If you could pick anyone to have dinner with, who would it be? Your top 5 list?
Mine would start with 1) Mike Rowe at HHB Barbeque. He anchored possibly my favorite show of all-time, Dirty Jobs, and has become an outspoken defender of blue collar America. He’s done it all and reported on it all. His most recent experience was fighting bulls with the Dickies Durabull Fighters at PBR Chicago.
2) Kevin James (and if Joe Rogan wants to stop by as well) seems like the type of guy that could have a pretty good time with.
3) Paleontologist Jack Horner. As the world foremost dinosaur expert, I would need a commentary on the Jurassic Park movies from him. Besides he put forth a thesis back in a 2009 book that hasn’t progressed in five years and I want to know where he’s going with it or if he has abandoned it.
4) John Erickson, author of Hank the Cowdog. We have communicated via letter for a year now but would love the chance to sit and talk about his ranch in Perry, Texas. He was planning on going into ministry until he decided to self-publish. He has done well for himself, but I think he would have made a great pastor as well.
5) Lucas Littles, Angel Garcia, Wilmeth, Brent Irwin, and others from the Williamson dorm at Ozark. Its been 7 years since I graduated. Its been a long time since we have been able to hang out. I could use some El Charro or Cheddars.
Honorable mention (the men who didn’t quite make the list): Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson, Jimmy Fallon, Buck Brannaman, Kevin Durant, Dan Patrick, Bill Watterson.
Who would be on your list? Who would you have dinner with? The nation of Israel got their dinner wish in Exodus 24. Moses had just gotten down from the mountain and he relayed all the words of the Lord to the people. They spoke up in one voice: “we will do what He has commanded.” And here, just as it is today, God knew that talk alone doesn’t solidify a people. God has always known that people who “do” remember better than people who “say”. Moses had read the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20-22) to the people (Ex 24.7) and then acted upon it (24.8). Now comes the celebration, the seal, to confirmation.
Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the elders assembled and headed up the mountain. How far they went up (24.9) the mount is unclear because Moses and Joshua would go further up (24.12-13)? It seems as though the elders did head up, at least a little ways, the mountain because the command of God was “not to set foot on it” (19.12) and here God does “not raise his hand against them”. (Ex 24.11) The message is made clear elsewhere, that those who see God will die (Ex. 33.20). So why are these leaders allowed to gaze at God?
The covenant has just been confirmed with the blood being put on the people. Now, the covenant is celebrated with a meal. Both parties that entered into the covenant would meet over a meal to ratify, confirm, celebrate, and acknowledge the agreement. So the elders meet with God to eat and drink. They saw God and did not die.
It was a meal that would forever change the people who took part in it. The Mosaic Covenant would govern the interactions between God and His people up until Jesus would come. It was a meal that was unforgettable.
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