives an important teaching – He refers to this Story / the

1)   The people ate & were full /  They were satisfied –But there were  also skeptics in the Crowd - show us a SIGN !!!

 

C)     He had just fed 5,000 – asking for a sign!

1.)             amazing what people will do when they REFUSE to believe

 

D)Show us a sign – our Father’s ate bread – He gave them bread –

        He =  Moses gave them bread gift from Moses

1.)             Jesus responds – v.32-33 –

 

"Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33  "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

 

Jesus says It wasn’t Moses – who gave your  fathers bread in those days – it was God and He is giving bread to you right now!

A.)           Not that which was just eaten on the hill side but me!

          Then He identified himself as the Bread of Life

 

B.)           V.35 – "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

 

 

 

49  "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50  "This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

51  "I am the living bread which 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."

 

C)  They were troubled by that concept –Started thinking Jesus was talking about cannibalism-   Many left

1)   Jesus turned to His Disciples – are you going to leave Also ?

 

D) Where would we go  for in you are the words of Eternal life !!!!

     1) So RIGHT !!!!

 

 

But There in John – Jesus was saying – whole Exodus story was pointing to Me!!!!!    I am the TRUE MANNA -  

A) Looking at Jesus as the Manna teaches us  several things about Who Jesus is/  How Jesus came/ What we must do with Jesus

 

1st -   Who Jesus is: Humility

A.)           v.14 – small – Jesus came as babe – born stable – common person

        Small  in the eyes of man

 

Phil. 2:7-8   But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the           form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found             in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto          death, even the death of the cross.

 

Isa. 53:2   For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a        root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we            shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

 

B.)           Only biographical statement about His Character – “Meek and lowly” – I am  approachable – come to me!!!!!

1)   Devotions in a week – He says come to me

Eternalness – v.14 – ROUND

A.)            Rev:   1st and last/ Alpha & Omega – The one "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

 

B.)           Before Abe was – I Am!

1.)             knew claiming deity – picked up rocks

 

B) The circle Also speaks of PERFECTION of symmetry and COMPLETION

1) Jesus had NO rough edges...... He was perfect in all His ways

 

              Mark 7:37   And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath            done all things well

 

C) In Jesus there is EVERYTHING that the heart of man needs

      1) There is nothing that needs to be added to make us right with God or            to bring us into fullness of life... It is NOT Jesus + something

 

Col. 2:9   For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

 

2Pet.1:3 His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him

 

Holiness – v.31 – White

A.)           Nothing lacking – pure!  Purity !!!!!

B.)           We look at us – see flaws – holes

 

Sweet – v.31 – Honey

A.)            Isa. Taste and see Lord is good

 

B) People were Drawn to Christ – Marveled at the Gracious words ….

 

2nd How Jesus came:

A)  From heaven – John 6:33    "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

 

B)  At night – Jesus born at night  - light of world –

 

Matt.4: 16  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

 

C)  On the dew – v.13,14 – Num 11: 9  And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

 

D) The Dew  would fall & Then  manna would land on dew – why?  so not defiled by the earth

 

Dew – water – speaks of person and work of Holy Spirit

A.)           Jesus our Lord came by the Spirit – conceived by the Spirit – why?  Not defiled

 

B.)            David in sin – my mother conceived me

 

C) At the Moment of conception – there is already corruption according to biblical theology – the sin nature is passed on at the moment of conception

    1) But Jesus – was conceived not by man – but my the work of H.S.

 

D) Gen 3:15 – Seed of the woman – doesn’t have seed /  Seed equivalent sperm – born of virgin

 

Manna – came to where they were / Jesus came and dwelt among us

A) Jesus came accessible – Near  how near?  salvation is nigh unto you even in your mouths!

 

B) Rom 10 /  Salvation so near – believe in heart – confess with the mouth – you shall be saved

     1) Simple: no climbing mts.

 

 

 

V.3 Manna came  to sinners – they were complaining!  Doubting 

A)     / Jesus came to those who were Enemies of God

 

B) They were not seeking God

 

 

#3 – What we must do to partake of Christ the Manna

A)  1st feel our hunger – Luke 15 ( Prodigal)  I perish with hunger

 

B)  see our sin – I need him – hole in my heart – longing in my soul

 

2nd Stoop – Humble ourselves ( God resist the Proud but gives grace to the Humble !!!!

A)   Exalt your self & God will  humble You / Humble Yourself & He will exalt you !!

 

3rd We must eat – can’t just talk about it –

A) Have to partake – eat of body flesh

Speaks of realness and intimacy

 

B) We have to partake of the Lord - We do so At the table and in the Word

 

C) We feast on the Lord as we eat of His body- Communion

      1) We feast with the Lord as we open the Word !!!!

 

Chapt 17 – campsite #7 – V.1-4

A) Rehpidim – rest stop! -  But there was no water!

     On a Trip   Carl’s Jr.  – closed

 

B)   Interesting that God led them to Rephidim – but no water & so the People Began to complain again – how would you like to  pastor this group?

1)    ( so glad I don’t)

 

C) Well the Lord said to Moses  take Rod & Strike the Rock in Horeb –

1)   Result : Water came out !!!

D)In 1 Cor. 10:4 ROCK WAS CHRIST -  Jesus was Struck

1) Mixture of Blood & water

 

 

Here the thing: why would the Lord take them from this place satisfied with manna – to this place where no water – rest stop – no water

A) Picture for us:  See you might leave a study a retreat time great devotions – feasting on the manna

 

B) But then you leave and you come to place where it is dry!

1)   What is going on – don’t understand – 2 days ago seemed like flood

     gates – journal 10 pages

 

C) Now this – why? I don’t understand  / Is it Sin? Not necessarily

 

D) God led them to Rephidim to do something very important – picture for us   Manna – represents the incarnation

     1) Rephidim shows us – first the crucifixion – the rock smitten

 

E)But then after the water gushes out- God did this – to make them aware of

      the need of a fresh drenching of water

1) It speaks of our need to experience a fresh touch of the spirit

 

See The Lord brings us to Rephidim at times to make us aware of our thirst for more of him!

A) They just feasted on Him – wonderful

 

B) But He takes them to Rephidim that they might have a craving for more of Him-    Desire to be filled a fresh – a desire to go deeper

 

C)   Why?  Well the rest of the chapter goes on to say that there at Rephidim

     something else was about to happen

1) Amalek shows up!

 

D) Amalek – speaks of war we have with our flesh

So God says – I know feasted on bread – feasted on manna/ But right around the corner – battle that awaits A war is about to break out

A)    And if you try to defeat – Amalik in power of your flesh – you are going

    to get beat up

 

B) Not by might nor by power but by Spirit says the Lord – that is what the water speaks of – Spirit

     1) John 7: 37Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38  "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

39  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, Anyone thirsts – torrents of living water

 

C) Rephidim speaks of our need for those fresh fillings of the Spirit – that we in need of

 

D) So feasted with the Lord –thru the Word – feasted on the Lord  - communion