INTRODUCTION

Throughout the history of mankind, God has had various restrictions upon people concerning their diet. In the beginning, God gave man herbs and fruit for meat (Genesis 1:29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
See All...). Under the law, the diet was expanded while still excluding certain animals that were deemed unclean by the Lord (Leviticus 11:1-23 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, [2] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. [3] Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. [4] Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. [5] And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. [6] And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. [7] And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. [8] Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. [9] These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. [10] And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: [11] They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. [12] Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. [13] And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, [14] And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; [15] Every raven after his kind; [16] And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, [17] And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, [18] And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, [19] And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. [20] All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. [21] Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; [22] Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. [23] But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
See All...). This issue was so important that it was part of a question raised in the early church. In the end, the only restrictions given to the New Testament church were that they should not partake of food offered to idols and they should refrain from eating the blood (Acts 15:20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
See All..., 29; Acts 21:25As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
See All...). This is confirmed when 1 Timothy 4:4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
See All... suggests that no creature is to be refused.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) The apostle Paul told the Romans that it was all right to eat all things (Romans 14:14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
  See All...a). He said those who thought you could only eat herbs were weak in what they believed (Romans 14:1-2 [1] Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. [2] For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
  See All...). The Lord ate meat with Abraham (Genesis 18:2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
  See All..., 8, 22) and with His disciples (Luke 24:36-43 [36] And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. [37] But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. [38] And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? [39] Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. [40] And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. [41] And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? [42] And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. [43] And he took it, and did eat before them.
  See All...).
• What are some situations where it might be a concern if you were eating food offered to idols? What does it mean that believers should refrain from blood?
• According to 1 Timothy 4:4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
  See All..., what foods should be refused? What does this mean about those who go about preaching and teaching that believers should refuse meat?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank the Lord for the food He gives you.
• Ask God to help you avoid the fads of refusing meats.

HYMN

Trust and Obey

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