“I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles … ”
(Ezek. 20:41, NKJV)
We are currently concerned with the mystery of the manna and the quail. In the previous teaching we pointed out that the highway can also be translated as ladder or staircase, but interestingly enough also as quail! Firstly: manna and quail are a specific combination set, and need to be interpreted in relation with the other. As the specific food that was provided in the desert there needs to be some deeper, underlying typology linked to quail. This underlying typology should be able to shed some light on the fact that this provision eventually led to the terrifying “grave of lust”, which caused that many who began the trek out of Egypt, did not emerge from the desert. We looked at the two incidents during the Israelites’ desert history where quail were of issue, namely in Ex. 16 and Num. 11. Both narratives are preceded by the complaints of the people. Manna would literally fulfil ALL needs and tastes, also in the need for meat, but as Ps. 106:15 notes: “And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.” This statement, and the words of Joel Hecker, become absolute direction pointers to a deeper understanding: “He gave it [the quail] to them with the attribute of night … He gave them [the manna] with an illuminated visage, that is, the attribute of daytime …”!
Manna has the attribute of day/light, and quail the attribute of night/darkness! But both descend from the heavens/spiritual realm, and both carry fatness/anointing. Both are thus concerned with your high calling, but are absolute counters of the other.
We then linked everything to the key Scripture in Eph. 5, where Paul addresses the saints to become like Jesus, a gift and sacrifice with “a sweet aroma” (verse 3). The phrase “a sweet aroma” is often linked to commodities that carry a spiritual meaning, and which is offered in Ezek. 20:41 as this symbolic key: “I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.” THIS is the role of the sweet aroma – to demonstrate the Christ to all people and nations, when He is hallowed WITHIN US! This can only occur through your rhema identity in Christ, the symbolic pointer of the manna. The manna, we concluded, thus undeniably points to communion with the words of light, and quail undeniably point to communion with the words of darkness.
This short overview is aimed at refreshing the reader’s memory, but also to make sure that you clearly understand the truth of the revelation, and its unfolding. The Old Testament scripture in Ezekiel is the pendant of 2Thess. 1:10: “when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe …” Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
But: the counter of your rhema word – “the aroma of death leading to death” (2 Cor. 2:16) – carries the seed of the reason why you fell from before time, and is symbolically demonstrated by the lust for quail.
- Selah: What would “the aroma of death leading to death” mean?
- Read: 13-15 (how remarkable is this correlation!)
- Memorise: 14:20-21 (do not miss the depth of these verses!)
