FOOD WAS DEFINED FROM THE BEGINNING.

In just the second chapter of Genesis, God gave specific instructions for Adam regarding what food he was allowed to eat (Genesis 2:16-17). The Creator had a simple set of rules and only excluded a single tree - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Nevertheless, through the deception and lies of Satan, Adam and Eve would reject God’s word and partake of what He had forbidden (Genesis 3:1-6). Would mankind do the same thing today?

Only a few chapters later, as Noah built the ark and prepared for the flood, God directed him to preserve the animals, delineating the clean and the unclean:

Genesis 7:2 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

From the beginning, it’s clear God had different intentions for different animals, some clean and some unclean. He was the One who established their purpose and took the time to explain what was suitable for our consumption. Our Provider wants us to have a profitable and blessed life, to avoid unnecessary sickness or suffering. So what are the rules?

Through the deliverance of the Nation of Israel from Egypt, God would establish Himself as their Commander-In-Chief and Surgeon General. They were literally one nation, under God. And as their righteous Ruler, God gave the instructions to the collective 12 tribes of Israel, for their most blessed and healthy life. The Ten Commandments, together with the statutes and judgments, would serve as the foundation for Israel’s peaceful life, and it’s here we find the specific instructions for what foods are approved or forbidden for mankind.

GOD DEFINES CATEGORIES FOR CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS.

In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God separates animals into general categories such as mammals, sea creatures, birds, insects, and “creeping things” (moles, mice, reptiles, amphibians, etc.), and offers details for which are approved and which are forbidden:

CLEAN MAMMALS

Approved Mammals have unique digestive features and clear physical traits.

Leviticus 11:3 Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. 

Deuteronomy 14:3 You shall not eat any detestable thing. 4 These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. 6 And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, and that chews the cud, among the animals.

UNCLEAN MAMMALS

Forbidden Mammals include scavengers and carrion eaters, which devour other animals for food. They also routinely eat flesh that would sicken or kill human beings. 

Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 5 the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 6 the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 7 and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. 8 Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you.

Deuteronomy 14:7-8 Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or have cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not have cloven hooves; they are unclean for you. 8 Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.

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WHICH ANIMALS FROM THE SEA AND AIR ARE CLEAN?

CLEAN SEA CREATURES

Approved Sea Creatures must have fins and scales. 

Leviticus 11:9 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.

Deuteronomy 14:9 These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you may eat all that have fins and scales.

UNCLEAN SEA CREATURES

Unclean (forbidden) Sea Creatures are those without fins and scales and are mostly bottom dwellers or shellfish. These often scavenge for dead animals or consume decaying organic matter, including sewage. 

Leviticus 11:10-12 But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are [d]an abomination to you. 11 They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. 12 Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.

Deuteronomy 14:10 And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

CLEAN BIRDS AND FOWL

God instructs that we can eat "clean" birds. Most birds (such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc.) would fall into this list.

Deuteronomy 14:11 ^"All clean birds you may eat."

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Deuteronomy 14:20 "You may eat all clean birds"

While this seems vague, we can continue reading to see what God means.

UNCLEAN BIRDS AND FOWL

Unclean Birds in this case help us define what God means by clean. Unclean birds, similar to unclean sea creatures, are mostly scavengers and eat dead animals and decaying flesh. (Deuteronomy 14:12-18)

Leviticus 11:13-19 And 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, 14 the kite, and the falcon after its kind; 15 every raven after its kind, 16 the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; 17 the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; 18 the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; 19 the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

FOOD LAWS FOR INSECTS AND "CREEPING THINGS."

CLEAN INSECTS

While most of us in modern society have no desire to eat insects, you might be surprised to find that God actually approves of consuming some!

Leviticus 11:21-22 Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. 22 These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.

UNCLEAN INSECTS

Most insects are unclean except for what's listed above.

Leviticus 11:20 All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you.

Leviticus 11:23 But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.

UNCLEAN "CREEPING THINGS"

Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon.

Leviticus 11:41-42 And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination.

Deuteronomy 14:19 Also every creeping thing that flies is unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.

OTHER FOOD LAWS

God also tells us not to eat anything that dies of itself (Deuteronomy 14:21).

There’s no doubt He thoroughly considered what part of His creation was beneficial for us, and took the time to share health laws with us, for our good, always (Deuteronomy 6:24).

DOES PETER'S VISION UNDO GOD'S FOOD LAWS?

Today, why do so few observe God’s laws for clean and unclean meats? At any point in time, did God decide to remove these instructions? After His careful and detailed consideration of our diet, does it make sense that He would undo all of it? 

Typically, a single event in the New Testament is referenced to demonstrate that God did away with His laws for dietary restrictions. In Acts 10, the Apostle Peter has a vision in which he “saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.” In this sheet “were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.” Peter then heard a voice tell him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat” (Acts 10:11-13).

Was this God’s instruction to abandon His dietary laws? Peter’s response (Acts 10:14) certainly indicated that he found this confusing, and even after seeing the vision three times, he still “wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant” (Acts 10:17). Peter never assumed this meant he could eat any animal, rather he realized just a few verses later there was greater significance to the vision. 

Acts 10:28-43 Then 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. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 

And going further, with this new, incredible understanding, Peter then baptized the first non-Israelites God called into the Church who were not initially Jewish converts (Acts 10:45-48). 

Peter’s account confirms the vision from God was never about food. It simply revealed that God was beginning to offer salvation to any background and race – whomever God willed to call and welcome into the Body of Jesus Christ, His Church. 

FOOD: A MATTER OF THE HEART.

Adhering to God’s instructions for clean and unclean meats reveals another element of a humble heart, willingly submitting to our Creator. He expects His people to be clean and holy in every aspect of our lives, including rejecting the foods He deemed unclean. 

Leviticus 11:44-45 For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 45 For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Deuteronomy 14:2 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love

1 Peter 1:14-16 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

From the very beginning of God’s Word, it’s clear He has not changed. His instructions are consistent and He desires a people that will keep themselves clean, both physically and spiritually. 

With God’s dietary health laws, not only can we have a healthy physical life, we can have a more profitable spiritual life, one that reflects God’s divine nature and follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Perhaps it’s time to take another look at what we put into our bodies, setting aside our own wants and desires, and yield to the perfect instruction of our loving Creator.