God's Law of Clean and Unclean Meat

Recently, my wife and I worked on a huge jigsaw puzzle, two thousand pieces. It took a month of working along here and there, but we completed this thing just over a week ago. It was a very difficult puzzle. It had this kind of splotchy-looking subtle color changes, odd shapes. Even the perimeter, we had trouble getting it in place, and when we did it was wrong. We had to redo part of it. It was challenging right down to the last piece. I kept teasing my wife, that last piece is not going to want to go in place, and sure enough, it didn't.

It was not the right last piece, so we had to find out where it belonged, and then the other piece belonged where the last piece went. So we finally mastered that difficult puzzle. We mastered it basically the way you all would do it, going from the simple what we could figure out to the complex, what we could not figure out, and ultimately were able to master it. You know, the Bible, this book we all brought with us to services today, has been compared to a jigsaw puzzle. It has many doctrines, it has many teachings, and it itself says, here, a little, there, a little. And we understand also, first of all, the more simple doctrines, and then later on we are able to understand the more complex. Well, recently I gave a sermon, I've given sermons on basic doctrines like tithing and healing. Both of these are basic fundamental teachings of the Bible. Today I'd like to have us to study another fundamental doctrine of the Bible. It's like as we went through that puzzle, we kept seeing little splotches here, red, yellow, different. And I thought, well, you know, it's like God's truth. The Bible and this plan and purpose is like one big overall puzzle, and there are little parts and aspects of it here, but they all have to fit together, and every piece is intended to go in its place and nowhere else. So we have to understand God's Word in the same way. The doctrine I'd like for us to consider this afternoon is, what does the Bible teach about clean and unclean meats? Is it okay to eat just any meat? Are the Old Testament laws ceremonial? Many people believe they are, that they were a part of the Old Covenant, something God gave the Israelites at Mount Sinai, which have now been done away. Are there New Testament verses showing that it's okay to eat any meat, that we would choose? What about the vision that Peter saw? This sheep was let down, all kinds of animals and creeping things on it, and this voice says, Rise, kill, and eat. So this was done three times, we read in Acts 10. Does that mean that it's okay to eat all of these critters that were on this sheep? You know, Peter did not assume it, as we'll see when we get to that chapter later on. You know, I studied this fundamental doctrine. Make sure that this piece of the puzzle is just correctly in the right place. First of all, I'll have us to turn to some Old Testament scriptures. Let's go to the two chapters that give lists of the clean and unclean animals. Those chapters, many of us already know, I'm sure, Leviticus 11 and then Deuteronomy 14. First of all, Leviticus 11. Let's begin in verse 2.

The camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you. So it must have both of those characteristics, dividing the hoof and chewing the cud. And then it goes on down to the swine as an example of the other, verse 7. The swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch, they are unclean to you. So the land animals, they're just very simple two characteristics that they must have. They must divide the hoof and they must chew the cud.

Let's get to the animals in the waters of the ocean and freshwater fish as well. Verse 9. These you may eat of all that are in the water. Whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, that you may eat. So whether saltwater fish or freshwater fish, they must have those two characteristics. They must have fins and scales.

And it says again in verse 12, Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales, that shall be an abomination to you. Now let's get to the birds in verse 13. These you shall regard as an abomination among the birds. They shall not be eaten, they are an abomination. The eagle, the vulture, the buzzard. Some of these I don't mind too much at all to you.

In fact, all of them. The kite, the falcon, raven, ostrich, and so forth. So you will notice, though, when God forbids the eating of certain birds, that there are no characteristics that are given. Like for the land animals, the chewing of the cut and the dividing of the hoof, for the fish of the sea, fins and scales. But for the birds, there are no listed characteristics. But through a study of the birds and reading from the Jewish Encyclopedia under poultry and clean and unclean animals, there are six characteristics that clean birds have.

And they must have all six of these characteristics. Number one, they must not be birds of prey, like a hawk or like a vulture. They must not be birds of prey. Number two, they catch food thrown to them in the air, but they bring it to the ground where they divide it with their bills, if possible, before eating it. Whereas unclean birds devour it in the air, or press it with one foot to the ground and tear it with their bills. Number three, the clean birds must have an elongated middle front toe and a hind toe, whereas some of the unclean birds do not.

Number four, the clean birds, they must spread their toes so that three front toes are on one side of a perch. When they go to perch, three front toes are on one side of a perch, and the hind toe is on the other side. Number five, they must have craws or crops. And number six, they must have a gizzard with a double lining, which can easily be separated. Clean birds have all six characteristics.

Unclean birds lack one or more of these characteristics. So those are the characteristics then that distinguish the clean birds from the unclean birds. We read in this chapter that the Israelites then were given these laws so that they could be a holy people to God. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 14 now, and just notice that the animal listing is the same. Actually, this chapter is slightly shorter than in Leviticus 11. But beginning in verse 3, Deuteronomy 14 and verse 3, you shall not eat any detestable thing.

These are the animals which you may eat, the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the rowed deer, the wild goat, and so forth, antelope, mountain sheep. You may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, and that choose the cud among the animals.

All right, and skipping on down to the fish again, verse 9, you may eat all of these in the waters. You may eat all that have fins and scales. And then in verse 11, all clean birds you may eat, but these you may not eat. And again, there's only a listing of them. In verse 21, you shall not eat anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the alien within your gates, that he may eat it, or sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to the Lord your God.

So eating only the clean meats then helps to point out that the Israelites are a holy people to God. Well, these laws were given beginning in Leviticus 11. They were given at the foot of Mount Sinai. Were they only for ancient Israel? Were they ceremonial? So many people believe. And you know, even years ago, it became an issue in the Church of God, as we remember. So what about the laws of clean and unclean meats? Are they still in force today? We're going to find out they're very much in force. Guess what? The laws of clean and unclean meats did not originate at the time of the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

We read about clean and unclean meats almost a thousand years earlier in the days of Noah, when Noah was building the ark and gathering animals. Let's turn back to Genesis 7. Genesis 7, and begin to read in verse 1. Genesis 7, verse 1, Then the Lord said to Noah, Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.

You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female, two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female. And so they did this in verse 7, and came into the ark because of the waters of the flood. And verse 8, of clean beasts, of beasts that were unclean of birds and of things that creep on the earth. Two by two they went into the ark, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.

So Noah was well aware of the clean and the unclean animals. He did not have to be shown or pointed, it did not have to be pointed out to him which ones were clean or which ones were unclean. This was knowledge that was known already. So we believe this knowledge was given to man by God from the very beginning.

Now there's additional proof before the Old Covenant concerning the clean and the unclean animals. Did you know that when God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice, they only sacrificed clean animals? Sheep and goats and oxen. Only the clean animals, the pigeon, the turtle, dove, all of those also clean. All of these sacrifices were clean animals. But guess what? Before the Flood, we have examples of sacrificing. And guess what? All the animals that were sacrificed, that we read about, were clean. Let's just read or notice two or three examples of that. Genesis 4 and verse 1.

And this is where Cain was born. Verse 1 and verse 2. She bore again, this time his brother Abel. These two boys grew up, and Abel became a keeper of sheep. Whoa, sheep! It's a clean animal. A keeper of sheep. But Cain was a tiller of the ground. In the process of time it came the past that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.

Therefore, Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat. And God respected Abel and his offering. Abel made an animal sacrifice, but it was from his flock, and his flock was sheep. It was a clean animal. Notice Abraham also was instructed to sacrifice clean animals. In Genesis chapter 15. Genesis chapter 15 and verse 7. He said to him, God said to Abraham, I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees to give you this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it? So he said to him, bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon.

All of these are clean animals that Abraham was to sacrifice. Notice also in Genesis 22. We're going through these rather quickly, but the examples of sacrificing before the Old Covenant was always using the clean animals. So there was knowledge of which animals were clean and which animals were not clean. In Genesis 22 and verse 12, when God saw that Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, he said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.

And so verse 13, Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. So yes, the animals that were sacrificed before the Old Covenant were all clean animals, and then the animals that were sacrificed under the Old Covenant also were all the clean animals.

So there was knowledge of clean and unclean meats existing long before the Old Covenant. Plenty of proof for that. There are other verses in the Old Testament that we're going to want to read, but we'll get to some of those a little bit later. But did the Israelites observe God's law of clean and unclean meats? No, they did not. They violated, we know the Ten Commandments, they broke the Sabbath. Ezekiel chapter 20 brings that out. But they also violated the laws of clean and unclean meats. Let's go to Isaiah 65.

We have a good passage on that. Isaiah chapter 65, and this is certainly something that applied to ancient Israel, but also it's certainly a prophecy we believe for our time in modern-day Israel as well. In Isaiah 65, verse 2, The Jews who eat swine's flesh and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels. Who say, keep to yourself, that is, don't bother me, do not come near me, for I'm holier than you.

I have my own code of morality in what is right and wrong. These are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. Behold, it is written before me, I will not keep silence, but will repay, even repay into their bosom. Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together, says the Lord. Right in the midst of all of this is the eating of swine's flesh and the abominable things.

So certainly the Israelites did not obey God's laws of cleaning unclean meats. We'll read some other Old Testament verses later, but what about the New Testament? What about Jesus? Did Jesus ever eat unclean meat? The quick answer is no. If he had eaten unclean meats, you can be sure the Jews would have picked up on it. And they would have condemned him for the slightest infraction of their way of life or the laws, then they would jump on Jesus, even his disciples going through the cornfield.

They were hungry. They picked a little bit of grain to eat because they were hungry. It would be the same thing as you walking in your garden and plucking a carrot or maybe an apple off the tree because you're hungry. But yet the disciples were condemned for breaking the Sabbath. You can be sure that if Jesus had eaten unclean meats, the Jews would have jumped all over him. They watched every move that he made.

Furthermore, notice that Jesus used unclean animals and was not actually very kind to them in some of his teachings and things that he did. Turn to Matthew 7, verse 6. Matthew 7, verse 6. Jesus used a couple of unclean animals in what he said to teach a spiritual lesson. Matthew 7, verse 6. Do not give what is holy to the dogs. He uses an unclean animal then. So be careful in how we handle the truth God has given to us.

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. He did not use the unclean animals in a very complimentary way, did he? Let's go to Matthew 8, verse 29. Matthew 8. This is when Jesus went to the far side of the lake to an area where there were Gentiles. There were a couple of, in verse 28, a couple of demon-possessed men there that were very fierce. And so, verse 29, they cried out and said, What have we to do with you, Jesus, you son of God?

Have you come here to torment us before the time? Now, a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. These men were Gentiles. They would not have been the Jews who did not eat swine. Verse 31, so the demons begged Him, saying, If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine. And He said to them, Go! So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine, and suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep, steep place into the sea and perished in the water.

So again, Jesus used unclean animals to illustrate, well, spiritual principles and spiritual, well, in this case, evil spirits even. So Jesus never ate the unclean meats Himself. Peter, who ate with Christ for three and a half years, said, I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And Peter and Christ had eaten the same food for three and a half years, so that's even additional proof. But notice a couple of verses in the book of Revelation also. In Revelation 16 and verse 12, unclean animals are used to represent evil spirit beings.

In Revelation 16 and verse 12, the sixth angel, this is the seven last plagues, the sixth of these last plagues, the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs.

So the frogs were kind of a representation or type of the unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of the dragon, which would be Satan, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. And they are the spirits of demons performing signs which go to the kings of the earth, of the whole earth, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and they're gathered to Armageddon, verse 16.

So unclean, the animals of frogs are used here to represent these unclean spirits. It's also noticed in Revelation 18, verses 1 and 2. After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen. It's the fall of the end-time Babylon that is going to rise up on the earth.

And this is what this is talking about. Just before and at the coming of Jesus Christ, Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. So God again uses the unclean animals and hears a bird to represent the evil spirits. So, yeah, there's ample proof in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation supporting the teaching of clean and unclean meats, and that it has been consistent down through human history, and that we should not be eating unclean meats today. I'm going to save a verse that is talking about our time and read it a little bit later, but what I'd like to do right now, there are passages in the Bible that are twisted, that people twist to try to say that this means it's okay to eat unclean animals.

I want us to study seven of those passages very quickly. I don't say this is all of the ones that are twisted in the Bible, but these are seven of the major ones. Let's just see how simple and easy it is to understand that this is not sanctioning the eating of unclean meats at all. Let's go to Genesis 9 to begin, verses 1-3. Genesis 9, verses 1-3.

So God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, this is right after the flood that just had come out of the ark, and so God is blessing them. He said, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the field, on every bird of the air, and on all that move on the earth and all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.

Mankind is given dominion on this earth over animals and birds and fish. So everything, man has the dominion over it. Verse 3 is a verse that is twisted to try to say it's okay to eat unclean animals. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. If it moves, the way people would read this, then it's food. Does it wriggle? Does it crawl? Any moving thing shall be food for you.

I have given you all things. See? I've given you all things. Now this is right after the flood where Noah took seven pairs of the clean animals and then just two of the unclean. And so, you know, apparently God is, you know, just showing that as far as the clean and unclean animals, it doesn't matter. That's how they would try to read this. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I've given you all things, even as the green herbs.

Well, that's where we can begin to understand that God's not given every animal to be eaten, just like He's not given every green herb. He's given us all things, but, you know, there are green herbs that you don't want to eat. Some green herbs are poisonous. Certainly, we know that mushrooms, you would not want to eat poison ivy. So, you know, God's not given all the vegetable kingdom to be eaten. There are certain foods that we eat, and certain ones we don't. We don't eat leaves of trees, do we? We don't eat grass.

I guess it wouldn't kill you, but we just don't prefer to eat, you know, every green thing. And God did not intend mankind to eat every green thing. So, this simply shows that God has given mankind authority and dominion on the earth. He's given us food to eat among the animal and vegetable kingdom. It's not trying to say that every single green herb and every single animal is edible, because it simply is not. So, this is twisted around to say what people want it to say, but it does not say that you can just eat the unclean meats.

That's how it is used. It's twisted to apply to the eating of unclean meats. Let's go to Mark 7. We'll see another good example of how Scripture can be twisted. You know, if you take something out of its setting or out of its intended meaning in its context, then you maybe can try to... you can be satisfied with your conclusion. But what if you go back to the context?

If we want to understand what is being talked about here in Mark 7, and say coming down to... oh, verse 15, there's nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him. Of course, how far do you want to go with that? There's nothing that enters a man from outside. If you eat arsenic or a poison, it certainly would defile you. But the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

Jesus gets into a spiritual principle here. In skipping on down, He said in verse 16, Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated thus purifying all foods? And the King James version says purifying all meats. Makes you think about animals, doesn't it? Purifying all meats. Well, I'll get to that in just a moment, but do these verses say that it's okay then to eat anything that doesn't matter, if it's going to be purified anyway, your body's going to be able to handle it?

No, this chapter is talking about something entirely different. Let's go back to verse 1. The Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Jesus, having come from Jerusalem. Now, when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. Here is what this chapter is talking about. The disciples eating with unwashed hands. They did not have hands that were real dirty, any more than right now. You know, you probably not washed your hands for oil. If you went and ate an apple, would you have to, you know, you might not even wash your hands.

What if there's a little speck of dirt or something on your hands and it gets into your body? It would pass on through. That's what this chapter is actually talking about. But the Pharisees had this tradition. Look at verse 3. The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. They had their special, meticulous way of washing before they would eat. So when they saw Jesus' disciples not following that tradition, then they fell on fault. Jesus put these Pharisees to shame. He said, you hypocrites, verse 6, you honor me with your lips.

Verse 7, you in vain, you worship me, teaching us doctrines, the commandments of men. He really sets a lot of things, or exposes a lot of things that they were doing contrary to God's law. And then they went on to say in verse 15, there's nothing that enters a man from the outside. It's just in the context of eating with hands that had not been washed before eating. And it's not going to defile a person to do that. The things that come out of him, that's what really defiles a man.

And he'll explain that in just a moment. The disciples asked him in verse 17 about the parable. He said, are you also without understanding? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from the outside cannot defile him? Because it does not enter his heart, but his stomach. That little grain of dirt or anything that is not pure goes into the stomach and is eliminated on through the body, thus purifying all foods. The word in the Greek is broma, it means foods. It doesn't just mean meat, flesh. The King James translation, meats is not the best because it implies just flesh or meats.

Purifying all foods, whether it's an apple, an orange, or whether it's meat or vegetable. He said, what comes out of a man? That defiles a man because out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulterous, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man. Brethren, see what he's talking about? Clean and unclean meats is not even part of the discussion. This is much of Pharisees, Jews, who had no problems as far as the Old Testament laws of clean and unclean meats.

People use these verses here to say that it's okay to eat unclean meats. Let's go to Acts 10. Context, brethren. Always put things in their context. So if anybody ever puts you on the spot trying to explain, make sure you go to the context. Let them know, hey, we cannot just take a verse out of its setting. We can't just extract this verse. We've got to read the whole chapter, maybe sometimes the whole book.

In Acts 10, we know this vision where Peter had the sheep that was let down. Verse 12, all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild bees creeping things were there. A voice said, rise, Peter, kill and eat. Peter said, not so, Lord. I've never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the second time, what God has cleansed you must not call common.

This was done three times, and the object was taken up. Peter did not come to a rapid conclusion. In verse 17, he wondered what it meant, and these three men that were sent by Cornelius knocked on the door and asked for Peter. And God's Spirit, in verse 19, told Peter that these three men were seeking him and to arise and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent you.

So Peter went with them to Cornelius. Brethren, this is something monumental happening here. The Gentiles are being called to the Church of God. So verse 24, the following day, they reached Caesarea. Cornelius was there waiting, some of his relatives and friends. And Peter came into the house and met these people. And they even fell down and worshipped him. But Peter said, stand up, I myself am also a man. And as he talked with them, he went in and found many who had come together.

And he said to them, you know how unlawful? Verse 28 explains what's going on. He said to them, you know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. It was unlawful what Peter was doing. He wasn't supposed to go into the house of a Gentile like this. It's unlawful for a Jewish man to keep company or go to one of another nation.

But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Later, these Gentiles received God's Spirit and they were baptized and became members of the Church of God. You know, this was such a new thing. Peter even had to explain his going into Gentiles like this to the apostles.

Even the apostles had questioned him on what he had done and he had to explain what had happened. You can read that in the first 18 verses of chapter 11. So you cannot twist Acts 10 to say that now it's okay to eat unclean meats. It's taking it completely out of its setting and context to say what you want it to say. And that's what so many have done with God's Word. They twist God's Word to say what is not intended or what it does not say in its context.

In Romans 14, we have another Scripture that is twisted. Peter later would write that Paul's writings were twisted to their own destruction. In many ways that has happened with verses like these that we'll be reading now and others. Romans 14 and verse 14. Romans 14 and verse 14. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself. But to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. And in verse 20, do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.

I think again that King James probably has meat. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. But all things are pure. So people use these verses. They just extract them out of the chapter and they say, they say, the silky to eat, unclean meats.

Well, guess what? Romans 14 is not even discussing clean and unclean meats. Look at the context now. Beginning in verse 1. Receive one who has weakened the faith, but not to dispute over doubtful things.

What is the big dispute here? Who is one that would be weakened the faith? Verse 2 explains, For one believes, one person believes, he may eat all things. What does that mean? But he who is weak eats only vegetables. Oh, we're talking about vegetarianism. Some people were vegetarians. And Paul says they're weak. They eat only vegetables. But others believe they can eat all things. That means meat and vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him, who does not eat.

And he goes through several verses showing that we're not to judge someone or worry about someone if he is a vegetarian. And so in verse 13, Paul says, Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. If we had a vegetarian to come to our service, we should be respectful toward him. We should not try to force him to eat meat or try to parade eating meat before him.

We should be respectful of his belief and his conscience. And Paul goes on down to explain more about that. In verse 14, I know, and am convinced by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself. It's okay to eat meats and vegetables. But again, it's not the question of clean and unclean meats. It's okay to eat meats, the clean meats and the vegetables. But to them that considers anything to be unclean, to him it's unclean.

And if your brother is grieved because of your food, you're no longer walking in love. Love and respect and showing consideration is the important thing. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Be respectful. The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy. Verse 17, and in verse 20 again, Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is indeed evil for the man that eats with a fence. Again, it's in the context, the whole chapter of vegetarianism.

It is good neither to eat meat, and here the word is meat. It's meat in the New King James also. In the Greek, it is krios, and it means butcher's meat. What did you buy at the butcher shop? It is good to eat, to neither eat meat nor drink wine, nor anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended and made weak.

Do you have faith? Have it to word God. Happy is the one that doesn't condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not from faith is sin. But the whole chapter is talking about vegetarianism and not trying to judge a vegetarian or force meat upon him, to be respectful. So again, claim an unclaimed meat is not even a question, but is a part of Romans 14, but people make it a part of it. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. I put those two chapters together.

This is number 5 of those 7 passages. We'll put these two together because it's talking about the same thing. 1 Corinthians 8 and 1. Concerning things offered to idols. What about things offered to idols eating meat that may have been dedicated to some idol?

Do we need to worry about that? Paul goes on to say, well, really? Verse 4. Concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that the idol is nothing. It's only one God. So he brings out that it really doesn't matter. But in verse 7, however, there is not in everyone that knowledge. For some with consciousness of the idol, until now, eat it as a thing offered to an idol.

And their conscience being weak is defiled. If someone is bothered by meat that may have been or was dedicated or sacrificed or offered to an idol, then we should be careful of this person's conscience. And in verse 11, because of your knowledge, shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? And Paul says in verse 13, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat unless I make my brother stumble.

Paul was very concerned about not causing offense. And in chapter 10, it goes on to discuss it a little bit further about eating meats that are sacrificed to idols. In verse 19, he says, what am I saying then? That an idol is anything? Or what is offered to idols is anything? And he goes on to make a few more comments about that. Let's skip on over to verse 23 and read on down. It kind of puts it all together. "'All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.'" Paul understood a lot of things he could do, but it might hurt someone.

It might not be helpful. "'All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.' Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." Here's consideration and love toward others. Verse 25, eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no question for conscience's sake. Don't even have to ask whether it was sacrificed to an idol or not. Verse 27, if any of those who do not believe, invite you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience's sake.

But if anyone says, "'This was offered to idols,' do not eat for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience's sake." Verse 29, he explains whose conscience he's talking about. Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other, because the other person is going to be offended by it.

He goes on to make a few more comments. Verse 31, therefore, whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or the Greeks or the Church of God. So we again try to not cause offense by things. We don't have that same situation today, the eating of the unclaimed meats, but back at that time they had that as a situation.

Let me read from the Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary 1995 article, Meat. Quote, Meat was often sacrificed on pagan altars and dedicated to pagan gods in Paul's day. Later, this meat was offered for sale in the public meat markets. Some Christians wondered if it was morally right for Christians to eat such meat that had previously been sacrificed to pagan gods. Paul is saying, well, you know, a pagan god is nothing. You don't even have to ask whether it was offered to an idol when you go to buy meat. You don't have to ask, but you have to be careful that you don't cause any offense.

So if you're in a situation where somebody's conscience would be wounded or hurt by eating meat that was sacrificed to an idol, then be respectful and considerate to where that person's conscience is. That's what he's talking about. So you can read these verses in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. They certainly are not talking about clean versus unclean meats whatsoever. Let's go to Colossians 2 and verse 16, number 6, as far as the seven passages of Scripture.

Colossians 2 and verse 16, "'Therefore, let no one judge you in food or in drink.'" Some people stop about at that point, "'Let no one judge you about food or drink, what you eat.'" I think again that King James says, "'In meat and drink, let no one judge you in meat or drink.'" But better translation is food, "'Let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival, or new moon, or Sabbath.'" Actually, the judging, the condemning was going on by people outside the church, judging God's people for their food and drink when they were keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days.

The actual better translation for food and drink would be eating and drinking. "'Let no one judge you for eating and drinking.'" In regard to keeping God's festivals and Sabbath day. So again, this verse is not talking about cleaning unclean meats whatsoever. Let's go to 1 Timothy 4, the seventh passage of Scripture, often used to justify eating unclean meats. In 1 Timothy 4, verses 1-5. Now, the Spirit expressly says that in latter times, some will depart from the faith.

So this does come on down toward the latter times in which we are living. Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. Speaking lies in hypocrisy. Having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. Forbidding to marry. And there have been those down through the ages that have felt that you should not marry. That celibacy is the way to go. Forbidding to marry. And commanding to abstain from...

I believe that King James again has meats. To abstain from meats which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. In this instance, it might be that meats actually are being referred to more than the totality of food, which would be vegetable and meat. But to abstain from foods, from meats which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. So right there, they say, see? In verse 4, every creature of God is good.

And nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. So people do use this verse. They stretch it to say it means you can eat any creature, any animal that you want to. But yet when we read this carefully, we notice that it is to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth. Where's the truth? The truth is in the Bible. Jesus said, thy word is truth. John 17, verse 17. So it's to be received by those who know the truth of the Bible. The truth of the Bible is that there are meats that are unclean, not to be eaten by human beings.

Again, verse 4, every creature of God, every one that God has set apart to be eaten, is good. And nothing to be refused. But there are vegetarians then. This is talking about those who would be vegetarian. And Paul is just saying that those animals that God created to be eaten are good. Nothing to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. And verse 5 is important, for it is sanctified by the Word of God.

The Word of God is the Bible. And God's Word sets aside that certain animals are clean and certain animals are not clean. And that's been true since the beginning of human life. Certain animals have been clean and certain ones unclean. Sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. So these are seven passages that you can be aware of that will sometimes be used to justify eating the unclean animals. What about our age? Does the Bible talk about our age and the millennium? It does.

Let's go to Isaiah 66. Here's a powerful Scripture that just itself would show that the law of clean and unclaimed meats is still in force in our time. Isaiah 66. And let's begin in verse 15. "'Behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with theory, and His rebuke with flames of fire.'" This is talking about the Second Coming of Christ. This whole chapter you can read and see that it's talking about the coming of Christ to rain on the earth. And He will come back with fire, and He will come back with anger.

In verse 16, "'By fire and by sword, the Lord will judge all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many.'" But then notice in this setting at the coming of Christ, notice verse 17, about idolatry and eating unclean meats. Those who sanctify themselves, they make themselves right, morally right, and purify themselves to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst they go into idolatrous worship. Notice, "'Eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together,' says the Lord." Rather than this verse, you know, it's enough to prove that the law of clean and unclean meats is very much enforced today.

Just before...and will be at the coming of Jesus Christ. Very much enforced. What about the Millennium? You know, there are sacrifices that are described happening in the Millennium. The last verse or two of Zechariah bring out sacrifices that will be done. Ezekiel 40 through 48 describes the new temple that will be built where Jesus Christ will reign during the Millennium.

And guess what? There's sacrificing done by the Levites, and again, only the clean animals will be sacrificed. You can read that in Ezekiel 40 through 48, and especially chapter 43.

In Ezekiel 44, let's turn to this verse. In Ezekiel 44, the Levites are going to teach people to discern between the clean and the unclean. In Ezekiel 44 and verse 23, they...and this is talking about the ministry, the priests... "...they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the clean and the unclean." Of course, we believe that will be more than just clean and unclean meats, but it will involve the clean and the unclean meats. The priests will teach the people to discern between what is clean and unclean, holy and unholy. Let me begin to wrap it up by just a few things. First of all, if you would like additional study, then read our fundamental belief on clean and unclean meats. It is number 13 in our booklet, Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God. It has a good little brief write-up that will be helpful. And then we have an entire booklet, What Does the Bible Teach About Clean and Unclean Meats? So you can read a lot of information in this booklet. On pages 18 to 20 of our booklet, you will find a list of the clean and the unclean meats. On page 19 is a rather comprehensive list of the land animals, the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air. Page 19, if you're wondering about whether it's a giraffe, clean or unclean, here it is. It's on the page that says clean. So here you might wonder about other animals. You can read a pretty comprehensive list of unclean animals, land, air, and sea. On page 20. So be aware if you're wondering about an animal, then look up on our list and you'll find a rather comprehensive list, pages 19 and 20. God's church then is to discern between the holy and the unholy, the clean and the unclean. We're told not to touch the unclean thing. We are also told to be unspotted from the world. Certainly, unclean meats is a part of the world. In conclusion, I would like to read two or three scriptures, but first of all, I'd like to read from pages 8 and 9 of our booklet on the purpose of the distinction. In Deuteronomy 14, Israel was told not to eat any detestable thing. Verse 3, For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. To be holy means to be set apart by God. Do you know that eating only the clean meats does help us to be set apart? People find out about it. It sets us apart as people that are different, unique. Continuing here, the specific purpose God gave for avoiding unclean meats is holiness. God wants us to be holy. Since we belong to Him and He purchased us with Christ's blood, He does not want us to contaminate ourselves through any kind of physical or spiritual defilement. In God's sight, this is a classic sentence here, in God's sight, refraining from eating unclean animals is an identifying sign of the holiness of those God has set apart through a relationship with Him. It even points out what we're striving for. It's not just the unclean meats and what they represent, but it's living an unclean way of life. We're striving to live a holy way of life. The next paragraph here on page 9, those who honor God should reflect holiness in their thoughts and actions. God requires holy conduct, a way of life distinctly different from the rest of the world. Holiness and conduct is based in attitudes toward God, others, and self that result in actions that avoid causing pain and build lasting beneficial relationships.

Of course, being holy means more than merely avoiding unclean meats. Christ spoke of the weightier matters of the law, such as judgment, mercy, and faith. But certainly, being holy does involve avoiding unclean meats. Well, let's read two or three verses in conclusion from 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1, and beginning in verse 13.

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, we simply obey God's laws. When we say that that's what God wants us to do, then we start doing it. As obedient children, not conforming yourself to the former lusts, as in your ignorance. But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.

So, brethren, let us be God's obedient and holy people, something ancient Israel failed to do. And as for animal flesh, let us discern between the clean and unclean, the holy and the unholy.