Unclean Food: Does This Still Apply?
June 20th, 2012 -- 4th Day
A while back, someone I know quoted a verse in Scripture about how "we should eat everything that is set before us" as far as clean and unclean foods go. This truly bothered me, as I was not familiar with this verse in Scripture. I was thinking about it, so I decided to do some research and post my findings.
The verse that was quoted was 1 Timothy (Timotiyos Aleph) 4:4: "Because every creature of Elohim is good, and none is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving."
What does this mean for Messianic believers such as myself? Well, let's read it in context, starting with verse 1.
"But the Spirit distinctly says that in latter times some shall fall away from the belief, paying attention to misleading spirits, and teachings of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having been branded on their own conscience, forbidding to marry, saying to abstain from foods which Elohim created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Because every creature of Elohim is good, and none is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving for it is set apart by the Word of Elohim and prayer."
Looks like Sha'ul is getting confusing again! Does he mean that all foods are "cleansed" now?
Note what he's saying here: "saying to abstain from foods which Elohim created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Because every creature of Elohim is good, and none is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving for it is set apart by the Word of Elohim and prayer." When you think about it, there ARE foods that are set apart just for His people in Torah (Leviticus/Deuteronomy). These foods already have been set apart for His chosen ones through His Word. Sha'ul says that this good food is set apart, but also that it is received with thanksgiving!
Go back to Isaiah (Yeshayahu 66:15-17) where he is prophesying about the end of days: "For look, Yahuah comes with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His displeasure with burning, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword Yahuah shall judge all flesh and the slain of Yahuah shall be many -- 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."
Wow, he's pretty serious about people claiming to be "holy" and set-apart, but continue to break His laws!
But, what about Peter (Kepha)'s dream? Acts (Ma'asei) 10:9-19: "And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Kepha went up on the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and wished to eat. But while they were preparing, he fell into a trance, and he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth,
in which were all kinds of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping creatures, and the birds of the heavens.
And a voice came to him, 'Rise up, Kepha, slay and eat.' But Kepha said, 'Not at all, Master! Because I have never eaten whatever is common or unclean.'
And a voice came to him again the second time, 'What Elohim has cleansed you do not consider common.'
And this took place three times, and the vessel was taken back to the heavens. And while Kepha was doubting within himself about what the vision might mean, look, the men who had been sent from Cornelius, having asked for the house of Shim'on stood at the gate, and calling out, they enquired whether Shim'on, also known as Kepha, was staying there.
And as Kepha was thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'See, three men seek you."
Does this mean we can eat whatever we want to now? Unlikely. This was 10 year AFTER the Messiah's death, and Kepha still had not eaten any unclean thing. The vision was about accepting other nations/Gentiles into belief.
Acts (Ma'asei) 10:28 -- "And he said to them, You know that a Yehudi man is not allowed to associate with or go to one of another race. But Elohim has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean."
Believers, you can't just pick a verse out of Scripture and use it to defend your taste for pork chops and shrimp scampi! I know this is hard for a lot of people to hear -- it's how you grew up, right? And what if you stopped eating pork, what would you family and friends think?
It's not about what they think, it's about what Yah thinks! Read the entire chapter of Leviticus 11 (Wayyiqra), to get a clear picture of the food laws that are STILL in effect today!
And now...I will go to bed. :)
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