Has it ever happened to you before where you overhear a conversation, either between your friends, siblings, or family members and suddenly you hear, "clean the cat"? The first thought that goes through your head is probably, "What madness is this?". Knowing that cats are extremely clean creatures you go and investigate.
After the first round of laughs and a second round of asking what the conversation is about you find out your mom was asking your dad to clean up the mess the cat made and there is no cat cleaning. You overheard a conversation and missed the initial part of the story, the main context.
Generally, I don't even try and use analogies, metaphors, or any fancy types of language constructs to present a point. Today though is the exception with my "cleaning the cat" story.
The point here is how important it is to have context. Context can be the difference between grasping the point and missing it altogether.
Aaron was the spokesperson to Pharoah, not Moses, why? Jesus said the end times will be like the days of Noah. How was it in those days? Jesus tested the Pharisees with regards to the true bread from heaven in John the 6th chapter. And this is where I first realised that context is key!
Jesus said, "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. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." - John 6:32.33
But that makes no sense, I do have a vague idea of what Jesus is referring to, it's the manna, right? So what, it's not important is it? That my friend is where you are wrong.
Modern Christianity focuses too much on chasing euphoria and ecstatic feelings and not chasing after the pure milk of the Word. There is too much misguided, "I am led by the Spirit" (of the New Testament) and too little steadfast, "Thus saith the Lord" (of the old Testament)
There needs to be balance and I believe that the balance partly lies in the context that the Old Testament gives us about Jesus, His love, His plan of Redemption, and His Ministry in the earthly as well as heavenly sanctuary. a Bird cannot fly with one wing, we cannot run with just one leg, that's called limping.
The Holy Spirit can't lead and we can't follow if we purely have the context of spiritual things in the New Testament. God, Himself said, "They shall mount up with wings like eagles" in Isaiah 40:31, how then do you want to fly with one spiritual wing? Without ever being able to discern where you are going because your context of the Bible, in general, is broken, lacking, and distorted?
Let us get back to the point at hand. Jesus in the 6th chapter of John was referring to the Manna in the Wilderness of Sinai (Shocker, I know) in Exodus chapter 16. This chapter in turn has four counterparts: Numbers 11, Deuteronomy 8, Joshua 5, and Psalm 78.
These four counterparts helps to expound, explain, expand, and expose the same underlying theme: obedience to God and dependence on Him.
You see, Jesus here was referring to Israel that will need to go through the same test as in the Wilderness, that of being humbly dependent and obedient to God and accepting His providence and will as found in Jesus Christ. We are today's spiritual Israel that needs to go through the same trials to lay hold of the true Bread of Life, Christ the Lamb. In Him alone lies our salvation. We are dependant on Him.
We cannot be saved through our obedience but we cannot be saved without it either.
We are saved from our sins, not in our sins, but with inherent sin, we cannot be saved. We must forsake all, deny self, pick up our cross, crucify the flesh, and be obedient unto death if needs be. Then through the uplifting power of the Holy Spirit, we will be given power, grace, and strength that knows no bounds to follow the footsteps of our Master and thus find peace with Him.
May you all be richly blessed as you ponder these points of significance. Wisdom & truth lies in the details.
