Biblical Bread

Have you ever thought about how symbolic the bread is in the Bible? What about how many things there are in the Bible about bread? Well, after this story, you should have a pretty good idea of how important the Biblical bread and in truth, living bread really is.

The very first time bread is mentioned in the Bible is when God sentenced Adam (man) and told him that by the sweat of his face he'd eat bread until the day he dies (Genesis 3:19).

Biblical Bread was the first thing that Abraham offered to Jesus and the two Angels of the Lord when they visited him concerning the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:5).

The feast of unleavened bread is an important part of the Passover celebration reminding the Hebrews that there wasn't time to wait for their bread dough to rise as God brought them out of slavery in Egypt (Genesis 12:39).

The Lord rained Living bread from Heaven, called manna, for the children of Israel to eat for 40 years in the wilderness on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (Exodus 16:4, 35).

David referred to manna as Angel's food. Can you imagine what a blessing it was to receive this Heavenly manna from the Lord? (Psalms 78:25).

Moses told the children of Israel that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. It is now a household saying. (Deuteronomy 8:3).

In the Tabernacle, and in the Temple, there was a table with bread called showbread that was set continually before the Mercy Seat. Yes, the symbol of bread was/is important in Israel (Exodus 25:30, 2 Chronicles 2:4).

Biblical Bread was used as a symbol in a man's dream that the sword of Gideon would defeat Midian (Judges 7:13).

God sent Living bread with ravens to feed Elijah when he hid by the brook during 3½ years of draught (1 Kings 17:6).

A psalm of David says that bread strengthens man's heart (Psalms 104:15).

The Biblical bread term is used metaphorically in the Bible as the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27)

When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness he told Jesus to command that stones be made into bread (Matthew 4:3).

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus said, Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).

And at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, Take, eat; this is my body (Matthew 26:26).

Whew, as we sojourn along in our Jesus is the Bread of Life study we find many Scriptures that show the importance of Spiritual Bread and these are just a few of the places in the Bible that Biblical bread is mentioned.

Recently, in our Tell me the story of Jesus travels, we learned about Jesus turning 5 loaves of Biblical bread and 2 fishes into enough Living Bread and fish to feed over 5,000. As you may recall, Jesus told the people that the bread they ate wasn't the bread they should strive for, but that they should desire food that lasts eternally. Now we're going to find out a little more about that everlasting food called the Bread of Life.

In the synagogue, as Jesus taught in Capernaum, the people asked Him, What should we do in order to do the work of God? Jesus answered, This is the work of God, that you believe in the one who He sent. They didn't understand, so they asked Jesus to show them what He meant. They said, Our fathers ate manna in the desert, like it is written, He gave them bread from Heaven to eat. Jesus explained, Moses didn't give you that bread from Heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from Heaven.

Here is Wisdom from our Jesus is the Bread of Life study research ... The bread of God is the one who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to Jesus, Lord, give us this living bread forever. They just didn't grasp that Jesus wasn't talking about the same kind of bread as they were. They certainly believed that it was physical bread they ate the night before, after all, they tasted it and were filled with it. But they didn't really believe or understand that Jesus was saying that Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven.

Jesus explained more clearly, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger and who believes in me will never thirst. You've seen me, and don't believe. Everything the Father gives me, I will receive, and whoever comes to me, I will not forsake in any way. I didn't come down from Heaven to do my own will, but to do the will of God. And this is the will of God who sent me, that of all (people) that He has given me, I should lose none, but should raise it up again at the last day. And it's the will of God, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. Jesus was talking about the Rapture when He said that, and you can read more about it in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

Meanwhile, the Jews complained because Jesus said He was the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. Remember when we talked about people not believing in prophets from their home country? Well, there they went again, saying, Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we all know? How can He go around saying, I came down from Heaven? The moment that they waited centuries for, the coming of the Messiah that they read about and yearned for was present to them, but they couldn't recognize Him, even with all the miracles they saw, and prophecies fulfilled, they still just couldn't accept that Jesus is the Bread of Life which they awaited.

Jesus said to them, Don't murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me, unless the Father calls him, and I'll raise him up on the last day. It's written in the prophets, They will all be taught about God. So, every man that has heard and learned about God, comes to me. No man has seen the Father, except the one who is of God. Truly I tell you, whoever believes in me has everlasting life. I am the Bread of Life.

Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, that a man can eat and not die. I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven. If any man eats this bread, he will live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews argued among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Jesus answered them, Truly, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, has eternal life, and I'll raise him up at the last day. My flesh is truly meat and my blood is truly drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. As the living God has sent me, and I live because of the Father, Whoever eats my flesh will live because of me. This is that bread that came down from Heaven, not like your fathers ate manna, and are dead, but whoever eats this bread will live for ever.

Even many of the disciples, after Jesus explained this for the third time, said among themselves, This is a complicated thing, who can understand it? Jesus sensed in His Spirit that the disciples were troubled about it and He said to them, Does this confuse you? What if you see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? It's the spirit that gives life, the flesh has no value. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they give life. But there are some of you who don't believe. Jesus knew from the beginning who would betray Him, so He said, That's why I said to you that no man can come to me, unless the Father calls him.

From that time, many of Jesus' disciples went back and didn't follow Him anymore. Jesus asked the twelve Apostles, Will you also go away? Peter answered, Lord, who would we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and are sure that you're the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied to them, Haven't I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil? He was talking about Judas Iscariot, because he was the one who Jesus knew would betray Him even though he was one of the twelve.

There's a really cool thing to notice about all of this bread talk in our Jesus is the Bread of Life study ... Why did Jesus use Biblical Bread Bible verses as a symbol for Himself? Could it be because He wanted us to be reminded of Him each time we eat? What if every time you ate bread you're reminded that you're abiding in Jesus and Jesus is abiding in you, what a difference that could make in your life. Also, usually a meal is shared with other people. Maybe Jesus chose Biblical bread as a symbol of Himself so that we would share Him with one another often. Whatever the reason, it's time to recognize Him as The Bread of Life.

Our Lord Jesus is the Bread of Life Teaching delving into the Living Bread Bible Verses proves yet again ... Jesus is the Lord.