God’s ONE Dietary Health Plan For Israel

All of us will eventually have health issues as we get older and will need to consult a doctor. The primary health issues today seem to be high cholesterol, heart conditions, and diabetes. The first thing a doctor usually tells you, after an examination is: “you need to go on a special diet.” Even if you are skinny, you get the same direction. The doctor then provides you with a brochure with a list of foods to stay away from and a list of foods that are good for you.

This is similar to when we first go to God about our overall health issues, salvation and eternal life. He said, in essence, “I will receive you, but here are some things that you must do to be healthy, spiritually and physically. They are called my Law (Torah/Commandments). Oh, by the way, these are My conditions for entering My Covenant and being part of My people (Israel). See my food list in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 for your physical health. Do them and you will be blessed.”

Our God, the Great Physician, gave us precise directions on how to maintain this vessel called a body. By the way, He created it. Shouldn’t He know how best to maintain it. Would you feed your pets something that they were not created to eat and by doing so, affect their health? Would you put water in your car engine where the oil goes? No, it would quickly break down and not run.

God Defines Food

There were things that God created as “food” for us and there are some things that He said not to eat. Usually, the non-food animals have special purposes and the non-food plants are poisonous.

As God-Fearers of Israel, we simply try to eat the things that God defines as food in His Law (Torah) and avoid the things that He tells us not to eat. It’s not that difficult or burdensome! [De 30:11]

It is important to remember when reading the New Covenant that Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), Paul, and others, when they mention food items, they are referring to God’s definition of food. This is a good time to emphasis that God does not change His mind like man, so the lame excuses of having modern refrigeration and a better knowledge of food preparation today is simply man trying to make excuses for not obeying God’s commandments.

Paul Addresses Food Issues in Romans

In the New Covenant, there were times when some chose to eat only vegetables, which is not a commandment in the Law (Torah), but people can still choose to have this lifestyle.

Let’s look at a situation where some chose a “vegetables only diet” and why it is discussed in one of Paul’s letters. In Romans 14:1-6, some in the Roman assembly were choosing to not eat meat sold in the market:

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

• “Doubtful things” – they thought the meat may have been defiled or offered to idols (see 1 Cor 10:25-28)

• “Eat all things” – remember, all things are those that God said was food

• “Despise him who does not eat” – don’t judge or give each other a hard time over what one chose to eat or not to eat from the list of foods God gave in Lev 11 and De 14.

• “Esteems one day above another” – there were special days for refraining from eating food (fasting). The Pharisees sometimes fasted twice a week for the sake of holiness. God didn’t say fast twice a week, but if someone does, don’t judge them because they are doing it for a righteous purpose.

Many take Paul’s commentary in Romans 14 to say that we can eat anything we want, and we can worship God on any day that we chose, like Sunday. This interpretation is first, taking away from God’s Word, and second, taking away from who Paul said he was a Pharisee and his understanding of God’s commandments. Paul would not advocate eating “non-food” items, as defined in the Law (Torah).

Commandments Verses Man’s Traditions

Let’s look at another section of the New Covenant that many teachers in Christianity take out of context.

Messiah Yeshua is speaking to a group of devout Pharisees when He and His taught ones were trying to eat. The conversation begins with eating with unwashed hands. Mark 7:1-23,

“Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches…

• Here is the context: “they were eating and did not washed their hands in a “special way,” according to the tradition of the elders”

…Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men--the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

• Are there teachers today who are leading people to follow the traditions of men and not commandments of God (what is written)?

…He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"--' (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

• Do people still twist the Word of God today, making it of no effect, i.e., destroying it?

…When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"

• “Defile” - means a condition that causes separation from God. It is defined in Dr. Strong’s’ concordance as becoming impure through idolatry, religious acts, sexual sin, etc.

…When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?" And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

• What did we say earlier? This whole conversation is about how to wash your hands before eating and making null and void the commandments of God with man’s traditions. Food is defined in Lev. 11 and De 14. Food can become defiled. But, if there is dirt on your hands, the body will separate it and discharge it as God designed. The heart is the issue. Some Bible translations willfully mistranslate verse 9 and mislead people to thinking Messiah said “you can eat whatever you want, including possums and buzzards…” His witnesses at His fake trial can attest that He did not make this statement, which would lead others to break the dietary commandments.

Peter’s vision in Acts 10:9-11:18

Many misinterpret Peter’s vision because they fail to read “all” of this in context. We see Peter readily admitting that he had not eaten anything unclean and it offends him immensely at the idea. Scholars place this event ~12 years after Yeshua’s resurrection!

Why would Peter, who devoted his life to teaching the Gospel and loves Yeshua, disobey Him by saying “Absolutely not! I have never eaten anything unclean”?

Let’s look at Acts 10:28 which tells us the real purpose of this vision:

“You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean...” And in Acts 11:18 he states: “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

• ·The main point God is making here with Peter, through shock treatment, is that God-Fearers are welcome into the Abrahamic Covenant family and not all of those from the nations are defiled or unclean. He is NOT talking about eating things God said not to eat!

Another Miss-Taught Verse

Here is one more verse that we have encountered that people use to say “we can eat anything we want, as long as we bless what we eat.” 1 Tim 4:1-5,

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

• There two important parts of these verses that people gloss over: the word “TRUTH” and the phrase “WORD OF GOD.”

• God’s Word is Truth. In Psalms 119:142, it states, “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your Law is truth.”

• As stated previously, God’s “Word” has already defined “food” in Lev 11 and De 14.

Sorry, mankind cannot, by prayer and thanksgiving, override what God has sanctified in His Word.

To whom and where was Timothy preaching? It sounds like Paul, from Rome, was trying to encourage Timothy, in Ephesus, to hold to the scriptures as the basis for all sound doctrine. There were obviously many influences from pagan religions that were trying to distort God's truth. God did not forbid marriage or eating what He defined as food!

We need to develop our practices by looking at ALL of the Word of God. Loving the Lord our God with all of our heart includes eating things that He has defined as food; which is specially designed for our spiritual and physical health.