Who Is Jesus?နမူနာ

The Loaves and The Fish

Have you ever seen the Disney movie, “The Prince of Egypt?”

I’ll be honest — it is no Aladdin. 

Even the Lion King was a better film. 

But, unlike Aladdin or the Lion King, the Prince of Egypt was loosely based on a true story found in the Bible — the story of the Exodus. 

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, God uses Moses to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. Then the Israelites find themselves wandering through the wilderness tired, dirty, and hungry. They complain about a lack of food so God sends “manna” from heaven, which in the Hebrew language meant, “What is it?” 

This whole narrative is a huge part of the Biblical story. 

But you might be asking, “what does the Exodus have to do with the story we just read in the Gospels?” 

The answer is wrapped up in the bread. 

In John 6 the people find themselves in the wilderness without food. Jesus looks up to heaven in prayer, and bread miraculously comes down in provision. 

Does that sound a little familiar? 

Once again we have bread being miraculously provided for God’s people in the wilderness. 

So what does this tell us about Jesus’ identity in the context of God’s unfolding plan in history?

Moses wrote about a prophet greater than himself, a wonderful leader and representative for God, who was coming in the future. Jesus is fulfilling that promise and bringing about an even greater rescue. Jesus will be like a new Moses who leads a new Exodus to rescue God’s people from our slavery to sin. And, as God’s promised Saviour He will lead His people to the ultimate Promised Land, God’s new heavens and new earth, and provide spiritual nourishment to sustain His people until that day!

The story we just read also gives us an example of God inviting people like us to be part of his plan. 

This nameless boy could have hoarded his food to himself. He could have kept his meal, but he would have missed God’s miracle. Instead he was open-handed and generous, which allowed him to be a part of something bigger than himself! 

Do not miss out on what God is doing in the world because your heart and hands are closed to Him and to other people. Do not exchange a miracle for a measly meal, or immediate security for long-term impact in God’s kingdom. 

Instead, ask yourself, what is in your hands? What talents, gifts, abilities and resources has God given to you?  It may not look like much, but our God does not need much to do a miracle — He only needs five loaves and two fish. 

In other words, He only needs what is in your hands.