© 23 Colin Melbourne
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Ecc. 11:1 KJV
Cast Thy Bread
Father God, The Holy Ghost, and The Word together here succinctly outline their plan of redemption, and your purpose for remaining on Earth.
In doing so they prophesy the coming Messiah, and also set a divine example believers are to emulate in every aspect of our lives.
Manna in the Desert
The same theme reverberates in the manna offered from Heaven to the unbelieving Jews wandering aimlessly for forty years, and ultimately perishing, in the Sinai desert.
Every morning for four decades Father graciously provided divine wafer-like manna on the bare ground for the hungry to simply; go forth, reach out, collect, and consume.
He made gathering provision easy for them.
Father’s food had to be eaten fresh daily you understand?
It still does… under the New Covenant in God’s Blood, Mtt. 4:3-4 KJV;
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Ark on the Water
We see baby Moses, a “type” of Jesus, cast upon the River Nile, floating in a basket, to be rescued and protected by a King’s daughter, and raised as royalty.
Young Christian; can you see yourself bobbing in that episode yet?
From Symbolic to Real
And prophetically we have Jesus of Nazareth the actual Living Bread of Heaven, cast on the water of humanity below.
Water is used here as a metaphor for people on Earth, as where The Angel of the LORD revealed God’s Judgment upon Whore of Revelation, Rev. 17:15 KJV;
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
The Seed is Sown
The Godhead believed the Bread of Heaven would return to them in due season with a Harvest of Souls.
Sowing & Reaping
Witness the miracles of multiplication of the loaves and fishes to feed the multitudes flocking to Christ, where we note the increase, left surplus after feeding the hungry, His Disciples gathered twelve baskets full of broken pieces. More than enough to feed even Gentile dogs! Mk. 7:27 KJV;
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
Halleluia! for the Mercy of Our LORD and Father to lost hungry dogs that we Gentiles were.
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Your Mission On Earth
This scripture is more than prophetic, it’s also Instructive to Believers.
Since Father God has set the example to us of casting His Only Begotten Son onto the water of humanity on Earth, trusting He would return with twelve basketfuls of broken pieces, then we are to honour our Lord by emulating Him.
Father cast His Bread: We are to cast our bread.
Personal sacrifice is the point: Not casting somebody else’s bread, but our own.
We are to share what we have spare with the multitudes of hungry lost sinners every day.
Nothing to spare you say?
This shepherd lad freely gave his whole packed-lunch, and for that small sacrifice was mentioned in despatches. Jn. 6:8-9 KJV;
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
Follow the lad’s example, cast your bread upon the waters of humanity, and the LORD Himself will ensure you never go hungry.
That Jewish youth is in the cloud of witnesses around you now, urging you excitedly,
“Yes it works, I’m a witness, go ahead, give all you have to The LORD Jesus, follow Him and He’ll provide all you need!”
Better To Give
There’s ample provision: But we only discover it as we distribute what we have: Then Father multiplies our supply.
When did the loaves and fishes increase, was it as Jesus prayed over the meagre offering?
No, it was as the Disciples obeyed Him by sharing the broken bread. The fish and bread multiplied through their hands, and in their baskets: Contemplate what that means for you.
Resurrection Prophesied
for thou shalt find it after many days
There’s the resurrection: Praise Him you saints!
The Resurrected Christ, showed Himself alive for many days, then returned to Heaven in glory having accomplished that for which The Living Word of God was sent.
Ever Increasing
And Father is still multiplying the basketfuls of sinners coming to faith through us sharing the bread we have upon the waters.
Can you see how glorious this scripture is now?
It is the Eternal Written Word of God, and you and I have the honour of fulfilling it in our daily lives.
Unconditional Love
Feed hungry souls the words of God, give them bread, and whatever sustenance that you have.
Remember, Father didn’t forsake the Jews moaning in the desert about how boring manna was to eat. He fed them regardless and indiscriminately.
Christians are to do likewise.
Feed and help sinners without finding fault, without picking and choosing which are genuine, and which are “rice-Christians”.
Most of the multitude came to Christ to be fed, mere scroungers only after what they could get off Him, but still He fed them without respecting their persons.
We love to give to the grateful needy ones, don’t we, but Father gives to all, so must we.
Give to everyone who asks, Mtt. 5:42-45 KJV;
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
This is challenging if we regard our portion, harder if we notice recipients smirking, but don’t be dismayed.
Do your duty, and let Father sift the results.
As long as we give to glorify Him with a pure motive, we’ll Make Father Smile, be commended and rewarded on Judgment Day.
You will also notice your basket, Like Mine, is being replenished supernaturally! Amen.
© 23 Colin Melbourne
You may also wish to read;