FOOD TWINS

Twenty-five different things God associates
with food in the Bible!

We find many things associated with food in the Bible. Food is more than feeding hungry stomachs. Food ministers to the whole person—body, soul, and spirit.

Enjoy looking up these Scriptures and sharing them with your family:

1.   FOOD AND THE TABLE (Seven points).

1. Tables originate in Heaven: Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29; 14:15; 22:29, 30; and Revelation 19:9. God told Moses to make The Table of Shewbread after the pattern of God’s table in Heaven (Exodus 25:23, 40; 26:30; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:1-5; and 9:8).
   
   
2. God wants us to eat at the table, not on the run, or anywhere around the house: 2 Samuel 9:7-13 (19:28 and 1 Kings 2:7); 2 Kings 25:29 (Jeremiah 52:32, 33) and Psalm 128:3.
   
   
3. God wants us to SIT at the table to eat: Genesis 37:25; Exodus 16:3; 32:6; Judges 19: 6; Ruth 2:14; 1 Samuel 20, especially verses 5, 18, 24-29; 1 Kings 10:4, 5 (2 Chronicles 9:3, 4); Esther 3:15; Psalm 139:2; Proverbs 23:1, 2; Matthew 8:11; Luke 12:37; 14:15; 22:27; and 24:30.
   
   When feeding the five thousand plus Jesus “COMMANDED them to MAKE ALL SIT DOWN by companies upon the green grass” (Mark 6:39). Have you found that you also need to MAKE your children sit down? The word “commanded” is in every gospel (Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:39, 40; Luke 9:14, 15; and John 6:10 11).
   
   
4. Examples of Jesus siting at the table: When Jesus came to the table, they not only ate, but he taught, shared stories, and did miracles. The table is a great place for mighty things to happen, but it all starts with food: Matthew 26:6, 7 (Mark 14:3); Matthew 6:20, 21 (Mark 14:18); Luke 7:36, 37; 11:37; 14:1-4; and John 12:2.
   
   
5. We should set the table and even spread a tablecloth: The first table mentioned in the Bible was the Table of Shewbread.
   Exodus 40:2-4, 23 says: “And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it . . . And he set the bread in order before the LORD.”
   God’s Word translation says: “He arranged the bread on the table in the LORD’s presence, following the LORD’s instructions.” The word “order” is arak and means “to set in a row, put in order, set in array.” It is the same word used in the following Scriptures:
   Psalm 23:5: “Thou preparest (arak) a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”
   Psalm 78:19: “Can God furnish (arak) a tale in the wilderness.”
   Proverbs 9:2: “Wisdom hath builded her house . . . she hath also furnished (arak) her table.”
   Obviously, God wants a table to be prepared and set in order. Read also 1 Kings 10:4, 5 (2 Chronicles 9:3, 4).
   
   
6. We should eat food at set times: Luke 12:42 tells us that the steward of the healing household served food “at the proper time.”
   
   
7. God loves a full table: Psalm 128:3 and Luke 14:23.

2.   FOOD AND ABUNDANCE

God delights to give food in abundance: Genesis 1:29; 9:3; Deuteronomy 6:11; 8:9, 10; 10:18; 28:5, 11; 30:9; Psalm 103:5; 104:14, 15; 111:5; 136:25; 145:15 16; 146:7; Isaiah 25: 6; and Acts 14:17.

3.   FOOD AND COOKING

You cannot enjoy food without cooking. We read of Jesus cooking a meal for His disciples, even after He rose from the dead! A resurrected Christ and yet cooking? It was not too lowly a task for Him. Read the story in John 21:4-17 (v. 9). Genesis 19:3; 1 Chronicles 9:31; and Proverbs 31:14, 15.

4.   FOOD AND COMFORT

Genesis 18:5 and Judges 19:5, 8.

5.   FOOD AND CELEBRATIONS

Genesis 21:8; 40:20; Exodus 5:1; 10:9; 12:14; Deuteronomy 14:23-26; 16:14, 15; 1 Kings 3:15; 19:21; 1 Chronicles 12:39, 40; 29:22; Esther 9:20-22; Job 1:4; Isaiah 25:6; Daniel 5;1; Matthew 22:2; Mark 6:21; and Revelation 19:9.

         Wedding feasts: Leah’s wedding (Genesis 29:21, 22); Samson’s wedding (Judges 14;10); Esther’s wedding (Esther 2:17, 18); Cana wedding (John 2:1-11); and Matthew 22:2.

          Reconciliations feasts: Genesis 26:26-31; 31:53, 54; Job 42:10-12; and Luke 15:21-24.

6.   FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP

Eating at the table should be “face to face table fellowship.” We sit around the table so we can see one another, look at one another’s faces, and dialogue and discuss things together. Read Acts 2:42 and 20:11.

The apostle John wrote to the elder lady: “I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full” (1 John 1:12). Face to face table fellowship fills us with joy.

The apostle John also wrote to Gaius and said: “I rust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face” (3 John 1:14).

 7.   FOOD AND FULLNESS

God loves us to be filled with His food. Not half full but filled. Nehemiah 9:25 says that God’s people “did eat, and were FILLED . . .”  The word “filled” is saba and means “to be filled to satisfaction, to satiate.” This word is often used to describe being filled with food.

Job 36:16b (NLT): “He is setting your table with the best food.”

Leviticus 25:19; 26:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:10-12; 8:8-14; 11:14, 15; 14:29; 26:12; Psalm 37:19; 81:16; 103:5; 104:27, 28; 144:13; 145:15, 16; 147:14; Proverbs 3:9, 10; Isaiah 25:6; Joel 2:19, 26; and Luke 6:21.

Jesus fed the hungry listeners until they were filled (Matthew 14:20; 15:37; Mark 6:42; 8:8; Luke 9:17; and John 6:12, 13, 26).

8.   FOOD AND GLADNESS, JOY, AND REJOICING

Deuteronomy 12:7; Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 8:9-12; 12:27, 43; Esther 9:19-21; Ecclesiastes 8:15; 9:7; 1 Chronicles 12:39, 40; and Acts 2:46.

9.   FOOD AND GOOD CHEER

Acts 27:25, 36.

10.   FOOD AND GOOD THINGS

Psalm 103:5; Ecclesiastes 3;13; 5:18; and Ezekiel 24:15.

11.   FOOD AND HEALING

Luke 12:42 (Matthew 24:45); and Revelation 22:1, 2.

12.   FOOD AND HOSPITALITY

It is impossible to show hospitality without feeding your guests: Genesis 18:5-8; Deuteronomy 10:17-19; 14:27-29; Judges 6:18, 19; 13:15-21; 2 Samuel 9:10; Nehemiah 5:17, 18; Job 31:32; Matthew 25:35; Acts 2:44-47; Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 5:10; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; and 3 John 1:8.

13.   FOOD AND LAUGHTER

Ecclesiastes 10:19: “A feast is made for laughter.”

14.   FOOD AND LEFTOVERS

God not only fills us but provides more than we need. He loves to have leftovers.

2 Kings 4:42-44. Jesus provided a huge amount of leftovers when feeding the people (Matthew 14:20; 15:37; Mark 6:42-44; 8:8; Luke 9:17; and John 6:12, 13).

15.   FOOD AND LEISURE

Jesus showed us the example of how food should be eaten with leisure, not in a hurry: Mark 6:31. We must get into the habit of stopping our busyness in order to eat.

16.   FOOD AND MERRIMENT

Genesis 43:34; Ruth 3:7 and Luke 15:23.

17.   FOOD AND PRAYER AND PRAISE

When the disciples met together to eat, they also prayed and praised God: Acts 2:42, 46, 47; Deuteronomy 8:10; and Joel 2:26.

18.   FOOD AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Exodus 18:12 and 24:10, 11.

19.   FOOD AND PROPHECY

Prophecy can come forth as we eat food around the table: 1 Kings 13:19, 20.

20.   FOOD AND PROTECTION

The table is a place of protection: Psalm 23:5: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”

21.   FOOD AND PROVISION

Deuteronomy 28:4-6; Nehemiah 5:17, 18; Psalm 37:18, 19; 78:19-22.

22.   FOOD AND RAISING CHILDREN

1 Timothy 5:10 talks about the women who “brought up children.” The word in the Greek is teknotropheo meaning “to nurture with food.” One of the biggest jobs of raising our children is feeding them!

23.   FOOD AND STRENGTH (to the heart and body).

1 Kings 19:4-8 and Psalm 104:15.

24.   FOOD AND TEACHING

Jesus used the mealtime at the table or teaching time: Mark 16:14, 15 and Luke 24:41-49.

25.   FOOD AND WORK

We cannot expect to eat if we don’t work for it: Genesis 2:15; Psalm 128:2; Proverbs 10:4; 12:14; 20:4, 13; 21:5; Acts 20:34, 35; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; and 1 Timothy 5:8.

Love and blessings from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org