Deuteronomy 16:1-22; Luke 9:7-17; Psalms 72:15-20; Proverbs 18:4-5
NT: “When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus all that they had done. He took them along and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the day, the Twelve approached and said to him, “Send the crowd away, so that they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here.” “You give them something to eat,” he told them. “We have no more than five loaves and two fish,” they said, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” (For about five thousand men were there.) Then he told his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” They did what he said, and had them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them. He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. Everyone ate and was filled. They picked up twelve baskets of leftover pieces.” (Luke 9:10-17 CSB)
When the 12 disciples returned from their first commissioning, Jesus wanted to take them away for a little R&R. The crowds, however, would have none of that, and followed them to their retreat. The disciples would soon learn another lesson about the Kingdom of God. Not only was the Kingdom full of power and authority – it operated on an entirely different economy. Luke records that Jesus talked to the crowd about the Kingdom of God. It wouldn’t be beyond reason that one of the things He talked about was seeking the Kingdom of God first in everything… and in seeking the Kingdom, your needs will be provided. Of course, I don’t know that for sure… but it stands to reason. The world’s economy is founded on the law of supply and demand. The Kingdom of God has no need to worry about supply, for the Kingdom has an endless supply of any and all things that are needed. Demand in the Kingdom is driven by the will of the King, and if the King wills it, it is supplied – either naturally or miraculously. When the disciples were concerned about the crowd needing food, Jesus told them to feed the crowd. When the disciples didn’t have enough, the laws of the Kingdom economy kicked in, and what they had multiplied into an abundance. In the world’s economy, lack is a problem. In the Kingdom’s economy, if we present the little that we do have to the King for Kingdom service, He is able to multiply what we have to bless others and provide for our needs as well. The key to experiencing Kingdom plenty is to be aligned and submitted to the will of the King.
Psalms: “May there be plenty of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains. May its crops be like Lebanon. May people flourish in the cities like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; as long as the sun shines, may his fame increase. May all nations be blessed by him and call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonders. Blessed be his glorious name forever; the whole earth is filled with his glory. Amen and amen.” (Psalms 72:16-19 CSB)
Again, this prayer was written primarily about King Solomon of old, but has its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the King of kings. In the Kingdom of God, there is plenty – and those who are Kingdom people (those who are firstly Kingdom-minded and are submitted to the word and will of the King and the ways of his kingdom) will flourish. God alone can do wonders. God alone can multiply nothing into abundance. The cool thing is, if we choose to live according to the Kingdom’s economy and trust our King instead of the world system, the King will bless all the nations through us. There is no limit to what the King will get to us, if He knows that He can get it through us.
Jamie Hicks 