Friday April 27, 2012

Read Deuteronomy 14:3-21; Mark 7:1-23

 

What’s your favourite food? What’s your least favourite food? I love sampling food from different countries and I particularly like trying things that are not the usual fare for meals.  Had I lived in Old Testament Israel, I would have been left bereft of this enjoyment.

 

Israel had what many consider a strict diet. God prescribed dietary laws that were exacting. Certain animals were ceremonially unclean and were to be avoided at all costs.  While it is clear that the food laws showed Israel to be a holy nation, how they functioned and why they functioned are far less clear. Many theories abound. Some argue that these laws were based on health and hygiene matters. Others have argued that they related to the religions of the surrounding nations. Others have argued from various categories and classifications of animals. Maybe it was a collection of all of these.  It still remains a mystery why God had such far reaching food laws.

 

Five categories of living things were regulated for food. To be edible an animal had to have cloven (divided) hooves and it had to chew its cud. According to Leviticus, that requirement ruled out camels, horses, rabbits, and pigs (Lev 11:2–8). Sea life had to have fins and scales (vv 9–12). Birds were edible if they were not predatory (vv 13–19). Moses went on to list 20 species specifically prohibited because they were birds of prey or scavengers. Winged insects were forbidden (vv 22–23) except for certain types of locusts and grasshoppers (food commonly eaten by desert nomads). Finally, “the animals that move about on the ground,” including reptiles and rodents (vv 29–31), were ruled out.

 

What is clear for us in the New Testament age is that Jesus declared all foods to be clean.  But that doesn’t negate all food laws! As you read 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 it becomes very clear that even as a believer I am not to eat food that has been offered to pagan idols, which are demons in reality. I am not to eat at both the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  Added to that, according to Romans 14-15, I am to abstain from any food or drink that causes my Christian brother or sister to stumble.

 

As with so many other areas, food laws for New Testament believers has caused much angst and consternation. Too much blood has been spilt over the centuries fighting over what we can and can not eat. It’s time to stop fighting. It’s time to work together, putting the needs of the other ahead of our own and focusing on the gospel as of supreme importance.

Prayer:

¥ Pray that the Christian church would grow in unity and oneness. As we grow in oneness, the world will see us as Jesus’ disciples and many will come to Christ for salvation. Pray that the issues that cause division at present will be resolved by Spirit filled reading of the Word of God.

¥ Pray that your church would be unified and working as one man for the gospel. Pray that the church would  function as the body of Christ as each  member takes up the work God has given him/her to be doing. Pray that everyone would know their spiritual gift(s) and would use them for the edification of others and the exaltation of Christ Jesus.