We need to understand a crucial matter which is essential if we are to enter into and dwell in the heavenly realm. This is typified by the "manna test," the first test given to Israel after their departure from Egypt. It was so crucial that the Lord said this test was given to see if the people would walk in His ways or not. Likewise for us, this is one of the primary tests that determine if we will walk in the ways of the Lord or not. We see this in Exodus 16:4, and Deuteronomy 8:16:

 

     Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you;

     and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day,

     that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction."
 

     "In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know,

     that He might humble you and that He might test you,

     to do good for you in the end."

 

 

As we read in Psalm 78:23-25:

 

     Yet He commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven;

     And He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven.

     Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

 

 

Manna was bread from heaven. The children of Israel were commanded to eat this bread as both a test and to humble them. This remains a primary test for the Lord's people to determine if we are going to walk in His ways. It is also a way that we humble ourselves. The test is to see if we will get up first thing each morning and seek fresh bread from heaven. This is also the humility by which we acknowledge that we simply cannot make it a single day, walking uprightly in the way of the Lord, without the heavenly manna that He provides for us.

 

Of course, as we read in John 6:31-35, Jesus is the Manna from heaven. We must have a fresh encounter with Him every day, and we must partake of Him every day. We should be more addicted to the Son of God than a junky is to his next fix. We actually are. If a junky does not get his fix he will soon begin to shake. Most of the shaking we go through in life is the result of our not having partaken of Christ, every day. We, too, lose our spiritual strength, our vision, and soon go into spiritual convulsions when we do not partake of Him.

 

It is also true that "we are what we eat." Just as our physical body can be greatly impacted by what we put into it, so can our spiritual make up. If we are partaking of Christ, we will be changed into His nature. Likewise, if we are partaking of evil spiritual fruit such as gossip, slander, selfish ambition, bitterness, resentment, greed, or unforgiveness, we will begin to manifest the nature of the devil. If we are going to dwell in the heavenly realm, we need to watch what we eat and determine that we are going to seek Manna from heaven, the first thing every day.

 

We must never forget that His primary purpose is not just having us believe His Word, but having His Word change us. He wants us to be like Him, not merely doing the right things, but doing them for the right reasons—because we love righteousness. That is why He commanded Ezekiel to "eat the scroll" before he was to go and preach (see Ezekiel 3:1-4).

 

The Lord has provided heavenly bread that we can gather every day. Like the manna He gave to Israel in the wilderness, it cannot be stored, but must be gathered and partaken of fresh each day. As we partake of it and become what we're eating, our lives will also be like fresh bread to others. This will cause all to be drawn to the One who is the true Manna.