The Significance of Bread in the Bible

How many times does the word bread appear in the Bible? One source says 360 times, one source says 381 times and one source says 492 times. Perhaps it just depends on which version of the Bible you are reading. One writer claims "bread" is the most popular word in the Bible.

From Genesis through Revelation the significance of bread in the Bible is so important that it is still celebrated in both the Jewish and Christian faiths, today.

The Hebrew word for house or place is beit and the Hebrew word for bread is lechem. So beit lechem in Hebrew or Bethlehem in English means house of bread. Could Jesus (the Bread of Life) be born anywhere else?

So, what difference does it make if the bread is wheat or Barley?

When I was in my late 20's Rev. Tom Huxtable asked me to be a Sunday school teacher. I really didn't want to be a Sunday school teacher so I told Tom I didn't know enough about the Bible to teach it to anyone else. Then I said that all I knew about the Bible I learned in children's Sunday school. That was definitely the wrong thing to have said to Tom. He jumped right on that and he said, "Well that is really all you need to know to teach the children." Then he said something that really changed the Christian aspect of my life. He said, "Find something in the Bible that you love and read about it and the rest will take care of itself."

So, I just started reading about the plants and flowers of the Bible as I had always loved flowers. One thing kept leading to another. While reading about nonflowering plants, I started reading about wheat. Reading about wheat versus barley, it made me angry with God. Wheat had the reputation for making the best bread. Wheat was mainly grown in Egypt. It was way too expensive for the Hebrew people to buy. So, they bought barley instead which was half the price of wheat. They not only ate the barley themselves; they fed it to their animals as well.

Why, I kept wondering, if bread was so important to His chosen people, couldn't God make it possible for them to eat the best bread? I was still upset with God. It bothered me so much that I went searching for barley flour and baked a loaf of barley bread to taste it for myself. It was absolutely delicious with a kind of nut-like flavor. It was then I felt sure God was up there in heaven smiling and laughing at such a one as I am. I definitely needed to tell God I was very sorry for thinking what I had been thinking.

I kept on reading about bread in the bible and I soon learned that if bread was specifically named as barley bread in the story, there was going to be a miracle. What do I mean by that?

For example, in the Book of Judges 7:13 (New Oxford Bible) Gideon is spying on the Midianites and he hears a man telling a dream about a barley roll that tumbled into their camp. After Gideon heard the whole dream, he changed his battle plans winning the battle without the use of one weapon.

Another example of a barley story miracle is in the Book of Ruth. Ruth meets Boaz during the Barley harvest and they eventually get married and have a son named, Obed. Through this meeting, Ruth becomes the great grandmother of David, the King, and thus an ancestor of Jesus.

I'll cite one more example of the miracle of a barley story It's in the NT in the Book of John (6:9). "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish." What happened in this story? Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the 5,000. How do you multiply bread? Jesus just told us. You ask the Father to bless it!

Tom Huxtable taught me so much about how to read the Bible. When you just start reading about one simple thing you love in the Bible, you discover so many beautiful and interesting stories that teach you about your faith. From this experience, I learned to search for answers to whatever questions I had (no matter how stupid they were). Like 1) Who was Barabbas and why did we only hear of him during Jesus' trial and never again? Or 2) If swaddling bands were the way babies were dressed in Jesus' day, why was so much made of wrapping Jesus in them and then placing Jesus in a manger? Was that important?

Over the years, I've had so many of these kinds of questions and when I finally find the answers it is so uplifting and only serves to deepen my faith. I'm 86 now (60+ years later) and I'm still looking for answers to my questions!

Recently, I've been trying to learn if Ruth, the Moabite Princess, (from the Book of Ruth) was half black as some scholars claim she was while other scholars disagree saying it can't be proven. Though I will continue to seek the answer to Ruth's ancestry, my faith tells me it is not really important because in God's eyes, there is only one race - the human race!

 

Judy Welch

Advent is a Preparation Time

I hear the voice of someone shouting, “Make a highway for the Lord through the wilderness. Make a straight, smooth road through the desert for our God. Fill the valleys and level the hills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots.  Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!” Isaiah 40:3-5 

In this Old Testament scripture, Isaiah is telling of the coming of Jesus. He says to prepare a straight, smooth road and remove obstacles and prepare for the coming of Jesus. Advent is the time for us to prepare for the coming of Jesus. We (I am as guilty as many of you are) seem to be caught up in preparing for Christmas- busyness, deadlines, being stressed, and overburdened with things to do and buy.  

What has happened to our preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus? We need to pray to open our hearts to Jesus - to straighten the paths of our lives, to take away obstacles and distractions and temptations, and to reflect on God’s word and to bring the light of Jesus into our life. With God’s help, I am changing my ways and will prepare myself for the birth of Jesus during this Advent Season and I hope that you will too. 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help us prepare for the coming of Jesus and bring the light of Jesus into our life during this Advent Season. Amen

Susan Taylor (reprinted from the 2013 Advent Book)    

In the Pause Comes Peace

 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and your minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Trying to keep my focus on the One who's the “reason for the season” is difficult -He often gets shoved aside by the demands of a daunting to-do list.  How can I possibly pause to reflect on the birth of Jesus, when there's SO much to do...and so little time to do it?! Besides, I can just wait until the Advent services, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to do all my reflecting...right? Wrong. This is the very reason the Christmas season has always been so stressful for me. To find the peace I so badly need, reflecting on - and conversing with - Jesus needs to happen daily!

In her devotion, “The Treasure of Thrown-Away Food”, Lysa TerKeurst says we can find “a powerful peace centered in the awareness of God's presence.” She suggests we start by “noticing something for which to be thankful - no matter the circumstance.” If we remember to keep our eyes open, we can always find something. Also, she says we must “pause to acknowledge this something as a reminder of God's presence”. (Yes, pause! The to-do list can wait.) In this pause, we then “choose to focus on God's presence until his powerful peace is unleashed.” Notice that the outcome of proclaiming thanksgiving is peace - just as the scripture from Philippians (above) reminds us.

I believe when we “choose to focus on God's presence”, we willingly give Him our complete attention, patiently keep our eyes and ears open, and trust him with all our hearts. If we are “those whose minds are steadfast” (Isaiah 26:3), it's then that, in the midst of all the chaos and to-do lists, we can find His “perfect peace”.  A powerful peace that “exceeds anything we can understand”. A peace that will “guard our hearts and minds” this Christmas season.

Prayer: Prince of Peace, forgive us for being too busy and distracted to keep our focus on you. Help us to remember each and every day to pause and approach you with thankful hearts and steadfast minds. And thank you so much for the “powerful peace you unleash” in our hearts when we do. Amen.

Sharon Irvin (reprinted from 2016)

Half a Loaf Is

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life:  he that cometh to me shall never hunger. John 6:33, 35 (KJV)

Being in my kitchen is sheer pleasure! Over the years, cooking and baking have provided many enjoyable hours. My favorite thing to bake is bread. I love the fragrance of a loaf of wheat bread baking in the oven.

Without preservatives, the shelf life of homemade bread is limited, and living alone I find it is imperative to share half a loaf.

Sharing bread often takes me to a friend’s home where I can enjoy a cup of afternoon tea and a good visit. My older friends, those who have lived longer than eight decades, are always the most appreciative. Often, along with their warmest thanks, they will add, “You are a lifesaver because I just haven’t felt like going shopping.”

Each time someone calls me a lifesaver, I think of the Latin-derived word for friend:  companion. A companion is one who comes “with bread” (cum panis) or one who eats bread with another. In Bible times (before the refining of flour), a companion was one who came with bread, which contained all the nutrients needed to sustain life. Since my friends and I have often discussed the meaning of the word, “companion,” they know that my reply to being called a “lifesaver” will always be the same: “Isn’t that what friends are for?”

Being a Christian friend and having a Christian friend just makes our lives seem so much richer, but it is when we know Jesus Christ well enough to call Him our friend that we understand the true meaning of the word, “companion.” Christ came bringing bread – the Bread of Life—that we might never hunger.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son, Jesus, to share The Living Bread, that we might partake and find eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Judith Welch (reprinted from 2022)

Readjusting to the Dark

 

Read Luke 2:15-20

If you live in the northern hemisphere, Christmas means winter, cooler temperatures, shorter days, and longer nights. The shortest day and longest night of the year—the winter solstice— falls just a few days before we celebrate Jesus’ birth. We are eager and ready to connect Jesus’ birth to the return of light and warmth!

But in the southern hemisphere, Christmas falls during summer, just a few days after the longest day and shortest night of the year. In Australia, some people have pool parties on Christmas day! Though Christmas is full of light, it also starts a season of shorter days and longer nights. Jesus’ coming is still good news, no matter where you are! The Gospel is about inclusive, unconditional love.

After the shepherds encountered the angels in bright light, they were suddenly left in darkness again. To find the newborn baby, Jesus, they readjusted from the sudden bright light to begin their journey in the dark. Of course, they’re not the same shepherds as they were before the angels came to them. Now they know about Jesus, and they are on a journey toward him. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s dark, but it does change what they do in that darkness and how they travel through it: with hope and wonder.

Our world doesn’t always feel hopeful or love-filled. On Christmas, we celebrate the hope and love Jesus continues to bring to our hurt and pain. Still, even as we adjust to the world again after the celebrations of Christmas, following Jesus changes how we live and the way we move through the world. Because of Jesus, we try to show love and have hope in a world needing both. 

Discussion/Reflection Questions:

•             How would you celebrate Christmas if it was during the summer instead?

•             What happens when you first go from a well lit place into darkness?  What happens to your eyes so you can see even without a light?

•             What are some hard things about the world today? How does Jesus teach us to respond to those hard things?

Activity:

All over the world, people are participating in the season of Advent, looking forward to Christmas Day. As we learned in the reflection today, some places celebrate Christmas with sunshine and hot weather. Some places celebrate Christmas with snow and cooler temperatures.

For example, Costa Rica is in a tropical region where Christmas occurs during the rainy season. It is warm and wet! Costa Ricans love to eat apples at Christmas time—they are a special treat!

In cold subarctic Finland, people often light up cemeteries with Christmas lights and decorations. The Finnish spend Christmas remembering their loved ones who have died.

Now, take a moment and pray for the people of all regions that they might be safe, well- nourished, and joyful this Christmas season.

Prayer: God, thank you for the people of ___________. You love them very much, and you care about their needs. Today we pray they might be safe, have the food and supplies they need, and find joy during this Advent season. And if there is a way for us to bless the people of ___________ , please help us find it and we will get to work. Thank you for our siblings in all the countries of the world. Amen.

reprinted with permission from Illustrated Ministry, originally shared on this page in 2020.

For Unto Us a Child is Born

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6  

On November 19 Voices of Omaha performed Handel’s Messiah at the Holland Center.  This was the 49^th annual performance on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Six of us high school classmates traveled to Omaha to watch another classmate and his daughter sing in the choir.  The Halleluiah chorus was magnificent but so were the other songs as well.  My favorite thing to do at musical performances is to close my eyes so I can really listen to the words and sounds. You can just feel the music.  It is such a joy and moves me so that I take a sharp breath in! 

 

I particularly liked the song “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and its descriptions of Jesus from Isaiah.  Those descriptions of Jesus reminded me of the memorable and uplifting video during an Eastridge sermon many years ago where we watched the video of Dr. S. M. Lockridge “That’s My King”.  Dr. Lockridge was the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego.  This portion is the last six minutes of a sermon in 1976.  It is well worth the six minutes to watch it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE

 

During this Advent season may the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace be known to you in a personal way. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, come now and reign in me, Be Lord of my life this hour.

Come be my Counselor and my God, My source of wisdom and power.

Watch o'er me with your Father care, My heart and my mind, fill with peace.

I worship you, my Lord and King, My praise will never cease. AMEN.  (Lyrics from Handel’s Messiah “For Unto Us A Child is Born”)

 

Cathy Schapmann (reprinted from 2017)

Words for Advent

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”   Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,   “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”   When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”   So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Luke 2:10-20 

This year, I have a nativity set in my church office that I received as a gift, which fits perfectly in the window near my phone. As I’m answering calls for the Food Pantry, or any phone call, I can see each character in the scene and consider his/her role. This seems to fit well with our word theme this Advent. The Advent study that my group did this season (Pauses for Advent by Trevor Hudson) explores a word a day as well.

Here’s what I mean:

Word for the day: Mary. In our Wednesday morning Advent study, the day that focuses on Mary looks at her willingness to bear God’s son. “Let it be with me according to your Word” (Luke 1:38). The study encourages us to find a quiet moment in our day and present ourselves to God and willingly offer our will as Mary did.

Word for the day: Angel. The study suggests we look for angels in our daily lives, remembering that as we offer hospitality, we may be “entertaining angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2).

Word for the day: Joseph. The study points out that even though we hear no spoken words from Joseph’s mouth in gospel passage, his actions speak loudly. He follows God’s guidance and steps out in faith.

Word for the day: The Magi. The Magi “encourage us to be serious about our seeking”. “When we strive to seek and to surrender, the miracle of Christmas can happen every day.”

Word for the day: The Shepherds. We’re encouraged to take a closer look at those who are considered “outsiders”. Maybe YOU feel like an outsider. We all have those who may be considered outsiders in our midst. Ask God to help you notice them and reach out to them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be more aware this Advent season, and always. Help me remember that I am representing You to the world and help me be obedient to act accordingly. Thank you for sending Your son, Jesus. Amen.

Donna Gustafson (reprinted from 2017)