There are some rules about what to eat and what not to eat in the Bible.
Rather than focusing on every exception and rule, I will focus on the issue of eating pork.
The most obvious example of pork being unclean to us is given in Leviticus:
”And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.”
Leviticus 11:7, KJV
There isn’t a way around this issue; the swine is considered unclean according to the Old Testament.
Now, there’s a more concrete example given in Isaiah:
”65 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”
Isaiah 65:1-5, KJV
And it continues in the next chapter:
”66 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.”
Isaiah 66:1-6, KJV
The final mention of eating swine is given in the same chapter:
”12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15 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.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 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.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.”
Isaiah 66:12-18, KJV
Here eating swine’s flesh is compared to eating ”the abomination” and even ”the mouse”!
Harsh words against those who choose to eat swine’s flesh.
But we do have to contrast this with what is said in the New Testament:
”11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
Matthew 15:11-20, KJV
Considering these are the words of Jesus, one should consider them carefully.
Then we also have this verse from 1 Timothy:
”For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:”
1 Timothy 4:4, KJV
What we can gather from all of this is:
God doesn’t approve of it when people eat swine’s flesh.
However, every creature is at the same time good, and not to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving makes the difference here. We can draw the conclusion that if you give thanks, you can eat what is put in front of you. (I’d still avoid swine’s flesh if possible; and only eat it if it is a must.)
The Ideal Diet
We learn from Leviticus 11 what man should or should not eat (biblically speaking).
However, what is described in Leviticus is not the ideal diet of man.
It simply is what is allowed to be eaten for the time being.
The ideal diet for a man is described in Genesis:
”26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 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.
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.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
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.”
Genesis 1:26-31, KJV
Did you get it? Let’s read it again:
”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.”
Genesis 1:29, KJV
There was no death in the garden of Eden until man sinned, so of course the original diet was a plain vegan diet.
This is the ideal diet for a man, even today.
We know this is how God planned it to be, because we can read in Isaiah that we will return to this type of diet when the new earth is created:
”17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
Isaiah 65:17-25, KJV
Let’s go over the last verse again:
”25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
Isaiah 65:25, KJV
The same, plain vegan diet will be universal in the new earth: even animals will obey it.
Now, while it is the ideal diet, for now it is fine to eat meat (as long as it is received with thanksgiving).
It is everyone’s personal choice whether they want to follow this diet or not.
I’m saying this, because there is one more error one can fall into, and it is this:
”4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”
1 Timothy 4:1-6, KJV
Here we can see that there will be a command to abstain from meats.
And we can clearly see this happening in the world today.
Vegan and vegetarian diets are being promoted, and eating meat is becoming less and less popular.
Vegan diet is the God-ordained diet for a man, but it should not be forced upon anyone.
It is good to keep this in mind.
Side note: I have noticed that some churches that promote vegan and/or vegetarian diets do so (especially on sabbath days) but the members themselves seldom follow the teaching outside of church service hours.
I have to point out the obvious hypocrisy in action. It makes the churches teachings look less credible when all/most of its members do not follow the most basic of tenets.
The question needs to be asked:
Why be part of a church if you aren’t going to follow its teachings?
