And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
The command to sit down on the ground was given to a Gentile multitude in Decapolis on the mountain beside the Sea of Galilee to prepare them to be fed. They had continued with Him three days with nothing to eat, sleeping at night in the open air and pressing by day to hear His words and to bring their sick and lame to be laid at His feet for healing. Those healed included the lame, blind, dumb and maimed and many others, and the people glorified the God of Israel.
The command expressed tender solicitude like a pitying father mindful of the wants of thousands who forgot the wants of nature to listen with deepest interest to His ministry of truth. Though often hungry Himself He was awake to their necessities, and He had compassion and would not send them away hungry or fasting lest they faint in the way. He remembered fainting Himself after His long fast in the wilderness of temptation when angels ministered to Him, and without hesitation He wrought a miracle to feed the thousands who had followed Him to hear the gracious words from His lips.
When He called the disciples to give them food, they answered in unbelief and Jewish prejudice by asking how bread could be found in the wilderness for these Gentiles and heathen, though they had seen Him feed the Jews at Bethsaida. In obedience to His word they brought seven loaves and two fishes, described as a few little fishes. After the people sat down on the ground, which was grassy ground, He took the loaves and fishes, gave thanks, broke them into small pieces, and gave them to the disciples and the disciples to the multitude until all had enough.
The four thousand men besides women and children ate and were filled and refreshed. Seven large baskets of fragments remained and were taken up under His order that the fragments be gathered so nothing would be lost, in contrast to twelve baskets on the other feeding. He sent them away glad and grateful. The feeding proves what He can do to provide and calls for more faith in Him, and He used it to impart spiritual truths of vital importance to the salvation of souls.
The miracle does not teach that people are to put forth no effort to provide the necessities of life because God can furnish food miraculously. Miraculous provision does not abolish ordinary means of sustaining life and God will not always work miracles to keep people alive. So miraculous healing of the sick in answer to prayer does not abolish institutions for the benefit of the suffering where people can have hygienic living and treatment.
The healing of the sick and ministering to the wants of the needy shown in the feeding is a lesson and example that His people today are to have a part in. The healing work is to be done in connection with health institutions, a provision not present in the early days of the message but now present. The feeding of the four thousand gives lessons for food work to be studied in carrying forward food manufacturing, meaning to set the work in operation soon and conduct it economically by making simple, inexpensive preparations that do not require large investment, and to keep out selfish private interests that would block progress in the right way.
The command to sit down on the ground was given to a Gentile multitude in Decapolis on the mountain beside the Sea of Galilee to prepare them to be fed. They had continued with Him three days with nothing to eat, sleeping at night in the open air and pressing by day to hear His words and to bring their sick and lame to be laid at His feet for healing. Those healed included the lame, blind, dumb and maimed and many others, and the people glorified the God of Israel.
The command expressed tender solicitude like a pitying father mindful of the wants of thousands who forgot the wants of nature to listen with deepest interest to His ministry of truth. Though often hungry Himself He was awake to their necessities, and He had compassion and would not send them away hungry or fasting lest they faint in the way. He remembered fainting Himself after His long fast in the wilderness of temptation when angels ministered to Him, and without hesitation He wrought a miracle to feed the thousands who had followed Him to hear the gracious words from His lips.
When He called the disciples to give them food, they answered in unbelief and Jewish prejudice by asking how bread could be found in the wilderness for these Gentiles and heathen, though they had seen Him feed the Jews at Bethsaida. In obedience to His word they brought seven loaves and two fishes, described as a few little fishes. After the people sat down on the ground, which was grassy ground, He took the loaves and fishes, gave thanks, broke them into small pieces, and gave them to the disciples and the disciples to the multitude until all had enough.
The four thousand men besides women and children ate and were filled and refreshed. Seven large baskets of fragments remained and were taken up under His order that the fragments be gathered so nothing would be lost, in contrast to twelve baskets on the other feeding. He sent them away glad and grateful. The feeding proves what He can do to provide and calls for more faith in Him, and He used it to impart spiritual truths of vital importance to the salvation of souls.
The miracle does not teach that people are to put forth no effort to provide the necessities of life because God can furnish food miraculously. Miraculous provision does not abolish ordinary means of sustaining life and God will not always work miracles to keep people alive. So miraculous healing of the sick in answer to prayer does not abolish institutions for the benefit of the suffering where people can have hygienic living and treatment.
The healing of the sick and ministering to the wants of the needy shown in the feeding is a lesson and example that His people today are to have a part in. The healing work is to be done in connection with health institutions, a provision not present in the early days of the message but now present. The feeding of the four thousand gives lessons for food work to be studied in carrying forward food manufacturing, meaning to set the work in operation soon and conduct it economically by making simple, inexpensive preparations that do not require large investment, and to keep out selfish private interests that would block progress in the right way.