The problem of eating food offered to idols must have been a major concern of Rabbi Paul. He devotes various verses of three chapters in his letter to the Corinthians to deal with this issue. (1Cor 8 through 11)
So what? How does that concern us? Perhaps we should skip over those verses since we don’t have idol worship today. Do we?
The Jerusalem Council also warned against this problem in their letter to the Gentile Believers in Acts 15:23-24. Not only that, but two Assemblies, are rebuked by the Lord for eating “food sacrificed to idols” (Rev. 2:24; 2:20.) Pergamum and Thyatira. Perhaps we need to understand what was happening in the 1st century pagan world and why the Jewish Council, Paul and then again Jesus were so concerned with this problem.
Do you know that several primitive societies in the Brazilian jungles also consume the flesh of the dead? It’s still happening. But why?
In the 1st century, when food was brought to the pagan temple as a sacrifice to the gods, only a small portion of it was actually burned on the altar. The majority of the offered food was to be either sold by the priest in the marketplace or eaten by the worshiper in a dining area located in the temple. These dinners then became a type of worship and cultic ritual.
Believers were forbidden to join in these meals because their participation involved a level of intimacy with the pagan god. The very food offered and then eaten entered and became one with the person who consumed the food. He would then be identified with the god himself. Therefore, the Believers in the early Assemblies were forbidden of eating this food. They now had a new identity with the Jewish Messiah. Eating the ritualistic food would be considered idolatry.
In our world today the idea of idolatry seems to be a thing of the past. However, our idols are not wood or stone but idols of the spirit. Any form of temptation, desires, lust or participation in what God has forbidden is a special form of idolatry. We have determined what we want and desire. We become our own idol! We want to serve ourselves without sacrificing our Wants to help others. I become self-serving!
Disappointments, failures and sickness might leave us bewildered and adrift from the foundations of faith. I have come to recognize this in my own life. Through prayer and worship, and daily repentance, we have a chance to overcome the need for the “meat” of idol worship.
It is the beauty of fellowship with other Believers that encourages us and gives us strength. Its our daily Bible reading and meditation that brings all of us closer to the Creator.
“So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
No idol meat for us!!
AbideLines 