Skip to main content

Day 66: The King's Table (SoS 1:12a)

"While the king is at his table, My spikenard sends forth its fragrance."

Song of Songs 1:12


Solomon was the wealthiest man on earth in his time, so only the most exotic wines and dishes would have made it to his table. Not just that, there was a superabundant provision for Solomon's palace as stated in 1 Kings 4:22-23.

To be invited to dine at the king's table was one of the greatest honors a man could have. Not because of the quality of food but the presence of the one in which the dining would take place. We see the example of David and Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9.

So, the King's table represents not just provision, feasting, and satisfaction. It represents access to the king, a place of communion and fellowship.

The first significant mention of the table in the Old Testament was when the Lord asked Moses to make a table for the Holy Place. Numbers 4:7 tells us what the Lord required the Priest to put on the table:

“...the dishes, the bowls for incense, the cups, the jugs for wine, as well as the bread itself.” (Contemporary English Version)

The table in the Lord's presence in the Holy place contains the same things we will see on a dinner table: food and drink. Bread was one of the most important and common meals in those days. So, we can say then that the table represents a place of spiritual feasting, satisfaction, and communion.

The Significance of bread and wine at the King's table:

The New Testament referred to the word as milk for babes and meat for the spiritually mature and compares being filled with the Spirit with being drunk with wine.

Psalm 105 implies that bread gives strength and wine makes the heart glad as we've also seen in earlier lessons.

The greatest significance of the King's table however was Jesus' last supper with His disciples where He established the New Covenant with His body and blood. He told the disciples to break bread in remembrance of Him.

So, when we spend time in God's presence we do not just feast on the word, we feast on Christ's body and His divine, incorruptible life. As we mingle with the word and the Spirit, we get closer to our Beloved.

The table however is not ours. He's the One who prepares the table as David said in Psalm 23:5. Isaiah 25:6 tells us it's a feast of  “...the best foods and wines. The meat will be good and tender, the wine pure and clear.” (Easy to Read Version). Ours is to show up ready to get all we can from the word, fellowship, and enjoy our union with Jesus.

The feast of fat things promised at the King's table can only be enjoyed as we spend time not just reading the word, but digging into it.
And just as wine makes food go down smoothly, the Holy Spirit who is the author of scripture (according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17), and the Spirit of revelation guides us in our study. He guides, teaches, and grants insight, and revelation of truth.

Bible reading alone is not enough, we must have regular times of feasting: Bible study.

There is a constant open invitation for every believer to come and dine at our Bridegroom King's table every day. The bread is always there, and the wine is always in abundance but we choose when we partake of the feast. We choose when we commune with Him and have our fill of the word and the Spirit.

PRAY WITH ME:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the invitation to dine and fellowship with you. Thank you for the privilege to be satisfied and strengthened with a feast of your word and commune with you and Your Spirit. Amen.

REFLECT AND ACT:
  •  Do you have time set aside regularly to dig into the feat of the word at Jesus' table? If you do not, schedule a time often, whether daily or weekly to study the Bible.
  • Schedule also times of communion with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, when you ask for nothing but just enjoy His presence.

Comments

Post a Comment

What do you think about today's lesson? Please share something you learnt.

Popular posts from this blog

Day 152: To the Mountain of Myrrh (SoS 4:6)

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. (Song of Songs 4:6) In the previous lesson, we began to examine the Bride's response to the Beloved's seven-fold compliment. We discussed how she finally gave a positive reply to a request he had previously tendered in SoS 2:17. We examined a part of her response, and now let's explore the next part: ...I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. We have mentioned a couple of times in this series that myrrh is a burial spice. Its mention in the Bible often signifies death and sacrifice. It was one of the spices presented to Jesus at His birth and was also used to prepare Him for burial. In the same way that Jesus embraced death on the cross, the Bride goes to the mountain of myrrh embracing death to self. She knows resolute obedience will cost her that. Jesus said in Luke 14:27: ...whoever does not bear his cr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 78: Mobile Temples, Living Stones (SoS 1:17)

  “The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.” Song of Songs 1:17 In this verse, the Bride describes her place of rest and satisfaction. First, she mentioned the bed in the previous verse and now the house is made with cedar and fir. When we look through the scriptures we'll see that Isaiah 9:10 says cedars are strong and reliable. In Psalm 80:10 they were compared to the righteous because they are stately, tall, and flourish beautifully. And in Song of Songs 4:11 are said to be fragrant. They do not rot easily and are not often attacked by insects. The word translated as fir also means cypress. So it's used interchangeably in many Bible versions. Cypress is said to be stronger than cedar so it can bear more weight. It is also more expensive because it grows more slowly. It's strong and durable, does not decay easily, and is water resistant. It was used in the Bible for not just construction but also to make musical instruments in 2 Samuel 6:5. Cypress is sa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 53: The Unforced Rhythms of Grace (SoS 1:7a)

“ Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself by the flocks of your companions? Song of Songs 1:7 Aft er the Bride's experience of being overworked, she didn't seek her Beloved in His chambers, nor did she seek Him in a place of leisure. Rather, she sought Him at His workplace. When we find ourselves in a spiritual crisis, especially when we're overworked or burnt out by activities, we must realize that oftentimes, the problem is not how much or what we're doing but how we are doing it. There is only so much the human flesh and mind can handle when it comes to physical work talk less spiritual. Paul did express in 1 Corinthians 15:58 in the Amplified version that we are to labor in our work for the Lord to the point of exhaustion . I believe it's why Paul in praying for the Ephesian church prayed for them to be strengthened with might by God's Spirit in their inner man . Thin...
Post a Comment
Read more