Physical Food for the Body

Deuteronomy 14:2-6;9 and 11 -  You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you to be his own special treasure from all the nations of the earth.  "You must not eat animals that are ceremonially unclean.  These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,  the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.  "Any animal that has split hooves and chews the cud may be eaten……………… "As for marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales……………….."You may eat any bird that is ceremonially clean.

 

God gets pretty detailed with Moses as he defines for us the difference in clean and unclean animals. He tells the Israelites that they have been set apart as holy…and need to treat their bodies as treasures.  The list here is very thorough …Moses leaves no room for opinion….some animals God said we should eat…some animals God strictly forbids.

 

As soon as I read it my mind thought of the many scriptures that most of us use to justify eating anything we want.  I admit I had to look most of them up on the ‘google’…like that time Peter had a dream in Acts 10…or the speech by Paul in 1 Timothy 4.  I also have to admit that the commentaries and articles I found to read on these scriptures were just as confusing…some saying these dietary laws changed with Christ’s death on the cross…some saying that God’s laws concerning food never changed.

 

There are arguments for both sides….so I guess I just added another thing to my prayer list…so God can tell me just how to apply this knowledge to my own life. I will have to consider that the most of the unclean animals on Gods list in Deuteronomy 14….are scavengers…bottom feeders or predators. They were created by God to clean the bottom of rivers and seas… feed on the blood of other animals...their ability to absorb these waste products of the world greatly enhanced.  The clean animals are mostly herbivores…or plant eaters…that are somewhere in the middle of our food chains.

 

If I decide that God’s laws in this chapter are still valid…I will only have to make a few changes in my diet.  I will have to give up shellfish…which I dearly love.  And I will have to continue to never eat  pork….for I gave it up about a year ago… to ask God to convict a couple of girls of their need for salvation. Maybe that is my answer….one change to be sure…to be confident …that I am being obedient.  Maybe this law isn’t just about our health…but a simple way for God to see if we are so passionate about him that we will be obedient…even in a rule that seems to have no modern application.

 

There is one more reason to pray about this command of God in Deuteronomy 14.  We need to consider the people around us that watch us as we live our ‘Christian’ lives.  There is a scripture in Romans 14…that tells us to be careful…that we should let God judge the reasons people do what they do. Verses 1-4 say.... “Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.  For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.  Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.  Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should.”

Father…I thank you for the wisdom that tells me to rethink what I see as clean and healthy for me to eat.  I ask you to reveal to me just what things in my current diet are not what you want me to ingest.  Help me to know just how I am to interpret your word…so that I can be obedient…and follow all your commands.  I thank you for all the writers of commentaries and article about this controversial subject you have allowed to be published on the internet…so I can study it and really understand what you think is right and true. Help me to not judge anyone else but myself…and accept all people’s ideas as what you have told them…in spite of what I believe you have told me. Amen.