Meat And Other Animal Foods

     1 Timothy 4:1-3:

     Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the

     faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy;

     having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 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.

Some have taught that since the term meat has been used throughout Scripture to include all

manner of food, this passage is not specifically referring to animal flesh. However, it says

“meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving.” God didn’t just create the

herb and tree yielding seed, he also created “every living creature that moveth.” Of which, His

Word says:

    1 Timothy 4:4-5:

    For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with

    thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

God allowed for meat to be a part of man’s diet after the flood and He gave guidelines to the

children of Israel to ensure the wellness of His people. When He brought them into the Promised

Land, He told them that they could eat meat as they desired as long as they gave the firstborn

animals to Him in sacrifice.

     Deuteronomy 12:15, 20:

     However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart

     desires, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the

     unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.

     When the LORD your God enlarges your border as He has promised you, and you say,

     ‘Let me eat meat,’ because you long to eat meat, you may eat as much meat as your

     heart desires.

The fossil record of ancient humans as well as the physiology of our teeth and digestive system

indicates that man is best suited to be an omnivore.147 Though some still propound the necessity

of a vegetarian diet with religious zeal, the Bible does not support this, but rather says that

commands to abstain from meats stem from “doctrines of devils.” The argument has been made

that because the Bible says “Thou shalt not kill,” humans should not eat animals.  However, God

Himself killed animals to provide skin coverings for Adam and Eve’s survival outside the

Garden of Eden when they were expelled.148 Additionally, the word translated as “kill” is never

used in any other passage in the Scripture with reference to killing animals, but is most often

translated as “slayer” and “murderer” in the context of premeditated or accidental killing of

another human being.