03.30. The Man with the Loaves

The Man with the Loaves The scene of these events is still in Gilgal, and among the sons of the prophets, whose difficulties were not yet at an end. Hitherto, indeed, had the Lord helped them, and gloriously supplied their wants from day to day. Though the morning might be often ushered in with sighs and weeping, the evening as often closed with gratitude and joy. Yet they, as children of God, neither had nor needed any better provision for the morrow, than what was secured to them by their faith in Him. Food was always supplied to them, as they wanted it; but, as they had often nothing in store, occasions for "taking thought" must have been common among them. At length, however, they were more impressively taught what hand it was that fed them, and that the Lord would provide.

They were now again in trouble. Their last morsel was consumed, and there were no signs of more; so that want began to stare them in the face. Did they turn away from it to the prophet? His calm appearance would indicate, that he is "not careful to answer" distrustful thoughts "in this matter." Was patience among them exhausted? did murmurings arise? Natural enough might it have been for one to sigh out, "Alas! when is this misery to cease?" and for another to exclaim, "We have escaped poison, only to die of hunger:" and for a third to look as if the bitter question were already upon his tongue, "Of what profit is it to trust in God?" How then would we, my brethren, undertake to allay discontent like this? Shall we accord with it, and say, in the same strain, "It is not worth our while to hope or trust in God? It is true, ‘he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all;’ yet can he give bread also; or will he provide flesh for his people? ‘He feeds the young ravens when they cry;’ but from us, who possess his love, and to whom heaven with all its joys stands open, he withholds these common mercies, and we perish, we perish!" Shall we say this? Shall we doubt concerning Him by whom the hairs of our head are all numbered, whether our wants are known to Him, or whether he careth for us in temporal trials and difficulties? It would be well sometimes to put such questions as these to our discontented and needlessly anxious brethren, who though "of more value" to their heavenly Father "than many sparrows," can yet repine as though they had no confidence in Him. Is it not discontent and arrogance to expect the Lord to give us a stock in hand; instead of our being satisfied with present supplies, and trusting in him for tomorrow? "As thy day, so shall thy strength be," whether for life, or for death. What though here in Gilgal they seemed reduced to the last extremity? It was not really so, for the Lord can provide. A knock was soon heard at their door, and on its being opened, a countryman entered, bearing, as firstfruits, twenty small barley loaves, which he lays upon the table, together with a scrip of corn, which it was then the custom to parch and eat. The pious countryman had brought these presents to Jehovah’s prophet, probably because, according to the law, such first-fruits belonged to the Lord and to his priests; and the ten tribes being then no longer permitted to worship in the temple at Jerusalem, he believed that in thus bringing the firstfruits to Elisha, he had dedicated them to Jehovah. Thus were the sons of the prophets again taught not to distrust the love and faithfulness of God.

Events like this at Gilgal are not of rare occurrence in Zion. Many among us have received similar and even more surprising succors. So many anecdotes of the kind have been furnished from among ourselves, and been related from our pulpit, that I am almost afraid to add to them, for fear of their becoming common-place. Nevertheless I will venture to mention one more, which, though it contains nothing remarkably striking in itself, serves to show that the Lord is magnified even in small things. Last Christmas-eve a pious mechanic said to his apprentice, "Tomorrow is Christmas-day, and we have nothing in the house, and no money to get anything for dinner. The article we made for Mr. M—— is at the silversmith’s to be mounted, and he I am afraid has been too busy to have finished it; and if it is not sent home today, the gentleman who has ordered it will give us scolding enough, but no money. Run, and see if it is ready." The boy did as he was directed, though his master thought it would be in vain to go. But before the boy came back, the pious master had shaken off his despondency, and was able to trust in God, fully assured that the Lord would provide in some way or other. No sooner had he thus thought, than the door was opened, and the gentleman who had ordered the article entered, and said, "Well, is it ready?" "Yes," replied the man, "though, I fear, not mounted; the boy is just gone to see." "Well," rejoins the customer, "if he brings it, send it me directly; if not, let me have it after the holidays; but I will pay you for it now." So saying, he threw down two dollars upon the table, and went away. He was hardly gone out of the house before the apprentice returned in great dejection, and with a sorrowful countenance said, "Master, we must go without victuals tomorrow, for the work is not finished." "That is unfortunate," replied the master; and then, taking up a paper with a cheerful countenance, he showed the astonished boy the money he had just received. "Master, where did that come from?" asked the boy. "Where," said the master, "should it come from, but from God who reigns above?" Then, relating to the boy what had happened, he exclaimed, "And does not our faithful God and Lord still live? Surely the Lord liveth, and he knows full well where poor Jacob lives." Yes, my friends; this happened last Christmas to that same poor Jacob, who, a fortnight ago, shook off the dust of this earth from his feet. I could relate many similar occurrences, all of which have taken place in our own parish; and one in particular, which happened within these few days. For was not that of the letter, last week, an extraordinary affair? The letter contained a dollar, with these words, "I know not how it is, but I am irresistibly impelled to send you this money. My own necessities are extreme, but I am not permitted to keep it. Take it then, since it must be so." And nothing could have been more opportune than was this dollar. But enough. There would be no end were we to relate the many similar instances with which we are acquainted.

"What part of Germany are you from?" said a celebrated professor lately to a young clergyman who had called upon him. He mentioned several places he had visited, and among the rest, Wupperthal. "Oh," said the professor, sarcastically interrupting him, "that is a place where fine marvellous stories are related!" Yes, we praise God that our valley is not so barren of facts related in these "marvellous stories," as is probably the experience of that professor; and these stories will one day surpass in importance the annals of the most renowned wars and victories; for what are they but fragments of the history of Jehovah’s love and intercourse with his people, and so many additional proofs of his condescension, faithfulness, and power? The God, in whom we believe, is a living God; and we experience him to be such. There are many in the present day, who, because they like to live "without God in the world," think of him as only the Being who, having first set in motion innumerable worlds, now calmly contemplates their revolutions, but neither directs nor controls them. This is the most comfortless and absurd of all ideas. They indeed assign to heaven, to nature, and to fate, their several imaginary parts, but God with them is imagined out of his own world. How infinitely more pleasant and cheering is the steady light reflected from the Scriptures, which directs us to a God of life and activity, a just God and a Savior, upholding all things by the word of his power! Not a lily breathes its perfume, that is not clothed by His hand; not a sparrow finds its food, that is not fed by "your heavenly Father." "The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness." He not only created the sun and the stars, but daily leads them forth like a flock, and constantly preserves their never-dying fires; he causes the dew to descend upon the tender herb, and neither slumbers nor sleeps; he in due season whispers to the swallow and to the stork, "Arise, and go hence!" He controls every power, and him the whirlwinds and lightnings obey. He is the life of every living thing, without whose secret influence, bread would cease to nourish, water to refresh, medicines to heal, and by whose all-pervading Spirit it is that we breathe this vital air, that the blood flows warm in our veins, that the hand moves, and the mind retains its power of thought. Yes, the views afforded us by the Scriptures concerning the government of God are such, that we must necessarily conclude, were he for a moment to withdraw his superintending care, all things would return to their original confusion and emptiness, and the lamp of life would go out in darkness and nothingness. This account of the intimate connection between God and his creatures is the true one, for He has himself delivered it to us in his word. He is the life of all that lives, not less so of the worm in the dust, than of the seraph before his throne. All things exist by him from moment to moment; his kingdom ruleth over all. Yea, "the preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord." "A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." Over the movements of our inmost soul he presides; "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."

There is nothing we do that is not under his control. "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Laban, when panting for the life of Jacob, was in a moment disarmed of his rage, and constrained mildly to declare, "It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad" (Lutheran version, "otherwise than kindly"). Esau, burning with anger, laid wait for his brother, but when they met, he ran towards him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Balaam was resolved upon cursing Israel, but when he opened his mouth for the purpose, lo, he was constrained to bless them altogether, and to predict Israel’s prosperity. Saul, when he at length found David, whom he considered as his mortal enemy, standing before him, instead of showing the fierceness of his revengeful jealousy, exhibited all the gentleness of the dove; and instead of denouncing death against him, he accosted him as a beloved son, "Is this thy voice, my son David?" and was far from offering him the smallest injury. Thus the Lord controls the most secret impulses of the human heart, and governs there, as everywhere, in the most unlimited sense, according to the counsel of his own will. How consoling is this truth! but it is only so to His faithful people. It is no comfort to the enemies of God, to be told that they are thus dependent on the power of the eternal Majesty. None but His children can find reason to rejoice, that Jehovah is the living God, for his providence is always working blessings for them; and indeed, what blessing is there that it does not include? In its bosom they repose, as watching over their existence, and directing their steps; and from the shadow of its protecting wings they can never for a moment remove. It is as a bounteous Provider, supplying their tables, and preserving them from hunger; whose honor is engaged not to suffer them to want "any good thing." Our heavenly Father, by his beloved Son, requires all his children to cast their care upon Him, assuring them that though a mother may forget her sucking child, He will never forget them. He is their faithful and watchful Guardian; as "a wall of fire round about them," their "shield and exceeding great reward." All this we may well consider Him to be, who is almighty and omnipresent, who controls all the power of the enemy, whose voice "breaketh the cedars," and "divideth the flames of fire." He can impart a healing balm to every flower that adorns the path of life, and can extract the poison from every noxious weed. He is a Comforter, who is always present at the fittest moment, mixing with every pain the comfort of salvation. As an unwearied Friend, he is with them day and night, ruling over the present, and anticipating the future, arranging every thing as his love may deem most advantageous; skilfully administering to them pleasure and correction, and watching over them with a constancy and tenderness, infinitely surpassing all human love.