The Everlasting Covenant

Chapter 21 - Eating the flesh of Christ

There is much more for us to learn from the account of the giving of the manna, and while we cannot hope to exhaust the subject, we can at least prepare the way for more thorough consideration and continued enjoyment of it. Let us read the record once more, noting particularly that God, in promising the manna, said that He would “rain bread from heaven” for the people. EVCO 240.1

With this read again the words of Moses with reference to the event: “All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and posses the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep His commandments, or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.” ¹ EVCO 240.2

These are the words with which Christ resisted the temptation of the devil in the wilderness. There are several texts of Scripture closely connected with this one, which call for consideration, and therefore we will only pause at present to call attention to the fact that it was by giving men bread, that the Lord taught them that they were not to live by bread only. Let this be kept in mind as we proceed. EVCO 241.1

“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.” ² EVCO 241.2

“He clave rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
He brought streams also out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.
Yet went they on still to sin against Him,
To rebel against the Most High in the desert.
And they tempted God in their heart
By asking meat for their lust.
Yea, they spake against God;
They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
Behold, He smote the rock, that waters gushed out,
And streams overflowed;
Can He give bread also?
Will He provide flesh for His people? Therefore the Lord heard, and was wroth;
And a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also went up against Israel;
Because they believed not in God,
And trusted not in His salvation.
Yet He commanded the skies above,
And opened the doors of heaven;
And He rained down manna upon them to eat,
And gave them of the corn of heaven.
Man did eat the bread of the mighty;
He sent them meat to the full.
He caused the east wind to blow in the heaven;
And by His power He guided the south wind.
He rained flesh also upon them as the dust,
And winged fowl as the sand of the seas;
And He let it fall in the midst of their camp,
Round about their habitations.
So they did eat and were well filled;
And He gave them that they lusted after.
They were not estranged from their lust,
Their meat was yet in their mouths,
When the anger of God went up against them,
And slew of the fattest of them;
And smote down the young men of Israel.
For all this they sinned still,
And believed not in His wondrous works.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity,
And their years in terror.” ¹ EVCO 241.3

“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” ² EVCO 242.1

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said. Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine Himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” ¹ EVCO 242.2

Before going any further, let us read all these texts in connection, not once or twice merely, but several times, until they are well fixed in mind. Supposing that this has been done, we will proceed to see what we learn from them and others. EVCO 243.1

Life comes only from the Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” ² Man lives only by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. EVCO 243.2