VEGAN... AN IDEAL
March 12, 11:07 pmVEGETARIANISM AND OTHER HEALTHFUL CHOICES
(PART ONE)
In this blog I will be speaking about choices people make in their daily lives, and some of the possible consequences because of those choices which we have made. I will begin with the axiom, “we are what we eat.” And I want to do that from God's perspective, the KJV Bible. So, the first topic will be about vegetarianism and the Bible. (I believe I will be able to type what I have on my mind in only two parts: however, this might turn into a three part blog.)
I think this might be an important lesson in order to clear up some facts and a lot of misinformation about this subject. I would also like to emphasize that I am speaking to Christians only: although others are welcome to read my blog.
I would like to look at what God has to say about the subject in both Testaments, as well as some famous people in the Bible who were known to be vegan or (at least) vegetarian. Let me first say that this list of famous prophets and preachers does not include the Lord Jesus. Contrary to the lies of PETA, Jesus was not a vegetarian! We know that He ate fish both before and after His resurrection, and there are verses to prove this point. Though the Bible does not state what He consumed at the Passover meal, tradition would lead us to believe that He also consumed lamb. However, since I do not have verses either for or against this point, I will not be adamant about what He ate at the Last Supper. (It is my personal belief though that He did eat lamb at that meal.)
We do know that in the beginning of God's creation that all which God created were to be vegetarians... even the animals. Genesis chapter one and beginning in verse 20 God records animal life being created and in verse 27 He records the creation of man; then in verse 28 He gives them their charge and in verse 29 He tells them what they will eat. Verse 27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” That was His act of creation, now to verse 28 and their charge given by God: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Before I move to the next verse where God gives clear and unassailable direction as to what man is allowed to consume, let me point out a truth about the above verse. Man now has “dominion” over all of God's creation... without... keep in mind that last word, “without” having permission to kill and eat what he has “dominion” over. The definition of dominion only means... “having control or the exercise of control; sovereignty.” Now, let's look at a clear Bible truth. God had already placed all of the animal world in the sovereign control of man, then God tells man what he is allowed to eat: you will find the list does not include animals!
Verse 29: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree-yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Read carefully the verse again and see that plants and fruit were for food, not animals, “TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR MEAT.”
Now, let's see what God's intention was for the animals He had also created. Verse 30: “And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.”
I am always amazed by preachers who are fundamentalists. (On this point I am not speaking about those who are off on important doctrinal issues and their error is obvious, as I expect them to waffle.) I am only speaking about those who claim to believe the Bible and hang on its every word... at least until the words upset what they want to indulge in... then it is like, “Well, I know the Bible says that, but I'm not sure that's what it means?” Let me say that hypocrisy is hypocrisy is hypocrisy... whether it is practiced by a fundamentalist or not!
I have just one more thing to say about that, before moving on. I want to ask all revisionists and Bible doubters out there one thing: “If God didn't mean what He said, why didn't He say what He meant?” The Bible speaks for itself. According to the KJV Bible... in the perfect world of the garden of Eden... vegetarianism was the practiced norm for ALL OF GOD'S CREATION! It was not until many centuries later after sin had entered the world and man had fallen from grace that God gave mankind the authority and permission to kill and consume animals.
Notice that up to this point in creation... everything was perfect! Verse 31: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Read again, “AND GOD SAW EVERY THING THAT HE HAD MADE, AND BEHOLD, IT WAS VERY GOOD!”
Now, let's look at some famous prophets and preachers in the Bible who were known to be either vegetarian or vegan. The first couple I have already spoken about: Adam and Eve. Though I do not believe there is any further proof needed than the verses I already gave to show they were practicing vegans... I will include another important detail.
After the seven day period when the Lord rested from all of His works, until the beginning of chapter three and Eve's temptation a lot of living had taken place. Example: Genesis 2:8-9a “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food...” So, we know that Adam tended this Garden of the Lord's. We also know that it was after this time that God brought all of the animals before Adam that He had created and Adam named all of them. (Genesis 2:19-20)
The point I am trying to make here is that a considerable period of time has passed since God gave man instructions on what they could eat. And we know for certain that no animal had died to this point in time as every preacher will state emphatically that God killing an innocent animal and covering the nakedness of Adam and Eve was the first death and sacrifice of an animal. And of course that did not happen until much later after Eve's temptation and fall. So, Adam and Eve were only eating what grew from the ground: vegans!
Furthermore, the Bible teaches from creation until at least the first 1,656 years... until the Great Flood: all of God's creation were still vegan. Genesis 6:19-20 God tells Noah of His plans for Noah to gather two of every creature and place them on the Ark when it is completed. Now, God tells Noah what to feed everyone on the Ark... this is explained in verse 21. “And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.” Again, both man and animal are still vegan through this time.
Keep in mind that during this time it is still in the heart of God for man to continue being vegan, even after the Great Flood: else, on the other side after everything has been destroyed and no vegetation is growing, Noah and his family would have had to eat animals they had taken on board the Ark. Because of that truth, animals in pairs only would have had no mate to reproduce, that is if it had been planned for them to be eaten: of course, at this time that was still not an option.
Now, for the first time we get a glimpse that things are going to change in the future. Nearly 100 years after the above commands were given in Genesis 6:21, God now gives Noah further instructions on what to take on-board the Ark. In chapter seven and verses one through three God tells Noah to take clean animals in groups of seven (male and female) aboard the Ark also. This command was given within seven days of the beginning of the Great Flood, or approximately 100 years after Noah had been told to gather animals in groups of two... male and female.
Now, after the Great Flood had ended and the waters had subsided... man is ready to start civilization over again. It is at this time, and for the very first time since creation began, man was going to be allowed to kill and consume animals. Genesis 9:1-3: “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” What a sad day! (Remember, if all you do is take the genealogy recorded in the Bible from creation to the Great Flood, then we know for a fact that a minimum of 1,656 years had elapsed... and all of that time God's creation were vegan!)
At one time what would have been so easy, simply calling by name God's creation... dogs, birds, horses, anything, and everything would have obediently hearkened to the voice of man: it is because they had been created to be a companion and a friend to man: not now though. God put the dread of man in their minds and hearts and made them fearful: now, they would run away from, and not toward man... and for good reason: man could now kill their bodies and eat their flesh.
Whenever I read the Bible, and because I believe every word of it is true... I try to imagine the impact that was felt by whoever was involved in whatever story I am reading. For example: I wondered what it must have been like for Adam and Eve after their first bite of the forbidden fruit. To suddenly feel shame, after having been naked together for a long time and in a state of total innocence. Now, because of their disobedience and the overpowering shame they felt they were compelled to try and find a place to hide from God... yet, full-well knowing there was no place where they could get away from Him.
I wondered about the confusion the animals felt as they were leaving the Ark. Only one year before they had entered the Ark knowing their place in the world under the care of benevolent human caretakers. Now, suddenly and for no reason their minds could comprehend... they were very afraid of Noah and his family. I imagine they began to flee in all directions as they ran from the Ark. I don't suppose they had any idea where they were going... they just knew that they were no longer safe around humans... yet, for the life of them they could not imagine what they had done wrong to engender this type of hate they now felt from those who used to care for them.
That's what I meant by saying it was a very sad day. Adam and Even had no idea that one single act of disobeying God would have had such far reaching consequences! A former pastor of mine used to say, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go... make you pay more than you want to pay... and keep you longer than you want to stay.”
The third person I will write about was a man who was greatly beloved by God and God decided not to record any of his personal sins in the Bible: that fact of not recording sin about His people is highly unusual. From Adam, to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul... everyone really... God showed us by their own named sins that they were fallen creatures. Daniel though, is one of those rare exceptions. He was also (by personal choice) a practicing vegan!
Part two I will have ready in a few days.
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
posted by Robin Johnson @ 11:04 PM
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