Miraculous Meals
In the Bible, God provided food for his people by divine power. Some-times the meals were miraculous for their quantity, sometimes for their source, and sometimes for their timing. Do you know the details?

1. This man fed 100 men with 20 barley rolls, saying, "Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: 'They will eat and have some left over.'" Who was it?

A. Jesus
B. Elisha
C. Isaiah

2. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, how often did God provide them with manna?

A. three times a day for 40 days
B. once a day for 40 years
C. once a week for 40 years

3. After a year in the wilderness, the Israelites were tired of eating manna and asked God for meat. He sent quail—enough to feed 600,000 men for how long?

A. one month
B. one week
C. a fortnight

4. For 40 days, Jesus fasted in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. Jesus' first meal came by what means?

A. angels fed him
B. he turned stones into bread
C. ravens brought it

5. Elijah asked a Gentile widow to give him her last morsel of food, promising God's provision. Her obedience paid off—with a never-ending supply of what?

A. oil
B. water
C. flour and oil

6. Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The leftovers filled how many baskets?

A. 7
B. 12
C. 3

7. Elisha and his fellow prophets sat down to enjoy some stew, accidentally made with poisonous gourds. God made the food safe to eat after Elisha added what ingredient?

A. salt
B. bones
C. flour

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1. B. Elisha (2 Kings 4:42-44). According to Mosaic law, an offering of the first ripe grain was for the priests. Because the priests at Bethel and Dan worshiped idols, God's followers brought the loaves to Elisha, which he shared with the people. Jesus instructed his disciples to do the same (Matt. 10:8).

2. B. once a day for 40 years (Exodus 16). The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would again feed them with manna, the "bread from heaven." Jesus confirmed their expectations: "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35).

3. A. one month (Num. 11:4-34). When the Israelites complained about their diet of manna, God gave them over to their lusts, which turned into punishment for their ungratefulness. "But while the meat was still between their teeth �?he struck them with a severe plague."

4. A. angels fed him (Matt. 4:11). Satan wanted Jesus to doubt God's pro-vision and turn the stones into bread. But Jesus trusted God. Like Jesus, we will also experience both temptation and God's provision in our lives (1 Cor. 10:13).

5. C. flour and oil (1 Kings 17:12-16). Jesus reminded the Jewish leaders of this Old Testament story when they refused to believe in him, saying that Elijah had been sent, not to the unbelieving Israelites, but to a Gentile widow (Luke 4:25-26).

6. B. 12 (John 6:1-13). The five loaves and two fish seemed insufficient for the needs of so many. Yet through the power of Christ, the meal was transformed. Jesus is able to satisfy all who come to him in faith.

7. C. flour (2 Kings 4:38-41). Just as one man's mistake would have brought death to all who ate the stew, Adam's sin brought death to the entire human race (Gen. 3:23). The flour is a picture of Christ: "He was crushed for our iniquities �?and by his wounds we are healed" (Isa. 53:5).

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Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Reader magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail [email protected].
March/April 1999, Vol. 37, No. 2, Page 35

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