A CERTAIN TABLE

God loves Family, Fellowship and Food. Everyone of these is portrayed as Fortified or protected in The Passover event when the families are inside eating and protected by the Lamb's blood on the doorpost. This love for a protected gathering of family and food is also seen in The Last Supper event when the disciples are inside eating that meal and protected by Father God, except the one that would betray Jesus.

Now, I come to A Certain Table that my Lord is arranging. The word "table" in this verse actually means a meal. And what a glorious victory meal for believers in Christ it will be. Reminiscent of The Passover and Communion, The Table or meal will occur in the presence of - to name a few - cancer, discouragement, fear, death, the worldly spirits, fleshly desires and the devil – my enemies. The actual verse from Psalm 23:5 states unto God -

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."

Even though you may count yourself to be among those that do not have enemies, while in the human world that may be true, in the spiritual world it is not true. 

"The Bible teaches that there are three sources of evil in life: the world, the flesh and the devil. The world is the physical environment, and system of culture, that distracts us from God, and provides an alternative view of reality from the Gospel. The flesh is that conscious and unconscious inner life that operates out of our egos, our dispositions, and our addictions. The devil is that spiritual power who plays on these elements to tempt us to rebel against God and despair. All three are our enemies."

One of the schemes of the devil is to keep you defeated. If you do not know you are already victorious in and through Christ then you are powerless to the devil's devices. Praise God our enemies are defeated! Did you hear what word and tense I used - defeat in the past tense. 

Regarding the Lord's victory over fleshly matters, the Word of God had to become flesh and did by being born as the only begotten Son of God. Some of the fleshly mindsets, attitudes or spirits that may attack us are sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like (Galatians 5:19:21). And so Paul, in Romans 8:3-4, offers the following explanation of how Jesus destroyed the fleshly powers.

"For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." 

Paul says it another way in Hebrews 4:15. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

Therefore, not only is Christ's payment on the cross important, but His Resurrection is crucial. If Jesus had merely died on the cross for our sins and not risen from the dead then we would just have another martyr for a good cause and not the Savior of all humanity. However, Jesus proclaimed after His ascension to Father God through a vision to John - "I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18). 

Still keeping with John, 1 John 2:16 records what The World is - (1) Lust of the flesh (body), (2) Lust of the eyes (coveting everything) and the Pride of life (out of balance boasting in one's abilities and general life). But in the writing of John's gospel, he records Jesus declaring the following on our status with the world - "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). 

Concerning the devil, 1 John 3:8 states - "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.". At the cross, Christ Jesus has "disarmed the spiritual powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2:15).  The ultimate manifestation of this is seen later on according to Revelation 20:10 - "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

"The 23rd Psalm reminds us that the Good Shepherd prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. The sheep are able to safely graze because they are under the protection of the shepherd who stands guard over them. He nourishes us in the midst of conflict. The Table stands for the saving action God has taken to protect us."

The Communion Table then for Christians becomes an incredible Worship experience AND meal - remembering The Lord's sacrifice for us. However, Communion is only a foretaste of the banquet that is mentioned here in the 23rd Psalm. This banquet is also referred to in Revelation 19:9 - "Then the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God.'"

"The Good Shepherd has done everything that is needed to protect us from our enemies. He has disarmed them, and defeated them. They have no power over us. We can feast at his Table and celebrate our deliverance. When the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, is celebrated, and we genuinely participate by faith, the kingdom of God is advanced, and the kingdom of darkness is diminished."

Good Christian, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage you to know who you are because of Christ's continuing love for you. I implore you to acquire this knowledge if you do not have it already. And if you know who you are in Christ already, firm this knowledge up in your heart and mind everyday. The enemy of our souls is on a mission to steal, kill and destroy the mere knowledge of Victory(ies) in Jesus and we can start pushing back by worshiping God, fellowshipping, and celebrating at A Certain Table.

[Quoted Source - https://www.virtueonline.org/you-prepare-table-me-presence-my-enemies-psalm-235]