The Feast of Victory
What comes to your mind when you hear the word “feast”? I tend to think of a big table of about 10 to 15 people, all seated around a huge turkey, with cranberries and mashed potatoes. There’s nothing like the smell and the taste of freshly cooked meat between your teeth, kicking back and finally saying, “I’m stuffed.” As much as we may enjoy these feasts, something always hampers my enjoyment - and usually it’s guilt. You see, God says that gluttony is a sin. Inevitably, I usually eat TOO MUCH at these meals. Then, instead of spending time with my children, I end up sleeping in a chair during the afternoon because I’m too stuffed to get up and go anywhere.
When Maia was first born, the first thing she did as I was holding her in my hands was dirty her diaper and then urinate on me. It was amazing to me how a little girl like that could produce such stench as that. Yet that’s what we do every day. We take wonderful food, use it, and let it out the other end as disgusting dung. That’s the nature of being human - we are able to take wonderful gifts of God and turn them into curses. We use God’s gifts of food and eat too much of it. We use God’s gift of alcohol and drink too much of it. We use God’s gift of sex and turn it into something dirty and filthy. We are like the filters of a furnace - we catch all the pollution of this world, collect it, and produce visible sin.
This can even be done with the Lord’s Supper. This wonderful gift of God can be abused, misused, and misconstrued. If it is taught wrong, it can be treated like any other meal - like eating a potluck. Something that was given as a blessing can be eaten to one’s destruction. (1 Corinthians 11:27) As we celebrate Maundy Thursday, we want to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the right way. We don’t want to turn it into some sort of immoral idol sacrifice or potluck dinner. That’s not why Christ gave it. Instead, we want to look at it as -
The Feast of Victory
The Bible has several examples of “feasts of victory.” In Ezekiel 39, birds and scavengers were to feast on the victory spoils of war - like feasting on fattened animals from Bashan. In Psalm 23, we say, “you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” God did this very thing for the Israelites at the time of the Exodus. In memory of that deliverance, God instituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover feast, which Jesus was celebrating just prior to the Lord’s Supper. God said in Exodus 12, “take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. . . . “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians. Every first month, starting on the evening of the fourteenth day, the Israelites were to eat lambs with unleavened bread in celebration of their deliverance from Egypt.
In Exodus 32 Moses came down from Mt. Sinai to find God’s people worshiping false gods. It says, When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. (Ex 32:19-20) By making them DRINK this calf, he seemed to be trying to give them a physical demonstration as to how weak their idol was or humiliate them for what they had done. Also, in Leviticus, God said to the Israelites after warning them, “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. 29 You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. (Le 26:27-30) So when God made the Israelites eat and drink something, sometimes it was meant to be a very strong visual aid - backing up the message that God was sending - either good or bad. In a negative sense, I might compare it to rubbing a dog’s nose in it’s own urine after urinating on the floor.
However, eating and drinking in celebration had several benefits. First of all, by physically eating the same food that the Israelites ate at the time of the Exodus, the Israelites throughout the ages were given visual aids of what happened and physically were able to somewhat relive what happened on that wonderful night. It provided a spiritual connection - like having a devotion with your children using visual aids. But there were other benefits as well. In 1 Samuel, after Saul’s men had conquered the Philistines, and they were exhausted from the battle. The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out. . . so (Jonathan) reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. (1 Sa 14:29) Tasting of the spoils of victory physically rejuvenated him. When Saul accused his son Jonathan of being a traitor, throwing a spear at him, Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David. (1 Sa 20:34) Therefore, eating a banquet with someone also can signify and enforce the fact that the two are friends toward one another. A traditional American view of this kind of fellowship is the pilgrims and the Indians eating a feast together at what we now celebrate as Thanksgiving. At any rate, what I’m trying to get across is that there’s more to eating a Feast than just satisfying your appetite. It can have connotations of friendship, celebration, or a common faith.
On the very night Jesus was betrayed, after He and His disciples were done celebrating the Passover, Jesus instituted what we now call the Lord’s Supper. We need to remember that this was Jesus’ last opportunity to have close fellowship with his disciples prior to his death. It was his last chance to have a heart to heart with them and spend time with them before he went to the cross. Like any parent wants his children to be provided for when he dies, Jesus wanted the same. In this giving of the Lord’s Supper - Jesus gave his disciples something that would last not just for that night, but into eternity, when they and their children and their spiritual descendants - including us today - would meet Jesus in His kingdom. Here he gave them the Feast of Victory. Here is the account from Matthew -
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Just as in the Passover, we have Jesus giving us something to eat and to drink. We can assume then that Jesus is instituting something special - a lesson that he doesn’t want forgotten, one that could be used for friendship, celebration and growing together.
But Jesus distinguishes this from the Passover and any other Feast of Victory, as he calls it a COVENANT - a last will and testament - and says, take and eat, this is my BODY, take and drink, this is MY BLOOD! What is the significance of this? Why would he say this? Let’s find out.
Blood was an integral part of the Old Testament covenant and sacrifices. ‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the LORD. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and carry it into the Tent of Meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. (Le 4:3-7) When Moses gave the Israelites the law, God’s Word says, Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” 8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Ex 24:3-8) Blood was used to either sprinkle on the altar or on the people to ratify treaties and part of the sacrificial offerings. It would not be unusual then for Jesus to use blood in this final covenant.
However, one thing that was also commanded was never to drink the blood. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. (Dt 12:16) This pouring of the blood on the ground may have been a way of recognizing that life came from God and was being given back from him. Some have speculated that not drinking the blood was to keep the Israelites separate from the pagan religions which seemed to think that drinking the blood of the sacrifice would give them some of the sacrifice’s life. This could be understood from vs. 31 of Deuteronomy where God said that they must not worship your God in THEIR way . . . they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
Some have used their logic to then conclude, “since God demanded that they COULDN’T drink blood in the Old Testament sacrifices, then Jesus couldn’t be referring to actually drinking his blood in the Lord’s Supper and eating his body. This must be symbolic.” They conclude that such a practice and command from Jesus to eat and drink his body and blood would be offensive to Jews. In Luther’s time a large group of people broke from the long held faith that Jesus’ body and blood really was present in the Lord’s Supper - calling such people who held to such teachings carnivores and flesh eaters - comparing them to flesh eating animals with blood between their teeth and almost frothing at the mouth.
Using the Old Testament to negate the New Testament is not a wise thing to do. For in Colossians 2:16 Paul tells us, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Instead of the Old Testament negating the New, the New Testament is to negate the Old. Paul said that all of the eating and drinking and religious festivals were only SHADOWS of what was to come, but the REALITY was found in Christ. In order to point forward to the sacrifice of Christ - God didn’t have people sacrifice children, as a matter of fact that was detestable in God’s sight. However, does that mean that the sacrifice of His Son was detestable in God’s sight? Not at all.
Why would Jesus institute something never heard of before? Doing something differently than what we expect is what God does all the time. He comes in gentle whispers, in words, in water. Instead of judgment, he is patient. Instead of anger, there is forgiveness. The sending of Christ and this covenant of grace was supposed to be something that stood out from the Old Testament covenant and regulations - something completely different. Why should we limit what he does to our reason or even to His past? So let’s look at the Lord’s Supper and take Jesus at His Word.
Jesus said, take and eat, this IS my body. This IS my blood. 1 Corinthians 10:16 also states, Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? He wanted to distinguish this from eating a potluck dinner or a Passover. You can’t make it any more distinguished than giving us His body and blood. To compare this to eating a hamburger or to call us carnivores is a slander of the worst kind. How can you compare the flesh and blood of God to eating the flesh and blood of any animal or man? This is unlike any other meal in the world, and it’s supposed to be. It’s not eating something that’s dead. It’s eating something that’s alive, universal, and eternal. It’s not made for feeding us physically, but spiritually. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. It’s not fair.
In the Old Testament the blood was the main part of the sin offering. The writer to the Hebrews said, The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. By sprinkling the blood ON the people it outwardly cleansed them. The writer goes on, 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Heb 9:12-14) The writer contrasts the two cleansings of the heifer and Christ - because the blood of Christ cleansed us INWARDLY - in the conscience. God’s Word promises me that the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 Jn 1:7). When I know that Christ took God’s wrath on his shoulders and shed His blood for me, it relieves my conscience from convincing me that God is going to punish me for my sins. Every time we taste of this body and blood, we are physically reminded of the victory that Christ won for us on the cross. When we hear those words of institution, this is my body, which is GIVEN FOR YOU, do this in REMEMBRANCE OF ME, it takes us back to the day that Jesus died for us - reminding us that our sins are paid for. It cleanses our conscience. If that INNER CLEANSING - which was never given through the Old Testament sacrifices, is the result of the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ, then why wouldn’t Christ have us drink His holy blood - and apply that blood on the inside - something completely different than ever done before?
The main reason for not drinking blood was laid out in Leviticus 17 as God explained, For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. God said that “life is in the blood.” That’s true, isn’t it? Maybe you’ve seen someone get a blood transfusion, to literally see them turn shades of color, from white to red. That’s what blood can do for you. You can live without an arm, a leg, an or even a heart for a time. But nobody can live without blood. God didn’t want the blood drank - mainly because the complete life of the animal was to be given to HIM. If someone drank some of it, then the sacrifice to relieve God’s wrath would not have been complete. All of it had to be poured out to God.
All of Christ’s blood was poured out before God on the cross. It came seeping out of his hands, his feet, his head, and finally, his side. This was a total sacrifice. The wrath of God came burning down on Christ as He sent Jesus body and soul to hell as our substitute. God says in no unclear terms, Hebrews 13 says that Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. But unlike any other sacrifice, Jesus did not STAY dead. Three days later, on Easter Sunday, Jesus raised from the dead. As true God and man, now Jesus says I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the very end of the age. Is it beyond God’s power then, to spread His eternal and universal body and blood throughout the world in a Feast to last throughout the end of the ages? Wouldn’t it be wiser to take Jesus at His Word and not debate over what the definition of “is” is?
When we take the Lord’s Supper then, that’s why we can call it a Feast of Victory. We are not remembering somebody who is dead - but our Savior who is ALIVE. We are not eating and drinking something that is limited to time and space, but the body and blood of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. We are not only remembering that Christ DIED for us, but that this same Christ is now ALIVE and well. The life is in the blood. That same blood that was crucified is offered to us in the Supper. So every time that we take the Lord’s Supper, God is promising us that Jesus died FOR US. It’s this promise of forgiveness that gives us spiritual life and faith to last into eternity. The life is in the blood of Christ. So why not drink it and eat His body, if Jesus tells us to?
When I was real young, my parent bought me an Electric Company play set. They had all of the popular figures in there. I can remember that my brothers and sister were fighting over who got to use one character. I didn’t want to see them argue over it, so I threatened to tear the figure in half. When they wouldn’t stop arguing over it, I finally took the figure and tore it - ruining it. I don’t know why, but I’ll never forget how I ruined that piece. There are many things that we can ruin in this world, we’ve proven that over our lifetimes. Cars, relationships, carpets, homes, families, reputations - we’ve done it all. It’s unfortunate how truly destructive we can be. We’ve even managed to ruin our relationship with a completely loving and holy God through our own sin and arrogance. Unfortunately, many have ruined the Lord’s Supper as well, and treated it as you would any meal or supper - ripping it of it’s promise and power - of it’s very essence.
The Lord’s Supper is such a wonderful gift of God. It’s a Feast of Victory. In it, Jesus gives us His very own body and blood to assure us that our sins are forgiven. The same Savior who died for us is now alive, and we are holy in God’s sight through faith in HIM. Our relationship is restored. As you take the Lord’s Supper tonight. Remember who you are. You are a sinner who has been saved through the body and blood of Christ. Remember what you are receiving. The body and blood of Christ which was shed on the cross FOR YOU. Then rejoice in the Feast of Victory as you taste and see that the Lord truly is GOOD. Amen.
