Pastor Pondering #166: *Three Square Meals*

Three square meals a day provides nourishment, structure and balance to the body. Or so we have been told. We have breakfast to begin the new day, followed by the noontime meal and finally, dinner to close out the daily meals. Have you ever considered what could be called the three most important meals in human history?

Breakfast is where we begin and the first biblical meal we ponder was also at the beginning. This meal consisted of the first two people who ever ate out, Adam and Eve. They chose a garden setting with a particular fruit-bearing tree centre stage. The sly server at this establishment did a fine job tantalizing Eve with the menu options.

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

The first act of deliberate disobedience became the first occasion of sin and marked what is known as the fall of man. This was not a boring breakfast date. It resulted in our first parents being driven from the establishment and the curse of death began its reign of terror on earth.

I will typically have breakfast around 8 am. Four hours later lunch time arrives. In the historical timeline, four hours becomes about four thousand years. The midday meal in biblical terms marks the commemoration of the Passover supper during what is known as the last supper. At this meal Jesus describes how the bread and wine represent His body and shed blood.

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

As the afternoon gives way to evening, we anticipate dinner, the final meal of the day. This is usually the most elaborate meal of the day where family and friends gather to discuss the day’s events or specific news. The Scriptures speak of a last meal which is celebratory in nature. It is a marriage feast and the faithful are guests of honour.

Revelation 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

Breakfast has come and gone. Lunch was some time ago and the sun is well into its setting phase. Dinner will be served presently and we long to be seated at His table. His grace is sufficient to forgive the bleakness of breakfast, the sacrifice of our midday atoning and it will carry believers through to the great wedding feast three square meals.