WHAT BIBLE SAYS ABOUT EATING MEAT! (Video) MUST SEE!

Vegetarianism: Supported in the Bible

The Bible has many quotations within it that can be used for both supporting meat-eating as well as against it, so people can argue either way while using quotes from the Bible. Thus, it is basically a rather inconclusive text for deciding such issues. However, those verses that support a vegetarian lifestyle are often ignored or are unknown, so we will review a few of these as can be seen from the following: “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it.” (Genesis 9.4-5) Certainly we can see in this verse that no one was meant to live by eating the flesh and blood of others. If one did so, then he would have to pay with his own blood, as it says, “your blood of your lives will I require.” This is merely a reference to the law of karma: for every animal who suffers because of you, you will also similarly suffer: “at the hand of every beast will I require it.”

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of goats. When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood.” (Isaiah 1.11,15) Some people may say that this merely directs the types of offerings that God will not accept, but here the words used are “sacrifices” and “burnt offerings” and “fed beasts,” which should be fairly clear to anyone that it is not the animal specifically, but the use of animals which is objectionable.

“It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. (Leviticus 3.17). . . And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of strangers who sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set My face against that soul that eateth blood.” (Leviticus 17.10)

From these verses and others not included here, we can certainly see that God’s law, as set down in the Bible, was against the eating of flesh and blood and the killing of other entities. However, there are some people who try to legitimize the eating of meat by draining the blood and, thus, make the meat “kosher.” Of course, this idea doesn’t really work. Blood permeates meat, so how can one be free from eating blood by trying to drain it from the flesh? This is not very realistic, and it certainly does not free one from the violence that must be inflicted on the animal when it is killed in order to eat its flesh. The real point of the matter is not to kill. This is clearly stated in Exodus (20.13) in the Hebrew lo tirtzach, which, when accurately translated, means “thou shalt not kill.”

In fact, the Bible compares the killing of cows to murdering a man: “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man.” (Isaiah 66.3)

INACCURATE TRANSLATIONS

There are a few verses, however, which I am sure some students of the Bible will reach for that seem to support the eating of flesh. But in every case, this is due to inaccurate translations as we shall see.

For example, in John (4.8) it states: “For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.” The word meat was taken from the Greek word trophe, which actually means nourishment. This is exactly the same case in Acts (9.19): “And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.” When translated accurately it means that by receiving nourishment, he felt stronger.

In Luke (8.55) we find, “And her spirit came again and she arose straightaway: and he (Jesus) commanded to give her meat.” The word meat in this case was translated from the Greek word phago, which translated correctly simply means to eat.

In I Corinthians (8.8) it states: “But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse.” The word for meat here is broma, which actually means food. Therefore, this verse signifies that eating or not eating food has little to do with our relationship to God and not, as some people think, that eating meat holds no wrong.

In Romans (14.20-21) the verses are: “For meat destroy not the word of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” The word for meat here is broma, which again is a general word that means foods, and the word for flesh is kreas, which does mean flesh. Therefore, this verse is another that is not necessarily supportive of eating meat, but makes it clear that flesh eating is unacceptable.

In Acts 27:33-36 we also find it said, “And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying this is the fourteenth day ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat; for this is your health; for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.”

All three times the word meat was used in the above quote, it was based on the Greek word trophe, which actually means nourishment. Even though the translation says meat, is shows clearly what they all took was the bread for nourishment after Paul took it.

In Acts 16:34, it also says, “And when he brought them into his house, he set meat before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” In this case, the word meat is taken from the Greek word trapeza, which actually means table. So a table was set before them, not slices of dead animals.

One last example is found in Luke 11:37, “And as he (Jesus) spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.” The word meat here was taken from the Greek word anepesen, which simply means reclined. So the verse actually should say that Jesus went in, sat down and relaxed.

THE RIGHT THINGS TO EAT

If the Bible explains that eating meat is wrong, then what is the proper thing to eat? Genesis (1.29) clearly states: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” This makes it quite obvious that the recommended food for human beings is herbs, seeds, grains, and fruits.

We also find in Isaiah (7.14-15): “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” The first verse is often quoted by Christians for proof that Jesus was the savior, but the next verse shows that he will be a vegetarian to know the difference between right and wrong.

As mentioned earlier, meat-eating is a sign of spiritual ignorance, meaning that we do not recognize the spiritual essence of all creatures, and tends to keep one from developing compassion and mercy towards our fellow living entities. To be merciful only to man and yet be an enemy to animals by killing and eating them is Satan’s philosophy. One will never live in true harmony with God while performing such activities. This is often overlooked by the Christians, Muslims, and others. If these verses were actually understood and the meaning fully realized and practically applied by the Christians and others, I am sure it would bring beneficial reactions the world over in their spiritual development. After all, one of the ten commandments specifically says thou shalt not kill. It does not say merely thou shalt not murder, which would imply only humans, but it says “Thou shalt not kill,” meaning any living being.

The Original Diet (In Genesis (1:29) we find God’s original diet for man)

“Again and again I have been shown that God is bringing His people back to His original design, that is, not to subsist upon the flesh of dead animals. He would have us teach people a better way.” TSDF 69

“If meat is discarded, if the taste is not educated in that direction, if a liking for fruits and grains is encouraged, it will soon be as God in the beginning designed it should be. No meat will be used by His people.” TSDF 125.

“God gave our first parents the food He designed that the race should eat. It was contrary to His plan to have the life of any creature taken. There was to be no death in Eden….” CDF 81

Pure Vegetarianism

1868 “Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach.” 2T 68

1883 “All the elements of nutrition are contained in the fruits, vegetables, and grains.” HL 96

1889 “Years ago I had a testimony of reproof for the managers in our campmeetings bringing upon the ground and selling to our people cheese and other hurtful things.” CD 329

1890 “The effect of cheese is deleterious.” CH 114

1896 “The simple grains, fruits of the trees, and vegetables have all the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood.” HL 98

1898 “In a short time the milk of the cows will also be excluded from the diet of God’s commandment-keeping people in a short time it will not be safe to use anything that comes from the animal creation.” CD 411

1899 “The light given me is that it will not be very long before we shall have to give up using any animal food. Even milk will have to be discarded.” CD 384

1901 “The time may come when it will not be safe to use milk…. The time will come when we may have to discard some of the articles of diet we now use, such as milk and cream and eggs…. The time will come when milk cannot be used as freely as it is now used…. But I wish to say that when the time comes that it is no longer safe to use milk, cream, butter, and eggs, God will reveal this…. We see that cattle are becoming greatly diseased, the earth itself is corrupted, and we know that the time will come when it will not be best to use milk and eggs.” CD 357-9

1902 “Let the diet reform be progressive. Let the people be taught how to prepare food without the use of milk or butter. Tell them that the time will soon come when there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter, because disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the increase of wickedness among men.” 7T135

1903 “Vegetables, fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh meat should enter our stomachs.” CD 380

1905 “Cheese is… objectionable; it is wholly unfit for food.” MH 302

1905 “Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator…. The grains, with fruits, nuts, and vegetables, contain ALL the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood…. The diet reform should be progressive. As disease in animals increases, the use of milk and eggs will become more and more unsafe… The people everywhere should be taught how to cook without milk and eggs, so far as possible, and yet have their food wholesome and palatable.” MH 296, 316, 320-1

1906 “In grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts are to be found ALL the food elements that we need.” CDF 92, 310, 313

1909 “The time will come when we may have to discard some of the articles of diet we now use, such as milk and cream and eggs…” 9T162

The last few words in the Counsels of Diet and Foods appendix, are those of James White regarding the counsels on health given to his wife: “…all changes in diet should be made carefully, one at a time. And while she [his wife, Ellen White] would say this to those who are in danger of making changes too rapidly, she would also say to the tardy, Be sure and not forget to change.”

Scripture says that you are to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). It is my hope and prayer that you will do just that.