the sixth day

Everything God does is purposeful.  Nothing is wasted or insignificant.  In fact, some of the most meaningful treasures are hidden within symbolism expressed in the context of seemingly insignificant events.  The saga involving how that God fed Israel with manna, is one such case; though I do not mean to suggest that anything about God's provision is insignificant.

You (should) know the story.  If not, you can read about it in Exodus chapter 16.  Following is the part I want to focus on:

"And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field.  Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.  And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?  See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day"  (vv 25-29).

Prophetically speaking, the Millennial Kingdom Age is widely believed to correspond to the "seventh day" so often mentioned in Scripture.  Truly, it is going to be an epoch during which not only the Lord but His people as well shall have 'rest' (Yes, I well understand there is a most important present-day application of that "rest" - which is ours in Christ).  How will the Lord and His people have 'rest' during the soon coming Millennial Age?  The answer, I believe, has mostly to do with the fact that God, through Christ and His then-glorified Bride (which means 'post-Raptured Church'), firstly, we are going to put down all rebellion (during the Tribulation); and, secondly, we shall thereafter exercise absolute authority to reign throughout the whole world.

If that doesn't sound like "rest" to you, then you definitely need a spiritual checkup.

But, some may ask, if the Church shall then be glorified and will reign with Christ on the earth during that "seventh day," how is it that there shall be found no 'bread' during that time?  That idea seems counterintuitive, as they may suppose.

Consider, then, what is the meaning of "manna" ~ the bread wherewith Israel was fed in the wilderness.  That bread was to sustain them . . . until such time that they would come to be in possession of the "Promised Land;" after which time, the provision of manna ceased.  Manna was only provided to them during their journeys in the "wilderness."  But when they went out of the wilderness to take possession of the Promised Land (which, importantly, they had to take possession of that Land through intensive and somewhat protracted warfare ~ analogous to our warfare, as glorified saints, during the Tribulation), the provision of manna ceased upon their having entered Canaan (not after their warfare was completed).

The parallel, as I perceive it, is spot on.  The "seventh day," prophetically speaking, BEGINS on the day of the Rapture of the Church.  That shall surely be our day of "rest."  Yet, for those who shall be left on the earth it will be unto them a day wherein there shall no "bread" be found.  None.  Nor shall we then any longer be fed with "manna," in the sense which that is now the case.  For we shall then have entered our Promised Land, where our faith will then be sight.  Hallelujah to God!!!

But what of the sixth day?  If we are correct to identify the "seventh day" as I have just done; then, when is that "sixth day" ~ during which God did promise and provide a "double portion"?

That day is right now ~ the day before the seventh day.  On the sixth day, God did provide a "double portion" of manna.  Consider the implications of that for this present day....

Still, the people ~ who wanted to eat ~ had to go out and gather that double portion for themselves.  God provided it . . . to those who wanted it.

I believe God is even now raining down manna from heaven ~ in double measure ~ to those who want it.  Did He not say He would feed us during the famine? ("They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.  Psalm 37:19)  

Now, I am compelled to say somewhat more about the sixth day with its double portion...

I am still looking and praying for a great move of God's Spirit before the Rapture.  Though it truly does appear impossible for that to occur ~ if one looks at things as they presently are.  But if one looks instead at what God has done in the past; and, if one also looks toward what God is yet going to do in the future: in that context, it now rather seems impossible that God will not do something extraordinary to counteract the gross darkness that has overspread the whole world.  I cannot believe that God will leave this generation without a powerful, living witness of Himself.

Sure, it's been a long, hard fight to lay hold of the faith to believe for an outpouring of God's Spirit such as has not been seen in my own lifetime.  But what else should I expect?  What should you expect?  Israel, you will recall, had to fight, in order to take possession of Canaan.  But before they fought at Jericho, they first had to fight to overcome their own waywardness.  For, they saw that the unfaithful generation of their fathers did perish in the wilderness.  If they were ever going to possess their Promised Land, they must first possess themselves.  As proof of which, consider what a marvel it was that the whole host of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days ~ without uttering a sound!  No complaining.  No murmuring.  What a miracle that was!  But it speaks of a people subdued unto obedience; as also saith the Word in this: "...and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Cor. 10:6)