GOD’S FOOD LAWS
Nothing from without can defile?
So is there no food laws?
by
Keith Hunt
Mark 7:18-23 is given sometimes in the issue of clean and
unclean foods. Nothing from outside put into the mouth can
"defile" a person, hence I presume the argument is that it does
not matter what we eat, or to put it another way, the food laws
given to Israel by God through Moses (in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14)
are no longer laws we need to observe today.
And yes, it is very true that SPIRITUALLY speaking there is
nothing physical that we can put in our mouth to eat that defiles
us in the spiritual way.....UNLESS....and I come to the unless
shortly.
If you become a Christian, but you either do not know, or
have not been taught about God's food laws, you are blinded or in
the dark about the Eternal's laws on diet, about the clean and
unclean food laws, you will eat whatever you like. You are
ignorant of such physical matters, and if the Lord does not
reveal those particular laws then you will go your way doing your
thing on what you put into your mouth.
Such a person in that situation is NOT defiling themselves
"spiritually" - mind and heart is fine, they are ignorant of
certain things within God's word. Will they be saved in
that condition? YES, I fully believe they will be, for what we
are talking about is physical things we eat. A physical law maybe
is being broken but it will not affect the heart and mind,
because of the attitude of the individual, who has not had
certain truths revealed to them, especially physical laws. And
God will save such a person, they can and will be in the Kingdom
of God.
So in that sense and within that situation, as Jesus said,
there is nothing from without, being eaten, that can defile a
person spiritually......UNLESS.....and there is an unless.
If you know God's laws on this matter, if you are not
blinded, if you know the will of God, if you know what He has
written in His word on this...yes, even a physical matter,
if you KNOW to do right and good, and you do it NOT, THEN
IT HAS BECOME SIN TO YOU ( see James 4:17).
Now we have moved from the physical blindness into the realm
of spiritual rebellion, into the sphere of SPIRITUAL DEFILEMENT.
The heart and mind is NOW affected, it is no longer just a
matter of the physical, but rebellion against the way and
precepts of God, it has now become the defilement picture.
It has now become a whole new ball-game so to speak.
And it is no longer really anything to do with a certain
"unclean" whatever you are going to eat, it is now a matter of
the mind...."Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it
not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
Now we can understand Isaiah 66: 15-18. Here at Jesus'
coming, the Messiah coming in power and glory (verses 15-16 ) are
people with hearts and minds that God KNOWS, which mindset
results in works and thoughts and yes in religious type works,
and yes, also eating that which God has forbidden to eat
(verses 17,18).
By the time Jesus, the Lord, returns we have had Elijah
coming and restoring all things (see my study on "The Elijah to
come") and we have had the two witnesses in Jerusalem teaching
and preaching the truths and Word of God to most of the world
(Rev.11). The knowledge of God will have been sounded near and
far. People will have heard, and been taught truths of the Lord
as never before in the world. Many though will have an attitude
of plain rebellion on many things they will have heard, both what
we call spiritual things and also what we could call physical
things.
The people in Isaiah 66:15-18 will be rebelling against many
of the laws of God, including the laws of what we should put into
our mouths to eat, and....well just read what is written and
you'll get an up-front, pull no punches, as to what God is going
to do to such person with this attitude of mind. Their attitude
of mind affects even some physical matters such as food eating.
And again I say it is not what they are eating per se that
defiles them, but the attitude of mind behind it all.
So indeed in some cases what goes into the mouth, anything,
does not spiritually defile that person. On the other hand if the
heart and mindset does know to do good, and they do it not, but
rebel against the Eternal, then that situation with that person
has moved into the spiritual realm, and it then does become a
spiritual salvation matter.
This is all just another example as to why Jesus told people
that they had to "count the cost" when they decided to answer
God's call to be His child....there is a lot more to it, being a
Christian, than what most people have been led to believe.
But the end result of serving the Father in all His ways is
without equal, it will be eternity with Him as His son or
daughter.
..........................
Written July 2003
NT Food Laws
Does the NT abolish the OT food laws?
by
Harold Hemenway
Beginning in chronological order, we know that John the
Baptist ate "LOCUSTS and wild honey" (Matt. 3:4) and Jesus said
there was no greater human being than him up till that time
(Matt. 11:11). Obviously he obeyed the food laws! Why else would
a person single out LOCUSTS as food?
Next we come to Jesus Christ who condemned the scribes and
Pharisees because they "strain at (or "out" -- A.S.V.) a GNAT,
and swallow a CAMEL" (Matt. 23:24) figuratively speaking. But why
did Christ use this particular figure of speech if he was
intending to somehow cleanse both the GNAT and the CAMEL and
abolish such an "artificial" distinction? (see Matt. 7:10 also)
Obviously he had no intention of abolishing the clean/unclean
food laws!
Some argue that Christ actually said all foods were clean in Mark
7:19. Indeed, the R.S.V. does read, "since it enters, not his
heart but his stomach, and so passes on? (Thus he declared all
foods clean.)" but this is a blatant mistranslation. Lamsa's
Bible is clearer: "Because it does not enter into his heart, but
into his stomach, and then is thrown out through the intestines,
thereby purifying the food" or "purging all meats" (KJV) or
"which eliminate all foods" (Fenton). The context is digestion,
not dietary laws!
When Christ taught one verse earlier that "whatsoever goes into a
man from outside cannot defile him," (RSV) he was speaking
spiritually, not physically, in the first place. In the second
place, he was referring to eating "bread with unwashed hands"
(7:5) and with unwashed "pots and cups" (7:8), not to eating
arsenic or cyanide or trichinae in pork! Furthermore, the washing
spoken of here refers only to ceremonial washing, not sanitary,
hygienic cleansing with water! The water was poured on both
hands, which must be free of anything covering them, such as
gravel, mortar, &c. The hands were lifted up, so as to make the
water run to the wrist, in order to ensure that the whole hand
was washed, and that the water polluted by the hand did not again
run down the fingers. Similarly, each hand was rubbed with the
other (the fist), provided the hand that rubbed had been affused:
otherwise the rubbing might be done against the head, or even
against a WALL." (vol. 2, p.ll, Life and Times of Jesus The
Messiah) This ritual purification was done before and after meals
and was repeated if the hands were 'defiled' (p.12, ibid.). The
water-pots were used in washing the vessels used for eating (vol.
1, p.357, ibid.). If this washing wasn't done, the food was
considered contaminated in the opinion of the Pharisees!
Even in Christ's day, many Jews misunderstood his teaching and
thought he permitted the drinking of blood and eating of human
flesh! This is the reason "many of his disciples went back, and
walked no more with him" (John 6:66). They didn't understand that
he was speaking spiritually when he said, "He who eateth my
FLESH, and drinketh my BLOOD, hath eternal life ... For my flesh
is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed" (6:54-55). His
disciples thought he taught cannibalism!
But Jesus Christ believed so firmly in the laws of clean and
unclean meats that he destroyed a whole herd of SWINE being
raised for food, in violation of God's law, by commanding many
demons to "Go" (Matt. 8:32) into them. Christ knew the demons
would drive the animals down into the sea where they would drown!
Next we come to Simon Peter who, about ten years after the
crucifixion, declared, "I have never eaten anything that is
common (acquired contamination due to improper draining of the
blood since the animal died a natural death or was strangled,
etcetera. Such meat was called "common" because it could be sold
to aliens if they wanted it. They were the common, polluted
gentiles (Deut. 14:21). Also see Mark 7:2 and Romans 14:14 for
other types of "acquired contamination.") or unclean" (inherent
contamination (Lev. 11; Deut. 14)) (Acts 10:14). Peter knew the
vision he'd seen didn't somehow cleanse unclean animals. Instead,
Peter "doubted in himself" what the vision should mean. In Acts
10:28 Peter interprets the vision: "God hath shown me that I
should not call any man common or unclean." Peter's attitude had
been typical of the Jews of his day toward gentiles. It was
considered "unlawful" (10:28; 11:3) to keep company with gentiles
since they didn't obey God's laws and consequently a Jew could
become "contaminated" by associating with them.
But just as Peter heard the voice say, "What God hath cleansed,
that call not thou common" (10:15) THREE times, so also there
were THREE gentiles who came to take Peter to Cornelius. The
vision was only an analogy!
About 50 A.D., nineteen years after the crucifixion, the food
laws were still in full force because we read that James, the
Lord's brother, required that gentiles must "abstain from MEATS
OFFERED TO IDOLS, and from BLOOD, and from THINGS
STRANGLED, and from FORNICATION" (Acts 15:29).
Of course, it was necessary to mention these four points of the
permanent, civil law as being still binding since they dealt
directly with sacrificial worship of the gentiles and the
decision of the Jerusalem conference was that the
sacrificial/ritualistic laws weren't required of gentile
Christians! The four points above were NOT actual sacrificial
laws, but were merely tied in later with the
sacrificial/ritualistic sections of scripture (Ex. 34:1317; Lev.
3:17; 7:26-27; 17:10-14: Num. 25:1-2) because gentiles commonly
ate their sacrifices with BLOOD, often STRANGLED those sacrifices
rather than properly draining the BLOOD, presented the sacrifices
to IDOLS and then committed FORNICATION with the temple
prostitutes as part of the rite! But originally these laws were
put in the "book of the law" and "book of the covenant" sections
of scripture (Ex. 20:3-5,23; 22:16; Deut. 12:16,23-25; 15:23;
22:23-27).
About 57 A.D., twenty-six years after the crucifixion, Paul, the
apostle to the gentiles, warned gentiles to touch not the UNCLEAN
thing" (2 Cor. 6:17). No doubt he was speaking spiritually (Eph.
5:5; 1 Cor. 7:14), but his remark certainly applies physically
also since he was quoting from Isaiah 52:11 and Leviticus 11:8.
In the absence of any New Testament scriptures, his audience had
only the Old Testament scriptures from which to take the context.
People argue that Paul did away with the food laws when he said,
"I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing
UNCLEAN of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be
UNCLEAN, to him it is UNCLEAN" (Rom. 14:14). Actually this verse
is mistranslated in the KJV. Wherever the word "UNCLEAN"
appears, the actual Greek should be translated "COMMON" as in
Acts 10:14. Even the context of Romans 14 shows that the
controversy is between meat-eaters and vegetarians (14:2), not
between clean and unclean meat-eaters! Furthermore, it appears
from 1 Corinthians 8:7-8 and 10:25-28 that the reason why some of
the Roman Christians were vegetarians is because they were
reluctant to consume any food offered to idols, even if the BLOOD
had been properly drained, simply because they felt the idol
itself contaminated the meat. Since virtually all the meat sold
in the gentile meat-markets was suspect, they avoided meat
altogether! Thus Paul explains that nothing is COMMON of itself
(simply by being associated with an idol).
In another epistle of Paul, we again find a scripture "hard to be
understood" (2 Pet. 3:16). In 1 Timothy 4:3-5, Paul mentions two
demonic doctrines: "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving by them who believe and know the truth. For every
creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused, if it is
received with thanksgiving; For it is sanctified by the word of
God and prayer."
First of all, commas and other punctuation marks were completely
unknown when the Bible was originally written. Aldus Manutious
invented them in the 15th century! There should be no comma after
"meats" in verse 3. Some meats were definitely NOT created by God
to be received! Furthermore, those "who believe and know the
truth" must believe and know "thy word" (the Bible) since Christ
said, "thy word is truth" (John 17:17). So they know that the
Bible forbids certain "meats." The creatures "sanctified by the
word of God" are those listed as "clean" in Leviticus 11 and
Deuteronomy 14! The others are NOT "creatures of God," but are
"evil beasts" (Ez. 34:25). They're everywhere compared to demons
and even Satan himself!
For instance, the apostle John compares Satan to an "old SERPENT"
(Rev. 12:9) and "three UNCLEAN spirits" to "FROGS" (16:13). He
even mentions that Babylon "is become the habitation of devils,
and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every UNCLEAN
and HATEFUL BIRD" (18:2). Throughout the New Testament, demons
are referred to as "UNCLEAN spirits." The word translated
"UNCLEAN" in both Acts 10:14 and 2 Corinthians 6:17 (describing
unclean animals) is identical to the word describing demons! Why
would John, writing about 95 A.D., sixty-four years after the
crucifixion, even think to call some birds "UNCLEAN" if this
distinction was abolished at the "cross of Christ" or even later
when the temple was destroyed (70 A.D.)? And why did he compare
"UNCLEAN" spirits to frogs of all things, unless frogs were still
"UNCLEAN" in 95 A.D.?
So if JOHN THE BAPTIST, JESUS CHRIST, SIMON PETER, JAMES,
PAUL and even JOHN THE APOSTLE all believed in, and obeyed, these food
laws, why don't more Christians follow their example?
Ezekiel prophesied of our day by saying, "Her priests have
violated my law (Heb. "torah"), and have profaned mine holy
things; they have put no difference between the holy and the
profane, neither have they shown difference between the UNCLEAN
and the CLEAN, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I
am profaned among them" (Ez. 22:26).
FOOD LAWS IN THE MILLENNIUM
In the near future, as Isaiah 66:15-17 prophesies, "the Eternal
will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to
render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of
fire.... They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in
the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating SWINE'S FLESH,
and the abomination, and the MOUSE, shall be consumed together,
saith the Eternal." .....
The Eternal is angry with those who violate these FOOD LAWS
because they are hurting themselves and others by doing so! Yes,
these FOOD LAWS ARE SCIENTIFIC, HEALTH PRINCIPLES!
..............
Written 1987 (all capital words were Hemeway's)
Clean/Unclean only Ceremonial?
Some say it is so
by
Jim Sorenson
From Answers Magazine 1984
THE BIBLICAL BOOKS written by Moses contain a set of laws
concerning which animals were fit for food for God's people. What
was the purpose for this instruction? Are these laws of Clean and
Unclean Meats still in effect for Christians today?
Leviticus 11:1-7, "And the Lord spoke unto Moses and to Aaron,,
saying unto them, 'Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
These are the beasts which you shall eat among all the beasts
that are on the earth. Whatsoever parts the hoof, and is
clovenfooted, and chews the cud, among the beasts, that shall you
eat.
'Nevertheless these shall you not eat of them that chew the cud,
or of them that divide the hoof: the camel, because he chews the
cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the
coney, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is
unclean unto you. And the hare, because he chews the cud, but
divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
'And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted,
yet he chews not the cud: he is unclean to you.' "
CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN
It has been argued by some that the Hebrew word translated
"unclean," tameh (Strong's number 2930 or 2931), really signifies
"ceremonially unclean" and therefore the dietary laws were for
Israelite ceremonial purposes only, and not for Christians today.
(Exposition 109, The Dietary Laws of the Bible. Ernest L.
Martin).
But is this teaching true? Does tameh mean "ceremonially
unclean?" The answer can be found in the Bible. By using the
Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament,
we can find all the places in the Bible where this Hebrew word is
used. Checking in this reference, we find this word is not always
translated "unclean," but is also translated "defiled." By
following proper Biblical principles of letting the Bible define
the meanings of the words that it uses, there are at least two
scriptures, Leviticus 18:23 and Ezekiel 22:11, that are enough to
prove that tameh does not always mean "ceremonially unclean."
Leviticus 18:23 - "Neither shall you lie with any beast to
'defile' (tameh) yourself therewith: neither shall any woman
stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. "
Ezekiel 22:11, "And one hath committed abomination with his
neighbor's wife; and another hath lewdly 'defiled' (tameh) his
daughter in law: and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his
father's daughter. "
Do such abominations only make the sinner ceremonially unclean?
Does this question even need to be asked? Obviously tameh means
"unclean" or "defiled." It CAN mean "ceremonially ritually
unclean," but it is NOT LIMITED to this meaning.
In Biblical times it was possible to become ritually unclean" by,
for example, touching that which was unclean. This uncleanness
prohibited the Israelites from involvement in various religious
practices that were otherwise required (Numbers 6:11), but even in
this there was reason and purpose, not an arbitrary, unreasonable
demand of God for no purpose such as we find in the ceremony of
the pagan religions. One major purpose was to continually remind
the Israelites of the purity of God and the need for man to be
pure.
YOU SHALL BE HOLY
God says in Leviticus 19:2, "You shall be holy: for I, the Lord
your God, am holy." Does this imply holiness for ceremonial
purposes only? Let's see what "The Theological Word Book of the
Old Testament" has to say on this subject. Vol. 1, page 6 article
tameh, number 809: "Whatever theories are adduced to explain the
laws of uncleanness, the scriptures themselves emphatically
associate them with the holiness of God. The so-called Law
Purity (Leviticus 11-16) was placed side by side with the Law of
Holiness (Leviticus 17-26). In the passage which lists unclean
foods, the holiness of Yahweh is emphasized as the reason for
avoiding unclean foods. The regulations regarding cleanness set
Israel apart from other nations. These were object lessons of
God's holiness which could not co-exist with the uncleanness of
Sin."
The "authoritative" book, "The Jewish Religion," by Friedlander,
page 456, states: "We must take care that we do not consider
these precepts exclusively as sanitary regulations, however
important such regulations may be. We must not lose sight of the
fact that Holiness is the only object of the Dietary Laws
mentioned in the Pentateuch."
HOLINESS; OPPOSITE OF DEFILED
Of course the reason for the laws of clean and unclean was given
for "holiness." But what is "holiness?" Are not the two words
"holiness" and "defiled" opposites? There is nothing ceremonial
about these opposites. God is Holy and commands man to be holy,
undefiled. (1 Peter 1:19). A pure and undefiled man comes only
through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, by being washed with His
blood. (Revelation 1:5). But does His sacrifice give us license
to defile ourselves? (Romans 3:31; 6:2,15). Does it take a man
with an IQ of 180 to understand that when you are defiled, you
are unholy, and that unholiness is the same as unrighteousness
and all unrighteousness is sin. (I John 5:17). Sin that is not
repented of and covered by the blood of Jesus Christ will take
you into the lake of fire.
PHYSICAL PROMISES TO ISRAEL
But is holiness the only object of these laws? Israel was not a
spiritual nation. Israel was a physical nation with physical laws
- physical laws to make it physically clean, physically holy, for
physical reasons, to fulfil physical promises. This was not
ceremony. There were no promises to ancient Israel in ceremony;
the promises were for obedience. These promises were physical,
and the breaking of physical laws reaps physical punishments.
(Deuteronomy 11 and 28). Do we need to be told that the laws of
clean and unclean meats were given for health purposes? Is God
required to spell out every reason for each law? We are not told
that lepers were separated from other people so that the disease
wouldn't spread to others, yet when this law (Leviticus 13:46)
was broken in the Middle Ages, leprosy became rampant and was not
brought under control until the Catholic Church enforced this
Biblical law and separated those with the disease. Do we have to
understand "why" before we obey? Where is our faith? Knowledge
and understanding come with faith and obedience.
SCIENCE, NOT CEREMONY
It is now possible, after centuries of faith, to show by science
that certain animals are not fit for human consumption. This is
possible through a urineisaliva test developed by Dr. Carey Reams
which can actually tell by the chemistry of your body when you
have eaten unclean meat, that this unclean meat is harmful to
your health. Dr. Reams explains it with the analogy of putting
hi-test airplane fuel in your automobile. It may run for a while,
but the fuel will burn out your engine. (Health Guide for
Survival, by Salem Kirban, pages 46-50).
PHYSICAL CURSES FOR DISOBEDIENCE
And what about the actual diseases many of unclean animals carry,
of which trichinosis is the most commonly known? Physical curses
promised to ancient Israel for disobedience to the laws that God
gave to them.
Deuteronomy 28:22 - "The Lord shall smite you a consumption, and
a fever and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning..."
Verses 27-28 - "The Lord shall smite you with the botch of Egypt,
and with the emerods, and with the scab, with the itch whereof
you cannot be healed, Lord shall smite you with madness, and
blind and astonishment of heart." Verse 35 - "The Lord shall
smite you in the knees, and in the legs with a sore botch that cannot
be healed from the sole of your foot unto the top of your head."
What are the diseases mentioned here? Are cancer, heart disease,
rheumatism, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases among the
curses described? Since modern man disobeys these laws of health,
is there a connection to this disobedience and to diseases that
are becoming and more recognized as being related to our diet?
Some forms of madness, hyperactivity in children and even some
criminal tendencies can be traced to nutritional problems.
You need to think about the answers to these questions. I believe
that when God pronounced curses upon man, it was because He had
already built into man what the results of this disobedience
would be. He does not need to intervene. YOU defile your OWN body
with the meat of unclean animals. You, or your children or your
children's children will reap what you sow.
TIME ELEMENT
Many of the laws considered "ritual" can be found in the same
book and chapters of the Bible as those laws that are not
"ritual." One way to distinguish the difference is that the
ritual laws usually mention a time period of uncleanness. It is
common for someone to confuse the two - to recognize, for
example, that there is a time limit placed upon certain ritual
laws, and then apply that to the laws of unclean meat. A CLOSE
reading of these laws of clean and unclean animals in Leviticus
11 will not show any time element associated with these laws.
These animals are simply unclean, not to be eaten. Those laws
that are ritualistic or ceremonial speak of the MAN as becoming
unclean for a specified time. This is one important distinction
that you must be aware of to keep from being lead astray by those
who misapply scriptural understanding, or those who do not wish
to obey the commandments of the Almighty.
................
Answers Magazine 1984
Mark 7:19
Jesus making all foods clean?
From Answers Magazine 1984
HALLEY'S HANDBOOK COMMENTARY ON Leviticus 11 says:
"There was a distinction before the Flood between Clean and Unclean
animals (Genesis 7:2). Moses enacted this distinction into law. It was
based partly on their wholesomeness as food; and partly on
religious consideration, designed to serve as one of the marks of
separation of Israel from other nations. Jesus abrogated the
distinction (Mark 7:19), '...making all meats clean.'"
So aren't all meats clean now?
In response to the above quote from the highly respectable and
helpful Halley's Handbook, it is true that there was a
distinction between Clean and Unclean animals before the Flood.
But after the Flood it was God, not Moses, who enacted this
distinction into formal writings (See Leviticus 11:1-2). These
are God's laws for us, not the laws of man. They serve not only
as a help to our physical health, but they have a spiritual
aspect in addition. (See article in this issue "To Eat Or Not To
Eat".) (This article is not on my Website - Keith Hunt).
In the New Testament, Jesus never once even hinted that all meats
were made clean. For example, in Mark 7 the entire context of the
chapter is a vital concept involving our MIND and not physical
food. The first rule of Bible Study is to study scriptures in
their context, and not to pull them out of context to try to
establish a doctrine or point of truth.
Mark 7:1-13 shows Christ chastising the Jews for being hypocrites
(verse 6), and thinking more about their picky Do's and Don'ts
(like washing their ceremonially, verse 3), rather than vital
matters such as honoring your parents (verse 10).
Then in Mark 7:14-16. Christ spoke a parable to the people
stating that taking in a bit of dirt when you eat without washing
your hands cannot defile you (verse 15). But it is that which
comes OUT of a man that defiles him.
Since the disciples didn't understand the parable. Christ, in
verses 17-23 explained to them that ingesting some food with a
bit of dirt on it couldn't harm them at all, because it doesn't
enter the mind, rather it passes through the normal bodily
function (verses 18-19). This has absolutely nothing to do with
Clean and Unclean meats.
The point of Christ's discourse is that wrong thoughts and
temptations which enter your mind through the five senses or
through your imagination do not themselves constitute a sin.
Rather sin occurs when you ACT improperly upon these thoughts or
imaginations (verses 21-22). Christ is talking about evil
thoughts being dwelt upon or acted upon. Not the slightest
inference is made that indicates Unclean creatures are all at
once made clean, or have ever been clean.
Halley's Handbook is simply in error. It does not take Mark 7.19
in context.
COMPARING VERSIONS OF MARK 7:19 "purging all meats"
Each of the following 7 versions of Mark 7:19 shows a normal
physical elimination process that has absolutely nothing to do
with "making unclean meats clean."
The last four versions have added (in parentheses) a dishonest
statement that is nothing more than a biased Commentary designed
to alter the true meaning of God's Word. This verse, with it man
made additions, should not be the basis for negating two chapters
of the Bible - Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
KING JAMES:
"Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and
goes out into the draught, purging all meats."
Draught = sewer or digestive process.
Purging all meats =carrying off all that is eaten.
LAMSA:
"Because it does not enter into his heart: into his stomach, and
then is thrown out through the intestines, thereby purifying the
food:"
FENTON:
"Because it does not reach the intellect passes into the bowels:
which eliminate all foods."
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD:
"Because it does go into his heart but into his stomach, and is
eliminated. (Thus He declared all foods clean)."
NEW INTERNATIONAL:
"For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then
out of his body. (In saying this Jesus declared all foods
'clean')."
REVISED STANDARD:
"Since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes
on. (Thus he declared all foods clean)."
LIVING:
"For food doesn't come in contact with the heart, but only
passes through the digestive system. (By saying this he showed
that every kind of food is kosher)."
..............
Answers Magazine 1984
Overview of Food Laws
A nutshell list
From an old issue in "Answers Magazine"(1984)
1. MAMMALS
Characteristics: Bears young live (not eggs), suckle their young,
breathe through lungs, hair on skin, constant body temperature,
four-chambered heart.
CLEAN
The Bible says that animals are permitted for food which chew the
cud and part the hoof. These animals are herbivores, have incisors
in upper jaws, stomach with four compartments, hollow or solid horns.
Examples: Cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, deer, giraffe, gazelle,
antelope, ox.
UNCLEAN
1) Parts the hoof, but does not chew the cud. Walks on hooves,
possess canine and incisor teeth. Examples: Pig, hippo.
2) Chews the cud but does not part the hoof. Has small hooves
like nails, walks on cushion-like pads, tusk-like canines on both
jaws and incisor teeth on upper jaws, but stomach has only three
compartments.
Examples: Camel, LLama.
3) Solid-hoofed, herbivorous, single-stomach, incisor teeth on
both upper and lower jaws.
Examples: Horse, donkey, mule, zebra.
4) Carnivores, six incisors and two sharp canine teeth on both
jaws, 4 or 5 toes with claws on each foot and walk either on
their toes or their paws. Examples: Lion, leopard, dog, wolf,
jackal, hyena, fox, bear.
5) Other mammals, neither chews cud nor parts hoof.
Examples: Ape, bat (even though found with birds in Lev. 11:19),
elephant, hare, mouse, rat, whale.
2. FISH
Characteristics: Vertebrates living in water and through gills.
In some species the body with bony or teeth-like scales; others
scales. All possess fins. Body temperature according to their
environment. either by laying eggs or bringing forth young live.
CLEAN
The Bible says that fish are permitted for food which have "fins
and scales in the waters, in the seas and in the rivers" (Lev.
11:9, Deut. 14:9). Only bony skeletons are included, since they
alone posses fins and scales. The scales must be real ones that
overlap one another and be of bony origin a growth of the skin.
Some scales are of minute proportions, but for the fish to be
clean the scales must be visible to the eye. If a fish has scales
which can be seen only through microscope, it is to be regarded
as being without scales. If a fish has scales while young and
sheds later, it is clean. If a fish develops scales only when to
maturity, it is also clean.
Examples: Carp, herring, salmon, trout.
UNCLEAN
1) Some fish either have no scales or have scales like teeth,
which are not true scales as they do not overlap.
Examples: Shark, ray.
2) Some fish lack true scales and their bodies are unprotected
except that they are partly covered five long rows of protective
matter. These fish are the main source of caviar.
Example: Sturgeon.
Fish which have no visible scales. Catfish, eel.
3) There are fish which have no visible scales.
Example: Catfish, eel.
3. BIRDS
Characteristics: Bodies covered with feathers, upper limbs are
winged-shaped, no teeth, breathe through lungs, constant body
temperature, four-chambered heart, lay eggs.
CLEAN
The Bible does not give characteristics which distinguish clean
birds from unclean. But, based on the scriptures which list
unclean birds and then comparing the qualities of clean and
unclean birds, we find 6 general rules in order for a bird to be
clean:
1) Not a bird of prey.
2) Catch food thrown to them in the air, bring it to the ground
and divide it with their bills;(unclean birds devour it in the
air, or press it with one foot to the ground and tear it with
their bills.
3) Elongated middle front toe plus a hind toe.
4) Three toes on one side of a perch, with hind toe on the other
side.
5) Has a crop.
6) Gizzard with double lining, easily separated.
Examples: Duck, goose, hen, house sparrow, quail, partridge,
peacock, pheasant, pigeon.
UNCLEAN
1) Birds of prey.
a) Falcon-like birds are carnivores, have hooked beaks, sharp
talons bent like hooks.
Examples: Eagle, kite, hawk, buzzard.
b.) Vulture-like birds feed on carrion, thick solid bills, bare
neck (usually), blunt talons slightly inclined.
Examples: Bearded vulture, black vulture, Egyptian vulture,
Griffin vulture.
2) Night birds of prey. Large head and eyes, 4 toes, (two
pointing forward and two backward).
Example: Owl.
3) Water and marsh fowls. All are exception of the goose and
duck.
4) Other birds.
Examples: Crow, swift, ostrich.
4. AMPHIBIANS
Characteristics: Vertebrates born in water, living in water,
land, or both. During early stages (larvatadpole), they breathe
with gills, and the adult stage either with lungs or gills. Body
temperature changes in as the medium in which they live.
CLEAN
There are no clean amphibians.
UNCLEAN
Examples: Salamander, neut, toad, frog.
5. REPTILES
Characteristics: Creeping and crawling things, which have short
legs or none at all (so that they move close to the ground or
drag along it), live mostly on dry land, have lungs, majority lay
eggs with soft shell in which the white and the yolk are mixed,
cold blooded (temperature adjusts to the environment), skin
covered with scales.
CLEAN There are no clean reptiles.
UNCLEAN
In the Bible, reptiles are included in the general prohibition
"and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth shall be an
abomination: it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goes upon the
belly and whatsoever goes upon all four, or whatsoever has many
feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them
you shall not eat for they are an abomination" (Lev. 11:41-42).
The crocodile is prohibited by "whatsoever has no fins or scales
in the water" (Lev. 11:12). All species of snake are prohibited.
Examples: Black snake, viper, cobra.
6. INVERTEBRATES
Characteristics: Largest number of species in the animal kingdom,
no bony skeleton, skin is either bare or covered with a shell.
Reproduce by a simple division of the body by laying eggs or
bringing forth their offspring alive.
CLEAN
Only a few of the million species of insects are permitted as
food by the Bible: "these may you eat of every flying creeping
thing that goes upon all four which have legs above their feet.
to leap withal upon the earth: even those may you eat, the locust
after its kind..." (Lev. 11:21-22).
UNCLEAN
Most invertebrates are forbidden. Those which live in the water
are under the prohibition either of fish which lack fins and
scales or of "any living thing which is in the waters (Lev. 11:10).
Those which live on land are forbidden in accordance with
the prohibition against "whatsoever goes upon the belly, and
whatsoever goes upon all four, or whatsoever has more feet"
(Lev. 11:42).
Examples: Snail, oyster, squid, jellyfish, protozoa, sponges,
.................
Answer magazine 1984
Grasshoppers - we can eat!
John the Baptist ate them remember
by
Harold Hemeway
Continuing in Leviticus 11 we read, "All fowls that creep (winged
insects), going upon all four (four feet plus two hands, making
six appendages), shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these may
ye eat of every flying creeping thing (winged insect) that goeth
upon all four, which have legs above their feet, with which to
leap upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat: the LOCUST
after its kind, and the BALD LOCUST after its kind, and the
beetle (CRICKET) after its kind, and the GRASSHOPPER after its
kind. But all other flying creeping things (winged insects),
which have four feet (and two hands), shall be an abomination
unto you" (11:20-23).
The N.I.V. renders verse 22 this way, "Of these you may eat any
kind of LOCUST, KATYDID (a green cricket-like insect),
CRICKET or GRASSHOPPER."
The T.E.V. says, "All winged insects are unclean, except those
that hop. You may eat LOCUSTS, CRICKETS, or GRASSHOPPERS"
(vv.20-22).
But a word of caution should be given since "MORMON CRICKETS,
CAMEL (CAVE) CRICKETS, MOLE CRICKETS, and JERUSALEM
CRICKETS are not considered true crickets" (p.908, vol. 4, World Book
Encyclopedia, copyright 1985). The CAMEL (CAVE) CRICKET is a
wingless scavenger! It cannot fly and consequently is unclean!
The MORMON and JERUSALEM CRICKETS don't have any wings either,
so are also unclean! MOLE CRICKETS have only very short, stubby
wings. Instead of leaping on the earth, they burrow under it!
Many CAVE and CAMEL CRICKETS are also subterranean. Also, some
kinds of LOCUSTS and GRASSHOPPERS are wingless.
Leviticus 11:29-30 says, "These also shall be unclean unto you
among the creeping things that creep upon the earth: the WEASEL,
and the MOUSE, and the TORTOISE after its kind, And the FERRET,
and the CHAMELEON, and the LIZARD, and the SNAIL, and the MOLE."
"Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth goeth upon
all four, or whatsoever hath many feet among all creeping things
that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an
abomination" (11:41-42). Other members of this list include the
FROG, SALAMANDER, ASP, COBRA, BOA CONSTRICTOR,
ALLIGATOR, CROCODILE, RATTLESNAKE, SPIDER, CENTEPEDE,
MILLIPEDE, RAT, SLUG, etcetera.
Most people have common sense enough to avoid the members of this
group as food, yet even here the SNAIL is eaten as ESCARGOT, and
CANNED RATTLESNAKE can be found in the delicacy section of some
food stores. FROG'S LEGS are especially popular in France and
MAGUEY BUTTER (made from yellow worms) is eaten in Mexico!
TURTLE SOUP is available in some parts of the United States!
But why are grasshoppers permitted? Part of the answer
undoubtedly lies in the fact that, "Except for mantids, which
capture living insects, and some cockroaches, crickets and
katydids, which are scavengers, omnivores and occasionally
predators, MOST ORTHOPTERA ARE HERBIVOROUS"
(p.1129, vol. 16, Encyclopedia Britannica, copyright 1973).
From the eleventh edition, volume 12, page 377, article "Grasshoppers,"
we read that "All are vegetable feeders." The large, Old World species of
locusts are "phytophagous" (plantfeeders) (volume 16, p.857,
article "Locust"). Many of these Orthoptera insects are so selective in
their eating habits that they consume the same foods as man,
vegetable gardens and grain fields! This is why swarms of
LOCUSTS and GRASSHOPPERS, unlike all other insects, can be so
detrimental to man! But at the same time, farmers who have read
their Bibles can benefit from locust plagues, at least in a small
way, by catching vast numbers of these insects in nets, drowning
them in water, and preserving them as food.
Interestingly, GRASSHOPPERS have a crop, gizzard, gastric caeca
and a stomach, in that order, from front to back. Truly, they
could be classified as "clean birds" according to the Mishnah!
Even the Bible itself seems to include winged insects in the bird
category just as much as in the "creeping thing" category. They
are called "fowls" (Lev. 11:20-21) the same as all the birds we
normally consider to be fowls (11:13-19). Of course, the word in
Hebrew merely comes from a root meaning of "to cover" (with
wings) which would apply equally to insects or feathered birds!
But nobody can dispute the fact that verses 20 to 23 (discussing
winged insects) come immediately after verses 13 to 19
(discussing feathered birds) rather than in verses 29 and 30
(discussing "creeping things").
Also like their clean counterparts in the beast category, they
CHEW their food with two powerful grinding jaws called mandibles.
All of the insects that PIERCE and SUCK are the unclean type! A
person can't help but compare their chewing mandibles with the
broad, flat teeth of ruminants that are constantly engaged in
chewing vegetation! But unclean dogs gulp down their food!
"Snakes swallow their food whole.... Sharp, pointed teeth, poorly
adapted for chewing, generally characterize meat eaters such as
SNAKES, DOGS and CATS" (p.784, vol. 5, Encyclopedia Britannica,
copyright 1974).
Furthermore, the GRASSHOPPER uses its antennae to examine food.
It even has fingerlike projections "on both sides of the mouth
and on the lower lip. They contain the insect's 'taste buds.'"
(p.317, vol. 8, World Book Encyclopedia).
But, in contrast, the unclean "creeping things" don't seem to
care what they eat! They're carnivores, predators, and
scavengers! In addition to these undesirable characteristics,
many of these unclean creatures are also poisonous. SPIDERS,
TICKS, SCORPIONS, SNAKES, WASPS, BEES, ANTS,
TOADS and FROGS all have their poisonous varieties that infect
man via bite, sting, or just plain contact as is the case between the
"warts" (poison glands) of TOADS and a person's mouth or cut hand!
The skin of Fire-bellied TOADS is so poisonous that just "looking
into a bag of freshly caught specimens causes fits of sneezing and
watering of the eyes" (p.566, vol. 6, Encyclopedia of the Animal World).
Incidentally, even though BEES are unclean, the HONEY they
produce is fit to eat since it is pollen from flowers in another
form and not actually from the BEES themselves.
Other unclean "creeping things" are notorious diseasecarriers!
MOSQUITOS transmit Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue* and Filariasis.
FLIES transmit Trypanosome Diseases*, Tularemia, Pappataci Fever
and Leishmaniasis*. "SNAILS convey flukes, but not by ingestion"
(p.821, M. Rosenau). TICKS can transmit germs of Rocky Mountain
spotted fever*, Q Fever, and other diseases. RATS host fleas
which carry Bubonic plague. Rat-bite Fever* can be transmitted to
man by the bite of an infected RAT or MOUSE. Lassa Fever* is also
transmitted to humans by contact with infected rodent urine,
feces and saliva. Infectious Jaundice, Endemic Typhus*,
Trichinosis*, and Food Infection can all be transmitted to man,
one way or another, by RATS! RATS and MICE "may harbor eleven
species of internal parasites which also occur in man" (p. 278,
M. Rosenau).
Finally, notice that these four categories of beasts, fish, birds
and "creeping things" are not based on modernday classification
criteria which use such categories as "Mammals," "Reptiles,"
"Invertebrates" and "Insects," but instead are based on the
creature's environment and visible characteristics, making it
easy to tell on sight whether or not the creature is edible. When
buying packaged, processed foods, it is still possible to tell on
sight whether or not the food is edible, or "kosher." Just look
for a "K" on the label. Sometimes, instead of a "K" for Kosher, a
"U" is used which stands for Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations (well I would not count on the Jews all the time
for "kosher" food - Keith Hunt).
................
Written 1987 (all capital letter words were Hemenway's)
Rule for Fowl
Not as simple as ABC
by
Harold Hemeway
Continuing in Leviticus 11, we come to the bird category next.
But the Bible gives no rule for distinguishing between the clean
and unclean as it did in the two previous categories. Deuteronomy
14 is also silent in this regard. Furthermore, no clean birds are
listed! All that the Bible gives us in these chapters are the
names of about 24 unclean birds! But other scriptures reveal that
the PIGEON and DOVE are both clean since they were used for
sacrificing Lev. 1:14-17; Luke 2:24), and the QUAIL is clean
since God provided it for food in Numbers 11:31-32, and the
SPARROW is clean since it sold for food and Christ recognized
this use (Luke 12:6), so it's possible to determine a rule based
on these four birds, comparing them with the ones listed as
unclean.
The result is six characteristics that all clean birds have.
FIRST, they aren't birds of prey. SECOND, they catch food thrown
to them in the air, but bring it to the ground, where they divide
it with their beaks before consuming it, if this is possible. But
unclean birds devour it in the air or press it with one foot to
the ground and tear it with their bills. THIRD, they must have an
elongated middle front toe and a hind toe. FOURTH, they spread
their toes so that the hind toe is on one side of their perch,
and the three front toes are on the other. FIFTH, they must have
craws or crops. SIXTH, they must have a gizzard with a double
lining which can easily be separated (Jewish Encyclopedia, vol.
6, p.111). One or more of these characteristics is lacking in all
unclean birds!
The Mishnah (the collection of Jewish oral interpretations of
scripture which were compiled about 200 A.D.) gives a more
concise rule. It states that, "a bird that seizes food in its
claws is unclean; one which has an extra talon, a craw, and the
skin of whose stomach can be pealed, is clean" (Hul. 3:6). The
Mishnah mentions that any one of these characteristics makes the
bird clean. In other words, a bird doesn't have to possess them
all to be edible (Hul. 61b-62a).
It is extremely interesting that clean birds have, in essence,
THREE STOMACHS including the crop and the gizzard and another
third section of stomach between the two, reminding a person of
clean ruminating beasts which all have four stomachs! These extra
digestive organs in clean birds and beasts no doubt prevent
poisons from being assimilated into the meat since the bird gets
all its nutritional needs from harmless plants. To take the
parallel further, some of the leaf-eating birds have bacteria in
their intestines which break down cellulose (p.76, Bird Behavior,
by Robert Burton, copyright 1985). The "only essentially
leaf-eating birds are the SWANS, GEESE, GROUSE, some of the
DUCKS and the KAKAPO, PIGEONS, COOTS, GAMEBIRDS,
and the OSTRICH and its allies are mainly leaf eaters, but they
supplement this diet with fair quantities of other plant and animal
food" (p.76, ibid.) (Note that the only unclean birds in this list are the
KAKAPO and OSTRICH.) Remember that the ruminating beasts all used
bacteria in their digestion of plants too! One more point of
comparison is found in PIGEONS and DOVES, which use their crop to
store, or partly digest, food taken too quickly for the stomach
to handle. During breeding season, the crop produces "milk" from
seeds eaten which is REGURGITATED for the young. This is one form
of RUMINATION!
The Encyclopedia Judaica also reveals certain characteristics
which are unique to unclean birds. Unclean birds are birds of
prey (carnivorous) or birds that feed on carrion (dead and
decaying flesh, including FAT and BLOOD) like VULTURES or
nocturnal birds of prey which have two toes pointing forward and
two backward like the OWL, or Waterfowl like the SEAGULL, STORK,
BITTERN, HERON, CRANE and GULL or birds with hooked beaks and
hooked talons like the HAWK, EAGLE, KITE, BUZZARD, KESTREL,
FALCON, etcetera.
But some water fowl are clean, including DUCKS, GEESE, TEAL and,
yes, the SWAN! All these birds comply with the requirements for
clean birds. The Hebrew word translated "SWAN" should be rendered
"IBIS," or "STORK," or "WATER HEN. was mentioned above, swans are
vegetarian!
GENERALLY speaking, we could say that clean birds are
predominantly vegetarian. (FINCHES, WEAVERS, SPARROWS, CROWS,
TITMOUSES, JAYS, NUTHATCHES, NUTCRACKERS, CROSSBILLS,
UELEAS, CARDINALS and PARROTS are the birds that eat nuts and seeds.
Birds that eat fruit and nectar are BLACKBIRDS, ROBINS, THRUSHES,
ORIOLES, WAXWINGS, WARBLERS, GROUSE, FINCHES, SHOREBIRDS,
SILKY FLYCATCHERS, GULLS, TITMICE, SUNBIRDS, HUMMINGBIRDS,
HONEYCREEPERS, BELLBIRDS, BARBETS, TOURACOS, MOUSEBIRDS,
TROGONS, OILBIRDS, TOUCANS, FRUIT PIGEONS, CACI UES, ARACARIS,
HORNBILLS, COTINGAS, MANAKINS, OROPEN LAS, CASSOWARIES and
PARROTS.....
Unclean birds are carnivorous and/or scavengers. This, of course,
means that clean birds have less disease and fewer parasites
(generally speaking - Keith Hunt).
OWLS eat rats, mice and other disease-carrying rodents almost
exclusively! The EAGLE will eat "fish and refuse that is thrown
up on the shore" and one kind of EAGLE is "able to take some
birds as they fly, but a large part of its sustenance is the
flesh of animals that die a natural death" (vol. 20, p.397 & vol.
8, p.790, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed.). VAMPIRE BATS drink
BLOOD and bats are vectors of the disease Rabies*! Bat salivary
gland fever* can also infect man via bites and infection.
Starting in Leviticus 11:13, we read, "And these are they which
ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be
eaten, they are an abomination: the EAGLE, and the OSSIFRAGE, and
the OSPREY, And the VULTURE (KITE), and the KITE (FALCON) after
its kind; Every RAVEN after its kind; And the OWL (OSTRICH), and
the NIGHT HAWK, and the CUCKOW (SEA GULL), and the HAWK after its
kind, And the LITTLE (WHITE) OWL, and the CORMORANT, and the
GREAT (HORNED) OWL, And the "SWAN" (IBIS, STORK, or WATER HEN),
and the PELICAN, and the GIER (CARRION) EAGLE, and the STORK, the
HERON after its kind, and the LAPWING (HOOPOE), and the BAT"
(vv.13-19). Deuteronomy 14:13,16 and 17 mentions some additional
birds: "And the GLEDE (BUZZARD) ... The LITTLE (SCREECH) OWL, and
the GREAT OWL ... and the GIER EAGLE (CARRION VULTURE)." Other
examples are the BITTERN, CRANE, CROW, KESTREL, PARROT,
ROADRUNNER, SWIFT and WOODPECKER.
The list of clean birds and fowl must be the following:
BLACKBIRD, BRAMBLING, BALDHEADED IBIS, CHAFFINCH, CHICKEN,
CORN BUNTING, DOVE, DUCK, GOOSE, GROUSE, GARDEN WARBLER,
GREENFINCH, GOLDEN PLOVER, GARGANAY, GUINEA FOWL, HEN,
ITALIAN SPARROW, MEADOW PIPIT, ORTOLAN BUNTING, PHEASANT,
PEA000K, PARTRIDGE, PIGEON, UAIL, REDSTART, ROCK BUNTING, ROBIN,
ROOSTER, SPARROW, SONGBIRDS (including such beautiful singers as the thrushes,
wrens, honeyeaters, cardinals, larks, mockingbirds, canaries, nightingales, butcherbirds,
blackbirds and warblers), SONG THRUSH, SKY LARK, SNIPE, SWAN, TURTLE DOVE,
TURKEY, WOOD COCK, WHEATEAR, WHITE WAGTAIL, YELLOWHAMMER, etcetera.
Incidentally, birds must have their blood drained in accordance
with Leviticus 17:13 which says, "And whatsoever man there is ...
who hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he
shall even pour out the BLOOD thereof; and cover it with dust."
In order to obey this scripture, a hunter must use harmless nets
and snares to catch his prey, rather than birdshot which causes
the BLOOD to coagulate in the flesh.
..............
Written 1987 (all capital words were Hemeway's)
Clean/Unclean before Moses
Foods laws from the Beginning
by
Harold Hemenway
In addition to the laws concerning PLANTS, BLOOD, and FAT, the
Bible also talks about "clean" and "unclean" meats. Laws
pertaining to animals, fish, birds and creeping things that are
permitted or prohibited as food. These laws were in existence
from the very beginning of Genesis because such creatures didn't
change their habits, nor was the composition of their flesh
altered, when Christ died on the stake. It is, of course, true
that eventually the lion will eat grass like the ox (Isa. 11:7;
65:25) when the natures of animals are changed in the Millennium.
It may also be true that originally in the Garden of Eden the
animals were not fearful of man (Gen. 9:2), but neither of these
two conditions exist today and neither condition makes unclean
meat into clean meat.
Notice that "Abel was a keeper of SHEEP" (Gen. 4:2). Abel raised
SHEEP for food, just as his brother tilled the ground for food.
Abel didn't keep a herd of SWINE because he knew only clean
animals were to be eaten! Again notice that Abel "brought of the
firstlings of his flock" (v.4) an offering for the Eternal. Since
it was from his flock, it had to be an offering of SHEEP. He
didn't offer a DOG or a HORSE on the altar because he knew that
only clean animals could be offered as sacrifices (Lev. 1 to 5;
Isa. 66:3).
Noah also knew the difference between clean and unclean animals
since God told him in Genesis 7:2, "Of every clean beast thou
shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female; and of
beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female."
Obviously Noah needed more of the clean animals since these were
used for food (Lev. 11 & Deut. 14) and "burnt offerings." Noah
didn't sacrifice any unclean animals! Instead, he "took of every
clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar" (Gen. 8:20).
Furthermore, Abraham knew about and obeyed the laws of clean and
unclean meats since he too correctly offered "an HEIFER ... a
SHE-GOAT ... a RAM ... a TURTLEDOVE, and a young PIGEON"
(Gen. 15:9) and "a LAMB" (Gen. 22:8,13), all of which are clean
animals! Also in Genesis 26:5 we read that Abraham "obeyed my
voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my
LAWS (Heb. "torah"). In Leviticus 11:46, in regard to the dietary
laws, the Eternal says, "This is the LAW (Heb. "torah") of the
beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth
in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the
earth; To make a difference between the unclean and the clean,
and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may
not be eaten." (See also Ez. 22:26) Notice that both words are
IDENTICAL, so Abraham must have obeyed the laws of clean and
unclean meats! If we are Abraham's children, all Christians are
(Gal. 3:7,29), we will DO THE WORKS of Abraham (John 8:39).
Finally, we know that Moses obeyed these laws since, of course,
he was the human author of both Leviticus and Deuteronomy and
gave these laws to Israel.
The examples of obedience by ABEL, NOAH, ABRAHAM and MOSES to
these laws of clean and unclean meats were "written for our
learning" (Rom. 15:4) and "these things (righteous acts) were our
examples" (1 Cor. 10:6,11). "All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for DOCTRINE, for REPROOF, for CORRECTION, for
INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (2 Tim. 3:16)
And the only "scripture" known to Timothy at that time was the
"Old Testament."
Now...... it is safe to say that these FOOD LAWS have always
existed and continue to exist today. The laws of clean and
unclean meats existed before the Old Covenant was ever instituted
and so what the Old Covenant didn't bring in, it can't take away
when it is abolished! The DIETARY LAWS are part of the eternal
law even though they are just physical laws regulating health! It
isn't a spiritual sin to break them (Mark 7:14-23), but the
transgressor will suffer disease, sickness, and an early first,
physical death (generally speaking, depending how much and how
often you break those food laws, the eskimo at one time did not
live much past the age of 35 - Keith Hunt). The penalty for
violating spiritual laws (where intent and motive are involved)
is the second, spiritual death (Rev. 20:14).
These food laws are not ritualistic, sacrificial types or symbols
that foreshadow a more permanent reality in Christ or the Holy
Spirit! Instead, they are laws which DETAIL and MAGNIFY the Ten
Commandments! Christ didn't come to destroy these laws (Matt.
5:17; 19:17-19). Just as the Holy Days further define the Sabbath
Commandment (fourth), and Tithing further defines what stealing
is (eighth commandment), so the Food Laws explain one way a
person can commit murder against himself (sixth commandment). If
a person deliberately defiles his body with unclean food, it is a
spiritual sin and God will destroy him (1 Cor. 3:17).
Yet some misguided "Christians" are genuinely deceived and insist
that because the laws of clean and unclean meats aren't
specifically found in the Old Covenant or "book of the covenant"
(Ex. 19:5 to 24:8), they are not part of the eternal code of laws
but are merely ritualistic laws added later.
..............
Written 1987
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