Topical Bible: Manna: Called: Spiritual Meat

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Topical Encyclopedia

Manna, often referred to as "spiritual meat," is a miraculous provision from God described in the Bible, primarily in the context of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. This heavenly sustenance is emblematic of God's providence and care for His people, serving as both physical nourishment and a spiritual symbol.

Biblical Description and Occurrence

The account of manna is first introduced in Exodus 16, where the Israelites, having left Egypt, find themselves in the Desert of Sin, grumbling about the lack of food. In response, God promises to "rain down bread from heaven" (Exodus 16:4). The manna appears each morning, described as "a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground" (Exodus 16:14). The Israelites are instructed to gather only as much as they need for each day, emphasizing reliance on God's daily provision.

Manna is further described in Numbers 11:7-9, where it is likened to coriander seed, with a taste like that of cakes baked with oil. The people ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, boiling it in pots and making cakes of it. This daily miracle continued for forty years, ceasing only when the Israelites reached the border of Canaan (Joshua 5:12).

Spiritual Significance

Manna is not merely a physical sustenance but holds deep spiritual significance. In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses reminds the Israelites that God humbled them and let them hunger, then fed them with manna, "to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" . This underscores the lesson of dependence on God for all needs, both physical and spiritual.

The New Testament further illuminates the spiritual symbolism of manna. In John 6:31-35, Jesus refers to Himself as the "bread of life," contrasting the manna eaten by the ancestors with the true bread from heaven that gives life to the world. Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst" (John 6:35). Here, manna serves as a type, or foreshadowing, of Christ, the ultimate spiritual sustenance.

Theological Reflections

From a theological perspective, manna represents God's faithfulness and the sufficiency of His provision. It is a testament to His ability to meet the needs of His people in miraculous ways, reinforcing the principle of trust in divine providence. The daily gathering of manna also instills a rhythm of reliance and gratitude, teaching the Israelites—and by extension, all believers—the importance of daily communion with God.

Moreover, manna's role as "spiritual meat" highlights the integral connection between physical and spiritual nourishment. Just as the Israelites depended on manna for their physical survival, believers are called to depend on Christ, the true bread from heaven, for spiritual life and sustenance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 10:3
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Rock of Ages
... all ate the same spiritual meat, the manna from heaven ... These old Jews drank of the
spiritual Rock which followed them ... it stopped also, and the elders called to it ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xiv the rock of.htm

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
... was when I did hunger after a Sabbath because then the manna fell ... I called the Sabbath
a delight ... a sign of the decay of grace to lose the spiritual appetite, yet ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/13 the nature of spiritual.htm

John Chapter vi. 41-59
... They drank," saith he "of the spiritual Rock that ... manna also came down from heaven;
but the manna was only ... did flesh comprehend this flesh which He called bread ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xxvi john chapter vi.htm

Third Sunday Before Lent
... In other words, "In the material manna you must not ... Therefore, the cloud was called
the glory of the ... or is signified by, true meat"; spiritual meat is spoken ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/third sunday before lent.htm

The Story of Israel Crossing Jordan under Joshua is Typical of ...
... may receive from God to understand the spiritual meaning of ... by what we find in the
book called Joshua, [4938 ... of the holy land, and fresh food better than manna. ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/26 the story of israel.htm

1 Cor. Ix. 24
... but another sort of Rock, a spiritual One, performed ... path, from heaven he brought
down manna, from beneath ... likewise." For this cause he both called them types ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxiii 1 cor ix.htm

Spiritual Meaning of the Passover.
... men truly reasonable, because they desire to understand spiritual things; truly ... so
that it may be called, tropically, the ... bread is given us, the manna, which is ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/13 spiritual meaning of the.htm

Discourse on Spiritual Food and True Discipleship. Peter's ...
... Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead ... that his words relate
to the spiritual realm, and ... them an opportunity to depart he called forth from ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxiv discourse on spiritual food.htm

Perseverance of Saints.
... This probably will not be called in question. ... They all ate of the same spiritual
bread, that is, the manna on which the Lord fed them. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture li perseverance of saints.htm

The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New.
... drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that ... their carnal view, draws a comparison
between manna and his ... They called upon him to prove his authority by ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 10 the resemblance between.htm