In the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 8:3), God was literally showing His people that man couldn’t live by bread alone because life was more meaningful than feeding the body. In the previous verse (Deut. 8:2), God tested the Israelites to see if they would obey His commands. God wanted them to depend on Him and understand His will for their lives. 

In Romans 14:17 (New Living Translation), the Bible says, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” In the New Testament in John 6:22-40, the passage talks about how Jesus is the true bread from heaven. Moses didn’t give the Israelites the manna mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:3; God did. It is God who gives life to our flesh; not food. 

“The heavenly origin of manna represents the heavenly origin of Jesus, the Word who in the beginning was with God and was God” (Gundry, 2012, p. 305). This passage is a message for me to keep God first. It’s a reminder for me to always recognize that everything that I have comes from the Lord. In Him alone, I move, breathe, and have my very existence! 

Reference

Gundry, R. H. (2012). A survey of the new testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Post originally published on my first blog: http://www.jenniferquetant.blogspot.com