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Matthew 17:27 |
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Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Note 2 at Mt 17:27: This was quite a miracle. Not only was the money supplied for their taxes, but it was the exact amount needed and in the first fish that was caught.
Although this sets the precedent that God can supply our needs in miraculous ways, it's important to remember that God doesn't counterfeit money. He didn't create money in the fish but rather had the fish miraculously find and swallow the exact Roman coin that Peter needed. It's a mistake to just pray and then wait on God to rain the money down from heaven. As Lu 6:38 says, God uses people (and sometimes fish) to give finances to us. He can do it in very unexpected, supernatural ways, but it will involve people and existing currency. There is a scriptural precedent for God multiplying natural resources (1Ki 17:12-16; 2Ki 4:2-7, 42-44; Mt 14:15-21, 15:32-38; Mr 6:33-44, 8:1-9; Lu 9:11-17; and Joh 6:5-14) but not money (see note 3 at Joh 6:9).
