We should look forward to coming to the table, not just because we are hungry, but for the joy of being together. We should be full of anticipation. It should be full of fun and laughs.

We enjoy eating at our home. We enjoy the taste of our cooking. As we eat our evening meal I often exclaim, “I feel sorry for everyone else in the world. I wish they could eat what we are eating right now.” Please forgive me if I sound biased. I just enjoy my cooking and relish the flavor.

Have you watched the video, “What About Bob?” It is a delightful comedy of a psychiatric patient who is healed from his problems by becoming part of family life. At one stage in the video he is shown eating with the family and loving every moment. “Mmmmmmm, ” he expresses with ecstasy at every mouthful. This tickled our fancy and now we often do the same. If we are really enjoying a dish, we will all “Mmmmmmm” with delight. I’m sure God wants us to take pleasure in our meals.

Psalm 22:26, “The meek shall eat and be satisfied.”

Read also Psalm 63:5; 81:16; 105:40; 107:9; 132:15b.

Proverbs 13:25; 20:13b; Isaiah 58:11a; Jeremiah 31:14b; Joel 2:19; 2:26.

Ecclesiastes 9:7, “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart.” Read also 3:13 and 5:18.

Acts 2:46-47, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their food with gladness and singleness (simplicity) of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.” The word “gladness” in this verse is “agalliasis” meaning ‘exultation, exuberant joy.’

Acts 14:17, “The living God… gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” The word “gladness’ here is ‘euphrosune’ meaning ‘to rejoice, joyfulness.’

1 Timothy 6:17, “The living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.”
 

The children of Israel lived on a basic diet of bread with oil, fish and olives, interrupted with feasts. Oh how they loved to feast and celebrate. Feasts are for fun, friendship, fellowship and fullness! Oh yes– fatness too! And we don’t have to separate feasting from God’s presence. In the Bible they go together! God wants us to feast in His presence! Look at these Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 14:23,26 Knox, “Every year thou wilt set apart a tenth of all the crops… and come to the place the Lord thy God has chosen… to feast on it there in His presence… With this money thou mayest buy all thou wilt, oxen and sheep, wine and mead, to thy heart’s content, and on these thou shalt feast in the presence of the Lord, thou and all thy household, making good cheer together.”

Deuteronomy 26:11 Knox, “When thou hast paid worship… go home to feast on all the good things He has given thee, with all thy household, with Levite and wanderer that are thy neighbors.”

Deuteronomy 27:7 Knox, “Eat and make good cheer in the Lord’s presence.”

God loves feasts. God established feasts to teach and remind the generations of the people of Israel of His ways and wondrous works – the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. However, there are also many other feasts and celebrations talked about in the Bible. We can have feasts from the cradle to the grave. Here are others that are mentioned.