The command to be holy is given both in the Old and New Testaments. Holiness requires separation from sin. The neighbors of the Israelites were in great sin. Their pagan rituals included idolatry, sacrificing their babies in the fire, orgies, homosexuality, drunkenness, and debauchery. They ate all sorts of “unclean” foods. To develop separation from them, God gave the Israelites dietary laws and regulations that prohibited them from eating the kinds of foods the pagans ate.
The ceremonial eating of certain foods and not others was an outward expression of what God was trying to do in the hearts of the Israelites. He desired that they be separated from sin, and used food as an object lesson. He wanted ceremonial holiness to carry over into heart holiness. Later, in Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6, He would instruct the Israelites to circumcise their hearts, meaning to cut away the sin that surrounded their hearts. Paul also referred to the cutting away of sin from the heart in Romans 2:28-29, and said this must be done by the Holy Spirit of God.
In the New Testament, God declared all foods to be acceptable, if eaten for the glory of God, Acts 10:9-15; 1 Corinthians 10:31. In this way, God again used food as an object lesson, but this time to break down the barrier between Jew and Gentile and form one body, the Church.
“Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Being holy begins in the heart and then radiates out into the life. The Holy Spirit has joined with our hearts to make them stronger and guide us into all holiness.
2 comments:
Note that the Jews were also the healthiest people in a time of great unhealthiness. The laws as such were a good thing. But OH! I am tired of reading those laws! When do we get back to the battles and the good stuff?? (grin)
I might also add that the Koran is a great proponent of the food and cleanliness laws and reads almost exactly like the Old Testament. Unfortunately, the followers of the Koran do not always practice all that they preach and are indeed (mostly because of living conditions in the poorer countries) living a very unhealthy life, While the Jews in that area of the world are productive and mostly very healthy as they follow still the rules set down in the Torah. (Just wanted to put in a little bit that makes the Bible still a "living" book.)
We will get back to the good stuff when God is ready to take us back. As for the health of the Jews related to their diet, I agree with you and so do many nutritionists.
The food the Jews ate in the desert for 40 years was good; bread from heaven,and quail. Not only were they very healthy but their clothes and shoes did not wear out. I think God was helping them along the way. By the way, they did a lot of walking, which is very good exercise. They are a very healthy people today, but not all Jews follow the rules, and many are like lazy, slovely Americans, in love with junk foods. And how many people, even Christians, take a day of rest every week?
The Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament Bible) is a living book. Psalm 119, written about 400 years later,expresses King David's great love for God's laws. Look at Psalm 119:136.
Be patient with the Scriptures. What we are reading is what God wants us to know. Keep asking yourself about the big picture as you read relatively uninteresting things. Amazingly, many of the boring details of things are referenced later in the Scriptures and turn out to be very insightful.
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