“And when the hour was come, he placed himself at table, and the twelve apostles with him.”(Luke 22:14, DRB)
We are still discussing the symbolic meaning of tables in Scripture, and have come to very surprising discoveries in the previous teachings concerning this simple concept. In Day 1123 we promised to elaborate on what is commonly known as “the Lord’s table”. We have already written about this quite extensively – read the teachings of Day 89-96, 193, 214, 313-314 and 929-931 to refresh your memory.
One could write much about the ritual of communion in the Christian church, but this is not really at issue here. What is however important is that the concept table is used here in metonymic terms, to refer to the communion gifts of bread and wine. The phrase “sat down” with the disciples has more to do with taking communion than it has to do with the use of the table.
Many people idolise communion, and absolutise the symbols to an unprecedented extent. How many churches have split because of an argument based on trivial matters such as whether one should drink wine or grape juice? And others argue about whether the communion should be served in one large cup, or various smaller cups. How many church meetings have been held about whether the bread should be one large piece sent around for individuals to each break off their own small piece, or whether it should be cut into small pieces from the get-go? May it be ordinary bread made with sourdough, or should it contain no yeast? May children use communion? What about people living in sin? These spiritual arguments are an indication of “profane and idle babblings” (2 Tim. 2:16), a completely carnal understanding of the communion.
In Matt. 26:27-29 the one part of the communion, the wine, is presented as follows: “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’”
It is important to remember that the wine symbolises the new testament, literally the New Covenant, which is cut with the believer when he becomes born-again. Two things are important in these verses. Firstly – those who are not born-again do not have the right to partake in the covenant meal, they are not allowed to sit at the table of the covenant. Selah! There are many believers who are not born-again – they are not allowed to partake of the covenant meal.
In 1 Cor. 11:28 Paul warns that a man should “examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup”. The YLT suggests an even better translation: “and let a man be proving himself”. The right to communion is being born-again, and this is what a community of believers need to make absolutely clear to any prospective individuals who might want to partake of the communion. Why this is such an immensely important issue is spelled out clearly in verses 29 and 30: “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” It is extremely important to explain these explicit conditions to people who want to partake of “the Lord’s table”.
Although it is not explicitly spelled out concerning the communion, the Word is clear that any form of fellowship at “the table of demons” (1 Cor. 10:21) can spiritually contaminate believers:
- “Be laying hands quickly on no one, nor be having fellowship with sins of others; be keeping yourself pure …” (1 Tim. 5:22, RYLTNT-r)
- “if any one does come unto you, and this teaching does not bear, receive him not into the house, and say not to him, ‘Hail!’ for he who is saying to him, ‘Hail,’ has fellowship with his evil works.” (2 John 1:10-11, RYLTNT-r )
- “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.… ” (Eph. 5:11, NKJV).
In Rev. 18:4 the Body of Christ is warned to have nothing to do with the whore of Babylon. As was earlier spelled out in Day 848-850, Babylon includes the institutionalised church system. The Scripture makes it very clear: “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” Selah.
In Matt. 26:29, which is currently under discussion, there is a second aspect that needs to be elucidated. Jesus speaks here and says: “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
The discussion surrounding the table started with Luke 22:29-30, to point out its typological value for contemporary believers: “And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Jesus says that He “will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
When would that day arrive? Only when Jesus returns to earth, and we enjoy the wedding meal with the Lamb (Rev. 19:9)? When will this occur? In Luke 14:15 a follower of Jesus makes the following remark: “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” To this Jesus responds with a parable of wedding guests that were invited, but had all kinds of (good) excuses for why they could not attend.
When is that day when Jesus will again drink with us? Keep in mind that “the kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21).
The same word new is widely used in the New Testament to describe the transition from the old dispensation to the new dispensation, which commences when one becomes born-again, through which you gain access to the kingdom of God – John 3:3 & 5:
- “But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matt. 9:17)
- “And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.” (Mark 14:24)
- “they will speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17)
- “A new commandment I give to you (John 13:34)
- “this new doctrine” (Acts 17:19)
- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” ( 2 Cor. 5:17)
- “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:23-24)
- “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:13)
- “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:13)
- “a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you” (1 John 2:8)
- “And I will give him … a new name” (Rev. 2:17)
- “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” (Rev. 3:12)
- “a new song” (Rev. 5:9)
- “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God’”. (Rev. 21:1-3).
- “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’” (Rev. 21:5).
It is immensely important that the born-again individual knows that he is ALREADY in the kingdom of God, and is ALREADY sitting at the Lord’s table; the wedding meal of the Lamb has ALREADY started. We thus may not sit at the table of demons. In the teaching of Day 713-715 this has already been thoroughly explained: 2 Pet. 3:13’s “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” is YOU. Granted, this only becomes a reality in the third dimension, but it starts in the second dimension when you become born-again. This is an unfolding process where the first is made obsolete, and “what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Heb. 8:13).
In the manifestation of your spiritual mantle, which we’re currently discussing, it is immensely important that you wear this when serving “in the newness of the Spirit” (Rom. 7:6). The kingdom of God is a spiritual reality, but this is not visible, as it is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18), even if it is on earth (Matt. 6:10). Your functioning in this kingdom is absolutely dependent on you having this pertinent understanding of the kingdom now.
When does the following then take place? “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” This occurs, as with the disciples, “when the hour had come” (Luke 22:14), and according to John 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and now is …”
- Selah: Has your hour come?
- Read: 1 Cor. 5-14.
- Memorise: 1 Cor. 14:26.
