Prophetic Insight - 11th June 2025
God's Provision
I was deep in the bible following a struggle I was needing divine guidance and intervention on when I came across the hidden manna, and I was intrigued.
Manna is first mentioned in the bible during the Exodus after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, it was provided by God after the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
They grumbled about dying in Egypt, where they sat around pots of meat and ate all the food they wanted, accusing them of bringing them out into the desert to starve them to death.
The LORD told Moses that He would rain down bread from heaven for him and that the people were to go out each day and gather enough for that day.
In this way, God would test them and see whether they would follow His instructions. (Exodus 16:2-4)
The Glory of The LORD
Despite the miracles they had witnessed, including the ten plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea, their safe passage on dry land and the swallowing of the entire Egyptian army, they still had no faith in God.
Their grumbling was not against Moses and Aaron, but against the LORD, and Moses told Aaron to tell the entire Israelite community to come before Him.
While Aaron was speaking, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.
The LORD told Moses that He had heard their grumbling and to tell them that at twilight they would eat meat, and in the morning they would be filled with bread.
Then they would know that He was the LORD their God. (Exodus 16:8-12)
As Much As You Need
That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor and the Israelites did not know what it was.
Moses told them it was the bread the LORD had given them to eat and He commanded everyone to gather as much as they needed, an omer for each person.
Some gathered much, some little, and when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.
Everyone had gathered as much as they needed (Exodus 16:13-18), an important key when it comes to God's provision.
Daily Provision
Moses told them that no-one was to keep any until morning, however some kept part of it, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.
Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away (Exodus 16:19-21); in the same way, God rains down fresh blessings each day.
On the sixth day they were to gather twice as much and prepare it (Exodus 16:5), so they had provision for the seventh day, where there would not be any. (Exodus 16:26)
The seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD, so they were to save whatever was left from the sixth day and eat it on the seventh.
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh to gather it, but found none (Exodus 16:23-25), symbolic of greed and ingratitude, as God provided double portions the day before.
Manna From Heaven
The people of Israel called the bread manna. (Exodus 16:31)
It was white like coriander seed, tasted like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31) and looked like resin. (Numbers 11:7)
God gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; He rained down manna for the people to eat, He gave them the grain of heaven. (Psalm 78:23-24)
The Israelites gathered it and ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar, then cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves and it tasted like something made with olive oil. (Numbers 11:8)
God provided manna to humble and test them in order to know what was in their heart, whether or not they would keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2)
The Manna For Generations To Come
God commanded an omer of manna be kept for the generations to come, so they could see the bread He gave them to eat in the wilderness when He brought them out of Egypt.
Moses told Aaron to take a jar and Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved and Hebrews 9:1-5 says that it was placed inside the ark of the covenant, alongside Aaron's staff which had budded.
The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan. (Exodus 16:31-35)
This act preserved as much spiritual sustenance as the generations to come needed and God made provision not just for the Israelites, but for their ancestors too, as part of His covenant.
The manna stopped the day after they ate some of the produce of the Promised Land: unleavened bread and roasted grain, and that year they ate the produce of Canaan. (Joshua 5:11-12)
Man Does Not Live on Bread Alone
God told the Israelites to be careful to follow every command He gave them, so that they may live and increase and enter and possess the land He promised on oath to their ancestors.
He told them to remember how He led them all the way into the wilderness those forty years.
He caused them to hunger and then fed them with manna, which neither they nor their ancestors had known, to teach them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:3)
The Israelites died in the wilderness because they didn't remember, obey or feast on the Word of the LORD.
They were hard-headed, lacked faith, grumbled and complained and had no understanding of where their blessings came from, nor did they give thanks.
Remembering God
God told them that when they had eaten and were satisfied, to praise Him for the good land He had given them.
He told them to be careful that they did not forget Him.
Otherwise, when they ate and were satisfied, when they built fine houses and settled down, and when their herds and flocks grew large and their silver and gold increased and all they had was multiplied, then their heart would become proud.
They may say to themselves that their power and the strength of their hands had produced wealth for them, but it is God who gives us the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant.
If we ever forget God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, God Himself testifies against us that we will surely be destroyed for disobedience. (Deuteronomy 8:10-20)
Food That Endures
The manna from heaven was the grain from heaven that nourished and sustained them whilst they were in the desert.
In the same way, Jesus fed the 5,000 and 4,000 by multiplying loaves and fishes which satisfied them.
Jesus told the crowd not to work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man would give them, for on him God the Father had placed His seal of approval.
Then they asked him what they must do to do the works God requires and Jesus told them that the work of God is to believe in the one He had sent.
Jesus told them that the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:24-34)
The Bread of Life
Jesus declared that he is the bread of life.
Whoever comes to him will never go hungry, and whoever believes in him will never be thirsty.
But as he told them, they had seen him and still they did not believe.
All those the Father gives him will come to him.
For he has come down from heaven to do the will of him who sent him, which is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. (John 6:35-40)
Eternal Sustenance
At this the Jews began to grumble about him, believing that he was the son of Joseph and not understanding where he came from. (John 6:41-42)
Jesus told them that their ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
But Jesus is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.
He is the living bread and whoever eats this bread will live forever.
This bread is his flesh, which He gave for the life of the world. (John 6:49-51)
Spiritual Sustenance
In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God (John 1:1), the Word became flesh (John 1:14) and Jesus was God in the flesh (Colossians 2:9)
The Word of God is spiritual meat, his blood spiritual drink, this flesh and blood is real food and drink that provides nourishment, sustenance and eternal longevity, drawing us close, causing us to remain in Jesus, and Jesus in us. (John 6:53-56)
Taken on a broader level, this flesh is the fruit of the Spirit, that is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
And by drinking his blood, and thereby the life that flows through his veins, out of our heart will flow rivers of living water, through the Holy Spirit. (John 7:37-39)
By feasting on the Word who became flesh, and quenching our thirst on his deep wells of wisdom, we are truly satiated and liberated.
False Prophets & Teachers
The hidden manna is referenced in Revelation 2 when Jesus speaks to the angel of the church in Pergamum, where Satan has his throne.
Yet, they remained true to his name and did not renounce their faith in him, not even in the days of Antipas, his faithful witness, who was put to death in his city - where Satan lives.
Nevertheless, Jesus calls them to repent as there are some who hold to the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:12-15)
Any teachings other than those given by God and God in the flesh, are false, leading all those who follow, astray.
They are false prophets and teachers, who secretly introduce destructive heresies and depraved conduct, bringing the way of truth into disrepute and swift destruction on themselves. (2 Peter 2:1-2)
The Teaching of Balaam
The teaching of Balaam relates to leaving the straight way of the LORD and wandering off because of the love of the wages of wickedness.
These teachers are springs without water, they appeal to the lustful desires of the flesh to entice people to sin and blackest darkness is reserved for them.
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them." (2 Peter 2:14-19)
They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality, having taken the way of Cain. (Jude 1:4)
We are told not to be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother, because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. (1 John 3:12)
Seduction & Sin
Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites so Balak, king of Moab, summoned Balaam to put a curse on them because they were too powerful for him, so he could perhaps defeat them and drive them out. (Numbers 22:3-6)
God repeatedly prevented Balaam from cursing the Israelites as they were blessed (Numbers 22:12) and he was only allowed to say what God put into his mouth (Numbers 22:38), which was blessings.
God was angry with Balaam and the the angel of the LORD opposed him with a drawn sword because his plan was reckless. (Numbers 22:31-32)
Unable to curse them, Balaam advised the Moabite women to entice and seduce the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord and the men began to indulge in sexual immorality, ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before their gods, yoking themselves.
God's anger burned against the Israelites, resulting in a plague that struck 24,000. (Numbers 25:1-3, 9, 31:16)
The Teaching of The Nicolaitans
The bible mentions little about the teaching of the Nicolaitans other than the church in Ephesus hate their practices, which Jesus also hates (Revelation 2:6).
This shows that Nicolaitans were engaging in behaviour or teachings that were contrary to the teachings of Christ.
We are also told that some of the Church in Pergamum hold to their teachings and these teachings are mentioned alongside the teachings of Balaam. (Revelation 2:14-15)
This suggests that the teachings of the Nicolaitans and the teachings of Balaam were possibly along the same lines - lack of integrity, sexual perversion and idolatry.
Some scholars believe that the Nicolaitans were followers of Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism and one of the seven that the twelve apostles ordained when they turned their responsibility over to them so that they could give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:3-5)
A Call To Repent
Jesus calls all those who hold to false teachings to repent, otherwise, he will fight against us with the sword of his mouth.
But to the one who is victorious, he will give some of the hidden manna.
He will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. (Revelation 2:16-17)
The hidden manna is our inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, given by Jesus, the true bread from heaven, raising us up to eternal life.
The white stone is the new identity and status we are given, symbolising a deeper personal relationship with God, the Rock, Redeemer and raiser of the dead.
God's Faithfulness
Despite the challenges, hardships and temptations we are faced with, it is critical that we remain faithful.
Jesus, God in the flesh, is the ultimate source of spiritual nourishment, satisfying the deepest needs of believers and promising eternal life.
Inside each of us is a God-shaped hole, that can only be filled by the Source of all that is.
The Holy Spirit is the only Power capable of enabling us to overcome, guiding our steps and revealing all things, that we may walk the straight path and enter through the narrow gate.
We must live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), keeping He who sustains us in the forefront of our minds, being thankful for our blessings, trusting Him completely and KNOWING that He holds us in the palm of His hands.
The Teachings of God
The teachings of God are to bless us, that it may go well with us and the Holy Spirit is given by God to all those who obey him. (Acts 5:32)
God makes a way where there is none, He inspires, motivates, compels, warns and guides us, revealing things through dreams, visions and words of knowledge.
He puts words in our mouth and tells us what to say and do, He carries, nurtures and advocates for us, His Presence goes with us paving the way and He rains down blessings like manna from heaven when we are obedient.
The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), it strengthens and sustains us through prophecy, practical guidance and righteous principles to live by, corrects our course, refines, protects and keep us from going astray.
God's plans for us are to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11) and He has prepared what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
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