Poor people get subsidized or free rice or wheat. Sometimes, poor people bitterly weep as they are not edible, with dust, chaff, worms and rotten. Not even fit for animals. They feel helpless and hopeless. Can they have stomach full and have a sense of satisfaction? Many are enduring perpetual poverty. There are many kinds of bread or food.
1) Bread, but not bread: Prophet Isaiah calls upon people to think why they spend for which is not food. “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” (Isaiah 55:2)
2) Bread of toil: God has to bless our life. If not, our food would be ‘bread of toil’ or bread of anxiety. (Psalm 127:2) There are millions around the world who eat bread of toil with bitterness, anxiety and hopelessness.
3) Bread of mourners: Jeremiah declared that there would deadly punishment for the Nation of Israel. There would be deadly diseases, death and lamentation. And Jeremiah was warned not to go to the house of mourning. (Jeremiah 16:4,5) After death a feast is prepared consisting of ‘the bread of mourners’ (Hosea 9:4; Ezekiel 24:17)
4) Show Bread: In the tabernacle and Temple bread was always present. Twelve loaves were placed on Sabbath and replaced by the priests. That was sign for Messiah, Lord Jesus Christ who is the bread. (Leviticus 24:5-9)
5) Bread of life: Lord Jesus said: “I am Bread of Life…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 11:35; 6:51) Lord Jesus compared his body to the bread and blood to wine, which are elements of New Covenant celebration. (I Corinthians 11:24-26)
Do I celebrate Lord Jesus the Bread of Life?