I was casually reading the 2nd chapter of Revelation regarding the letters to the angels of the seven churches. The angel of the church of Pergamum is told they will be given hidden manna to eat. (I wonder if that is the same thing David meant when he talked about “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies . . . Psalms 23:5) Okay, fine. Most Christians know that isn’t referring to the same manna that was in the wilderness. We take it to mean “spiritual food”. Especially if we know the words of Jesus who said He is the true manna from heaven. He goes on to explain that his WORDS are what we are to eat. (“the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63).
But earlier in the chapter that same church was warned about eating things sacrificed to idols. Hmmmm. If hidden manna is not literally manna, but life giving words of Jesus, then this meat sacrificed to idols is not literally food. (For Paul tells us that actually eating the things sacrificed to idols does not defile—read I Corinthians 8). Could it be that this is talking about unholy words, teaching, doctrine, propaganda–words of death, just the opposite of Jesus’ words? What does it mean for us? Well, for one thing, the shows we watch on television; feasting on the immoral messages and images. That’s how it struck me, anyway. And if we look at it that way, that the programs we allow into our home, our eyes, our minds, our souls, is food sacrificed to idols, we might think twice about allowing it.
