Topical Encyclopedia Manna is a miraculous provision of food described in the Bible, primarily in the books of Exodus and Numbers. It was provided by God to the Israelites during their 40-year journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. Manna is often referred to as "bread from heaven" and is a significant symbol of God's providence and care for His people.Biblical Description and Origin The first mention of manna occurs in Exodus 16. The Israelites, having left Egypt, found themselves in the Desert of Sin, where they began to grumble against Moses and Aaron due to a lack of food. In response, God promised to rain down bread from heaven for them. Exodus 16:4 states, "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.'" Manna appeared each morning after the dew evaporated, resembling small coriander seeds, white in color, and tasting like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31). The Israelites were instructed to gather only as much as they needed for each day, with a double portion to be collected on the sixth day to prepare for the Sabbath, when no manna would appear. Significance and Symbolism Manna served not only as physical sustenance but also as a test of obedience and faith. The daily gathering of manna required the Israelites to trust in God's provision and to adhere to His commands. Those who attempted to gather more than needed found that the excess would spoil by the next day, except on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:19-20). In Numbers 11:7-9 , manna is further described: "Now the manna resembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of gum resin. The people walked around gathering it, and they ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes, and it tasted like the flavor of fresh oil." Manna is also a type of Christ, as Jesus Himself makes the connection in the New Testament. In John 6:31-35 , Jesus refers to Himself as the "true bread from heaven," contrasting the temporary sustenance of manna with the eternal life He offers: "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who 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.'" Preservation and Memorial To commemorate God's provision, the LORD commanded Moses to preserve an omer of manna in a jar to be kept before the Testimony (Exodus 16:32-34). This jar of manna was later placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony to future generations of God's faithfulness and provision during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. Conclusion Manna remains a profound symbol of God's provision, faithfulness, and the necessity of reliance on Him. It serves as a reminder of the spiritual nourishment found in Christ, the true bread from heaven, who sustains believers with eternal life. Nave's Topical Index Numbers 11:8And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. Nave's Topical Index Greek 3131. manna -- manna ... wandering Israelites in the OT when God gave them (divinely-sent bread wafers) (see ... evidence to show that Jewish theology regarded the giving of manna as the ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3131.htm - 7k Strong's Hebrew 4478a. man -- manna (a kind of bread)... 4478, 4478a. man. 4478b . manna (a kind of bread). Transliteration: man Short Definition: manna. Word Origin of uncertain derivation ... /hebrew/4478a.htm - 5k 4478. man -- manna (a kind of bread) Library Lii. Manna. Exodus xvi. 4. The Manna The Bread of God Jesus the Bread of Life. Christ the Bread of Life. August the Fourth Hidden Manna John Chapter vi. 15-44 Christ the Bread of Life. John 6:31,35,39. LMC Wesley. The Bread of Life. Christ the Bread of Life, John 6 31 35 39 Resources What did Jesus mean when He said, “This is my body, broken for you”? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did Jesus mean when He said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? | GotQuestions.org Why is the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper such a controversial issue? | GotQuestions.org Bread: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Bread in Times of Scarcity, Sold by Weight Bread was Baked: On Coals of Fire Bread with Water, the Food of Prisons Bread: (Eating Without Scarceness) of Plenty Bread: (Fulness of) of Abundance Bread: (Of Adversity) Heavy Affliction Bread: (Of Deceit) Unlawful Gain Bread: (Of Wickedness) Oppression Bread: (Partaking of) Communion of Saints Bread: (Seeking of Begging) Extreme Poverty Bread: (Want of) Extreme Poverty Bread: (When Broken) the Death of Christ Bread: Called the Staff of Life Bread: Crumb of, Used to Wipe the Fingers, Thrown Under the Table Bread: First Fruit of, offered to God Bread: How Prepared: Baked in Ovens Bread: How Prepared: Cracknels Bread: How Prepared: Made Into Loaves Bread: How Prepared: Mixed With Oil Bread: How Prepared: On Coals of Dung Bread: How Prepared: On Hearths Bread: Kinds of Bread of Affliction Bread: Kinds of Leavened (Made With Yeast) Bread: Kinds of Unleavened (Made Without Yeast) Bread: Made of Manna (In the Wilderness) Bread: Multitudes Miraculously Fed by Christ With Bread: Nutritious and Strengthening Bread: Offered With Sacrifices Bread: Often Given As a Present Bread: Often Put for the Whole Substance of Man Bread: Ordinary, Called Common Bread Bread: Placed on Table of Shew Bread Bread: Plenty of, Promised to the Obedient Bread: Sacred, Called Hallowed Bread Bread: Scarceness of, Sent As a Punishment Bread: Served Round After Funerals Bread: Symbolical of the Body of Christ Bread: The Principal Food Used by the Ancients Bread: Troughs Used for Kneading Bread: when Old, Dry and Mouldy Related Terms |
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