I’m sorry.
There are lots of other good “E” words in the Bible.
But this quarantine life seems to revolve around food.
I don’t know how many batches of sweet rolls I’ve made.
There are several jars of sourdough in my refrigerator.
I’ve tried recipes that have been collecting in boxes for years.
PB and I are watching cooking shows, while we eat our meals.
There’s truth in the phrase “comfort food.”

The Bible has a surprising amount to say about eating,
from Genesis to Isaiah to Luke to Revelation.

One of the first things the Creator told Adam was, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden…” (Gen. 2:16) Of course, there was more to that statement, but “free to eat” might have been all Adam heard. Granted, there weren’t any Snicker bars or Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies hanging from the trees, but God’s words “free to eat” must have been music to Adam’s ears. It might be my new favorite Bible verse. Although food played a role in the downfall of humankind, it wasn’t food’s fault.

Isaiah picked up the theme. “Come, you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Listen to me and eat what is good…” (Isaiah 55:1-2) What an invitation! Water, wine, milk, food — it’s all free! Did you notice the steps to this spiritual feast?
1) Come. 2) Listen to God. 3) Eat what is good.
In other words:
1) Show up. 2) Pay attention. 3) Don’t settle for hot dogs when He’s offering prime rib.

Food played big in the gospels. Jesus was always eating with people and even put on a sit-down dinner for 5,000. When Jesus appeared to His disciples in His resurrected body, He asked, “Do you have anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:41) Don’t you love that?! Jesus had to prove He wasn’t some kind of ethereal ghost. He calmed his disciples’ troubled, doubt-filled minds by eating a piece of broiled fish before their very eyes. As they watched Him swallow and carefully observed his stomach, the truth was verified. His real body had come back to life! A filet of cod wouldn’t be my first choice post-resurrection, but eating real food convinced His friends that He was a real Savior.

Hands down, my favorite scripture about eating is in Revelation 3:20. “Behold! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat (dine, sup) with him, and he with me.”

Jesus Christ wants to eat with me.

“Supper (deipnon in Greek) was the main meal of the day. This was the meal at which a man sat and talked for long, for now there was time, for work was ended… it is not a mere courtesy visit, paid in the passing, which Jesus Christ offers to us. He desires to come in and to sit long with us, and to wait as long as we wish him to wait.” (Barclay)

This verse perfectly sums up the first five letters of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet.

• Aleph — the God-Man, one arm reaching to heaven, one arm reaching to earth — Jesus stands as the bridge between God and man.
• Bet — the house that He stands outside of is my heart and He seeks entry.
• Gimel — the figure in motion, coming to give the good gift of His redemptive presence.
• Dalet — the door He courteously, yet persistently, knocks on, waiting for me to respond.
• He — Behold! The Master comes in! He eats with me and I eat with Him! Heart to heart fellowship with the King of Kings! He lingers long at the table and joy fills the house!

This old earth is just a glimpse of what’s coming.
The New Earth will be a place of feasting, my friends!
We will eat on into eternity!
“On this mountain
the Lord Almighty
will prepare a feast
of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats
and the finest of wines.”
Isaiah 25:6

We will feast in the house of Zion.
We will sing with our hearts restored.
He has done great things, we will say together.
We will feast and weep no more.
“We Will Feast in the House of Zion”, Sandra McCracken

Next: The Hungry Song