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‘When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”’ (Genesis 42:1-2)
God has given Pharaoh a dream that after seven years of plenty, there will be seven years of famine. God has given this dream so people can be saved from famine. God has also given a dream to Joseph of his becoming a ruler in Egypt. Why? So that he can save people from the famine that is coming. Joseph’s dreams led to him giving literal grain (for bread) away. The dreams that the Father gives to us are centred on His mission of salvation through Jesus. Every Christian has access to a never-ending store of salvation for people - Jesus.
Jesus is the true bread
‘So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”’ (John 6:30-35)
The ‘manna’ (supernatural bread) while Israel were in the desert for forty years, like the grain that Joseph supplied speaks of Jesus; He saves from our spiritual desert and famine. We eat this ‘bread from heaven’ through faith. We eat by depending on Him for our salvation and everything else that we need.
RESPONSE
The crowds responded to Jesus’ words with, “Always give us this bread”. Do we say this? Do we have an appetite for Jesus? Do we daily depend on the cross and His living presence? Those in the desert had to go out each day to collect the Manna. Are you and I going out each day to feast on Jesus? If not, you will not be enjoying the promise that, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
And the overflow from eating the bread ourselves, is that we will give the bread away to others. Those who enjoy Jesus will be jealous that others come to enjoy Him also. We will be like the ‘four men with leprosy’. During the terrible famine caused by the siege of Samaria. They found that the enemy had fled and that there was an abundance of food available. As they feasted their consciences were provoked,
‘Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves…Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”’ (2 Kings 7:9)