Daily Devotions
John
Moses as the yardstick
Text: John 6:22-71
MOSES AS THE YARDSTICK
The multitudes were not willing or able to talk about having faith in Jesus. In their mind, if anyone were to compel faith, that person must be compared to Moses. In their smug attitude, they figured that no one could hold a candle to Moses! Now that was a truly outstanding servant of God.
The multitudes sought to justify their unbelief with this statement.
“Our fathers ate the manna in the desert;
as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'”
John 6:31
The multitudes had misread the Biblical text. They credited the feeding of the children of Israel to Moses. Let us look at what Moses himself wrote.
“Then the LORD said to Moses,
‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.'”
Exodus 16:4
Jesus had to correct their mistaken belief in Moses. He replied,
“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.”
John 6:32
Yes, Moses was instrumental in bringing about the provision of bread (manna) from heaven. However, the real glory must go to God the Father!
On the subject of “bread” Jesus introduced a spiritual angle. Did they think that Moses did a great thing in bringing about Manna from heaven? That was certainly not a feat to be despised. But what if there was something greater? Jesus went on to speak about “the true bread from heaven”.
Were they interested in this “true bread from heaven”? He went on to make another bold declaration.
“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”
John 6:33
Could the multitudes understand what Jesus was saying to them? Moses could in a sense be said to have given bread to the children of Israel, though God was the Person who made that possible. This great God of Israel was once again offering Bread from Heaven. Whoever partakes of this Bread would have life (eternal). That Bread was a Person. He was a very special Person who came down from Heaven to be that Bread that would give life to whoever partook of it in faith!
The multitude then appeared to express interest in what Jesus said. They replied,
“Lord, give us this bread always.”
John 6:34
Had they really understood Jesus when He offered them Bread from Heaven?
“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE”
Jesus knew that they had not really understood what He had said. Thus He explained what He meant.
“I am the Bread of Life.
He who comes to Me shall never hunger,
and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.But I said to you that you have seen Me
and yet do not believe.”
John 6:35-36
The multitudes probably heard what they wanted to hear. They wanted “bread from heaven”. However, in their mind, they were thinking of the way in which God provided bread for the children of Israel in the days of Moses. Could Jesus be just like Moses in the days gone by? If so, then they would like to follow Him.
Jesus resolutely sought to point them to things spiritual. He was The Bread of Life! If they would only try and understand Him, they might well come to have faith in Him! Then they would find that their spiritual thirst would be assuaged, and their spiritual hunger would be filled!
However, Jesus, who knew only too well the hearts of men, lamented that even though they had seen Him, they had not understood Him at all. Thus they as yet did not believe in Him.
THE INVOLVEMENT OF GOD THE FATHER
Why does one believe and another reject? The Disciples and the multitudes had partaken of the same bread that Jesus miraculously multiplied. The former had faith in Him while the latter did not believe. How do we understand this?
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
John 6:37
Jesus introduced a new element of thought. On the human side, we saw people making decisions to come to Jesus in faith. However, on the Divine side, though invisible to the human eye, God the Father was actively involved.
He was the One calling people to come to faith in Christ. He was the One who led people to faith in Jesus. Those who came to Jesus in faith may indeed be said to have been brought by God Himself to Jesus. Jesus saw all who came to faith in Him as God’s gifts to Him! What a truly profound insight of people who come to faith in Jesus.