Jesus sent out the 70 with a set of instructions. When entering a house, they were to say, “Peace be to this house!” And if they were received in peace, they were to remain there, eating and drinking.
They would speak peace, and it would lead to table fellowship.
This is the pattern of the advance of the kingdom of God, is it not? Christ “came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” [Eph 2:17] His work led to justification and peace with God [Rom 5:1]. And we, who have peace with God, now ascend even closer to Him, so close that we can sit at His Table with Him and share a meal.
But this is also a “war feast,” as well! Just as friendship with the world is enmity with God [Js 4:4]; so peace with God means war with evil.
Just as eating this meal proclaims the Lord’s death, just as it communicates to the Father our faith and our trust in Christ’s sacrifice for our peace with Him; it also communicates to the disarmed principalities and powers that this means war.
And it means that we wage war not in our own strength, not according to the flesh [2 Cor 10], but by the grace that God gives us as New Creations in Christ, and by the Holy Spirit at work in us.
So come and take your seat with the only Ruler of the cosmos. Come, have peace with God, and follow Him in His cosmic war.