Tag Archives: table

A Table-land Of Plenty

Bible Study, , , , ,

A TABLE-LAND OF PLENTY

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalm 23:5.

What lies beyond the dark valley and why do the sheep have to go through it? Why can’t they stay in the green pastures and beside the quiet waters? After all, isn’t that all they need?

I am not familiar with the care of sheep, especially those in the Middle East, but I am told that the best, sweetest and most nourishing grazing for sheep is on top of the mesa, the table-land where the rain falls and the grass grows lush and thick.

The good shepherd knows his sheep and he knows his grazing. He wants the best for his sheep, even if it costs him time and effort to find it and to prepare it for them. He goes ahead of his flock, finds the mesa where the sweetest grass grows and prepares it for his sheep. He clears it of poisonous and obnoxious weeds and drives off the wild beasts that may endanger his animals. Then he returns to the flock.

When the time is right, after checking the mesa a second time, he leads the flock through the valley that takes the safest route to the table-land. The sheep may not find the way easy but they follow the shepherd because they trust him and they know his voice. After safely negotiating the treacherous path through the dark valley, they finally reach the table which is laden with the good things a sheep needs to flourish.

In perfect safety they graze, confident that, even though they are surrounded by “enemies”, the shepherd is there to guard and protect them. They can graze in peace because no harm will come to them.

In the warm sunshine, flies breed and multiply. They bother the sheep, some even laying their eggs in the soft mucosa of the sheep’s nostrils. The shepherd pours olive oil on the heads of his sheep to keep the flies away. He does more than just rub a little oil on their noses. He douses their heads so that there is no chance for the flies to alight on the sheep. The oil soothes their itchy skin and they can continue to graze in comfort.

David was well aware of the time and effort it took to care for the sheep. It was a much bigger job than just leading them out and lazing around in the sun watching them while they grazed. A shepherd faced dangers from wild animals. He had to stand between them and the flock, drive them off, rescue the lambs which a lion or bear might take, if he could, and stay alert for an ambush.

He had to know the plants which were harmful to the sheep. He had to find the best pastures and the quiet streams. He had to know the terrain and keep the sheep away from dangerous ravines and precipices. He had to lead them along safe paths. He had to find the easiest and safest route to the table-land. He had to prepare the “table” before he led them there to graze, clearing the pasture of unsafe plants and driving away the wild beasts.

Looking back over his life, David realised that God had been all that, and more, to him. It was heartening for him to know that even the darkest valleys he had gone through were the way to the table-land. There was a rich reward for trusting the shepherd and staying close to him.

Did he think about the years of running from Saul, living in caves, eating off the land like a wild animal and having to stay alert, day and night, in case of an ambush? His shepherd was there, always beside him, leading him safely through until he reached the table and was able to partake of the rich fare the shepherd had provided. He found strength, grace and mercy at the table.

His shepherd took care of the big things, the “enemies” that threatened his life, and the little things, the “flies” that troubled him. He had the anointing of the oil of the Spirit who enabled him to rule his people wisely with a kindly and merciful attitude. He was not a ruthless tyrant like some of his descendants. He was a living example of a godly king. He was passionate about God; he set up twenty-four hour worship and made extravagant preparations for the building of the temple. O yes! David was wholeheartedly for God. This was the grace on his life because of the “oil” that kept the “flies” away.

David’s shepherd is our shepherd. On the other side of every dark valley is a table-land which the shepherd has specifically prepared for each one of us. There is a bounty of God’s goodness waiting for us when we have gone through the valley. This is the reward for trusting and following Him when we cannot see the way.

“And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Come And Eat With Me

Christian Life, , ,

COME AND EAT WITH ME!

“The Day of Unleavened Bread came, the day the Passover lamb was butchered. Jesus sent Peter and John off, saying, ‘Go prepare the Passover for us so we can eat it together.’

“They said, ‘Where do you want us to do this?’

“He said, ‘Keep your eyes open as you enter the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him home. Then speak with the owner of the house: The Teacher wants to know, ‘Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will show you a spacious second-storey room, swept and ready. Prepare the meal there.’

“They left, found everything just as He told them, and prepared the Passover meal.” Luke 22:7-15 (The Message).

Luke’s story has an air of anticipation about it. Jesus was expecting something to happen and His disciples were caught up in the atmosphere. Other Passover celebrations had come and gone but this one was going to be different.

Did Jesus make a secret arrangement with a friend for a venue for His last meal with His disciples? Was He giving instructions to His disciples because of His divine foreknowledge or was He, once again, simply following His Father’s instructions as He said He always did?

Eating together had significance but there was special meaning in the Passover meal. The children of Israel were on the threshold of their great redemption. They were packed and ready to go, waiting only for the signal to make their escape from Pharaoh and his powerful army. Moses issued one more challenge, this time hitting at the heart of every Egyptian family, from Pharaoh down to the least slave – their firstborn sons! This one made its mark and Pharaoh finally consented to let Israel go.

But why stop to eat a meal before they left? There was a great deal of meaning and symbolism in the Passover meal: blood on their doorposts was an expression of faith in God’s promise of protection; they trusted in the blood of a sacrificial lamb to save them; they ate unleavened bread because there was no time to allow their dough to rise; bread without yeast symbolised eradication of sin from their lives, and so on.

Perhaps a part of the meaning of Passover is not understood, especially by non-Jews who do not know the cultural background of Jewish practices. Middle-eastern people are very hospitable. Eating together has great significance for them. The Hebrew word for “meal” is shul and a table – shulkan. But shulkan also means “reconciliation” and “lamb skin”. Combine these ideas and you have a beautiful picture of the significance of Passover.

If you do not have a table – shulkan – you use a lamb skin – shulkan – as a picnic blanket, but you could not eat a meal together if you had issues with each other. Hence the table – shulkan – which was a lamb skin – shulkan – became the symbol of reconciliation – shulkan. As families embarking on a very long journey, they could not travel unless they were reconciled – no issues to cause division on the way – and reconciliation were only possible because of the sacrifice of a lamb.

Put Jesus and His disciples into that picture and the Last Supper begins to tell its own story. Perhaps the most poignant message on that occasion was a tender invitation from Jesus, ‘Judas, I know what you have done but I have forgiven you. I do not hold it against you. You have to bear the responsibility of your treachery but there is a way back if you repent.’

To Peter and the other disciples who would all fail Him, Jesus was saying, ‘Come and eat with me. I have no issues with you.’ In Revelation 3:20 He says to everyone who has wandered away from Him, “‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.'”

Old Friends?

Christian Life, , ,

OLD FRIENDS?

“By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, ‘He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends….'” Luke 15:1-2 (The Message).

Strange that Jesus attracted the ‘bad’ and repelled the ‘good’ people! Can it be that He had a different way of evaluating people from the way we do? Certainly, the Pharisees did not see eye to eye with Him regarding the ‘sinners’ He considered His friends. Why were the Pharisees so incensed by His eating with the riff-raff?

Eating a meal with someone had great significance. The Hebrew word for a meal is shul, while the word derived from the root, shul, is shulkan, which means ‘table’, ‘reconciliation’ or ‘a lamb’s skin’. The imagery is beautiful. Where there was no table, they would put a lamb’s skin on the ground as a ‘picnic’ blanket. A lamb had to die for them to eat together. Therefore, to eat a meal with someone meant that you had no issues with that person. You had settled your differences and were now reconciled.

No wonder the Pharisees were upset with Jesus for eating with prostitutes and tax collectors! They did not understand the heart of a merciful and compassionate Messiah. Their idea of ‘holiness’ was isolation from people. Jesus’ holiness separated Him from sin but not from sinners. Yes, God is holy, but He is holy-love. His holiness demands perfection, but His love provides the covering so that we can be reconciled and become His true friends.

The Pharisees regarded themselves as their own standard and they despised everyone who did not live up to their criteria. Jesus offended them because He was not fazed by those they regarded as ‘sinners’. He saw beyond their exterior to hearts that were hungry for God and were willing to listen to Him and who drank in His love and His message of mercy.

Are we any different? Do we not judge people by their appearance, their social standing, their financial position, their neighbourhood, their achievements, and even their speech and accent? These are only the circumstances of their lives, not the evidence of their intrinsic value as human beings made in the image of God.

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to follow, learn from, imitate and obey our Master. This is an absolute prerequisite for discipleship. One function not entrusted to us is judgment and yet we assume the role of judge for everyone who does not measure up to our value system or self-proclaimed standards. This is dangerous for two reasons; firstly because we have usurped the role that belongs to Jesus alone and, secondly, because the standard we set for others is the standard by which we will be judged.

When we carefully consider the last statement, it should make us tremble because our standards for others are always so much stricter than our standards for ourselves. God’s justice is perfectly just. It is always based on what we choose. Yes, God has objective standards of right and wrong based on who He is, but He gives us exactly what we choose, whether it be obedience to His way or our own way. He knows where each way will end.

The way of the Pharisees with their hoity-toity self-righteousness took them farther and farther from the heart of God and deeper and deeper into the kind of sin that alienated them from God and people. No amount of rebuke or exposure shifted them from their arrogant pride. Not even Jesus could reach their hardened hearts.

God’s word is faithful to warn us of the attitude that thinks we are right and everyone else wrong. When we look at people through the eyes of Jesus, we see, not the sin that scars their souls but the beauty of our Creator God who has packed the potential in each one of us to become a mirror image of Him.