Hazardous Food
Daniel (when in Babylon) sought out a diet free of meat,
Knowing that health wise, flesh food's not something that one should eat.
And he was proven to be right, and we will benefit too
If we exclude meat also, keeping it right off our menu.
Though flesh food was permitted from the ending of the Flood,
God said (were one to eat it) it must first be drained of blood.
Hence “every moving thing” would ensure that its bleeding
Could be carried out by those (who here) God’s Word were heeding.
This instruction from the Lord has never been overturned,
Yet, foolishly, humanity, God’s wise ruling here has spurned.
Given that a creature’s blood harbors all the very worst,
It’s no wonder the flesh eater with ill health can be cursed.
God knew that once again evil would soon overtake man,
And seemingly allowed meat in order to slash man's lifespan.
For malice in the heart of one whose life continued long
Would multiply in evil -- thus producing much more wrong.
Right from meat’s introduction life span rapidly decreased;
Those indulging in its dangers much sooner were deceased.
Along with shortened stature, human bodies now displayed
The terribly sad results of eating what has never paid.
Soon after the fall of man, foolish humans flesh food craved,
And ever with more tragedy has that old pathway been paved.
Though humans have received the penalty of their choosing,
They're still seen eating meat, and the butcher’s wares perusing.
The diet that God first gave man, and creatures too, says it all,
So why would any justify meat’s indulgence via the Fall?
Yet, within their thinking, this is exactly what most do,
Even when alternatives are so clearly within view.
We’re called God’s Holy temple -- thus, this requires action,
For harming such a temple wouldn't be a small infraction.
But where the light shines brighter, surely there we should be found,
Embracing what is better with a thinking that's more sound.
Material’s available proving meat is harmful;
Evidence of its damage can be gathered by the armful.
But like the Israelites of old, (whose demands got them quail),
It’s not until later that some learn it can make you wail.
The sad results of eating meat are continuing to rise,
Yet, if more made the effort, they’d discover what’s more wise.
Although, even when proof’s seen that could save folk from such pain,
There’re those who’ll still eat meat -- thus giving its harm free reign.
And another thing...
Some creatures, God banned as food, and well before the Jewish law,
And Noah, these same unclean creatures, also knew of before.
Yes, God’s wise restrictions still have validity today,
For they’re verified by science, and by lives that God obey.
Not all that God permitted met with His full approval,
Hence why our health is better once we’ve seen meat’s removal.
Our Creator knows what’s best, and desires that all return
To that diet He first gave -- lest we, the hard way have to learn.
By Lance Landall
You might like to read "Why I'm A Vegetarian" where the dangers of a flesh diet are covered.
The
apostles still believed and taught after the cross that the eating of
blood was forbidden (Acts 15:19,20). Though the ‘Jerusalem
council’ [a Christian council] at that time overturned the ban
on eating meat offered to idols, it did not over turn the ban on eating
‘unclean’ meats or blood. After all, creatures that are ‘unclean’
[unfit] for food can’t suddenly become ‘clean’ [no longer harmful to eat]. They’re either suitable or they’re not. Blood and fat likewise.
Adam lived for 930 years. Noah lived for 950 years. Abraham
lived for 175 years. By David's time, people were only living to
70 years of age.
Five commonly Misinterpreted Texts, each with an answer.
“And He said to them [His disciples], “Then are you also without understanding [like the crowd that had just been addressed]?
Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile
him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?”
(Thus He declared all foods clean)” (Mark 7:18,19, RSV).
Answer:
The problem being discussed here, between Jesus and the Pharisees, had nothing whatsoever to do with the kind of food to be eaten. It was all about the way
in which it was to be eaten, that is, whether with or without ritual
hand washing (Mark 7:1-5). According to Jewish tradition, even
meat that was clean according to Leviticus chapter 11, might still be
considered as unclean by reason of contact with someone unclean. In
Mark 7:19, Christ points out that eating with unwashed hands has no
moral effect whatsoever on anyone. Christ therefore, was simply denying
the validity of oral tradition (Mark 7:3,7,8). Christ was more
concerned with defilement of the soul (Mark 7:15).
“Thus He
declared all foods clean” — that is, irrespective of whether the eater
had or had not carried out the ritual hand washing.
Keep this in mind — The Greek word ‘bromata,’ translated ‘meats’ in the KJV, means simply ‘that which is eaten,’ ‘food’.
“One
believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables.
Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who
abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. I
know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in
itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean” (Rom 14:2,3,14, RSV).
Answer:
Certain meat that was lawful to eat [according to Leviticus chapter 11, that is] was considered by some who were oversensitive [weak],
as unsuitable to eat, simply because of its association with idol
worship (1 Cor 8:1-13). A certain amount of this meat ended
up in the market place for sale. Just in case they offended in
this matter, some Christians ate no flesh food at all. The
uncleanness however did not lie in the nature of the food but simply in the believers view of it. Regarding this matter Paul advised mutual tolerance and respect.
The Greek term ’koinos’ which is used here to designate unclean food is
very different from the word ‘akathartos’ used in Leviticus chapter 11
to designate unlawful foods.
“ ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up” (1 Cor 10:23, RSV).
Answer:
Here we are dealing with the same problem as in Rom 14:2,3,14 — the eating of meat offered to idols.
“All things are lawful” — that is, those things that are in harmony with the will of God.
What Paul is saying here, is that although a Christian is quite
entitled to do anything that is in harmony with the will of God, [e.g. eating clean meat (Lev 11)]
there are times when it would be best not to do a certain thing, lest
it offend someone , or cause someone to falter, who sees differently,
perhaps due to an oversensitive conscience (1 Cor 10:23,28).
“And
there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said,
“No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common [profane] or unclean.” And the voice came to him again, a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common’ ” (Acts 10:13-15, RSV).
Answer:
This vision Peter received did not concern food but people. In this vision, dietary restrictions [clean and unclean meats (Lev chap 11)],
had symbolic reference to Jewish distinctions between people — that is,
themselves and Gentiles. The Jews saw themselves as the exclusive
objects of God’s interest. They despised non Jews. The doing away
with these distinctions between themselves and others, was the point at
issue. There was to be no distinctions made between Jews and others
(Gal 3:28,29). Peter was slow to learn this, hence the vision was
repeated three times, and hence why he was also rebuked by Paul (Gal
2:9-21). Peter was shown that he was not to call anyone common or
unclean (Acts 10:28).
“Who forbid
marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For
everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it
is received with thanksgiving, for then it is consecrated by the word
of God and prayer” (1 Tim 4:3-5, RSV).
Answer:
“Which God created”, “Everything created by God”, — in other
words, the original diet that God gave mankind in Eden (Gen 1:29). God
specified at creation the food he intended humans to eat, therefore to
not partake of it would be to question God’s wisdom and will.
“Abstinence from foods” — Paul here, is referring to ascetic influences
that had permeated the church, introduced by the Gnostics.