Bread played an important role in Israel's worship. During the celebration of PENTECOST, two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah...of fine flour...baked with leaven were offered with the animal sacrifices. - Lev. 23:17 - A type of ritualistic bread known as SHOW-BREAD consisted of 12 loaves baked without leaven by the Levites and placed weekly in the tabernacle and later in the Temple. - Ex. 25:30 - When removed at the end of the week the loaves were eaten by the priests.

When fleeing from bondage in Egypt the Israelites made unleavened bread or bread without yeast. - Ex. 12:8; 13:6-7 - For that reason the EXODUS was remembered annually by eating unleavened bread for a period of seven days. - Lev. 23:6 - This celebration is called "the Days of Unleavened Bread".

In the New Testament, Satan tempted Jesus by saying, "If You are Son of God, command that these stones become bread". But Jesus replied, "Scripture says, Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". - Matt. 4:3-4 - In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread". - Matt. 6:11 -

In the Gospel of John, Jesus called Himself, "the true bread from heaven" "the bread of God" "the bread of life" and "the bread which came down from heaven".

Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave then bread from heaven to eat. Jesus answered:

I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.

'Sir,' they said 'give us that bread always'. Jesus answered:
I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me never thirst. - John 6:31-35 -

The Old Testament background for these references is the MANNA that fell miraculously from heaven to sustain God's people during the Exodus. (Exodus chapter 16) In the New Testament, on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper.

I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that a man may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I shall give
is my flesh, for the life of the world.

Then the Jews started arguing with one another: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they said, Jesus replied:

I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate;
they are dead
but anyone who eats this bread will live forever. - John 6:48-58 - Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20 -

Securing bread 'without money and without price' is finding that free gift of God that not only satisfies spiritual needs but also bestows abundant life. - Is. 55:1 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -