Deciphering our spiritual heritage of food, drink and incense sacrifices

In the Old Testament, God’s people were chosen to make food sacrifices and other offerings in honour of their covenant relationship with Him. These customs may seem ritualistic and labourious to us, but consider the fact that we still use food and gifts in our own personal relationships today; we celebrate birthdays with cakes and meals, we bring gifts when we visit someone, we toast with wine at weddings, and we compensate people when we damage their property. When done with sincerity, such gestures build relationships. Similar practices are also done in idol worship across Asia. 

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 解读我们在祭物，奠酒及烧香献祭上的属灵基业 | 繁體中文 > 解讀我們在祭物，奠酒及燒香獻祭上的屬靈基業)

 

A basis for a relationship

God wants an authentic, no-holds-barred relationship with us. In fact, He was the One who made the first animal sacrifice as an act of love and grace for mankind. God had forbidden Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as a way to protect their hearts from spiritual corruption. But they disobeyed God and took the fruit anyway. As a result, their eyes were opened to their own nakedness. Feeling ashamed for the first time, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. God felt compassion for their anxieties and personally made clothing from animal skins for them.

Genesis 3:21 ESV  And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

A few hundred years later, God would set down His Law as well as a set of sacrifices and offerings that people were to make in honour of their covenant relationship with Him. In return, He promised to come and bless them whenever they did so. God desired these sacrifices to be done with an attitude of humility, gratitude and love. They were not meant to be legalistic rituals or meaningless traditions. Like the gifts we share with our family and friends, they were to be an expression of our genuine desire for God. In Hosea 6:6, God declared “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Exodus 20:24 ESV  An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.

Psalm 40:6-8 ESV  In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

Mark 12:33 ESV  And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Believers today don’t need to make our own sacrifices, because God has already sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ, as the perfect one-time offering for all sins for all time. Instead, we are called to become living sacrifices that do not copy the behavior and customs of this world but who follow God diligently.

Hebrews 7:18-19,22,26-27 ESV  For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 

 Romans 12:1-2 ESV  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Counterfeit sacrifices in idol worship

Old Testament offerings varied from offering meat, bread, wine, incense and fragrances to dedicating our firstborn children and first-cut of our incomes. King Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem for these very purposes.

2 Chronicles 2:1,4-5 ESV  Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord… Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.

Over time, however, people’s hearts became divided. They started to move away from God, eventually gave in to making sacrifices to Satan (also known as Baal) and demons through false idols and gods instead. Here is some evidence of that.

Types of offerings	To God	To Satan and false idols
Burning incense	Exodus 30:1 ESV  “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.	2 Kings 23:5 ESV  And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens.
Offering meat	Leviticus 5:6 ESV  he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.	Hosea 11:2 ESV  The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.   Psalm 106:28-29 ESV  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them.
Offering bread/cakes	Leviticus 23:20 ESV  And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.	Jeremiah 7:18 ESV  The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven…
Offering blood	Leviticus 4:34 ESV  Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.	1 Kings 18:26,28 ESV  And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” … And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
Offering drink	Exodus 37:16 ESV  And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.	Jeremiah 7:18 … And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.
Dedication of children	Exodus 34:19 NIV  “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.	Psalm 106:36-7 ESV  They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

The sacrifices that the people made to false idols did not go unnoticed. After tolerating their demon offerings for years, God eventually stopped blessing them. Even then they would not wholeheartedly repent and return to Him. This only brought further disaster on themselves (i.e. they suffered curses).

Jeremiah 44:19-23 ESV  And the women said, “When we made offerings to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands’ approval that we made cakes for her bearing her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”  Then Jeremiah said to all the people, men and women, all the people who had given him this answer: “As for the offerings that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your officials, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them? Did it not come into his mind? The Lord could no longer bear your evil deeds and the abominations that you committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day. It is because you made offerings and because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey the voice of the Lord or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day.”

Idol worship and sacrifices in Asia

Segments of the idol worshippers mentioned in the Old Testament would have been the forefathers of Asian families. It is therefore not surprising to see various forms of idolatrous offerings and sacrifices carry on throughout Asia.

People open ceremonies with roast pig offerings, burn joss sticks in temples to honour spirits, dedicate their children to spiritual deities for “guardianship”, drink water mixed with paper talismans, and burn offerings to their ancestors, just to list a few examples. Offerings are made in exchange for good fortune, guidance and “protection” on behalf of individuals, families, villages, businesses, festivals, and sometimes, entire regions and territories.

Many of these practices are often seen as “hallmarks of Asian culture and traditions.”

Warnings against participating in idol sacrifices

Like the early Gentile disciples, some of us may be concerned about what God’s Word says about Asian customs of sacrificing to gods, spirits, ancestors, as well as dead kings and generals.

As believers, we eat bread and drink wine as part of communion in honour of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and to identify ourselves as His followers i.e. His Church.

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 10:17 ESV  Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

The apostle Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 10 that when we take part in idol or ancestor worship offerings, however, we are seen to be participating in sacrifices made to demons.

1 Corinthians 10:14,20-22 ESV  Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. … what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Psalm 106:28-29 ESV Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them.

Practicing wisdom on the food we eat

The apostles advised the first believers to avoid consuming sacrifices made to idols – not because the food has any real significance or that idols are real gods – but because we are called to honour God and honour people.

Acts 21:25 ESV  But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

1. Repent for any past idolatry

First, let us start with repenting in Jesus’ name if we have voluntarily made food offerings to things or people in the past.

Ezekiel 14:6 ESV   … Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

2. Do not be anxious about food bought in markets and restaurants

Many food markets and restaurants in Asia dedicate their goods to idols before selling them. This does not change the nature of the food. We should not be anxious about consuming them nor seek to know their spiritual source. Food does not defile us spiritually. Rather, it is our failed consciences that do.

1 Corinthians 10:25-26 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

Matthew 15:17-20 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.

3. Be alert to how others view the food we eat

We are, however, called to honour the people around us. If they are worried about food that has been offered to idols, it is best we refrain from eating it.

Romans 14:15-19 ESV  For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

We ought to draw a clear line and avoid all food or drink that we know has been dedicated to idols. Even though we may be indifferent towards where the food came from, we don’t want to send mixed messages about who we worship.

1 Corinthians 10:27-29 ESV  If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?

1 Corinthians 8:4,7-8,11-13 ESV  Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” … However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. …And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

4. Do not become religiously dogmatic about what we eat or drink

Neither are we to impose our views on one another with regards to what we can or cannot eat or drink. Ultimately, God does not look at what we put into our mouths but what comes out of our hearts. 

Colossians 2:13-14,16,20-23 ESV And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. … Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink. …If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

5. Give thanks with a clear conscience for all our food

Last but not least, let us give thanks to God for everything we consume and invite Him to make it clean for our spiritual and physical health.

Romans 14:6 ESV  … The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

 

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