Hidden Manna

Edward Griffin (1770—1837)
 

Revelation 2:17
"To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the hidden manna!"

The hidden manna is Jesus Christ, the bread of life, including all the blessings of his redemption. He is called by this name because the manna which supported the Church in the wilderness was a lively type of him. The application of the name of the type to the antitype is not uncommon in Scripture. Thus Christ is called David, and the high priest, and the lamb slain, and the Passover. Many are the features of resemblance between Christ and the ancient manna.

Did this manna descend from the skies? Christ is "the living bread which came down from Heaven." For though his human nature commenced its existence on earth, and his divine nature could not change, yet by the union of the two natures in one person, it became true that the same person that had eternally lived in Heaven appeared on earth; the same Mediator that had chosen the heavens for the principal scene of his manifestations, at length manifested himself in this world. Before, he had appeared in Heaven; now no Mediator was to be found in the universe but in the streets of Judea and Galilee.

Was the manna provided for people in a desolate wilderness, who had a long and wearisome way to pass before they could find their rest? Just so, Christ and the blessings of the Gospel are provided to solace a company of pilgrims who have to wander a while in this thorny maze, and to encounter all its dangers and hardships before they reach their heavenly home.

Was the manna provided for people who had no other supply, who were reduced to the greatest straits and must have perished without it? Just so, Christ was sent to rescue those who were in a perishing state, who had no other helper, and must eternally have died without that provision.

Was the manna sent to a nation who felt their necessities and realized their dependence on Heaven for relief? Just so, Christ is provided for those, and none but those, who feel themselves to be poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked; who renounce every hope of helping themselves and fix their dying eye on him alone. He was anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all who mourn. The manna was not sent to the full-fed Egyptians, nor to the Amalekites or Amorites, the avowed enemies of God, but to the holy people, the Church. And Christ is not sent to benefit the proud-hearted and the obdurate. He will not take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. The rebellious world, however they may expect deliverance by the blood which they trample under foot, will find a dreadful disappointment. None but the obedient and believing can partake of the hidden manna.

The ancient manna was as much the daily food of the poorest of the people, as of the princes of the tribes. "Man ate angels' food," or as it is otherwise rendered, "the bread of the mighties;" intimating, as the advocates of this construction believe, that the common people enjoyed as free a use of the manna as the heads of the congregation or as Moses himself. In like manner, the believing beggar has as free access to Christ as the prince on his throne. Many of the children of God are doomed to coarse and scanty worldly fare; but they enjoy as rich a share of the bread of life, and fill as honorable a place at the table of the Lord, as the great and noble of the earth. Here they need not stand behind the crowd, but are as welcome and will be as kindly treated as the most honorable. Most honorable, did I say? Who in the kingdom of Christ are more honorable than the fishermen of Galilee?

Here the scale of merit is reversed. In the kingdom of him who estimates every man according to his worth—a broken heart, a heart swelling with love to God and man, is reputed more honorable:
than an understanding distended with human science,
than coffers filled with golden treasure,
than a character emblazoned with worldly glory.

To cast discredit on the scale by which the world estimate merit, our Savior for the most part passes by the great and noble, and chooses "the foolish things of the world to confound the wise," and "the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty:" for "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called." The poorest Christian in this assembly will be as welcome as the rich to the feast now prepared—as welcome to come daily to the Gospel banquet. Here is food, here is an inheritance, which cannot be taken from them. Though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit be in the vine, yet this unspeakable privilege to feast on the body of Christ and to draw refreshment from the fountain of eternal love, would still remain. No change of fortune, no blast or mildew, no rust corrupting or thieves breaking through to steal, can filch this blessedness from them; a blessedness which in the midst of poverty makes them richer than the wealthiest monarchs without it. It seems like profanation to call an heir of glory, poor. The treasures of the universe are his!

The manna was bestowed freely, without money and without price. This cannot but remind us of that heavenly invitation, "Ho, every one who thirsts, come you to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat; yes come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Had Gospel blessings been put up at any price, they never could have been obtained. What have a poor bankrupt race with which to purchase salvation? a race as poor as sin can make them. Had they much it would be too little; but since they have nothing, what can they do unless they receive freely? All the prayers ever made by sinners since the fall, all their strivings and tears—are infinitely too small to purchase one smile from Heaven. And yet thousands are wearying themselves to obtain salvation by their own works. With what indignation would God have seen a Hebrew coming and offering him money for manna.

Sinners must consent to come as beggars and to receive freely. And freely they may receive. Not a sinner in this house needs to perish. Let none plead spiritual poverty as a bar to salvation. The poverty of the Hebrews did not prevent them from obtaining manna. Christ died that the unworthy might live; and none but the unworthy can receive his grace. Urge no longer as a bar, the only thing which makes a successful application possible.

The manna was poured down plentifully. There was enough to supply more than a million people. In like manner, the blessings of the Gospel are sufficient, not only for the deepest needs of the most destitute, but for a whole world of sinners. There is:
atonement enough in the death of Christ for all,
merits enough in his obedience for all,
love enough in God for all,
room enough in Heaven for all.

What pity then that any should perish. What pity would it have been for thousands of Hebrews to starve while heaps of manna lay piled up at their door. Let none stay outside, complaining, when the whole nature of God is open to give them room. O that some poor sinner would this day become convinced that his own is the fault if his starving soul is not filled with the bread of life.

Notwithstanding the great supply of manna, none could be benefitted without taking pains to gather it. Just so, God may be merciful, and Christ may die, and Heaven may be full of comfort, and yet if men will not receive the Gospel—then all is in vain. A Savior may plead, the Spirit may invite, ministers may preach, and Christians may pray—and yet if sinners will not hear, they must die none the better, but all the worse, for these means of grace. None must think to lie still and trust to the mercies of God and the mediation of Christ. It is as impious as it is fatal to presume on neglected mercy. Men must lay hold of it by the hand of faith, or it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah than for them. How long will an unbelieving world stand by the side of infinite treasures without putting out a hand to receive, and then cast the blame of their destruction on God and say, He made us what we are and we cannot help it?

The manna must be gathered every day. However much was gathered at once, none of it was fit for use on the morrow. It bred worms and became corrupt. Just so, the same necessity is laid on us to apply for the bread of life every day. However much a Christian receives today, he will have none tomorrow without a new application. He cannot live on past experiences without the present enjoyment of God. Old discoveries will not supply the soul with light and life when faith and prayer decline. When the Christian through much humiliation and agony, has obtained a feast, he is too apt to be satisfied and to neglect to wrestle for more. He imperceptibly slides away from God, and before he is aware finds himself in darkness and the prey to temptation. His departure was easy, but his return must be accomplished by long and wearisome toil. This resting in present comforts is one capital reason why Christians do not steadily enjoy communion with God. They should wear out life in continued applications for the bread of Heaven.

At a certain time the Hebrews became cloyed with the manna and madly looked back to the flesh pots of Egypt. God in anger gave them the desires of their heart, and sent them quails until the meat was vomited from their nauseated stomachs: and while the flesh was yet in their mouths, he swept away many of them with a plague.

In like manner Christians sometimes lose their relish for heavenly things and begin to look back to the pleasures of the world. And sometimes God in anger gives them the desires of their heart. He withdraws his presence and increases their worldly comforts, and gives them a chance to try what the world can do for them without Himself. And this he does until worldly objects and worldly prosperity itself become loathsome. And then when they seek him he hides his face, and seems to say: You preferred the world to me, and now you may have the world without me. And this he does until they are ready to cry: If you take away yourself take everything else away: these husks only mock my misery. While under this discipline, other judgments are often sent to punish them for lusting after idols which they had sworn forever to renounce.

These observations respect only the outward circumstances of the manna; let us follow the comparison into a consideration of its nature and uses.

Manna was the bread which supported natural life. Just so, Christ is the bread which supports the spiritual and eternal life of his people. When the Jews said, "Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness," Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes on me shall never thirst." In order that life might flow from him, it was necessary that his body should be broken and his blood shed. His broken body and flowing blood are as essential to the life of the soul, as food and drink are to the life of the body. Hence the expression, "My flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed."

The manna was capable of satisfying the craving appetite of the Hebrews. Just so, Christ and his salvation are admirably fitted to satisfy the desires of an immortal soul under the circumstances of our fallen race, and in a right temper and view of things. And nothing else can satisfy it. Let a man, under a strong sense of his sin and ruin, be presented with earthly kingdoms; they are all like jests to a dying man!. Let him attempt to pacify his conscience by a round of self righteous duties; it is all in vain. But let him get a view of Christ and his fullness, and he eagerly cries, Give me this and I ask no more: give me this or I die; give me this and I live forever.

The manna was very delicate and grateful to the taste, "like wafers made of honey." But more divinely sweet is the bread which came down from Heaven. The Savior of the world is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. "As the apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." The divine charms which shine in the face of Jesus Christ, the heavenly truths and objects which he reveals—delight and ravish the soul as nothing else can do!

The manna was so wholesome that no Hebrew received injury from eating it. It rendered none sick or infirm, but contributed to the health of all. In like manner the Gospel is of sovereign efficacy to secure the healthful vigor of the soul. In proportion as it is received, the soul is healed of all its sinful infirmities and confirmed in immortal health. No injury is derived from living on Christ. The distresses which are peculiar to Christians come not from receiving him but from not receiving him enough. When the soul is intemperate in the use of worldly fare, it is sickly indeed; but as soon as it returns to Christ, it rises up into the undying health of the sons of God.

The account we have of the manna is, that "the people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it." Thus after it was bruised and broken, and prepared in the fire, it was served up to feed the Church of God.

One cannot read this account without being reminded of him who was "wounded for our transgressions" and "bruised for our iniquities." He was sorely broken on the cross; in the fire of affliction he was prepared to become the bread of life; and from that fire he is served up to feast his beloved Church! "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." He was "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." The Lord "laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted." "For the transgression of my people he was stricken." "The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed."

When you behold at this table the consecrated bread, which was once cut down by the reaper, and then beat out by the thresher's stroke; which was ground to powder between the grinding stones, and then prepared in the fire, and is now served up and broken again before our eyes to furnish a feast for the Church of God, will not your melting hearts have in remembrance the Friend who died on Calvary to sustain your sinking lives? Will you not contemplate those dreadful sufferings through which he passed to provide this feast for you? Let his infant cries call you to the manger, where the Creator of Heaven and earth is cast out with the cattle of the stall. The great architect of the universe, reduced to the reputed son of a carpenter! He who dwelt in eternal repose, toiling at a wearisome trade! The Son of the living God, charged as an accomplice with Beelzebub!

Follow him to the garden. What causes that blood to burst through the agonizing pores? It is not guilt, but love. He sees divine wrath pointed, not at him, but at a world which he tenderly loves. He sees that wrath, like wreaths of convolving smoke, darkening the face of Heaven. Before his mind is painted a world writhing in the flames of Hell. And if a mother would be tortured to behold her infant withering in the flames, no wonder that this view of divine wrath against a world dearer than a mother's infant, should press out the blood from his anguished heart!

Attend him to the judgment hall. The Judge of the world arraigned at a creature's bar! That face which reflects the brightness of the Father's glory, is defiled with spittings. He at whose feet prostrate angels veil their faces, is mocked by knees bent in derision. The rough thorns are thrust through his temples. The scourge of wires tears the flakes from his bleeding shoulders. Through the live nerves the dreadful spikes are driven. For six long hours the whole weight of his body hangs suspended on these agonizing cords.

All this because we had sinned!

All this to deliver us from the ever-burning lake of fire!

Dear suffering Lord, was ever love, was ever grief like yours?

And now, my dear brethren, can we approach this memorial of our suffering Lord with unaffected hearts? In this looking-glass shall we behold him crucified before our eyes, and be unmoved?

This bread is the manna of Gospel days, the symbol of the living bread which came down from Heaven. Receive it with strong desires to feed on the bread of life.

This cup represents that blood without which there is no remission. Approach it with unutterable desires for pardon through the atonement.

This is the day to celebrate the public honors of Zion's King: let every saint be glad. Here, as at the foot of the cross, let us swear eternal fealty to him.

But of the many who are not here, our anxious hearts inquire, Where are they? We look round for them and they are missing at the feast. And why did they not come? Do they not need a Savior as much as we? Have they no souls? Are they not to live beyond the grave? Will they be absent when the table of Christ is spread in his kingdom, and their parents and children are sitting around it? O my friends, where are you when you are setting out for Heaven? The manna is heaped up at your door, and why are you perishing with hunger? A voice sounds from the sacred elements. The bread calls you to come. The wine cries as though it were the blood of Christ. The table of the Lord pleads, Ho every one that thirsts, come! Heaven and earth invite you. The Church of God reaches out a mother's arms to embrace the long lost children of her prayers. Give joy to the Church of Christ. Give joy to angels. Give joy to your sainted parents who may now be hovering over this scene. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come! And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Amen.