Christ as Spiritual Food vs Christ as Spiritual Rock

 

Christ as Spiritual Food vs Christ as Spiritual Rock

1 Corinthians 10:3 "And they all ate the same spiritual food. 』

John 6:31 "Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, as it is written, "He gave them the bread from heaven to eat.""

Numbers 20:8 "Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth water for them out of the rock, for the congregation and their livestock, to drink. 』

John 7:37 On the last day of the festival, that great day, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”

John 7:38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. 

Comparison Aspects	Christ as Spiritual Food (Manna)	Christ as Spiritual Rock
Basic Meaning	Spiritual food for daily life supply of God's people, providing sustenance and satisfaction	Rock that was struck to flow living water, supplying believers with water of life (Holy Spirit)
Biblical Source	Exodus 16, John 6:31-35, 48-51, 57-58, 1 Cor 10:3	Exodus 17:6, Numbers 20:8, 1 Cor 10:4
Spiritual Examples	1. Golden pot of manna as center of God's dwelling place 2. Daily gathered manna as life-sustaining supply	1. Rock struck in wilderness flowing with living water 2. Christ crucified flowing with water and blood
Practical Application	1. Daily enjoying Christ as spiritual food 2. Living by eating Christ 3. Christ's characteristics becoming our characteristics	1. Drawing the Spirit's supply in faith 2. Applying Christ's death to ourselves 3. Asking Christ for the Spirit of life
Interrelationship	Both are different aspects of Christ as life supply: - Spiritual food focuses on sustenance and satisfaction - Spiritual rock focuses on thirst-quenching and supply	Both complement each other: - Need food to sustain life - Need living water to quench thirst
Related Scriptures	- John 6:57 "As the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me will live because of Me" - Phil 1:20-21 regarding magnifying Christ - Heb 9:3-4 regarding golden pot of manna	- John 19:34 "Blood and water came out" - John 7:37-39 regarding rivers of living water - Rom 8:2 law of the Spirit of life
Key Distinctions	1. Needs daily gathering 2. Emphasizes reconstituting function 3. For building God's dwelling place	1. Struck once with eternal efficacy 2. Emphasizes Spirit of life supply 3. For solving people's problems

 

Conclusion:

Both aspects of Christ - as spiritual food and spiritual rock - are vital for our spiritual experience. The food sustains and satisfies us daily, while the flowing water from the rock quenches our thirst and supplies us with the Spirit of life. Together, they provide a complete picture of Christ as our all-inclusive life supply.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 16 Our Spiritual Food, Our Spiritual Rock, and the Contents of the Lord’s Feast