Four Thousand Men and Their Families Fed - Mark 8:9

Mark wrote, “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From where can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves do you have? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets”, and in chapter eight and verse nine of his book, Mark shared, “they that had eaten were about four thousand” where we read:

And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

The verse reads, “And they that had eaten were about four thousand:” Mark began with the words, “and they that had eaten” which means “and the people who had consumed and devoured the food” “were about four thousand” or “were in four thousand in number”. Mark shared how “four thousand” people were fed by Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “and he sent them away.” Mark continued with the words, “and he sent them” which means “and Jesus dismissed and released the people” “away” or “to leave and depart”. Mark shared how Jesus “released” the people to go to their homes after He fed them.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus satisfied the people in the crowd's hunger and then sent them to their homes. Jesus was conscious that they might “faint in the way” because they had not eaten, and He fed them. Now they could be sent on their way, and Jesus could continue His mission. God “satisfies” people's needs both “physically and spiritually” and releases them to go about their lives in the world. When they yield themselves to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He never leaves them or forsakes them, and as they go about their business, He helps them over and over again. Let all who read these words “believe and trust in” Jesus who is the “Savior of the World”.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus and His disciples “came into the parts of Dalmanutha”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".