Israel, The Church of Jesus
3228
West 15th Avenue / Gary, Indiana 46404
(888) 770-5464 or (219) 944-3450
It’s a sad fact of life that
it is constantly necessary to affirm what the Almighty God has said with his own
mouth. For all that God has said and done is good, but many have thought to
overturn the words and works of the creator. Though God had it written plainly
in black and white, many attempt to do away with God’s dietary law, but God
does not change (Malachi 3:6).
THE
WORD OF GOD
“And the
Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, these are the beasts which ye
shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth” (Leviticus 11:1,2). I ask you, why
would the Lord tell his servants to only eat certain animals and later change
it, as many contend? Yet, there are no scriptures in the New Testament reversing
what God said in the Old Testament. People simply read their own beliefs into
certain verses, which is a great sin for God has warned us about adding
to and taking away from His Word (Deuteronomy 4:1,2 & Revelation 22:18,19).
Many have taught that certain Old Testament laws (including God’s
Dietary Laws) were done away with when Jesus came and died. Let’s see what
Jesus said, “…Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he
shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 5:18,19). I find that many
simply do not believe Jesus, for how else can they continue to transgress his
laws (sin) and think it’s ok. There
will be punishment for those who break the least of Gods Commandments, let alone
the greatest.
CLEAN
AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS
Why did God deem certain animals unclean and therefore un-edible? Being
the creator, God knows what each creature’s purpose is and though all
creatures are good all are not good to eat. For instance, when one of our loved
ones die we don’t just make them our next meal, though they are creatures of
God. This rules out twisting I Timothy 4:4 to mean we can eat every creature
period, because it’s understood which ones are for eating
purposes. Pigs, Mice, Dogs, Catfish, Shrimp and Lobster are all un-edible.
“And the swine (pig), though
he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is
unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat… And all that have not
fins and scales in the seas… They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh…” (Leviticus 11:7,8,10,11). By contrast,
Cows and chickens are clean and therefore ok to eat. Remember, God knows best!
NOAH
HAD THE DIETARY LAW
Some try to belittle the Old Testament Law, calling it the Mosaic Law,
however Moses talked to God face to face and Jesus warned us about breaking the
least of his commandments. Man has known God’s laws since the beginning. Many
fail to realize that when God flooded the earth for man’s disobedience the
dietary law was intact. God told Noah, “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...”
(Genesis 7:2). We have heard that the
animals went on the ark two by two, but the truth is that the clean animals went
on seven by seven. Moses was not even born at this time.
SOME
NEW TESTAMENT INNUENDOS
With all that is written about the Lord’s Dietary Law, some still
When Peter questioned Jesus about his statement in the above verses, Jesus
never said one time we can eat anything. He never did away with God’s rules
for clean and unclean animals, yet this is read into those verses. Nevertheless
Peter, who was right their, didn’t believe Jesus was doing away with the
dietary law, for years later he still observed it. “But Peter said, “Not
so, Lord, for I have never eaten any thing that
is common or unclean” (Acts
10:14). See, Peter was still following God’s dietary law, long after the
eating with unwashed hands incident. Some will say that God was telling Peter he
could eat anything in Acts the tenth chapter.
This is another futile attempt to change God’s Word. Since Matthew 15
didn’t work they try to twist Acts 10. Well, this scripture does not work
either. Peter did see a vision of all kinds of animals and heard a voice saying
rise and eat, but it had absolutely nothing to do with changing God’s dietary
law. Notice Peter never ate anything unclean, but the vision ended with him
doubting what it meant (Acts 10:17). While Peter was wondering on the vision an
angel told him that Gentiles were looking for him (Verses 19,20). Peter was told
to stop wondering and go with them. He obeyed and realized that the vision was
leading him to preach to the Gentiles (unclean to Jews). Peter never thought
that he could eat unclean animals, “God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (Acts 10:28).
Lastly, I cannot fail to mention how Paul’s words to Timothy are
misused.
Many falsely believe that all we have to do is pray over unclean meat and
it is then ok to eat. Nevertheless in I Timothy 4:1-5, Paul is not saying we can
eat unclean animals if we pray over it, but he is addressing some latter day man
made traditions (the dietary was given by God not man). Paul tells us that some
would follow “doctrines of devils” (verse 1). First let me say it is utter
blasphemy to refer to God’s Dietary Law as a devil’s doctrine.
However, Paul informs us what these “doctrines of devils” are (notice
it’s more than one), “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received…”(Verse 3). Wait a minute, people are
too busy trying to make their “eat anything” doctrine fit, that they miss
the real message Paul is giving us. This warning is about people lying, saying
marriage and eating meat (period) is forbidden.
To this day we still have this false teaching. Certain men and women are
told, that God commands them to be celibate and also they cannot eat any meat on
Fridays (only fish). God never commanded such things and these “doctrines of
devils” are against nature itself (creating pedophiles), being contrary to
God’s Holy Law. Yet, we that know the truth can marry and eat meat (on
Fridays) that God has sanctified (set aside) as clean in His Word. “For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (verse 5).
HOLY
AND SANCTIFIED
Following God’s laws (including his dietary law) is what sanctifies and
makes us holy (not being defiled). “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth…This is the law…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” (Leviticus 11:44,46,47). Paul told us that the law is
holy, just and good (Romans
7:12) and Jesus said the Truth of God’s Word is what sanctifies us (John 17:17).
SANCTIFY THEMSELVES
It’s sad that many people think that they can be holy and sanctified
without following God’s law. What a rude awakening they are in for, “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 Lord” (Isaiah 66:17). If you refuse to obey
the simple dietary commandments, it is likely you will refuse to obey God’s
law period. Obedience is the key!
JESUS
IN FLAMING FIRE
Earlier we saw that Jesus warned us against breaking the least of God’s
commandments (Matthew 5:18,19). That was not an idle threat, for at his second
coming he will punish all disobedience to his Word. Above we saw that those
eating swine’s flesh and other unclean beasts will be consumed. How? “For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a
whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many” (Isaiah 66:15,16).
If you don’t obey God, punishment awaits you. God’s
Dietary is Still Good. Why else
would Jesus chastise people with fire at his second coming for “eating
swine’s flesh”? Paul echoed Isaiah, “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thessalonians 1:7,8). What
a surprise to the breakers of God’s Dietary Law. He that
hath ears to hear let him hear!