The food laws of the Bible have been wondered about for many years by many people.  Often they are said to be for the ones who lived back in the days before Christ.  Were they really?  We will answer this question and others surrounding this subject to make it clearer, and find out what God intended for his children when He gave the food laws in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.

Living happily to an ripe old age, and having the quality of life that God intended can be achieved. How do we do that?  One of the ways is by eating healthy and that means we must eat only the clean foods that our Creator made for us to be consumed.  Why?  Because the one who created these bodies, knew what it would take to keep them healthy.  Yes our creator has laid out the guide lines for you and me.  They are the food laws found in the Bible.

"What?  Aren't they in the Old Testament?  All that stuff in the Old Testament was nailed to the cross, besides Acts 10:9-16 and 1 Timothy 4:3-5 say we can eat what we want.  Right?"

That is right if you are neither a Christian nor an Israelite.

"Well, what do you mean by that?"

Just this, the laws were given to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai about 3,500 years ago.  They were required to keep them but they didn't and they paid whatever penalty there was for neglecting them, and I can tell you that nothing has changed.  We also pay the same penalty today for ignoring them and it manifests itself in sickness and ill health.

Chances are very high that you are an Israelite if your ancestors were white Europeans, so the rules still apply to you today just as then.  If you are not of white European ancestry and you are a professing Christian the rules apply to you also because Christianity sprang out of Israel.

In reality, the food laws should apply to everyone living on the face of the earth today wherever possible to keep them.  Why?  Because they are natural physical laws just like the law of gravity.  If you break the law of gravity or inertia you find out very quickly that it is in force and effect even though you can't see it.  Nor is it mentioned anywhere in the Bible.

Food laws are like that, they are natural, not spiritual, and they exact a penalty just as surely as the law of gravity, though not as quickly.  The penalties for violation of the food laws are somatic and don't show up until later on down the road of life.

Biblical law has several divisions.  Commandments, statutes, judgements, and ordinances.  Just like our legal system today, it has civil laws, criminal laws, laws concerning commerce, health laws and sacrificial laws.  When the Bible speaks of the law it is not always talking about all law, but it is relating to that portion of the law that is being discussed at the time.  What was done away at the crucifixion was just the sacrificial laws which Christ fulfilled and ended with His sacrifice.

The food laws are natural laws relating to maintaining good health.  They are not spiritual in substance and may not even exclude one from obtaining salvation, but disregard for them will certainly result in degraded health.  How do you do away with a natural health law?  Why would you even want to? No natural law has ever been done away including the food laws.  The food laws were given for our physical well being and our health, they are for us.

What about those scriptures that some try to use to prove that the laws are done away by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and are no longer in effect?

Let's take a look at them.

Acts 10:9-16

9  On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16  This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Here we have the scripture in Acts 10 that people think grants permission to eat unclean animals, including swine flesh.  Read the whole chapter and you will find out what is really going on here.  The subject is neither animals nor food, but is Gentiles, specifically Cornelius the Roman Centurion.  God is using a down-to-earth example in a dream to show Peter that he should not reject company with Gentiles.  The Jews considered contact with them as unclean and Peter held to this belief.

Please notice that Peter never arose, slew and ate as he was commanded because he knew better.  God doesn't change.  Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law, any of it.

Matthew 5:17-19

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 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: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Some also use Paul's letter to Timothy to prove that all animals are clean to eat, and it can appear to say just that if you don't read closely what it actually says.

1 Timothy 4:3-5

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.

Look at the bold, underlined things carefully and see if you can discern where they are making their mistake.

Which God hath created to be received is referring to those clean animals that God told us were suitable for our consumption because He created them for us for that purpose.

What does the word sanctified mean here?  It means set aside by the word of God.  Once again, God clearly delineated the clean from the unclean in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.  I sincerely hope that you can see these things.

It just makes sense to me that if God made these bodies, and  indeed He did, then he knew what it would take to keep them healthy.  He gave us his laws,  and these laws are for his children.  Not just yesterday's children, but also for today, and forever.  If you are willing to read and obey.

One last thing to think about.  Do we not wonder sometimes why there are so many people walking around that are sick, and in such bad health?  Why that life for so many seems to be mere existence?  Their medicine cabinets are filled with prescription drugs and that is what keeps them going.  I'm not knocking prescription drugs, they have their place, but they were never intended to replace good health practices.  Besides, all too often they don't solve the problem but just treat the symptoms?

There has to be a logical explanation for this.

Could it be that consumption of unclean foods causes most of our health problems over time? I believe they can, and do.  The unclean animals have a definite purpose for being here, to clean up the earth and the sea.  They are like vacuum cleaners if you will.

I trust that you will study this further for yourself.  May God bless you and your family with good health.

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