What Does the Bible Say About Food, Emotions, and God? Pt 1

Plenty...as it does about everything else.
For all those who are naturally skinny or who are one of the very few who lost weight by sheer will power and preach the gospel of 'just diet and exercise', I would hasten to say to you that if it was as easy as diet an exercise, America would be the skinniest country in the world. Obviously there is more at play.


If we take a cursory look at the Bible we will find examples about how food is directly related to our financial situation, emotions, and decision making abilities. I'm still wrapping my head around some of these examples so if I don't give a little blurb about it I just want to throw them out for you to consider.

Genesis
God gave them many trees to eat from. An abundance of food is a symbol of wealth and power. We also see this in the 23rd Psalm. 'Thou will make a banqueting table in the presence of thine enemies'.
The first commandment with a warning was one connected to food:
"Thou can eat from any tree in the garden except the Tree of Good and Evil".
Eating was (wo)man's first act of wanting more, of becoming like God, of fearing that God was keeping something from them.
Aside: the first person in human history to want more and doubt God's intentions was a woman. I dont know what to make of this but I always find this interesting.

After the Flood, Noah got drunk. People often contend that Noah didn't know what alcohol was. Wake Up People. God got so mad at the people in Noah's day, that he sent a global flood. You better believe there was some 'strong drink' up in there. We can also be honest and understand the emotional turmoil of being the only family given such a great task amidst constant criticism, being cooped up in a moving ship with animals (with no bathrooms) and family (with no bathrooms) for so long a period of time. The flood took 40 days but it took quite some time for the water to recede and God to open the ark door. In a lot of ways, Noah might've deserved a drink. Yes, he had been spared but he paid quite a price. This to me proves that alcohol can be a way of escape, a liquid vacation.

Abraham and Sarah served God food when God stopped by. Food is a form of honor if served right with good intentions.

Jacob (and Rebecca) tricked Esau (and Isaac) out of Esau's birth right through food when he Esau was famished. Food is a form of deceitful seduction if served with the wrong intentions.

Joseph is reunited with his brothers (and family) just as he was appointed head of Egypt just as Egypt was about to enter a famine. Lack of food can be a form of punishment or circumstance (a reminder that God is in control).Even though Jacob was wealthy, his family was about to starve to death just like everyone else. You can have all the money and anointing that you want but if God doesn't make provisions for you to eat, you have nothing.
Aside: if Jacob & 'em had died there would have been no Jesus. God kept his promise to Adam, Abraham, and Jacob.

Exodus
Moses fasted twice. Isn't it interesting that a lack of food is a means to receive clarity from God, favor, and power from God. Fasting has a strange way of settling you down and getting you focused. This implies that food (the most primal source of need, satisfaction and symbol of abundance) can be a distraction. That makes a lot of sense. When you are fasting, you don't care about your next meal, how much its gonna cost, what will you cook for dinner, how long its gonna take, whether its gonna hurt your diet, or if its gonna cause a pimple. You're not wondering why after eating such-and-such you have a rash on your chest that now you have to spend more money to clear up while you do the detective work to figure why all of a sudden you have an outbreak to something you eat all the time. You have a legitimate reason to skip the family dinner which always takes you a week to get over anyway. You're not concerned about the craziness thats been put into the food or food poisoning. If the beau can't afford to take you to a restaurant after he just paid over $100/ticket on the Opera, you're not even offended. He's elated because OBVIOUSLY you've been with the Lord...lol. Whether in a country where there is a food shortage or food surplus,  food and its effects are always on the brain.   

One of the plagues before Pharaoh let His people go was causing the Red Sea to be turned to blood. Again, this reinforces the notion that if you have no food and water, you have nothing. Provisions represents God's Sovreignty. Just as God gave it, He can snatch it right back.

When finally in the wilderness, the people murmured against the manna (think communion wafers) that God provided and the water that was their diet. They longed for the 'leeks and onions' that they had in slavery.
This speaks to a few things: God will give you what He will give you and it won't necesarily be steak and eggs (for now). How you accept the manna will determine how fast you get to the land of 'milk and honey'. Also this represents how the natural palate is tied to previous experiences. My favorite food is Pizza Hut pizza. I always thought it was just because the way it tasted in my mouth. Then I got to thinking. On Friday nights as a child, we had a family ritual. My mother and sister would go to Pizza Hut when we were kids. This was a very fond memory in my childhood. We would talk and joke and just bond as a family. I wouldn't be surprised if that happy childhood experience is the real reason why I love Pizza Hut pizza. The passage also implies that if the natural palate ain't satisfied, its easy to become irritable, to think anything more exotic is better (they wanted leeks and onions? for real?), it causes other underlying issues to come to the surface (why did he bring us out here? Egypt wasn't that bad? my response:what?). Simple provisions makes people humble and that can be humiliating. Coversely, having food can be a false sense of control (pride).

Leviticus (and many other places)
Food items were offered as sacrifies. In other words, the item(s) that I would otherwise use to feed my family I have to give up to please the Lord. Sounds a lot like tithing doesn't it. To not eat (to not eat as much) is a form of submission. People, (even annointed, chosen) don't do to well in the submission department. Therefore, to eat what you want to eat can be a form of control and security.

Joshua
The Promised Land was consistently called the land of Milk & Honey. Of all attributes for a label a city, it is known by food products. I havent studied but I'm going to throw some things out there. Milk comes from cows and bees need flowers so this was probably a great climate. Philly is known for its cheesesteaks. NY and Chicago are known for its Pizzas. Hershey,PA is known, of course for its Chocolate. Florida and California are known are known for its fruits. For a city to be known by food, representsa better quality of other products and thus an lucrative economy. This be why they had such thick walls that God had to get involved to tear it down.
Aside: God only does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God will not tie your shoes because he has given you a brain, fingers, and back to bend over and tie them. Study your Bible. God specializes in the impossible. Even the feeding of the poor. He has given the planet enough resources and given each human being a thing called compassion. He has given the human race all the tools to eliminate poverty but our own evil hearts refuses to be concerned about anyone but ourselves. Tell me I'm lying.
Food represents money, power, respect, self-acceptance, and by extension the need to protect those things at all costs.

Judges
Sampson took honey out of the carcass of a dead lion, an unclean thing for a Nazarite (anointed) man to do. The need/presence of food can blur wisdom. 'Its just food'=its not as bad as... (sermon). Its just dinner with an old fling...It was at a feast that the Phillistines were trying to figure out where Sampsons strength came from.  Again, food can be a method to pull peoples defenses down. Later, when his secret was exposed, it was at a feast (food represents celebration; happy times; defenses down) where Sampson destroys 'more at his death than in his life'.

1 Samuel
After Hannah prays, wails, and begs God for a son and Elijah blesses her, the first thing she does is go eat. A healthy appetite is a sign of peace, contentment, resolve. I know after ive had a good cry, I'm hungry as ever.

Psalms
Plenty of imagery. God is a great writer. Why not? He invented language and gave us everything we have to talk about.
'Oh taste and see that the Lord is good'
'it is vain...to eat the bread of sorrows'.
'he is sweeter than the honey froma honeycomb'.
'children are the fruit of the womb'

Proverbs
Gluttony listed as part of the seven deadly sins. The sin nature is very much tied up in how we handle food. That makes sense. It was through a fruit that this whole thing got started.
Overeating will cause poverty (and so will all the other deadly sins). Overeating is instant self-gratification. It gives no thought to tomorrow. I want what I want now regardless of what its doing to the only vessel that God gave me to use to help others. Again, the word happiness, power, and control keeps coming up when I think of food. We all know that an easy way to cut household expenses is to cut down on the groceries and stop eating out. It is low hanging 'fruit'. Cutting down on alcohol is usually out of the question though, right?

Ecclesiastes
For those of you who don't have grandparents in their lives, or even parents, who could give good advise, Ecclesiastes is for you. In it Solomon (who at this point is old), basically says over and over again, it means nothing. All the frivolous things that you worry about mean nothing. Pretty much he encourages his audience to eat, drink, and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Here we also see how food represents peace and contentment (and itll take a bit of work to get it). Theres always a catch isnt it?

Daniel
King Nebuchanezzar threatens Daniel with food. Here we are back to power and privilege.
Daniel says I don't eat that stuff. Food is spiritual and can be a form of obedience. Because we are under grace (thru Christ) and not the Law, we don't have dietary restrictions. Thank the Lord because I luv pok bacon.

Malachi
The dreaded/beloved (depending on how ones finances are) tithing chapter (3) has 4 main promises-plenty of food being one of them. Again, food represents wealth, provision, and God's blessing toward a person.

The Gospels
Jesus is described as the essentials-Bread and Water.
Jesus ate with 'sinners'. Eating with someone in Biblical times wasnt 'just lunch' it was an act of friendship even unity. This Man's love and compassion for people never stops amazing me, humbling me, and convicting me.
Jesus chose people in the industry of food (fisherman). Food, though hard, is easy money. People need it. People want it. No ones really gonna bother someone if they have a little more. People actually prefer to have a little more than they need (i.e. security). Fill in the blank: There's nothing new _________.
When Jesus cast the 'Legion' out of the man who was sleeping at the tomb, he sent them flying into a herd of pork (i.e. their money). The people ran Jesus out of there. Jesus is bad for business (sermon right there).

Jesus turns water into wine during a feast. Wine represents joy. God wants to not just sustain you (water) but bring you joy greater than than what was prepared by man (sermon right there). I can think of another wedding feast that will contain great joy.

Jesus gave thanks for his food when he multiplied the 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread.
Aside: If Jesus gave thanks, whats up with us? Also, Jesus was cognizant of their natural needs and was 'moved with compassion' and ACTED on their natural needs (his younger brother James talks about this in James 3; something about faith without works is dead and the example he used was someone without food and a person just wants to pray for the person). These people had listened to him preach, were far from the marketplace, many far from home, and it was too large a crowd to buy stuff for anyway. He Who Specializes in the Impossible, the Lamb, 'fed them'...more than enough (can I shout yet?).
Martha was concerned about the meal she was to give Jesus when he stopped by. Food preparation is a sign of respect and honor (or lack thereof). Don't lie. Everyone magically becomes a better chef when there's company coming over.
Jesus institutes a meal (Communion) as a memorial to his pending Death. Food is Spiritual.
The Prodigal Son spends all he has and ends up competing with pigs for food. There is no more personal rebuke than lack of food. Its a shame. Pigs have such a bad reputation for just being themselves. He comes to himself as says 'my fathers servants have plenty of food'. He comes home, and his father says to prepare a meal. Mind you, he came back to his father in the middle of a national famine. Food represents love, unity, provision, forgiveness, satisfaction, and restoration.

Revelation/Prophesy
The beginning of eternity (an oxymoron) is always described with a banqueting table.