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GOOD NEWS FROM THE REDEEMER
April 14, 2001 RADIO MESSAGE #367
Christ in Exodus #60
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The manna which God provided to Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4-36) typified Christ (John 6:22-59, especially vv.30-33), "the true bread from heaven" (v.32). We here continue our study of this type-Antitype relationship.
XI. Manna had to be gathered early in the morning, before the heat of the day melted it (Exodus 16:21).
Likewise, Christ is to be believed now, before the opportunity to do so is removed in the day of God's hot wrath. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
XII. Manna was prepared before being eaten (Numbers 11:8): "The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it."
Likewise, Christ was prepared before being eaten. As manna was prepared from divinely provided physical ingredients, Christ assumed a body prepared by His Father (Hebrews 11:5; cp. John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 8:3). As manna was ground and beaten, the body of Christ was, after He had assumed the sin of God's elect, "stricken, smitten by God and afflicted," "wounded for our transgressions," and "bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:4f). As manna was baked in heat until it was done, Christ was subjected to the heat of God's wrath on the cross of Calvary until He cried in victory, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
XIII. Manna was small in size (Exodus 16:14) – "a small ... substance.." The smallness of manna may be typical of the humiliation of Christ. Although He is the infinite God, He in His incarnation condescended to occupy a finite body (Philippians 2:6-8).
XIV. Manna was round in shape (Exodus 16:14) – "a ... round substance.." Roundness is associated with symmetry and with eternity (since a round object has neither beginning nor end).
The roundness of manna may be typical of the perfections and eternity of Christ. The Son of God is eternally co-equal with His Father in the divine perfections (John 1:1-3, 14).
XV. Manna was white in color (Exodus 16:31) – "like white coriander seed." Whiteness in Scripture is associated with pureness (as in Isaiah 1:18).
The whiteness of manna may be typical of the purity of Christ. He is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26), and therefore identified inseparably with the color white. For example, in The Revelation, he is associated with white head and hair (1:14), white garments (3:4), white horse (6:2; 19:11), whitening blood (7:14), white cloud (14:14), white righteousness (19:8), and a "great white throne" (20:11).
XVI. Manna was delicious to the taste: "the taste of it was like wafers made with honey" (Exodus 16:31); "its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil" (Numbers 11:8). The ancient Egyptians and Greeks offered to their gods such wafers of meal, oil, and honey. God daily fed His people with food heathens considered fit for their gods! It was also fit to be called "angels' food" (Psalm 78:25), or "food for the mighty ones," the royalty.
Likewise, Christ is delicious to the taste. "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:8). His bride the church has done so, and concludes in the Song of Solomon: "His fruit was sweet to my taste" (2:3); "His mouth is most sweet" (5:16).
XVII. Manna was daily supplied until Israel reached the promised land (Exodus 16:35): "And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan" (cp. Joshua 5:12). Plenty of food was readily available in Canaan. Manna was therefore no longer necessary. But even there they had an omer of it in a golden pot as a memorial to the Lord (Exodus 16:33f; Hebrews 9:4).
Likewise, Christ will be daily supplied until His church reaches heaven. Plenty of food is readily in heaven, where all inhabitants at all times have access to the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14). No additional daily provision of Christ will be required. And He Himself will be the saints' eternal memorial.