Question
Since the angels in the third heaven eat manna for food does the departed members of the body of Christ do so too? Seeing that there is a need to eat. Also, what do the departed unsaved dead eat where they are? Or is it not necessary for them to eat because the rich man in hell wanted Abraham to have Lazarus put water on his tongue from his finger?
Response
I don’t think that the same “need to eat” that we have in our present bodies and situation is going to be what we experience in the Lord’s presence, whether following death or once we have our glorified, immortal bodies. Nor do I think that our present “need to eat” is necessarily the same reason for why the angels have food to eat. Simply put, right now we “need to eat” for our bodies to keep functioning. Physical difficulties result when we do not have food to eat and death would eventually occur if we were not able to eat; we would starve to death. However, once physical death takes place it would be hard to say that food was now needed for the same reason. And the same will be true once we have our glorified, immortal bodies. Since at that time physical difficulties and death are no longer an issue, it would be hard to say that food will be needed in the same way it is for us right now. So though at the present time it is natural for us to only think of food in connection with our “need to eat,” my understanding is that this is not the only way in which food can be thought about. And when it comes to the angels eating, and we ourselves doing so either following death or in our glorified, immortal bodies, my understanding is that the capacity exists for us to do so and that we will undoubtedly do so, but without the same “need” that we ourselves have at the present time and situation.
This is not to say that there may not be some definite benefits to eating, both for the angels right now and for us when we are in the Lord’s presence. But I freely confess that in my present understanding I do not know how to identify them or specify what they are. Again, I know that the capacity to eat exists, as Psalm 78 makes clear with regards to the angels; and the provision is made for them to eat. But the exact benefits they receive from it I do not confidently know. I know from Luke 24:41-43 that the Lord Himself ate, following His own resurrection from the dead and in His glorified, immortal body. And He speaks of eating and drinking with His disciples in the kingdom. So I know He has done so and will do so then. But again, exactly how food affects the glorified, immortal body I myself in my present understanding do not know.
Keith Blades
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