Jesus is The Bread of Life!
Today, we will be visiting BETHLEHEM! Micah 5:2-3 says that the Ruler of Israel (Savior) would be born in a city located within the borders of the Tribe of Judah, which is the southern part of Israel. According to Luke 2:11 and Matthew 2:1, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Bread is mentioned throughout the Bible. We see in Exodus 16:29 that the Lord had given the Israelites bread and the Israelites called it manna in v. 31. Then, in Matthew 4:4 and Jesus said, “It is written, ‘man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” What does this mean? It is telling us how to live. How do you live? How do you get through your trials? How do you get through rejection or any other situation? God tells us there is only one way....”by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
Names in the Bible have meanings and in Hebrew word “Bethlehem” is Beit Lechem and translates “House of Bread” or “Bakeries. I’m sure it would have been a place that I would have gone to frequently as I love good breads! In John 6:48, Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life!
What is the food that endures to eternal life? We read, starting at John 6:31: “our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.” (God gave them His bread even then!)
Now keep reading....vs. 32 Jesus is speaking and says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world. vs. 35 Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
Then, just in case you missed it, Jesus says it again in no uncertain terms. Check it out: John 6:47 “I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died." v. 50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
"Bethlehem" is translated the “House of Bread” because there were lots of bakeries there. It is significant that the “Bread of Life” came from Bethlehem. Jesus is called “The Bread of Life” and He was born in the “City of Bakeries!”
Jesus is that Bread and He came to provide not only food for the body (as he did with the manna in the wilderness), but also for the soul. Born in the city of Bakeries, called the Bread of Life, the One Who is the very nourishment for our spiritual life...He is the Bread of Life! Has He become your very sustenance? What could you do differently in your life to make Him as important in your life as the bread you eat?
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