We Will Feast: Biblical Theology on Eating
The Bible is replete with references to food. God’s first recorded words to Adam and Eve include generous provisions for their daily meals (Genesis 1:29). Imagine how delicious the pre-fall fruit must have been — better than both genetically modified apples and farmers market oranges.
Over 1,000 pages later, you read about a feast of cosmic proportions. A multitude of saints rejoicing as loudly as thunder, celebrating the unification of Christ and his Bride! The marriage supper of the Lamb will be the greatest feast of all time (Revelation 19:6-9).
You likely ate today without much thought — unless you enjoy perusing the Press in the cool of the morning, whilst sipping on a latte. So why should we stop and consider how the Bible talks about food? There are many answers to that question. But I would like to draw your attention to food as a central theme in Biblical worship. The Israelites of the Old Testament would have said “Amen!”.
The Jewish feasts recorded in the Bible were instituted by God as part of an annual calendar, to remember their history, their deliverance from Egypt, and God’s provision and faithfulness. This should sound familiar to those reading through Leviticus with our Bible Reading Plan.
As distant as these feasts are, they point to a greater meaning recorded in the New Testament. Let me summarize. Jesus Christ is: the bread of life (John 6:35); the firstfruits of those who have died (1 Corinthians 15:20); the cause of a plentiful harvest at Pentecost (Matthew 9:37; Acts 2:41); the singular focus of celebration during the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9); and the One who secured eternal redemption by His blood, eliminating the Levitical priests’ animal sacrifices (Hebrews 9:12).
If you are reading closely, there is one feast I have yet to mention. And anyone who has attended Grace Rancho for more than three weeks should know which one I mean. The last Sunday of every month, we have a family meal called Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. Perhaps you might be thinking a small cracker and tiny cup of grape juice isn’t a meal. But when you consider the meaning of this food Jesus Himself has commanded us to partake in, there is no greater feast we can have this side of heaven. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the cross of Christ, our future and final salvation, and our sins paid for — all while sitting next to brothers and sisters in Christ.
The next time you partake in the Lord’s Supper, consider the Biblical significance of food in the worship of our Father in Heaven. And may you eagerly anticipate the day when we will feast in the house of Zion.