Bread
from Heaven and Water of Life
Genesis 41:25-40 –
New International Version (NIV)
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one
and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The
seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven
years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly
cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless
heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what
he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming
throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will
follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine
will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be
remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The
reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been
firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and
put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint
commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the
seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food
of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority
of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food
should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of
famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the
famine.”
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So
Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the
spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this
known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You
shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your
orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
What does Joseph
tell the Pharaoh that God has done (verse
25)?
What are the seven
good cows and seven good heads of grain (verse 26)?
What are the seven
lean, ugly cows and seven worthless heads of grain (verse 27)?
Where will there
be seven years of great abundance (verse 29)?
When will the
seven years of famine come (verse 30)?
Why will the
abundance “not be remembered” (verse 31)?
Why was the dream
given to the Pharaoh twice (verse 32)?
In your opinion,
why does Joseph give the Pharaoh advice about what he should do (verses 33
through 36)?
What kind of man
should the Pharaoh put in charge (verse 33)?
How much of the
harvest should the Pharaoh take (verse 34)?
Where should the
grain be stored during the good years (verse 35)?
When should the
grain be used (verse 36)?
How did the
Pharaoh view the plan (verse 37)?
Why did the
Pharaoh view Joseph as wise and discerning (verse 39)?
Who is to submit
to Joseph (verse 40)?
In your opinion, what is the basic
message of this passage?
John 6:26-35 - New
International Version (NIV)
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for
me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves
and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for
food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on
him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God
requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the
one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may
see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate
the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven
to eat.’”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses
who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the
true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread
that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes
to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Why were the
people looking for Jesus (verse 26)?
What kind of food should the people work
for (verse 27)?
How does Jesus
answer the question “what must we do to
do the works God requires” (verses 28 and 29)?
In your opinion,
why do the people ask for a sign like the manna in the wilderness (verses 30
and 31)?
Who gave the bread
from heaven (verse 32)?
What gives life to
the world (verse 33)?
What do the people
want from Jesus (verse 34)?
Who will never go
hungry or be thirsty (verse 35)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion, how is God’s preparation
to provide food for Egypt in Genesis 41:25-40 similar to God’s preparation to
provide the bread of God that “comes down
from heaven and gives life to the world” in John 6:25-35?
Titus 3:3-8 - New
International Version (NIV)
3 At one time we too were foolish,
disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We
lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the
kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he
saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us
generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so
that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope
of eternal life. 8 This is a
trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who
have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
What does Paul say “we
too were” (verse 3)?
How did we live (verse 3)?
What appeared
(verse 4)?
Why did God save
us (verse 5)?
How are we justified (verse 7)?
Why is Titus to stress these things (verse
8)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion, how does Paul in Titus
3:3-8 reinforce the answer that Jesus gave in John 6:26-35 to those who ask “what must we do to do the works God
requires”?
In
your opinion, how does God’s preparation for people to survive the famine in
Genesis 41:25-40 foreshadow the salvation of those who are “foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions
and pleasures” in Titus 3:3-8?
Revelation 22:1-5 –
New International Version (NIV)
1 Then
the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of
the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves
of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No
longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in
the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They
will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need
the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them
light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Where does the river of the water of life flow from (verse 1)?
Where does it flow (verse 2)?
How many crops of fruit does the tree of
life bear each year (verse 2)?
What are the leaves of the tree of life
for (verse 2)?
In your opinion, why is there no longer
any curse (verse 3)?
Where is the throne of God and of the Lamb
(verse 3)?
Whose name will be on their foreheads (verse 4)?
Why will there be no need of a “lamp or the light of the sun” (verse 5)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion,
his is the generosity of the “washing of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” that Paul talks about in Titus
3:3-8 demonstrated by the river that John sees flowing from the “throne of God and of the Lamb” in
Revelation 22:1-5?
In your opinion, how
are the “bread that comes down from
heaven and gives life to the world” that Jesus talks about in John 6:26-35 and
the “river of the water of life” that
Jesus showed John in Revelation 22:1-5 related?
In your opinion, how
are the storing of food in the years of plenty to prepare for the approaching
famine in Genesis 41:25-40 and the amazing bounty from the trees of life in
Revelation 22:1-5 similar?
In your opinion, how do these passages
from Genesis, John, Titus and Revelation help us better understand the amazing
bounty of God’s salvation?
In your opinion, what
do these passages teach about how God provides salvation for us?
(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)
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