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Will we have enough food in Heaven to be happy?

Tags: food jesus lord

Will we have enough Food in Heaven to be happy? The food we want? That probably depends. Fortunately, I like fish. Like the sushi below. But the real question is, will we have enough food? Too many people in the world don’t get what they want or even enough of any kind of food.

I know – some people don’t like sushi.

If that’s you, maybe try substituting a vision of your favorite thing to eat. Unless, maybe, it’s unhealthy or something like that.

Since Jesus ate fish after He was resurrected, I’m hopeful that means our “resurrection bodies” will eat food. And that the food we eat will include fish. Especially the two at the top – ikura (salmon eggs) with a quail and uni (sea urchin).

Sushi is something I feel blessed to be able to afford occasionally. But this is about people who cannot afford food. Not healthy food. Not food they like. Not any kind of food, no matter what it is.

What’s the big deal about food in Heaven?

I thought about this when I read this headline: Pandemic food benefits are ending for millions of Californians. Now what? It started off with:

Since March 2020, low-income Californians have seen an increase in CalFresh benefits, the state’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps. But that emergency relief ends this month because Congress voted to terminate the extra benefits as part of the federal omnibus spending plan.

Later, the article says:

Ortega Darden, 64, said she lives in her car after she could no longer work due to health issues including multiple sclerosis. She uses local food banks to make ends meet, but CalFresh benefits — which can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables — are crucial for her health, she said. She uses a walker and said that a better diet has helped with muscle cramps in her legs.

Like nearly 5 million other Californians enrolled in the program, she will see at least a $95 drop in benefits due to the end of the federal emergency allotments. That means she will have to depend more on food banks and places like the Dollar Tree, where she often buys cheap foods like bologna to get by, she said.

“My whole health has been better because of it,” Ortega Darden said of CalFresh.

Think about how much you make. And look at how much $95 matters t some people. If you’re one of the people affected by this, you get it. You understand. If not, how many of us even pay attention?

As you can see, since the funding is from the federal government, it’s not just a California problem. This just happened to be an LA Times article on what’s happening here in CA. The sad reality is that similar things are happening all over this country. And around the world.

I’ll get more into that later, but keep this in mind as you read what follows.

Will we have enough food in Heaven to be happy?

The short answer is yes. And we’ll get into that shortly. But first, there’s an ulterior motive for asking the question. And it’s not just about food.

Let’s look at a couple of passages and see if you can figure out the motivation for the question.

First, from a prophecy from the Old Testament. It’s about Jesus.

The Year of the LORD’S Favor

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Isa 61:2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

Isa 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Isa 61:4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Isa 61:5 Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

Isa 61:6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.

Isa 61:7 Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

Isa 61:8 “For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isa 61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”

Isa 61:10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isa 61:11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.

Then, the fulfillment of that prophecy in the New Testament.

The Shepherds and the Angels

Lk 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Lk 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Lk 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Lk 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Lk 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The motive for asking if there will be enough food in Heaven?

Do you see the motive I mentioned? To be sure we’re all on the same page, here are some individual verses to make the point clear.

Who is the message for?

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Isaiah’s message was to bring good news to the poor.

Lk 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

But the Gospel, the good news in the New Testament is for everyone.

Is there something wrong here? Is there a discrepancy? Or is there a meaning that we need to figure out by looking at the Bible as a whole?

I’ll just say up front, there’s not a discrepancy. There is a difference, yes. But there is not a conflict. Let’s see why.

What’s the difference between for the poor and for everyone?

Here’s something we must look at and understand.

Isa 61:7 Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

Isa 61:8 “For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Let’s break it down, almost line by line.

Instead of their shame

The people feeling shame are the poor, the downtrodden, the ignored, the abused, Etc. They are the people that are taken advantage of in this world.

my people will receive a double portion

We read double portion in English. But in the original Hebrew text, it’s just one word that, in a general sense, means double/copy/repeat. In other words, more.

And it’s not a double portion of what they have in this life. If we double an amount that’s pretty much nothing, the best we can come up with is an amount that’s hardly anything. No. This means double the portion that God will give from His infinite provisions.

and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance

In this life, the poor receive dishonor, disgrace, and shame.
But in Heaven, they will share in their inheritance from their (our) creator.

and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs

And again, that inheritance will not be based on what they have in this life, but on God’ has to share’s infinite provisions.

For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.

This is where it starts to get real.
God loves justice. And He hates robbery and iniquity.
However, to get very real, just how much injustice has been heaped on the poor?
And to get even more real, how much injustice/shame/iniquity/dishonor have we heaped on the poor? Sometimes by our actions. Sometimes by our inactions.

In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them

God will take care of the poor. In all the ways we didn’t. And then give them even more. Forever.

Can this get any worse?

Can it get worse? Well, whenever we think things can’t possibly get worse, they will. And they do.

Remember, Isaiah was about good news for the poor. Luke was about good news for all. So what s the difference we’re supposed to figure out?

Well, let’s turn this into a simple math problem.

Question: If we take all the poor people from all the people – who’s left?
Answer: Everyone who’s not poor.
Meaning: If we consider people, not in many classifications like we do to try to make people feel better (or even worse, I dare say), then we don’t have lower class, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, rich, and super-rich. No – we have poor and rich.

How can that be? Remember, Jesus often spoke about caring for the poor. From that frame of reference, the one Jesus used, there are only two groups of people. Poor. And Rich. Therefore, everyone who isn’t poor is rich.

Now, what’s the difference between everyone and the poor? The rich.

So, if there’s really no discrepancy, it has to mean that Isaiah wrote about good news for the poor. And Jesus had good news for everyone, but the rich people rejected it.

Is there anything to support this math? well, yes. You may have heard the passage below.

The Rich Young Man – Mark

10:17-31 pp — Mt 19:16-30; Lk 18:18-30

Mk 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mk 10:18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’’”

Mk 10:20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Mk 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Mk 10:22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Mk 10:23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

Mk 10:24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Mk 10:26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Indeed? Who can be saved except for poor people?

Fortunately, Jesus did answer the question.

Mk 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Mk 10:28 Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

Mk 10:29 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

And yet, the sad reality is that too many rich people will still reject Jesus. One of the reasons is, undoubtedly, because if we truly follow Jesus, we will change our lives. A rich person who follows Jesus, if they got rich by heaping injustice/shame/iniquity/dishonor and such on the poor, they will have to stop doing that. And for many, that’s just too much to ask.

How come the good news of the Gospel isn’t good news anymore?

How come the good news of the Gospel isn’t good news anymore? Huh? Where did that question come from?

Well, it came from the passage we read in Luke. And the one in Isaiah. For instance, remember these verses in Luke where the angels spoke to the shepherds.

Lk 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Yes – news of great joy. This fallen world is full of problems. Grief. One of them is the reality that way too many people on this planet are starving. Even in the US, which likes to think of itself as great, the greatest country in the world, a place where everyone can succeed, too many people are hungry. One person is too many.

But in Heaven, in God’s Kingdom, not even one person will be hungry. There will truly be joy for everyone who’s a citizen of Heaven.

But then, let’s not forget about the rich people, everyone except those who are poor, who are left out of the promise in Isaiah. And Jesus’ example of how hard it is for a rich person to go to Heaven. Only with Him is it possible. Not just saying some magic words. But by truly following Him. Living as He taught, even commanded, us to live. Transforming our lives. Giving up the love of money, if that’s what’s necessary.

And let’s not forget something else:

The Narrow and Wide Gates

Mt 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

As I often say, the narrow road isn’t narrow to make people wait to get into Heaven. No. the narrow road is narrow because it’s hard to find and hard to stay on. But it’s also narrow because a whole lot of people aren’t going to travel it. Instead, they’ll be on the wide road to the other place.

Will we have enough food in Heaven to be happy?

Yes, we will have plenty of food in Heaven. However, there’s a catch to that statement. A condition. To go back to math, and use logic, If we get to Heaven, then we will have plenty of food. But if we don’t get to Heaven, well, it’s just not going to be the same. Everything good will be in Heaven. Whatever’s left over, that’s what will be in Hell.

Do you remember when we read about the rich young man above? And do you remember that Jesus said “all things are possible with God”? Of course, it didn’t literally mean “all things”. It meant things that are within God’s will. It’s not like God can make a square circle. But if a rich person truly follows Jesus, we can go to Heaven.

Now that we have that straight, do you also remember what Jesus said at the very end of the passage? “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

So – the final questions.

If you’re poor, if you have what we “politely” call food insecurity, meaning if you don’t have and can’t get, enough food, if you go hungry, do you realize that the good news Jesus has promises an eternity of abundance, including food, for you if you accept His offer.

If you’re rich, and while I’m far from rich by today’s American standards I am rich by God’s standards, do you realize, as I do, that without Jesus we will not have an inheritance from Jesus? We may think everything’s going to be fine, because things are OK – or maybe awesome – now. But we can’t take any of that with us.

No matter our situation today, Jesus is the only way to the Father. The only path to Heaven.

In Jesus’ time, the shepherds, who were like the scum of the earth, knew that. And they were overjoyed. I don’t know why everyone isn’t. The offer is for all. But most will reject it.

Think about that, especially while you’re eating, if you’re eating. And think about it if you’re hungry. This life is short compared to eternity.

Thank carefully. Pray often. And don’t end up being last in the end.


Image by me


The post Will we have enough food in Heaven to be happy? appeared first on Which God Saves?.


This post first appeared on Which God Saves, please read the originial post: here

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