Share with Jehovah, Not with Demons

HOW can we human creatures on earth be commanded to share a meal with Jehovah God when he is the great divine invisible Spirit? Evidently we can, for the apostle Paul wrote: “You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of ‘the table of Jehovah’ and the table of demons.”—1 Cor. 10:21, NW.a

We shall appreciate the point Paul is making when we call to mind the communion sacrifices of the Mosaic Law arrangement. In these the one offering or bringing the animal to be sacrificed was said to share with or have communion with Jehovah God and the priests. How so? Jehovah shared in the sacrifice in that its blood was sprinkled upon his altar and the fat was consumed by its flames. The priest shared in that he (and his family) literally ate the breast and right leg, and the offerer shared by eating the rest. (Lev. 7:11-36) As with other features of the Law, all this was pictorial of better things to come.

These better things are the sacrifices that Christ’s followers are offering, “a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” To share with Jehovah at his altar means to give him the kind of worship that he requires, as exemplified by Jesus and his apostles. They devoted their lives to bringing to others the good news about God’s name and kingdom. Such worship must be “with spirit and truth”; that is, sincere and based on God’s Word of truth, the Bible. That such worship is well described as sharing in a meal can be seen from Jesus’ words: “My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.”—Heb. 13:15; John 4:24, 34, NW.

On the other hand, to share with the demons means to serve the interests of anything or everything opposed to Jehovah God and all of which is under the control of the chief demon, Satan the Devil, for “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” That means that as Christians we cannot participate or share in the sacrifices that the nations of the world are offering to their gods of Riches, war, world rule and world religion. It also means avoiding propaganda put forth by the “wicked slave,” the faithless theologians, the agnostics, atheists and worldly philosophers. If we want life we must avoid sharing with demons and share only with Jehovah.—1 John 5:19, NW.

If we wish to share with Jehovah there may be no lukewarmness on our part, no limping on two different opinions, as with crutches. We cannot divide our worship and service between him and his enemies, for he is a God that rightfully exacts exclusive devotion of us. We can no more share with Jehovah and with demons at the same time than we can walk both eastward and westward at the same time.

That is why the apostle Paul counsels: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For . . . what fellowship does light have with darkness? . . . And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?” They have absolutely nothing in common. For us to share with Jehovah and try to share with demons at the same time would be “inciting Jehovah to jealousy.” That would be sheer folly, for “we are not stronger than he is, are we?”—2 Cor. 6:14-16; 1 Cor. 10:22, NW.

The counsel “Share with Jehovah, Not with Demons,” is especially appropriate during April, when Christ’s death will be memorialized by “the Lord’s evening meal.”

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