Proverbial Teachings: Chapter 16 Messiah Found
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Messiah was called many things, one title being the 'Bread of Life' in reference to the true manna from heaven.
“I Am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I Am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
- John 6: 48-51The message from Above is mysterious, inexplicable in human terms at times... yet fully understood in the heart's of the believers.
The mystery of 'who' Messiah is... is fully expressed in very simple terms, yet when to interpret the literal in place of the metaphoric, and back again, is what God reveals to the believer's heart.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...
...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...
...No one has ever seen God, but the One and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.
- John 1: 1, 14, 18In short; God became a man (flesh), and that man is called 'the Word of God' and also 'the Son of God' and many other terms.
It is only through the Son that mankind can really 'know' God... all other examples falling short of perfection.
It is only Messiah that made God known... all other 'ways' falling short of perfection.
God's Spirit came to fill His creation (humanity) forever, and He showed 'how' through Messiah.
God is Spirit (John 4: 24).
Thus God never vacated heaven nor the entirety of reality He eternally occupies when He came to dwell in the vessel of humanity as Yeshua (the Son)... and now the believers (the Church).
That is the very definition of 'Messiah' (Anointed One).
Regarding bread and the eating of it, consider the use of metaphors reflecting on the literal past:
Yeshua said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
Then Yeshua declared, “I Am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”
- John 6: 32-35If you continue reading the sixth chapter of John, you'll see some of Yeshua's contemporaries were thinking they had to literally eat Yeshua's flesh (or this was His teaching).
Much how someone could be said to 'consume' a good book (by reading it very quickly or joyously), so also does someone 'eat' the Word of God.
These consumers love according to the Gospel's teaching... live according to the Word of God... walk according to Yeshua's Path... survive death believing His promises; His example, His life, His death, His resurrection.
This is why the proverbial teaching in the 16th chapter says:
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
- Proverbs 16: 6Whose love and faithfulness atoned for sin?
Your love and faithfulness?
More likely the love and faithfulness of Messiah.
Our part is avoiding evil.
Another part of avoiding evil is to follow His work ethic.
Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
- Luke 9: 23-26Returning to the 16th proverbial chapter, consider what is says about 'work':
The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
- Proverbs 16: 26That hunger for His Word... to do what He teaches and commands.
In the avoidance of evil, the believer's heart and mind and earthly life is refined in ways unimaginable.
No two believers experience the same blessings or challenges in life... but all are promised a glorious resurrection.
Not all whose hair grows gray are reflective of this next verse from the 16th proverbial chapter.
This kind of grayness is from the narrow path of avoiding evil and striving for what is good... and only God is good:
Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
- Proverbs 16: 31Notice how Yeshua the Messiah is literally the way of righteousness... and also our righteousness.
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