As many are worried about the Covid Virus, they don’t want to socialize, go to the stores, or even go to work out of fear. In fact the Lawless One that Paul spoke about (2 Thes. 2:10) has sent a spirit of fear upon the land. And his henchmen have joined right in closing ‘non-essential’ places of gathering and giving out government Covid checks to keep people from reporting to work. Now businesses are having to close because of lack of employees willing to work because they get more from the government not to work! Those that do report are often faced with masking and threats to get the vaccine shot, even though it is unproven and many well qualified doctors are warning about taking it! Through all of this the government wants to become God, giving out ‘bread’ to the people like Pharaoh did. But, Pharaoh’s bread brought slavery!

In this article, I want to explain Who the Bread of Heaven is and how you can get Him. In the Gospel of Mark is described two accounts of Jesus performing the miracle of multiplying bread –

But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.” – Mark 6:38-44

Immediately He made the disciples get into a boat to cross to the other side of the lake to Bethsaida while He Himself went up on the mountain to pray. Later, as the disciples were struggling to cross, He came walking on the water and His first words were “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” But they were greatly amazed and marveled, not because He was walking on water, but because of the bread!

“For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” – Mark 6:52

A short time later, Jesus again multiplied the bread, this time feeding 4 thousand, and when Jesus and His disciples departed, the disciples forgot to take bread with them and when Jesus said, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” they thought He was talking about their taking no bread, so Jesus said to them again –

““Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? “Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.” So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?” – Mark 8:17-21

As I re-read this story, I wondered, “How many today would understand?” To explain it, I will have to go back to a time when the Hebrews were coming out of Egypt and in the wilderness. They were hungry and complained, so God gave them manna from heaven, as David later remembered –

“Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire is kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel, Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven, Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.” – Psalm 78:21-25

When referring to this miracle, the Pharisees challenged Jesus, asking Him what sign would He do. –

“Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” – John 6:30-35

This was a direct fulfillment of what Nehemiah said about God –

“You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.” – Neh. 9:15

Jesus told the Pharisees again –

““I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” – John 6:51

It is no wonder that when Jesus came as a baby, He was born in Bethlehem. The word ‘Bethlehem’ means “House of Bread”. In the beginning when Adam fell from Grace, God pronounced a curse on him –

“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” – Gen. 3:19

That curse remained in effect until Jesus came and became a curse for us on the Cross. Jesus is here proclaiming that He is the Messiah, the One who is sent to erase the curse and give life back to mankind. And by multiplying the bread, He was demonstrating that He is the “bread from Heaven” sent down from God!

He was telling the Pharisees that anyone who “eats of this bread”, in other words, anyone who accepts Him as the Bread of Heaven, will have everlasting life. As Jesus took the last Passover meal with His disciples, He instituted what we call “The Lord’s Super”.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. “Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” – Mark 14:22-25

Paul adds, “Take eat; this is My body which is broken for you” and “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor. 11:24).

When a person accepts Jesus and is ‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit, he or she becomes a new person in the Spirit, “old things are passed away and all things become new”. (2 Cor. 5:17). They are now welcome at the Lord’s table to partake of His New Covenant. Every time we meet we should partake of this Supper, reminding ourselves of His sacrifice for us and this New Covenant.

In this Last Supper there is regeneration; old wounds are to be healed, old resentments are to be forgiven, old sins are washed away in His blood, and by His blood we can come boldly into the Throne Room of God for help in time of need! What a blessed time this time of remembrance should be! No wonder why we should take it as oft as we gather.

When Jesus multiplied the bread, this is what He was declaring. He was the answer to Adam’s sin sent down from Heaven with the mercy of God to restore us to all that Adam lost. And remember, Adam had the Tree of Life in the Garden and Jesus promised us eternal life.

So, when the spirit of Lawlessness tries to intimidate you with fear, remember Jesus’ word to the disciples, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid “ When his henchmen try to control you and manipulate you and buy your allegiance with government handouts, remember Pharaoh and that you have the “Bread of Heaven” come down from God to meet your every need. 

May this message be a blessing to you.