It is not uncommon for modern believers to reject the food instructions of Yahuah. We’ve been told for so long that we can eat whatever we want. I get it. Acts 10, Mark 7, Romans 14, etc. I used to quote these passages all the time when confronted about the “food laws.” This was a stumbling block for me. I rejected His Word for years.
Until I humbled myself and realized I was wrong.
People who come to the realization of Yah’s dietary instructions often do so for two reasons. One is faith.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
I rejected these commandments for years. But then the Scriptures pricked my heart. And for no reason other than faith, I had a change of mind, and more importantly, a change of behavior. I did not know what would happen. I did not know if anything would change. Realistically, I did not expect anything to occur. This wasn’t a health decision for me, but rather an act of obedience. I wasn’t trying to heal my skin or immune system. I just thought it was important to act in faith and do what the Scriptures said.
And that is when the Father blessed me. I was plagued with red, blotchy, irritated skin. This was both an embarrassment and a health issue. It had become a crippling, and seemingly, lifelong battle I would fight forever.
But when I became obedient to His Word, I received several blessings. The first change for me was improved skin. Although the modern American diet causes inflammation for many people (and I still suffer from many of the additives we are exposed to), I was relieved of the constant itchiness and blotchy skin that I had endured for over twenty years.
My immune function improved also. I used to get sick several times a year, despite being an active and fit individual. But after recognizing and making the switch to a diet defined by Scripture, that all changed. Almost overnight.
Other people come to the dietary instructions from a scientific point of view. They recognize that Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are warnings. They don’t just point out spiritual decay but also keep up from physical infirmities. These individuals have done the research and understand the unclean animals listed in these two chapters are trash collectors, harborers of toxins, and unfit for consumption. Many nutritionists and “health nuts” refrain from eating pork or shellfish because of the dangers and health consequences they present. It wasn’t long before I learned that as well.
A few weeks before making the change to a Biblical diet, I had enjoyed a catfish dinner with the family. Lots of people eat catfish and I was no different. Catfish have fins, but they don’t have scales. Why is that important?
“These you do eat of all that are in the waters: any one that has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas or in the rivers, that you do eat. But all that have not fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers, all that move in the waters or any living being which is in the waters, they are an abomination to you.” – Leviticus 11:9-10
Turns out scales are important tools that serve a purpose. Scales help protect sea creatures from parasites and diseases. They keep dangerous toxins from being absorbed into their bodies. And they serve as filters. Creatures like catfish, shrimp, lobster, clam, mussels, etc., absorb parasites and dangerous toxins because they were created to clean the river bottoms, streams, lakes, and oceans.
But they were never meant for food.
And when Yahusha (Jesus) died for our sins, that did not change. Pigs, catfish, shrimp, and lobsters still absorb toxins and parasites. They did not suddenly become good for us to eat. They serve the same purpose they always have…as trash collectors, to clean the earth.
So do we eat clean for salvation? No. We do so because the Creator knows best. We do so to honor Yahuah. He is the one who labeled certain animals as good for food, and it seems rather presumptuous of us to decide otherwise. The Bible defines what is food. If Scripture says it should not be eaten, Scripture does not consider it food.
Nor should we.
This does not mean that certain people will disregard the instructions of the Most High. Isaiah speaks of a group of people who disregard these commands. And the Father is not pleased with them.
“Those who set themselves apart and cleanse themselves at the gardens after ‘one’ in the midst, eating flesh of pigs and the abomination and the mouse, are snatched away, together,” declares Yahuah.” – Isaiah 66:17
So is eating biblically a health issue? Is it a faith issue? Are these dietary instructions no longer necessary because of Yahusha (Jesus)? Did it become alright to eat things that cause harm just because our Messiah came?
A lot of people will say that we can eat whatever we want now. The “food laws” are no longer for us. They say that “Jesus made all foods clean”, which is a true statement. Yet not all animals are considered food. Using Scripture’s definition of food will change how you understand many passages, including some of Yahusha’s words.
The dietary instructions that you find in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are not religious commandments only for the Israelites. Yahuah did not give them to us to restrict us or put us into bondage. With just a cursory look into science, one can see why we should not eat pigs, shrimp, catfish, and other animals that are forbidden. These are commandments of love.
And He gave us these commandments to protect us because He loves us! And if we love Him, we will do our best to keep these commandments.
“If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.” – John 14:15
FAITH IN MOTION 