THE LORD’S TABLE AND THE TABLE OF DEVILS
1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
The main aspect of understanding and appreciating our sanctified position in Christ comes from our understanding of our Father’s will for us, and the plan that Satan has to hinder our sanctified living in Christ from bringing forth “fruit” as it ought. And as we come to understand the fact that just as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has a Table and a Cup, we also can plainly see that there are “devils” that also have a table and cup that many ‘partake’ of also, so what exactly does Paul mean when he refers to the “table” and “cup” issues? Would the “Table,” and “Cup” of the Lord, and the “table,” and “cup” of devils be of a physical nature, or of a spiritual nature?
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1Co 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1Co 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
The Apostle Paul shows the difference between eating and drinking of the Lord, and eating and drinking of this world, there were many who spiritually, and physically “sat down to eat and drink” of this world, but there were some who did not “lust after evil things,” meaning instead of going “after” this “world” and its ways; some followed “after” the will and ways of the Lord, and continued to “eat” the same spiritual meat, and “drink” the same spiritual drink of the Lord.
1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1Co 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Paul says “be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ,” because following the will of the Lord is how we continue to grow in our sanctified positions as sons, whereas we can bring honor and glory unto the Lord through His word, just as it is designed to work “effectually” within us. Wherefore when Paul gives us the illustration of the “table” and “cup” issues, and the behavior of men associated with each “table,” and “cup,” he wants us to understand and appreciate some vital fundamental truths concerning our sanctification as “sons” in Christ.”
Psa 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
Psa 69:22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
In Psalms 69 we see there were some that were partaking of “table of devils” that “hated” the Lord and anyone that followed His will and His ways, and as such, there were many “enemies” that hated the Lord “without a cause.” Many have followed the “table of devils,” and are “enemies” of the Lord and have caused their table to actually work as a “snare”, and a “trap” against them in the eyes of the Lord. Chapter 23 goes over the doctrine for the saint in Israel’s program to be strengthen as he exercises his sanctified position in the face of his enemies, and regardless of what he faces because of the hatred that this world has for him, the LORD’s “comfort” helps him as he partakes from the “cup” at the “table” that was prepared before him.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Joh 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Joh 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Joh 15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
The world’s hatred for the Lord and His disciples comes from the course that Satan has chartered for this world since the beginning, and just as it was true in Israel’s program when Christ was here on the earth, the same holds true today; the wisdom of God is foolishness with man, and man looks upon the thinking and ways of God as being contrary and an unorthodox threat to their thinking and ways, and as we have seen throughout God’s word; man has tried to hinder and persecute anyone who proclaimed God’s word, thinking, and ways.
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The ‘way’ of Satan has become the ‘way’ of the man whether he wants to admit to it or not, he just lives his life in a lesser violent, and a not so evil way from other ungodly men. And he thinks that just because he doesn’t sin as much as some who do the obvious ungodly things, or breaks the laws of man, that he is living a very good and fulfilling life. Furthermore, if he becomes a member of a church organization, then he feels that he is living a godly life, according to the standards that today’s church has placed upon the doctrine according to godliness.
Pro 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
Today’s church leaders require your attendance, (this is Sundays, Wednesdays, or any other church functions), your money (tithes and offerings, or any other giving that the church feels you should contribute unto), and your submission to their authority as the head of the church. And once man follows this design he is looked upon as a godly saint in the eyes of man, and by his attendance twice a week he refrains from walking as ungodly as other men 2 days out of the week, also his money contributions has the man feeling like he is doing ‘his part’ in maintaining a godly life.
1Ti 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
And most people are content with their involvement in a ‘twice a week’ showing of godliness, and it is only an outer man expression of it at best. They think if they just stop giving themselves to this world for a day or two; then they are living the godly life, and this is done by not doing so much of what they are used to doing on a daily basis, when that’s not how we ought to exercise ourselves “rather unto godliness.” When a saint in Christ displays true aspect of godliness or talks to the people of this world about the wisdom of God, he is looked upon as being a fool, or a waste of their time, but when you talk about the things of this earth; people are ‘all ears,’ because they can’t wait for the opportunity to ‘weigh in’ to let you know how wise they are on the subject concerning the wisdom of this world.
Luk 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Luk 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Luk 22:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
The Lord says that the cup “IS” the New Testament in His blood; meaning partaking of that cup would be partaking of what the New Testament consists of, and all the responsibility that comes along with fulfilling the plan and purpose of the “cup” that is placed before the saint, this is what the Apostles came to understand about the “cup” that they drank of, and divided among themselves. The “cup” is symbolic for the sanctification expectations for the saint of the Lord, and the “Table of the Lord” is symbolic for the ‘will’ or the ‘ over all plan and purpose’ of the Lord. Luke 22:18 the Lord says He will drink the fruit of the vine when that kingdom comes, that fruit is the fruit that His Apostles brought forth with their testimony concerning the Lord and the details of what the New Testament consisted of.
Joh 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Moreover, the world today hates the members of His body who partake of the “Lord’s Table,” and drink of the Lord’s “Cup” as well, and would rather have you partake of the “table of devils,” and drink of the “cup of devils.” Satan and man’s wisdom would have the members of His body to think that our observance of the Lord’s Table consists of a physical bread and wine ceremony to remember the Lord’s death till He comes, but nowhere in scripture are we told to “partake” of the Table, Cup, and Bread of the Lord in this fashion. And if we were told to physically “eat and drink” unto the Lord, then how much, when, and what type of bread and wine do we drink of? The issue is most if not all place the value on the bread and wine, instead of the “Table” and “Cup” of the Lord, but again man’s wisdom would have us to think in this ungodly way because this type of sanctification issue has been affected by Satan among the saints today.
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Finally, our ‘parking’ of the Table, and ‘drinking’ of the Cup of the Lord is our being “able ministers of the New Testament,” and only a “able” minister can properly drink of that Cup. And it is the saint who ‘examines’ himself “worthy” or not to partake of the Lord’s Table which consists of the Cup and Bread of the Lord. From Cain, to Israel and the golden calf that Israel brought forth, man has always used his wisdom to determine the way, and will of the Lord, but not following God’s design for our sanctification to bring honor and glory unto Him, will cause us to “partake” of the table and cup of devils just as Israel did, and as some continue to do today.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Rod Jones