As king and judge

When Christ was before Pontius Pilate, he said that his kingdom was no part of this world, though he did not deny being a king. (John 18:36, 37) He did not then manifest himself as a potentate, the time for taking his kingdom authority not having arrived. Nevertheless, there would come a time when “the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ” would be clearly recognized, when he would exercise authority as “the happy and only Potentate” and “the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords.”—1 Tim. 6:13-16; Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14.

In view of the coming Kingdom and of Christ’s manifestation, Paul said to Timothy: “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom, preach the word.” (2 Tim. 4:1, 2) The apostle thus pointed to the time when Christ’s glorious position in heaven would be made unmistakably manifest, when he would make God’s judgments felt in the earth.

In destroying the “man of lawlessness”

In writing to Christians in Thessalonica “respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Paul urged them not to be shaken from their reason or to be excited by any message “to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.” The symbolic “man of lawlessness,” which had been operating for centuries in opposition to God and Christ, would then be brought to nothing “by the manifestation of his presence.” This “lawless one” would recognize Christ’s presence, not by faith, as would Christians, who loved his manifestation, but by Jesus’ power manifested in annihilating those of this composite “man.”—2 Thess. 2:1-8; see MAN OF LAWLESSNESS.

MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT AND THE TRUTH

After the holy spirit was poured out on Christ’s disciples, the fact of its invisible operation on these disciples was ‘manifested’ by visible evidences. Some of these were: the ability to speak in foreign tongues, gifts of healing, discernment of inspired utterances, and other miraculous gifts. (1 Cor. 12:7-10) The apostle Paul also speaks of “making the truth manifest” to others by the good conduct and preaching of Christians.—2 Cor. 4:2.

MANNA

(manʹna).

The main food of the Israelites during their forty-year trek in the wilderness. (Ex. 16:35) Manna was first provided by Jehovah in the wilderness of Sin during the last half of the second month after Israel’s coming out of Egypt in 1513 B.C.E. (Ex. 16:1-4) It served as food for them until they entered Canaan in 1473 B.C.E. and partook of the produce of the Promised Land.—Josh. 5:10-12.

Manna appeared on the ground with the evaporation of a layer of dew that developed in the morning, so that “upon the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flaky thing, fine like hoarfrost upon the earth.” When the Israelites first saw it, they said, “What is it?” or, literally, “Man hu’”? (Ex. 16:13-15; Num. 11:9) This is the probable origin of the name, the Israelites themselves beginning to call this food “manna.”—Ex. 16:31.

DESCRIPTION

Manna was “white like coriander seed” and had the “look” of bdellium gum, a waxlike and transparent substance having a form that resembles a pearl. Its taste was comparable to “that of flat cakes with honey” or “an oiled sweet cake.” After being ground in a hand mill or pounded in a mortar, manna was boiled or made into cakes and baked.—Ex. 16:23, 31; Num. 11:7, 8.

No natural substance known today fits the Biblical description of manna in every respect and so there is little basis for identifying it with a known product. This is especially so because miraculous aspects were involved in Jehovah’s providing manna for the Israelites. The availability of manna did not depend on the time of year or a particular wilderness location. Although breeding worms and beginning to stink on all the other days if kept overnight, the additional omer of manna gathered on the sixth day, to be used as food on the sabbath, did not spoil. No manna could be found on the sabbath, this serving to enforce sabbath observance on the Israelites.—Ex. 16:19-30.

Probably the family head gathered the manna for the entire household. Since the manna melted when the sun got hot, he doubtless quickly gathered the approximate supply needed for the household and afterward measured it. Whether little or much was gathered, depending upon the size of the household, the amount collected always proved to be one omer per person. (Ex. 16:16-18) The apostle Paul alluded to this when encouraging the Christians at Corinth to use their material surplus to offset the material deficiency of their brothers.—2 Cor. 8:13-15.

PURPOSE

Jehovah let the Israelites go hungry in the wilderness and then furnished manna to teach them “that not by bread alone does man live but by every expression of Jehovah’s mouth does man live.” Jehovah did this ‘in order to humble them and put them to the test so as to do them good in their afterdays.’ (Deut. 8:3, 16) When the Israelites tired of manna and began calling it “contemptible bread,” Jehovah punished their rebellion by sending poisonous serpents among them, causing the death of many.—Num. 21:5, 6.

The psalmist referred to manna as “the grain of heaven” (Ps. 78:24), “bread from heaven” (Ps. 105:40) and “the very bread of powerful ones.” (Ps. 78:25) Angels are described as being “mighty in power” (Ps. 103:20) and therefore could be called “powerful ones.” This, however, would not mean that angels actually eat manna but that God may have used angelic means in providing it for the Israelites. (Compare Galatians 3:19.) Or, since heaven is the dwelling place of the “powerful ones,” the expression “bread of powerful ones” may simply point to its heavenly source.

“HIDDEN MANNA”

So that future generations might see manna, Aaron was to deposit before Jehovah a jar containing an omer (2 dry quarts, 2.2 liters) of manna. After the golden ark of the covenant was completed, a “golden Jar” of manna was put inside this sacred chest. (Ex. 16:32-34; Heb. 9:4) It was literally, “hidden manna.” About five centuries later, however, when the Ark was transferred from the tent that David had erected for it to the temple that Solomon had built, the golden jar was missing. (2 Sam. 6:17; 1 Ki. 8:9; 2 Chron. 5:10) It had served its purpose.

Although the manna was a divine provision (Neh. 9:20), it did not sustain the lives of the Israelites forever. Christ Jesus made a point of this, and then added: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.” (John 6:30-33, 48-51, 58) Christ’s faithful anointed followers life.” Christ used the jar of manna symbolically when he assured such ‘conquerors’ that they would receive the “hidden manna,” an imperishable food supply or that which results from such a supply, in their case, immortality and incorruptibility in heaven.—Rev. 2:17; 1 Cor. 15:53.

MANOAH

(Ma·noʹah) [rest].

A Danite man of the Shephelah town of Zorah (Josh. 15:33) and the father of Judge Samson. Manoah was a devout worshiper of Jehovah.

One day an angel appeared to Manoah’s barren wife, announcing that she would give birth to a son who would be a Nazirite of God. Upon being informed