Christmas Dinner: Day 12

“and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and make you eat with the inheritance of your father Jacob.” Isaiah 58:14

Eat – Do you want to really celebrate Christmas?  Then enjoy an inheritance meal, served up by God Himself.  It won’t be the usual turkey or ham.  It won’t have sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.  But it will be exceedingly nutritious and eternally beneficial.  And you won’t have to be dainty about eating.  This meal is a ravenous feast.

We met the word ‘akal in August.  Devour, consume, eat.  Licking the plate clean.  The holy fire that consumes the sacrifice.  The wrath of God that devours His enemies.  This is a fearsome word.  A word fit for a Christmas meal that reaches back through the ages to father Jacob.  What will be served at this ravenous feast?  Your inheritance.  Your nakhalah, the portion given you by legacy, passed down to you as a member of the family.  At this Christmas dinner, God passes around the dish of inheritance.  Help yourself.  But be ready for a surprise.

God has prepared a feast of celebration for all of those called to be His priests, His representatives in a foreign land.  That’s you and me.  That’s every single person who is adopted into the family through the obedience of the One born on this night.  But here’s the surprise.  Turn to Numbers 18:20.  God is passing around the inheritance and the inheritance is Himself. Grab hold of that platter.  Take a big piece.  There’s more than enough.  Feast yourself on God.  We are finally home, back at the Garden when He gave the very first command, ‘akol tokel, literally, “in feasting you shall feast” (Genesis 2:15 –  see August 13).  This is the night of feasting, feasting on the glory and wonder and love of God, feasting on His provision and plan, feasting on the day our return to the Kingdom was sealed.  This is the Redemption Feast.

Eat!  Rejoice!  And sing with the angels, “Peace on earth and good food for men”