In 16:34 we read that Aaron laid up the pot with an omer of manna “before the Testimony, to be kept.” Some translators of the Bible consider that the testimony here refers to the ark. We strongly disagree with this interpretation. In the Old Testament the testimony does not refer to the ark; it refers to the law of God, the Ten Commandments. The ark was called the ark of the testimony because the two tablets of the law were placed within the ark. Furthermore, the tabernacle was called the tabernacle of the testimony because it contained the testimony in the ark. Hence, the ark was the ark of the testimony, and the tabernacle was the tabernacle of the testimony. Within the ark in the tabernacle was God’s testimony, the law. If we say that the testimony in 16:34 refers to the ark, then the golden pot with the hidden manna must have been outside the ark, for this verse tells us that the pot was placed before the testimony. But by reading the Scriptures carefully, we shall see that the golden pot was within the ark along with “Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” (Heb. 9:4). The golden pot must have been placed directly in front of the two tablets within the ark.
This picture of the golden pot before the tables of the testimony indicates that the manna concealed in the pot corresponds to the Ten Commandments. This means that manna corresponds to God’s law. The manna contained in God’s nature corresponds to God’s testimony, which describes the nature of God and testifies concerning it. The law is a testimony of what God is. As we have pointed out a number of times, the law testifies that God is holy and righteous, and that He is light and love. These four attributes are the main aspects of the description of God’s nature afforded by the law. God’s nature is holy and righteous, and God Himself is light and love. The Ten Commandments describe these attributes and testify of them. The fact that the manna hidden in the golden pot was placed before the testimony indicates that manna corresponds to God’s testimony and meets its requirements.
We need to apply this to our Christian experience. The revelation in the Bible indicates that as regenerated ones we have God’s testimony within us. We have the law of life (Rom. 8:2), and we have a conscience. In our experience we have learned that our efforts in the natural life to fulfill God’s requirements always end in failure. There is nothing in the natural life which corresponds to God’s testimony. However, when we partake of manna as our life supply, the manna we eat becomes the hidden manna. This hidden manna, preserved in the divine nature within us, corresponds to the law of life and meets its requirements. In the words of Romans 8:4, the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in those who walk according to spirit.
The tables of the covenant in the ark indicate that God’s testimony is in Christ. This testimony makes demands upon us and requires certain things of us. In ourselves we cannot fulfill these demands and requirements, for we have nothing in us which corresponds to God’s testimony. But when we take Christ into us as our food and as our life supply, the hidden Christ, Christ as the hidden manna, brings us into line with God’s testimony. In other words, the Christ preserved within us causes us to correspond to God’s testimony.
We have seen that according to 16:34 the pot with the manna was “laid up before the Testimony.” Many versions capitalize the word testimony. If the testimony denotes the ark, then the golden pot with the hidden manna was outside the ark. But Hebrews 9:4 says plainly that the golden pot with the manna was in the ark. Therefore, the testimony in 16:34 must not refer to the ark, but to the tablets of the law which were in the ark. How significant this is when viewed in the light of our experience! The Christ we enjoy today is not outside of us, corresponding to God’s law. On the contrary, the Christ we enjoy is within us. Furthermore, this inward Christ corresponds to the law, which is also within us. We praise the Lord for the law of life within us. This law makes demands. But we have Christ as the inward, hidden manna to correspond to God’s testimony and to fulfill its demands. The Christ we eat and assimilate causes us to agree with the inner law of life. Therefore, we have three crucial items: the food, the testimony, and the correspondence of the food to the testimony. Hallelujah for the manna hidden in the divine nature, corresponding to the demands of the inner law of life! Because of this marvelous correspondence, we can be free from all struggle, strife, and fighting within. We can be at peace. On the one hand, we have the law with its demands; on the other hand, we have Christ as our life supply which corresponds to the law. As a result, we can be at peace.
At this point we need to be reminded that this experience is related to the church and takes place in the church. We have seen that the church is today’s tabernacle. Within the church as God’s tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, we have three inward matters: the hidden manna, the testimony, and the corresponding peace. As we experience these things in the tabernacle, we serve God, and God accepts our service. Furthermore, this is the place of God’s speaking, the place of His oracle.
The various aspects of the experience of the hidden manna are beyond human utterance. It is better that we do not say too much concerning them. It is sufficient simply to have a map to guide us in our spiritual experience. As we read this map, we shall understand our experience and know where we are regarding the hidden manna.