Pig's Flesh and Mouse Meat -- Oysters and Jelly fish Made Clean?  Cats, dogs, rats and humans, made clean for food?

(2Co 6:17-18) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleanthing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. KJV

Paul's Instruction to Timothy

This keeps coming up and while it is not a subject up for debate by some it is troubling for others.  The mainstream Christian Churches teach that "God has made all things clean and nothing is to be refused" (1 Timothy 4:4).  Why is this even and issue?  Doesn't the Bible teach God changed His mind and made all unclean animals clean?  Sorry, but there is not evidence of this, especially noticeable when anyone takes the time to investigate the types of animals classed as unclean from the pages of your own Bible with present day animals. 

Let's have a closer look at the often quoted of, "...nothing to be refused" --

(1Tim 4:3-5) They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

To help explain this and in better word than I can think of let's refer to Barnes (Barnes Notes) comments on this:

"It is good in its place; good for the purpose for which he made it. But it should not be inferred that a thing which is poisonous in its nature is good for food, "because" it is a creation of God. It is good only in its place, and for the ends for which he intended it. Nor should it be inferred that what God has made is necessarily good "after" it has been perverted by man. As God made it originally, it might have been used without injury".

No one would argue Satan is good and he is a created being, nor would anyone argue Hitler was good.  Notice the "abstaining from certain foods" is mentioned with those forbidding to marry.  These are instructions given to Timothy, a minister in training and at the time of this teaching someone or some groups was teaching others how to be "religious" not satisfied with the freedom found in YaHshua there were those developing teachings of men as opposed to the teachings of our Savior and our Heavenly Father.  They were teaching requirements not found in scripture and denying the word by these false teachings.  Everything is not "good" but our Creator did create things to be accepted, received with "thanksgiving".  Unclean meats were not created for this purpose and are not made clean by prayer.  Do you see?  Everything is not good and acceptable to be received with thanksgiving but of those things created good this is then what is received with thanksgiving. 

But let's continue with Barnes, an Evangelical and accepted authority of the Christian Church, as he comments on the rest of Timothy 4:3-5 --

Barnes analogy can easily be applied to flesh, not all flesh is or was made to be eaten by man.  

So, is there a change?  Are the unclean animals and insects and certain birds clean and fit for food now?  The Bible, remember, the Word of God, listed certain animals as unclean and not fit as human food, especially for His People, and this list was given thousands of years before modern science uncovered the truth concerning these animals. It wasn't until the invention of the Microscope the truth concerning these animals came to light -- there were suspicions already, from mere observation as to man's well being when abstaining from certain foods, and this is why those of old that practiced eating only vegetables prospered more, physically, than those engaged in eating flesh -- much of the flesh eaten was from unclean animals. With the growing knowledge of diet and scientific discoveries certain laws have been passed regulating the raising and production of animals as food. These discoveries and regulations passed to help protect the public in their eating habits did nothing for those before.  The argument men have made the unclean clean so now it is fit for food is lame and short of the knowledge of our God -- remember, He wrote the Book.

 It was discovered the pig was killing people by the invasion of a worm (a microscopic parasite known as the  carried by this unclean animal.  Today the warning is still -- cook it all the way through and then cook it some more -- this is a warning even today for and animal supposed to have been made clean?  Oh, if you pray over it it is then made clean, you might say, but this is proven not to be true.  The worms do not disappear when you pray over it and you should remember, most of the people of Europe that suffered death and crippling from eating this animal on a regular basis were Christians and it was their practice to pray over their food.  No, Paul is not teaching Timothy that all the animals God created unclean are not clean, or are made clean through prayer or thanksgiving.  Read what Barnes had to say again.  Think about it, search you mind for not wanting to accept the idea that certain animals are not meant to be eaten by men.  But, we are not finished, let us continue in this -- let us reason together. 

We are children of the Living God and what father would give his children poison to eat?  You wouldn't I wouldn't but I might let my children know what to eat that is good for them and train them to give thanks for those things our Heavenly Father has supplied for us to remain healthy.  This is what our Heavenly Father has done for us, He has given us a list of the clean and the unclean.  I do not see this as a matter of salvation but I do see it as a requirement for a selected few (Few in the sense of total population of the earth), so while I don't see it as a matter of salvation it is most definitely a matter of good health.

Certain meats are not clean and it is proven they are not.  In some cases humans use common sense and know that buzzards are not a clean animal but for many -- eat anything attitude -- this would be perfectly fine, eat buzzard, bats, or your pet dog.  The irony of all this is, people claiming to be followers of a Jewish Messiah,  believers in the written words of our Creator, have, over the centuries, excused the eating of pigs flesh over all other meats, even though they read what our Creator's attitude is toward those calling themselves His holy people eating pigs (Isa 65:4). He is not happy with them, then or now.  If it was an "abomination" to Him then it is now. 

A Matter of Salvation?

Is it a matter of salvation?  Well, yes and no, it is all up to you.  No man can truly know another man, or woman's heart.  We know we are to treat our fleshly bodies as the Temple of our God and there is no place in scripture that would support the laying of unclean meats, purposefully, on the altar of one's heart, in the body of the Living Christ, which body you are, if you claim to be His (Eph 2:21). 

(1Cor 3:16-17) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

(2Cor 6:16-18) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleanthing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

(2Cor 6:14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

What do we have to do with this world?  The answer is, or should be, nothing -- we are citizens of the new world to come -- The Kingdom to come and a new world, a new universe.  Who would dare suggest our Savior would allow anything unclean into the Kingdom.  We will be Changed and nothing unclean will be allowed into the Holy City, the seat of authority of our Savior. 

I am satisfied in my own mind on this subject, I am convinced, I believe I know my Heavenly Father's attitude on this subject, but when I mention what I firmly believe I get a stony silence or a roll of the eyes, or, an arguement.  When it comes to the argument I usually back-way as it does not seem fitting to dispute the word or to cause someone or to listen to someone begin to call the word of my God a "burden" (Jer 23:36). 

As a concern for my fellow believer, in times past, I have attempted to share and to encourage those I love to take care of themselves as the Temple of the Living Christ but all too often it has been received as a put down.  Love is not always telling those you love that they are winners all the time and even though they are running the race with one leg tied they are still winners.  A good coach, a loving coach and trainer will get in the face of those they love and scream, "Try harder, get moving, you are capable of more than that". 

Certainly the way to our Savior is light and truth and when one is called and the mind opens to let this light of truth in the truth springs to life and the short comings of this world's wisdom becomes obvious.  You see, my friends, our Creator made laws as a blessing not as a burden. So, when you think in a worldly fashion you may end up suggesting His word is a "burden" because you do not want to do it.  The natural you opposes what you are being shown -- the natural man wants its pleasure and by this calls the Word of God a "burden".  A believer is taught by the Christian Community, using wisdom of the world, to say the word is no longer, it is abolished and does not mean what it says because it make you uncomfortable, besides, I like eating the unclean so there, the Law is a burden, the Words of our Creator YHWH is a "burden".  "Let us eat drink and be merry."

God forbid, having come full circle those with this attitude have, in effect, tagged the Word as a "burden" the very thing the God of Israel, our God, YaHshua (YHWH), charged against the rebellious of those calling themselves His people.  You have already read what our Creator had to say to them, those saying they are holy all the while doing things detestable to their God. 

Truth Dividing

We must rightly divide the Truth, it is our duty as professing believers in the Messiah, YaHshua, as our Savior.  We are to study to find approval, it is our obligation to know the judgments of our God so we cannot be deceived by those all too willing to tell you what you should believe. 

I will not tell you what to believe, only what I believe, and what I have found in the Scriptures concerning what our Creator wants me to believe and see concerning His attitude concerning things on the earth and the things of men, especially concerning those He love -- His people.

With that said, let's take a look at a couple of verses that should give you an idea of our Creator's attitude toward the "clean and unclean".  This is not meant to be a study just a starter that will, hopefully, encourage further study of discovery of your own.

(Isa 66:16-17) For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.  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.

Pretty strong words, right?  The people of God, the Israelites, were doing something and saying, "It is holy and good, we sanctify ourselves in this, for all food is good, and we are pure, let us worship".  Do you see, does this sound familiar?  This is the very thing happening today.  On Easter, the pig (ham) is baked for the dinner that is supposed to be a celebration of our Savior's resurrection.  We claim to be His children, His Tabernacle, His house within which lives His Holy Spirit, and what do we do?  We bake pig and consume it in our righteousness, taking the abominable thing into the Tabernacle of our God, laying this sacrifice of thanksgiving on the alter of our body.  So, what is the difference between us and those Israelites doing the same thing way back then?  He said He would "consume" them all together for this kind of attitude and actions.  Oh, but we are Christians now and every thing is clean to us.   Yes, of course, you are clean, you are "sanctified", right?  No, you "sanctify yourself" and in your own righteousness you deem yourself Holy, not our Savior -- your words, not His, live in your heart. 

Peter's Vision

There is the incident recorded in the New Testament, where Peter is given a vision and a direct command from God to eat unclean animals, but Peter refuses.  Imagine, Peter refusing to obey his God in a direct, near face to face encounter.  How dare he, how can he think to disobey, why doesn't God smash him, instead, He gives this vision two more times and Peter, the knuckle head that he is, refuses every time.  Surely, Peter has bought himself a one way ticket to hell, right?  Well, according to the Scriptures, no, he did what was right, his disobedience was not questioned.  Peter knew there was some other meaning, he knew his God would not, could not, mean for him to eat unclean animals -- it had to mean something else -- and Peter knew this how?  By the very Word itself, by the Scriptures and the Scriptures of that day we know as the Old Testament.  Now let's read this account.

(Deut 14:21) Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

The verses that fall between is a list of food, animal flesh, not to eat -- that is, food the HOLY PEOPLE were not to eat.  When it came to dead animal having mysteriously died they, the Holy People unto God, were not to eat it but could give it, or sell it to the "alien" (non-Israelite, Gentile), even the "alien" living among them.  The Holy People of God, of YHWH, were set apart form the rest of the world -- they were not to cut themselves, or tattoo (Lev 19:28) themselves, why?  Because they were a Holy People to YHWH. 

The people of Israel were not to eat of certain animals because they were considered a Holy People to YHWH.  Were is the Christian in all of this?  Is the convert to the Messiah to continue as an "alien" or as one Holy unto YHWH (YaHshua)?   I don't care if you want to eat pork, or the mouse, but to those Holy to God this should be the case.  Followers of the Messiah are called the "children of God', His Holy Children, and do you suppose these children are to now act like the "alien", to act like all the Gentiles?  What, at your conversion, at your calling, you are the same as before?  No, you are now called to be a Holy People Unto God, a Child of the Living God, YaH, and a brother and or sister of YaHshua.  What would YaHshua do?  Remember, He is the one that allowed the unclean demons to leave a man and enter into a herd of swine (pigs).  It is in the Book of Revelation our Savior delivers a message to John comparing "unclean spirits" to "frogs".  So, we have our Messiah in the first of His ministry and at the finish of His written ministry giving and example of His attitude.  Certainly He was not on the subject of which animals to eat and which not to eat, after all He had already covered that in the Books of the OT, Deut., and Lev.  It is here in the NT He is still of the opinion that pigs and frogs are unclean, like unclean spirits.

Enough is enough.  I personally have been all over the board on this subject all these many years and I have to admit, I would convince myself the eating of "unclean" meats was alright.  I would make the scriptures say what I wanted to hear but in the darkest part of my mind was a small light of guilt that kept coming up with another scripture, and another, and another questioning my attitude, my self-deception and for what? So I could have my bacon and lettuce sandwich (BLT).  I know, pathetic, but when I am totally honest I know and knew the truth even then -- of course, I would never dream of having a rat sandwich, or a vulture thigh, no it was all about the pig -- that unclean animal Christians love and display at center table, the altar of thanksgiving for their Holiday festivals -- big, greasy hunks of ham for Christmas, Easter, Thanks giving.  What would Peter say?  What would YaHshua say?  What would they do, and what is He going to do when He returns?  Really, do you think our Savior, Yahshua, is going to sit at the banquet table with the Saints and serve up Ham?  "Be you Holy, even as your Father in Heaven is Holy" (Mat 5:48). 

We need to read it again:

(2Co 6:16-18) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleanthing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We are not Done

(Col 2:8) See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

(Col 2:9-10) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

(Col 2:11-12) In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

(Col 2:13-14) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

(Col 2:15) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

(Col 2:16) Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

It is plain the ritualistic laws of Moses and of Israel are removed out of our way so we may focus on true worship and have a better connection to our Heavenly Father through YaHshua (John 4:23).  This is why I object to making this an issue of salvation when it comes to biding people to the Old Covenant way of worship, with its rules and rituals, but this does not abolish the Law -- it is move to the side, out of the way, by the blood of our Savior, YaHshua. 

What cannot be ignored is the fact that certain truths of the Old Covenant no longer have power over God's people, this does not make them bad, or evil, or done away.  Move out of the way, off to the side, maybe, but the truth of Creation is still present.  The ritual Laws concerning Holy Days and Sabbaths no longer rule over us but that does not mean they are abolished or that they are not good for knowledge.  We can learn many things from the Old Covenant laws.  When it comes to the Holy Days all you have to do is read Zechariah 14 and you will see the establishment of the Kingdom under God and you sill see a Holy Day, the Feast of Tabernacles being observed and all leaders of the nations required to attend.  While the things of the Old Covenant may be moved out of the way, for our sake, and by the mercy and understanding of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, they are by no means finished or abolished. 

When it comes to meats, clean and unclean, it is made plain these are civil rules of conduct and do not apply to the gentile nations -- only to the people of the Living God.  No one can impose, by religious authority, the Laws of the Old Covenant on any people.  Your freedom is that, freedom from religious tyranny.  What the written code demanded was our death as we, as human as the Israelites, are unable to keep the perfection of the written codes and regulations, hence, the death penalty for the breaking of the Law, but under Yahshua, Freedom.  What? Freedom to misuse and mistreast and even poison the body of the Christ, the Tabernacle of God the Father (His Spirit lives in us).  We cannot escape pollution but this is not much of an excuse when believers claim things are made clean just so they can continue eating things our Bible tell us are not fit for a Holy people to eat. 

I want to encourage you to live as clean as possible and to see a benefit in not following the crowd.  When those outside, in the world, see that you don't eat as they eat this can give rise to questions that can lead to you being able to share you faith with them.  If you are no different than they why should they care?  We see this more and more as we move toward the end.  We see Christian music nearly indistinguishable from the music of this world, and the excuse for this is, reaching the youth.  What does it mean, then, to come out of the world?  All of this, the meats, the Holy Days, the Sabbaths, believing in YaHshua mean nothing to the world and apparently nothing to the Christian Church. 

Your servant, Dan

servant@yahshuaservant.com