The Allegory of Food

From the fall of man to the last supper, food is at the center of so many crucial moments in the Bible. The more I read the word, however, the more I see that food serves as a stand in for something mcuh more important and our connection to food is heavily correlated to this more important object.

Major Events Centered on Food

The Fall of Man

Most people concerate on disobedience and pride when discussing the fall, but I've always found it fascinating that the test of man's obedience was a fruit. We don't know what type of fruit they eat—thanks to Paradise Lost most people are convinced it was an apple, despite there being no evidence for this. Let's say it was an apple, though, for argument's sake. Can you imagine throwing away paradise over an apple? Of all the fruits that exist in the world—and they had access to all the fruits—an apple is pretty basic. Now, of course I would say that because I've tasted one before and can easily compare it to other fruits. Nonetheless, Adam and Eve were given everything good to eat freely by God. Imagine standing in the grocery store and the manager says you can have anything you want in the store for the rest of your life as long as you don't take [insert a single item]. What item would it take for you to walk away from the deal? Where would you lose your self control? (I'm thinking I'd lose it at salt... How would I season all the food without salt!?)

Food seems like such a minor offense for us to be condemned over. This is probably why most pastors focus on obedience and pride, rather than the notion that our condmened existence is a consequence of eating the wrong fruit. Yet, there's quite the profound correlation between today and what happened then. The popular phrase "you are what you eat" is scarily true. Countless studies have proven that many of the health issues in the United States stem from poor diet. The standard American diet (aptly dubbed SAD) puts you at risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and so much more. People with these underlying conditions are more likely to experience severe COVID or death if infected with COVID-19. It follows (and studies have proven) that diet affects your life span. Also, what you eat provides your body with certain nutrients that help you function. Side effects of not consuming the proper balance of nutrients include fatigue, lethargy, moodiness, and more.

We were not created to consume certain foods!

Manna

In Exodus 16, we learn that while the Israelites were in the wilderness God provided them with a mysterious food called "manna." Manna was perfectly crafted by the Father to provide for their dietary needs and rained from the heavens faithfully everyday (except Sabbath).

And the house of Israel named the bread manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. Exodus 16:31 NASB

The provision of manna took away the need and worry of foraging for food in the wilderness. Today, much of the Middle East is desert. I'm not sure exactly what the terrain between Egypt and Israel was during Moses' era, but even if it were rich with clean animals and bountiful with plants, it would have been a lot of work to hunt and forage. In my hometown, there used to be a blueberry farm—rows and rows of blueberry bushes kept by one man who used to sell the berries. When he died, no one took over the farm. In a year the weeds were so high it was hard to distinguish the blueberry bushes. Within two years it was a mess of weeds and baby pine trees, and by the third year it had been reclaimed by the forest. No doubt, there may still be blueberries buried in there somewhere, but the bushes are now competing for nutrients with the other plants now growing there and there are no longer neat pathways for one to get to the berries. Plus, some of the bushes likely died, making the quantity of berries drastically smalleer. Add in the fact that local wildlife no has free access to the berries and you can bet that it would be pretty hard to get a significant harvest in it's current state. The same concept would apply in any fertile wilderness.

Similarly, when humans raise cattle and other livestock for food, it may be messy, but it's fairly simple to corral the animals to slaughter. In the wild, one needs to first find the animal and then spear it from a distance as the animals wouldn't be tame enough for you to approach it. For a small family, perhaps this wouldn't be so bad, but for the entire nation of Israel plus the mixed multitude... How many wild animals would you have to find and kill to feed everyone?

The manna was a curcial gift from God that allowed Israel to continue even when they were in a position where they should starve.

Feeding the Multitude

There are multiple times in the New Testament that Jesus feed a multitude with a scant amount of food. I don't know what size the loaves of bread or the fish he carried were, but as someone who has eaten a whole large pizza by myself, I agree that it is miracluous to feed that many people with such a small quantity of food. Now I've heard pastors try to downplay the miracle by suggesting other people added to the meal, but regardless of how the miracle played out, the fact remains that a large group of people were brought together and able to join together from a small and finite quantity of food.

Example Prayer

In the example pray Christ gives us in Matthew 6, He says: "Give us this day our daily bread." Why do you think this was included?

The Last Supper

The final encounter Messiah has with His disciple is the last supper. We know that the early church often ate together and this likely stemed from Christ's example.

What is Food?

Food isn't just food though. Food is the Word of God!

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 KJV

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35 KJV

Reflect back on the events mentioned above and substitute Messiah or the Word of God for food.

Rejecting God

In the garden, the forbidden fruit becomes a false god. The abundant fruits available to Adam and Eve are the true God. You could also think of the forbidden fruit as a forbidden word (it is after all from the Tree of Knowledge), and the other fruits as the pure Word of God. By choosing the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve choose a false god, a false narative, a false doctrine. In the same way, we pollute our bodies by eating foods not meant for the body, we pollute our minds by consuming words not meant for our soul. Our corrupted bodies is what leads to death, but it is our corrupted minds that cause the trouble of sin.

Salvation

Romans 5:8 tells us that even as sinners who may not have comprehended the gift, Christ died for us. The Word was made flesh (John 1:14) and dwealt with us even though we didn't earn it. This same Word, dubbed the Bread of Life, is what saved us from our sin. If sinlessness was the garden or will be paradise, could we not think of sin as the wilderness? In the wilderness (sin) we need saving (the Bread of Life). This is exactly what the Father demonstrated in Exodus 16 by giving the Israelites manna (bread) while in the wilderness (lost). His promise to them did not end when they created the golden calf or because they complained; He provided this salvation free of charge for whoever would accept it.

Spreading the Word

When Christ feeds so many people with only a few loaves of bread and a couple fish, the food is the Word of God. Although God is infinte, the words written in the Bible are finite. At first, God selected the Israelites to be the keepers of the message—a limited number of people—but after Christ's death and resurrection, the same message was preached everywhere. In short, there is enough of gospel to feed the entire world. What's more, is that although God gave us a finite story, it can be multiplied without being changed. For example, most of Messiah's parables are related to agriculture and farming because that is how his audience could relate. Today, we can relate the exact same message using new parables more applicable to our audience. In this way, the one message is multiplied to educate thousands of cultures the same way the one meal was multiplied to feed thousands of people.

Our Daily Bread

In the example prayer of Matthew 6, Yeshua/Jesus prays "Give us this day our daily bread." We see evidence of God literally giving daily "bread" in the Exodus when manna rained from the heavens everyday (except Sabbath) for 40 years while Israel wandered in the desert. We also see men of God, like Daniel, who understand that the daily "bread" needed is not physical food but spiritual food. These men pray and communicate with God multiple times a day. When we pray this prayer, truly we are asking for daily wisdom from God, daily surrender to His Will, and daily understanding of His Word!

Unity

All of the holy days declared by God included a feast. In the New Testament, we see that every time the disciples get together, there is breaking of bread (re: food). The Bible correlates oneness of the body, celebration, and food. It makes sense that the food is the Word of God. Only when we follow His Word can we acheive unity and peace.

Events Indirectly Related to Food

Eating the Scroll

Both Ezekiel and John are given scrolls to eat while receiving a prophecy from the Most High (Ezekeiel 2-3; Revelation 10:9-10). In both cases, the scroll is described as having a sweet, honey-like taste, and, although described in different ways, bitterness is the end result for both men. Ezekiel leaves feeling bitter, while John has bitterness in his stomach. It makes sense that the Word of God is sweet—the Gospel literally means "good news"—but it also makes sense that it is bitter. The bitterness comes from the reality that there are in fact consequences for not following God, and that we have all fallen short. Every prophet who approached the throne of God was immediately embarassed by their own sinfulness, as we would be if we were to be in His presence today. On top of that, the sweetness that is unconditional forgiveness also applies to our enemies. The same way Stephen was forgiven of his sins, Paul was forgiven for stoning Stephen. There is a bitterness in knowing you must forgive others to receive your own forgiveness. There is also a bitterness in knowing that despite the free gift, not everyone will accept it. As such there are horrible times ahead and those who have accepted the gift will have to endure to the end.

Fasting

Fasting is the process of denying yourself food. I find it such an interesting concept when thinking about the fact that much of the Bible is talking about the importance of "daily bread." Yet, science has shown that fasting is actually good for your body. It gives the digestive system time to heal and rest. Is this true of the Word too? Might there be times where we need to simply reflect on all that we've been given instead of plowing ahead?

The Allegory of the Book of Esther

We can look at the book from the perspective of uplifting womankind; in the end only a woman could save the people. If we look deeper, we can see an allegory for the war in heaven. It's a short book, but it's worth slowing down and taking an extra look over.

Introduction

Esther is such a beautiful book in the Bible. I always considered Job my favorite book, but after this read of Esther, it's definitely a contender for that top slot. There's so much to take from the book on so many levels. There's surface level lessons about doing the right thing. We can look at the book from the perspective of uplifting womankind; in the end only a woman could save the people. If we look deeper, we can see an allegory for the war in heaven. It's a short book, but it's worth slowing down and taking an extra look over.
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Esther and Prophecy

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Chelsea Francis

One of my favorite pastors, Doug Batchelor of Amazing Facts, preached an entire sermon on the book of Esther. You can find the sermon here. In his sermon, Pastor Doug pointed out something Earth shattering about Esther that I never picked up on while reading the book. Esther is basically a symbolic parable of the gospel! That's not to say it isn't historical; many of the events in the Old Testament were symbols of what was to come. Let's talk about Esther as an allegory, because Pastor Doug isn't the only one who noticed this!
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Ahasuerus

Ahasuerus represents God the Father. He is the ruler of the kingdom and no one can approach him without permission. ^[1][2][3]
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Sevens

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,Esther 1:10 KJV

When you think of Revelation, you think of sevens—7 plagues, 7 churches, 7 candlesticks, 7 trumpets, etc. The number 7 appear quite frequently in prophecy, and it appears in Esther as well. It is on the seventh night that the king calls for his seven chamberlains to request the presence of Queen Vashti (Esther 1:10). The king has seven princes of Persia and Media in his presence; they are first in the kingdom (Esther 1:14). Esther is take to the king during the seventh year of his reign (Esther 2:16) and given seven maids (Esther 2:9). That's a lot of sevens...

The Christian Church of God in Australia assigns the following correlations to sevens within the allegory: the 7 chamberlains are spirits of the seven churches, the 7 princes are the prophets who saw the face of God, and the 7 maids given to Esther are the 7 eras of the church.^[2]

Pastor Doug also mentions the use of sevens in the beginning of Esther. Where the Christian Church of God does not mention the sevens related to time, Pastor Doug reminds us of the theology that the seventh millennium will be a Sabbath and represents the millennium discussed in Revelation.^[1]

In Esther	Allegorical Meaning
7th Day	Sabbath Millenium
7 Chamberlains	Seven Spirits of the Seven Churches
7 Princes	Those (prophets) who had seen the Angel of Presence (or Face of God)
7 Years	Sabbath Millenium
7 Maids	Seven eras of the Church

I can see how the Sabbath Millennium might relate to both the the 7th day of the feast and the 7th year of Ahasuerus' reign. The Bible's timeline estimates the world to be about 6,000 years old. Based on the pattern of Sabbaths (Weekly Sabbaths, 7th Year Sabbaths, the Year of Jubilee, etc.), it stands to reason the the peaceful Millennium talked about in Revelation is the 7th Millennium, or the Sabbath Millennium. The Sabbath Millennium represents a beginning and an end: the end of Satan's rule and the beginning of everlasting peace under Jesus' reign. When Vashti didn't appear before the king on the 7th day of the feast, her reign as queen ended (no, she doesn't represent Satan, we'll get to her in a few). Esther's beginning as queen also occurs on a 7th something (this time the 7th year).

I'm not sure if I agree with the Christian Church of God's assessment, however. I see how they made most of the connections, but they don't feel complete to me. They relate the 7 chamberlains sent to retrieve Vashti to the Spirits of the Churches discussed in Revelation 3; this seems plausible since the chamberlains are delivering a message to Vashti who represents a type of church (we'll get there in a few). The 7 princes are explicitly said to see the face of the king (Ahasuerus), which explains why we would relate this to those who are said to have seen God face to face. Yet, God appears to more than 7 people in the Bible. The Christian Church of God list the 7 prophets they associate with the princes to be Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, but what about Moses? A list of prophets without Moses seems quite incomplete. Further, if we're equating the chamberlains to the churches of the New Testament, how can we have a list of prophets without John? Not much is said about Esther's 7 maids, except that they existed, thus I'm not sure how the eras of the church relate to them.

I'm not sure if each of these has a specific symbolic meaning, or if God simply wanted to capture our attention.
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Vashti

Vashti is Ahasuerus' beautiful and adored queen. This gives us quite a few hints as to who Vashti represents. If Ahasuerus is an allegory for God the Father, it stands to reason that Vashti represents some form of the church. Jeremiah 6:2 defines the church as a woman and this symbolism continues with the church being referred to as the Bride of Christ in the New Testament. Vashti was favored above all the other women and considered precious in the king's sight, but when called to his presence, Vashti refused him. This is the church of the old covenant: the physical, flesh and blood nation of Israel. The Israelites continually rejected God. Israel's rejection of the Messiah, first at the cross and finally at the stoning of Stephen in Acts, ushered in a new church. The new church consists of Israelites who choose God and extends to those who were not descended from Jacob. Similarly, Vashti's public rejection of the king causes her to be banished from the king's sight and paves the way for a new queen (church).^[1][2][3]
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Esther

As the one who takes Vashti's place as the new queen, we can easily see that Esther is the new church. Esther represents the Bride of Christ. She is obedient and brave. When Esther is told of the plot to kill the Jews and Mordecai tells her to approach the king, she is initially hesitant. Esther fears that she will be killed for approaching the king unsummoned, but Mordecai reminds her that she will be killed either way. The Persian law was immutable and because she was a Jew, there would be nothing the king could do to protect her (just as Nebuchadnezzar could not protect Daniel). She was one of them and bound to intercede for her people. Similarly, the church is made up of sinners; although we are saved by the grace of God, we are not safe until the end. That which non-believers do affects us. We are not to sit high and mighty from God's palace looking down on our fellow man without care. It should pain us to see suffering. We should intercede and bargain for the life of humanity, just as Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah, just as Esther did for the Jews. In the end, Esther is given triumph over her enemies and all the blessings of the king, just as the Bride of Christ will rule in Heaven with the Messiah.^[1][2][3]
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Haman

Esther gives away Haman's character in Esther 7:6. Esther tells the king that Haman is the adversary. The word Satan in Hebrew actually means adversary! Haman held a position of great power, just beneath the king, just as Lucifer was a powerful angel. Haman is selfish and vain, so much so that when the king approaches him about rewarding someone, Haman can't fathom it being anyone other than himself. The description of what Haman wishes for is very telling. He wishes for the king's robe, the king's horse, and the king's crown. In short, he wishes to be king. Is that not what the devil wants, to be God? Haman's anger toward God's people stems solely from the fact that Mordecai will not bow to him. This is partly because Haman desires to be worshipped, just as Satan desires to be worshipped. However, it's also important to note that Haman is a descendant of Agag the Amalekite. Who is Agag? God told Saul to kill him when the Amalekites and Israelites fought, but Saul decided to do his own thing and let Agag live (see 1 Samuel 15). If that wasn't enough to cause a rift between the surviving Amalekites, like Haman, and the Jews, Mordecai's lineage suggests he is a descendant of Saul. The Israelites had the opportunity to stamp out the Amalekites (and many other pagan nations) but let them prosper instead. Similarly, mankind had the opportunity to reject Satan as the ruler of this world back in the garden. Just as the Haman spends all of his energy trying to destroy the Jews, the devil is continuously devising plans to destroy God's people. In the end, however, God always triumphs. Haman and the devil are both brought low and defeated. In both cases, their power passes to those who were obedient to God. Haman's wealth and power are given to Esther and Mordecai, just as the Earth will be taken from Satan and given to the Messiah and the church.^[1][2][3]
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Mordecai

Mordecai is a little harder to figure out. Some scholars associate him with Jesus, while others associate him with the Holy Spirit. Those who associate him with Jesus cite the renting of his clothes and wearing of sackcloth as representative of Jesus taking on the burden of sin and separating Himself from God. While wearing sackcloth, Mordecai could not approach the king, just as Jesus was cut off from God when He took on our sin. There is no doubt that Mordecai serves in the role of teacher or spiritual guide, the way both Jesus and the Holy Spirit do. Mordecai is the one that places Esther in the position to be chosen as queen, just as Jesus grants us permission to stand before the Father. Throughout the narrative, Mordecai gives Esther instruction. Notice that the only ideas Esther comes up with on her own are that of fasting and hosting 2 banquets before making her request. Unlike Vashti, who is content to do whatever pleases her, Esther defers to Mordecai for guidance. Similarly the Bride of Christ follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Jesus above our own desires.^[2][3]
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Esther, the Cinderella Story

An easier, and slightly more shallow, reading of Esther is that of a Cinderella story. When I read Esther, this is always the first thing I notice. In the beginning, Esther is an orphan in a land where her people are being held captive. You can't really get any lower in status. When the king banishes his queen, all the eligible young virgins are brought in to find one suitable for the king. Does this not sound like the opening of Disney's Cinderella? Of course Disney wouldn't use the word virgin since it would require it's viewers to know what sex is, but its only been in the recent century that eligible maiden and virgin weren't synonymous. In Cinderella, the prince has a dance with each maiden to chose a suitable queen. King Ahasuerus is a little more forward and likely sleeps with each of his options. Ahasuerus selects Esther, and although he doesn't have to scour the kingdom to find the maiden who's foot fits the glass slipper, he is unaware of her Jewish heritage and name. Seemingly overnight, Esther goes from a lowly orphan to the queen of Persia, the most powerful nation in the world!

At the core, Esther's story tells us that no matter who we are, we have a part to play and that part may be much grander than we could ever imagine. As believers, we are all destined to reign with Jesus in the new kingdom. Why shouldn't we expect him to call us to greatness on Earth as well?

Esther also reminds us that women are just as valuable to God's plan as men. Of the leading three men, none are particularly competent. The king doesn't ask for details when Haman seeks to have an entire race of people killed. How careless is that? Haman is self serving and vain. Mordecai is the best of the three, but he is unable to undo the damage he created by not bowing to Haman. Mordecai can't plead his case before the king or cause change, only Esther can. Similarly, only a woman could give birth to the Messiah, who in turn is the only one who can plead our case before God the Father.
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A Song

As you finish (or start) reading the book of Esther, I leave you with one of my favorite songs: Born for This by Mandisa. The song is meant to tell Esther's point of view. Anytime I feel like I'm failing or that I don't know what I'm doing in life, I listen to this song and it inspires me.

References

1. Doug Batchelor. "The Gospel of Esther". Amazing Facts. October 2006
2. Diane Flanagan. "The Story of Esther and its Meaning". Christian Churches of God. 2007
3. Brandon. "Esther". The Key of David. July 2013