2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Friends,
Because we live in a country which has been prosperous for a long time, there are some things we take for granted that have both physical and spiritual significance to our lives. One of these is bread. This baked food made from grain has been around from the very beginning of man’s time on earth. The Lord is taking me on another spiritual journey through the Scriptures on this subject, enough of a journey that it will take me more than one message to share it with you. However, if you will bear with me, I think you will find this a worthwhile intrusion on your busy schedules. God reveals some great lessons for us in it.
The first mention of bread is in GN 14: 18-20, when Melchezidek, the Priest of the Most High God and the king of Salem, brought bread to Abram (later to be called Abraham). The latter had just returned from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the other kings. “And Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and also a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram, blessed him, and said, ‘May the Most High God, Who made heaven and earth, bless Abram! May the Most High God, Who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!’ And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot he had recovered.” Since Melchizedek, a priest of an order known to be higher than that of Aaron and later to be succeeded by Christ Himself [HE 8: 1-2], is bringing bread, then it can be assumed that God Himself is the source of this bread and that it is significant spiritually and physically.
Later in GN 18: 1-6, we see bread taking a role in the visit of three men (theophanies, One of Whom is probably the angel of God) to Abraham and Sarah. “The Lord appeared to Abraham at the sacred trees of Mamre. As Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day, he looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground, he said, ‘ Sirs, please do not pass by my home without stopping; I am here to serve you. Let me bring some water for you to wash your feet; you can rest here beneath this tree. I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you.’ They replied, ‘Thank you; we accept.’ Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, ‘Quick, take a sack of your best four, and bake some bread.’ “ When you read these words, you see in them the carefully ingrained Jewish custom of hospitality. It shouldn’t be lost on you that Abraham is offering these strangers humble service either. In this way, Abraham is foreshadowing the very attitude that Christ took with His disciples, teaching them to see the greater spiritual value of the servant over the king. [see JN 13: 12-17 & MT 25: 40]. When put in the context of the events to follow, that is the aid in rescuing Lot from Sodom, the city’s eventual destruction for God’s purposes, and the prophecy to be fulfilled of Sarah giving birth to Isaac offered by these men, this act of hospitality takes on even greater significance in Abraham’s life.
In GN 41: 53-57, grain for bread plays a significant part in the history of God’s people. This is the passage one sees Joseph’s God-conceived plan to save the people of Egypt and other nations from starvation during famine, which results from his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph predicts there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He comes up with the idea to save one fifth of the harvest in storehouses during the years of plenty. When the famine strikes, this saved grain is available for the making of bread. God’s overall purpose wasn’t obvious to Joseph or anyone else at the time, but as we read his story beyond this passage, this God-driven plan was the way Joseph eventually gained Pharoah’s respect and set the stage for the events that were to follow, eventually revealing God’s love and compassion for the Jewish people by establishing them as a nation.
In EX 2: 20, Jethro, a Midian priest who is the father of seven girls, offers Moses an invitation to join him to “break bread” after Moses helps the girls deal with an enemy who interferes with them tending to their flocks. This occasion becomes significant when one realizes that Jetho’s eldest daughter, Zipporah, will eventually become Moses’ wife and the mother of his two sons during the second 40 years of his life. Later, when we see some of the NT citations regarding the spiritual meaning of bread, we can realize that it is as if God is symbolically represented by the bread as being present at all the occasions I have mentioned. It is as if God is putting His seal of approval on them.
The Torah (first five books of Moses) is rich with citations that help us to understand the significance of bread to our spiritual lives. So, if I don’t even leave the Torah today, please understand there is a good reason for it and bear with me. This is a most illuminating journey we are on together. EX 12: 15-20 and 34: 18 introduces God’s desire for the Jews to celebrate the festival of the unleavened bread. The people are commanded to eat unleavened bread for seven days in the month of Abib, “because it was in that month that you left Egypt.” On the first day, the people were to get rid of all the yeast in their homes, “for if anyone eats bread made with yeast, he shall no longer be considered one of My people.” Study of the Scriptures shows that yeast if often a symbol of evil in them. God wanted His people to rid their lives of sin, and this is one way He was teaching them this important lesson. More to follow on this wonderful journey.
PRAYER: O Lord, you take us on this journey to reveal to us Your attributes and Your will. We recognize that this journey is to be taken to Your Glory. Thank You for the love and compassion You show each one of us by helping us through the Holy Spirit to appreciate the value of the lessons you have for us to our lives. We dedicate ourselves to making these lessons our own and to thus, make You the Lord of our lives. In Christ’s name, amen.
Dear Ones, God wants us to include Him in our lives. When we see His presence and that of the Son in these OT Scriptures, we will better understand the true significance of the sacraments we take in church. God loves us and wants only the best for us in our lives. Peter and I hope you feel the warmth of His presence in your lives today and every day.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn