Eat With Him and Him With Me

 

Eat With Him and Him With Me.  The act of sharing a meal with someone else is far more significant than the food served, the etiquette preserved, or the venue reserved for the occasion. Even as simple as, “Hey, I’m going to take a break, would you like to split my Doritos®?” marks a milestone in any relationship. Yes, I would like that, takes the relationship one direction. No, not this time, takes the relationship another direction. Eating together (or not eating together) is the metaphor for fellowship that the whole world understands and uses. Friends make meals; meals make friends.

The Bible is peppered with many symbolic meals that convey deeply meaningful moments, especially between God and humankind. In the Old Testament, Abraham “entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2), including the Lord himself, sharing with them cakes, curds and milk, and a roasted calf (Gen. 18:8). Moses and all the elders of Israel were invited up the slopes of Mt. Sinai to share a meal with God immediately after the nation of Israel agreed to enter into covenant with God. “They beheld God, and ate and drank” (Exo. 24:11). The Lord spoke of a future feast with restored Israel that will also include regenerated Gentiles, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isa. 25:6).

In the New Testament, Jesus saved a marriage feast from disaster by turning water into wine, but only the servants knew it (John 2:9). Jesus commandeered the Passover meal, expanding its meaning around his imminent death and resurrection (Matt. 26:28). Using highly figurative language, Jesus promised to the repentant remnant of the church in Laodicea, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus is first guest, then host.

The final meal of the Bible, open to all who repent and believe, reverses the first forbidden meal of the Bible which became a curse to all (Gen. 3:6). “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9). Sharing a meal marks a relational milestone with God; our full restoration is accomplished by God.