Excuse IV
Millennial Restaurants
Question:
If there are going to be great temple kitchens preparing and serving meals to God’s people every Sabbath during the millennium, why would it be wrong for His people to avail themselves of restaurants on holy time during this present age?
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One of the most interesting arguments advanced by some who defend the practice of dining out on the Sabbath is that something very similar will take place during the millennium. This idea is based on a belief that God’s people will appear before Him by the thousands every Sabbath and present sacrifices that will be slaughtered and prepared into great meals to be consumed by the people every week. One prominent Church leader put it this way.
During the Millennium, throngs of people will come to the temple complex on Mount Zion and offer sacrifices, especially on the weekly Sabbaths and annual Holy Days.
This long standing minister then argues that as a result of these sacrifices, a great deal of strenuous work will be performed by millennial chefs as a part of their service to God's people. He then reasons that if God's millennial subjects may present their offerings on the Sabbath, thus causing the intense labor involved in preparing and serving food by these servants, then why would it be inappropriate for them to solicit the Sabbath labor of restaurant personnel every seventh day? Here is how this argument is presented.
Just as this was done in ancient times, it will also be done in the world tomorrow. The future temple will be a huge complex that will accommodate the many thousands and later, millions who will come to worship there each year. This complex will need to accommodate far larger numbers than Solomon’s temple or the temple that was renovated in the days of King Herod. In the future, certain types of meal service will be done on the Sabbath -- with God's blessing!
Ezekiel’s vision of the future temple gives us a glimpse into how God will conduct things in the world to come. From this, we can readily discern that feeding large congregations on the Sabbath will entail a degree of real labor. If God can make and always has made allowances for His priests when they worked on the Sabbath, is it not possible for Him to make allowances for others [like restaurant personnel] who serve God’s people?
Levitical Restaurants
This is an astonishing question. According to the reasoning behind it those who labor in restaurants on the Sabbath are actually performing a Levitical service when waiting on God’s people. As such, they deserve the same consideration as that given by God to His priests.
While this leader, for obvious reasons, argues the similarities between restaurant personnel and Levites working on the Sabbath, we would like to present the differences—and they are significant. Consider just a few.
- Those who perform Levitical duties in the Kingdom serve the God of Heaven. Those who work in restaurants on the Sabbath serve the god of this world (2 Cor.4:4).
- Those who serve in the temple during the Millennium are committed to assisting God’s people in honoring His Sabbath and holy days. Those who work in restaurants have no idea what those days are let alone what they mean. They will however, wish you a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter.”
- Any compensation extended to those performing Levitical duties in the Kingdom is provided by God Almighty from tithes and offerings given to Him. By the way, the same is true today. Meanwhile, those who work in restaurants are compensated by patrons in the form of tips and by their employer who generates revenue by selling products.
- Those who perform Levitical duties on the Sabbath are held blameless before God (Mt. 12:5). However, those who work in restaurants on the Sabbath are commanded to REPENT!
The idea that anyone would characterize serving God’s people a meal on holy time, from His temple no less, as tantamount to what is done at a commercial restaurant is reckless and a huge distortion of the scriptures. But that is exactly what this leader is doing. Can you imagine presenting this particular explanation to God Almighty?
A Matter of W-O-R-K
This minister continues to explain how Levites serving in the temple on the Sabbath are engaged in profane labor through their service to God’s people—often very strenuous labor. The implication here is that if it is permissible for Levites to engage in strenuous labor on the Sabbath in the service of God's people, it must be acceptable with Him for restaurant personnel to labor as well.
The food menus at the millennial temple will not solely consist of meat (beef, lamb or goat). Ezekiel 46 also mentions meal (grain) offerings and baked bread. Certainly, God will allow vegetables, fruits and various trimmings to make the dishes attractive, as well as nourishing. Again, all these things spell W-O-R-K. Much of it will be pre-assembled on the preparation day, but also much will be done on the Sabbath.
It Isn't True
The argument this minister is advancing may appear compelling, however. there is one problem with it. IT ISN'T TRUE! That's right, his claim that great amounts of labor will be done in the Millennial Temple on the weekly Sabbath is entirely FALSE. It is a phantom argument based on a pre-determined belief that has absolutely no basis in fact. Furthermore, there is virtually no scriptural authority or historical evidence even hinting that this was ever done in the past or will ever be done in the future. The real Biblical record declares that the conduct of the priests on the weekly Sabbath not only contradicts this minister's view, but actually proves why going to restaurants would be forbidden by God. To illustrate this point let’s look at what the scriptures really say?
An Important Distinction
God’s word declares that He makes an important distinction between food preparation on the weekly Sabbath and food preparation on the annual Holy Days. First, notice His instructions concerning food preparation on the weekly Sabbath as given through His servant Moses.
Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which you will bake to day, and seethe that you will seethe; and that which remains over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. Eat that to day; for to day is a Sabbath unto the LORD: to day you shall not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. (Ex. 16:23-26)
God’s command concerning labor on the weekly Sabbath is identical to His instructions concerning labor on the Day of Atonement. According to His law, total abstinence from work is the steadfast rule (compare Lev. 23:3 & 28-31). While God’s people were permitted to eat meals on the weekly Sabbath, they were absolutely prohibited from acquiring or preparing them on that day.
What about the Annual Festivals?
With respect to the annual holy days, God made an exception when it came to the work of meal preparation. He explained that on the annual feast days, no "SERVILE" work (the work of business) was to be done (Lev 23:7-8, 21, 25, 35-36). However, when speaking of the work needed to cook meals, God said that this work was allowed. However, it could only be performed by His people—not others. Here is how He conveyed it.
And in the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. (Ex. 12:16)
At this point it is important to understand that God specifically forbade labor to be performed on His weekly Sabbath. Furthermore, He instructed His people that the food eaten on that day was to be prepared the day before. With this in mind, the scriptures make it absolutely clear that contrary to what some assert, there were never sacrifices eaten by the common people on the weekly Sabbath. Furthermore, there is absolutely no evidence this practice will change in the millennium.
Because God made an exception regarding food preparation on the annual holy days, His people were permitted to bring their personal sacrifices at that time, provided it did NOT fall on a weekly Sabbath.
The Historical Evidence
The fact that God’s people will NOT come to sacrifice on the Sabbath in the millennium is also made clear by historical record. Consider the observation of Dr. Alfred Edersheim, an internationally recognized 19th century scholar who has written prolifically on Jewish practices. Dr. Edersheim is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on the temple and its service during the time of Christ. Here is what he says.
At the outset, indeed, it must be admitted that the whole social Rabbinical legislation on the subject seems to rest on two sound underlying principles: negatively, the avoidance of all that might become work; and, positively, the doing of all which, in the opinion of the Rabbis, might tend to make the Sabbath 'a delight.' Hence, not only were fasting and mourning strictly prohibited, but food, dress, and every manner of enjoyment, not incompatible with abstinence from work, were prescribed to render the day pleasurable.
Dr. Edersheim goes on to describe the role of the temple on the Sabbath.
The only directions given in Scripture for the celebration of the Sabbath in the sanctuary are those which enjoin 'a holy convocation,' or a sacred assembly (Lev 23:3); the weekly renewal of the shewbread (Lev 24:8; Num 4:7); and an additional burnt-offering of two lambs, with the appropriate meat and drink-offerings, 'beside the continual' (that is, the ordinary daily) 'burnt-offering and his drink-offering' (Num 28:9,10).
Notice that there were NO OFFERINGS given by God’s people on the weekly Sabbath. There were only the daily sacrifices performed by the priests as well as the addition of two lambs for a burnt offering, and these were only done according to the direct command of God. But there is more. Notice what Dr. Edersheim continues to write.
The ancient records of tradition enable us to form a very vivid conception of Sabbath-worship in the Temple at the time of Christ... the Sabbath commenced at sunset on Friday, the day being reckoned by the Hebrews from sunset to sunset. But long before that the preparations for the Sabbath had commenced. Accordingly, Friday is called by the Rabbis 'the eve of the Sabbath,' and in the Gospels “the preparation” (Mark 15:42; John 19:31).
No fresh business was then undertaken; no journey of any distance commenced; but everything purchased and made ready against the feast, the victuals being placed in a heated oven, and surrounded by dry substances to keep them warm.
Early on Friday afternoon, the new 'course' of priests, of Levites, and of the “stationary men,” who were to be the representatives of all Israel, arrived in Jerusalem, and having prepared themselves for the festive season, went up to the Temple.
The approach of the Sabbath, and then its actual commencement, were announced by threefold blasts from the priests' trumpets. When the priests for the first time sounded their trumpets, all business was to cease, and every kind of work to be stopped. The second time the priests drew a threefold blast, to indicate that the Sabbath had actually begun. But the service of the new “course” of priests had commenced before that. Then the outgoing 'course' handed over to the incoming the keys of the sanctuary, the holy vessels, and all else of which they had charge. Next the heads of the 'houses' or families of the incoming 'course' determined by lot which of the families were to serve on each special day of their week of ministry, and also who were to discharge the various priestly functions on the Sabbath.
Both history and the scriptures make it abundantly clear that the Sabbath was a day in which no business was to be conducted, no food to be purchased, and no work was done even if it was to prepare meals. When reading Dr. Edersheim’s words, as well as the words of God Almighty, there isn’t even a hint that people brought their sacrifices to the temple, while Levitical chefs would labor over them to prepare and serve spectacular meals on God’s holy Sabbath. IT JUST DIDN’T HAPPEN.
Is There Something to Learn?
At this point it is important to understand that we are not pointing an accusing finger at anyone—for good reason. We once believed as they do. It was not until we honestly examined the scriptures that God’s wisdom became obvious to us. However, with that said, we believe there is a purpose to this on-going debate. And even more important, there is something that can be learned by this particular aspect of the argument.
The fact that God’s temple has never been a hub of intense labor on the Sabbath speaks volumes about how His people should conduct their lives on this day. The Bible reveals that God’s Sabbath is a day that can be contaminated by profane labor. Furthermore, God’s people have known this throughout history and so have the Levites. This is why they will refrain from preparing great meals for God’s people on the Sabbath in the millennium. It is also why commercial restaurants will not engage in their business either. Just as the Levites refrained from preparing meals for God’s people on the weekly Sabbath, so should those who work in restaurants.
