The Right Message at the Right Time

Meat in due season is the right message at the right time. For example, Noah was given a message:

“And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them. And, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood . . .

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven.

And every thing that is in the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:13,14,17

The Lord told Noah to stock the ark with the animals that were to be carried over the flood. By obeying the message of the Lord, Noah became a witness to that evil generation. By so doing, “he condemned the world.” (Hebrews 11:7) This was the right message at the right time. It was “meat in due season” for that time, and for that time only. We do not proclaim this message today because it is not the season for it.

God gave meat in due season to the children of Israel in a literal way. They were hungry.

“[God] commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven; and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angel’s food. He sent them meat to the full.” Psalms 78:23-25

There is an interesting hidden gem in this scripture which became spiritual “meat in due season” at a later time. Corn means wheat from which bread is made. This “corn of heaven” is the same as what is described in John when the Jews said to Jesus:

“Our fathers did eat manna in the desert. As it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. This is that bread which came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” John 6:31-35,50,51,58

“Meat in due season” may be the giving of the right statutes and ceremonials at the right time. In due time the laws and statutes were given to Israel They were told how to construct the tabernacle and were given detailed instructions on how to conduct its ceremonials. They were promised material blessings if they obeyed.

“If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield her fruit.” Leviticus 26:3,4

“And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul; that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season; the first rain and the latter rain; that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.” Deuteronomy 11:13,14

Corn, Wine, and Oil

Here, again, are hidden gems. Corn, wine, and oil are promised. These things “are written for our admonition.” Corn is for bread. (1 Corinthians 10:11) The reference is to our participation, or communion, in Christ’s body and blood with the oil of the holy spirit.

When Jesus was baptized in Jordan, the holy spirit came upon him and the heavens were opened unto him. His mind was stimulated to understand spiritual things. All the scriptures recorded by all the prophets the letter of which he was already so familiar now took on a new and deeper meaning. He saw clearly that all the prophets spoke concerning him, that he would die as a ransom sacrifice, that he would be glorified, that he would develop a church, his body members, that he would come again and establish his kingdom upon the earth bringing restitution from sin and death for all the willing and obedient. Although this new and complete understanding was “meat in due season” for him, he could not fully impart it to his disciples. It was not yet meat in due season for them. Their minds were not yet illuminated by the holy spirit. Thus we read that Jesus told his disciples:

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:12,13

They must wait until Pentecost for a full understanding. But Jesus began to open their minds even before Pentecost. He laid the groundwork for their understanding on the way to Emmaus. We read:

“Then he said unto them, O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:25-27,32

For those not having the holy spirit but having a humble and receptive heart, even a mechanical or narrative understanding of the truth can be thrilling. Thus it was with these disciples:

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

At Pentecost, Jesus’ promise was fulfilled. The holy spirit was imparted and they were guided “into all truth.” All the truth then due to be understood became “meat in due season” for them. Now they could “bear” or appreciate the things Jesus had told them before. Now they could understand the testimony of all the prophets. Now it fully entered their hearts. Whereas before they understood as spectators, as though watching a drama, now they became personally involved. Now they understood as participants, as actors in the drama. Now they understood God’s Plan of the Ages and their part in it. Their spokesman,  Peter, preached about:

“Those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer . . . And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must retain until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:18,20,21

They understood ransom and restitution.

The church was established at Pentecost and Jesus continued to supply “meat in due season” to perfect their character. As it is written:

“And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13