Connect Matthew 14:21 with Old Testament examples of God's miraculous provision. Setting the Scene: Matthew 14:21 - “About five thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.” (Matthew 14:21) - Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, blesses them, breaks them, and satisfies a vast crowd with abundant leftovers. Echoes of Manna: Exodus 16 - “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you.” (Exodus 16:4) - “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.” (Exodus 16:15) - God feeds every Israelite, every day, for forty years. Like the loaves, the manna appears where there is no natural source of food, proving that the Creator is not limited by circumstances. Quail and Water in the Wilderness: Numbers 11 & 20 - “A wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea.” (Numbers 11:31) - “A great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.” (Numbers 20:11) - Meat for the evening, water for the thirsty—God supplies both protein and hydration in the desert. Jesus’ feast beside the Sea of Galilee mirrors these provisions with fish and bread. Oil That Never Ran Dry: 1 Kings 17:8-16 - “The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry.” (1 Kings 17:14) - Elijah’s word, backed by God’s power, stretches a meager pantry through an entire famine. In Galilee, the living Word stands in person, multiplying food on the spot. Loaves That Multiplied: 2 Kings 4:42-44 - “They will eat and have some left over.” (2 Kings 4:43) - “So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.” (v. 44) - Elisha feeds one hundred men with twenty barley loaves; Jesus feeds thousands with five, underlining that He is greater than Elisha. Patterns We Notice • Human need in a barren place • A small, inadequate supply placed in God’s hands • A spoken word of blessing or command • Supernatural multiplication that meets the need fully • Abundance left over, highlighting divine generosity Why It Matters Today • The same Lord who provided manna, quail, oil, and multiplied loaves still reigns; His resources remain limitless. • Whatever we place in His hands—time, talent, finances—can be multiplied for His purposes. • Leftovers remind us that God’s provision is not barely enough; it overflows, inviting faith for tomorrow. |
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