Let us once again return to both the Sermon on the Mount and the forty years in the wilderness. In both passages, we learn why it is important to rely on God more than on ourselves. God provided manna daily, but only for that day. He wanted the Israelites to rely on Him daily. Similarly, Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow. This is a concept that many in the Western world seem to have forgotten. Manna spoiled overnight because God would not let His people secure tomorrow instead of trusting Him today.
Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Christian Standard Bible (Dt 8:2–3). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
God let the Israelites go hungry so that He could feed them. This was to bring them to a place of humility. It’s similar to how we may choose to fast. If humility is not at the core of your fasting, then you have already lost the true meaning. The most humble thing followers of Christ can do is submit to God’s will and provision. We do not live on bread alone—or money alone, but on the word of the Lord.
Sometimes God has to chasten us to remind us who is in control of the wealth of this world.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the Old Testament. (p. 197). David C Cook.
Humility is an essential part of the Christian journey. God made humanity capable and gave it dominion over the rest of creation. That has been twisted to give us more power. This happens because God gave us freewill so that we can willingly submit to Him. We are supposed to steward the talents and abilities God has given us—not take them and turn our backs on Him. True freedom doesn’t come from controlling the wealth of this world, it comes from realizing who does.
God kept testing you, letting you get hungry, then feeding you, to show you that people do not live on bread alone (that is, in the context, on whether they can produce their own bread) but on whether God speaks the word that issues in bread to eat.
Goldingay, J. (2010). Numbers and Deuteronomy for Everyone (p. 127). Westminster John Knox Press; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
How do we view this idea in a modern context? God is not back in the bakery, making our bread at the grocery store. We must look harder to see how God is providing for us! Remarkably, at the same time, we don’t have to look very hard at all because to believe in Yahweh as the Creator of the Universe and to believe that everything is a gift from Him.
The mind of man is fickle and very forgetful, especially with regard to benefits and blessings bestowed by someone else, including the blessings of God.
Hanke, H. A. (1967). The Book of Deuteronomy. In Genesis-Deuteronomy (Vol. 1:1, p. 500). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
If asked to recall your greatest achievements, you can probably remember many things from years ago. For me, it would include my PR in the 1500-meter run in 2019, finishing graduate school this past November, and getting my black belt in Taekwondo in 2013. I didn’t have to look any of these up because it is easy for us to remember what we’ve done for ourselves. How can we be this good at remembering what God has given us? Of course, there are some easy answers. God created the whole universe in which we exist. Yet, we can forget to thank Him for every inhale, exhale, and heartbeat we had today. What about how God helped us reach those aforementioned greatest achievements? The same God who painted the vastness of the night sky also allowed us to wake up each morning.
The word so in verse 30 indicates a conclusion to Jesus’ arguments. Don’t worry (6:25). Questions of what to eat or drink or wear are questions asked by pagans—literally Gentiles—not by believers (6:31). To run after these things is to ignore the fact that God knows we need them. It also expresses a lack of trust that God will provide those things. The antidote to such lack of trust is to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness in the confidence that God will supply all these things as well (6:33). Choosing to worry about tomorrow will not take care of tomorrow, for each tomorrow has enough trouble of its own (6:34). Only trusting God will securely take care of tomorrow.
Hahn, R. L. (2007). Matthew: a commentary for Bible students (p. 105). Wesleyan Publishing House.
What to eat or drink, how much money we’ll make, how we’ll do in a performance or competition, what the weather will be like… these are all secondary for those who follow Yahweh. Hahn is stressing that this is what the pagans worry about. Those who bow at the altar of naturalism or humanism. We are called to freedom. We are called to be like Christ. We are called to be made holy. It is backwards to confess Christ as King of Kings and dedicate more time and energy to stressing about finances. The Manna Principle is our high calling. It’s the entire point of Jesus!! He returns us to this in the Sermon on the Mount precisely because the Israelites had failed to trust God’s provision. Jesus came and atoned for our unlawfulness and opened up the New Covenant to all of humanity! Why? Because if the wilderness wasn’t enough of a reminder for Israel, the Cross will be more than enough of a reminder for the Church. Let us hear what Jesus said.
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Mt 6:34). (2021). Friendship Press.
There is no promise of an easy life. Today will have troubles. The Word of the Lord simply tells us that God will provide what we need in those troubles. He will also provide everything we need every second of our lives.
I’ve definitely pivoted to a more academic standing with this blog. This is mostly because my theological teaching niche is currently confined to this platform. I would hate for us to lose the value of art, and one of my favorite hobbies is singing. So I’ll end us with one of my favorite choruses in a worship song because singing about it being God’s breath while using that breath is powerful.
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You onlyngram, J., Leonard, D., & Jordan, L. (2013). Great Are You Lord [Song recorded by All Sons & Daughters]. Sony/ATV Timber Publishing; Open Hands Music; Integrity’s Praise! Music; PT Nadaku Musik; Little Way Creative.
Moments with Emmanuel 