Three Diets Named in the Bible

Nothing can be more destructive or more constructive to the human body than what one puts into his mouth.  Some wit has noted that “We are what we eat.”  There is much truth to this adage.

The Bible names at least three types of diets.  The first diet is found in Genesis, chapter 1.  The second diet is found in Leviticus, chapter 11, and the third diet is, also, found in Leviticus, chapter 11.  Over the centuries there has been much discussion of diet and its influence on health.

The first diet (ideal) named is in Genesis 1: 29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. (Emphasis mine.) This is a vegan diet, which is plant-based.

The second diet (acceptable but less than ideal) is given after the universal flood of Noah’s day. All plant-based food had been destroyed by the flood; consequently, God permitted Noah and his family to eat flesh. You will recall that the “clean” animals (acceptable for food) went into the Ark by seven’s, male and female, and the unclean ones (not acceptable for food) went into the ark by two’s,  male and female. The clean animals are identified in Leviticus 11: 1-3:  Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: 3 Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat.

Clean and unclean fish are named in Leviticus 11:9-12: 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. 10 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 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.

Availability of food was taken into account by Christ. It should be noted that Christ blessed the loaves and (we can safely presume) clean fish when these foods were all that were available. (Luke 9:16.)

The third diet (unacceptable) is given immediately after God tells man what he may eat in the animal kingdom. Foods to avoid are named in Leviticus 11: 6-10: 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. As we noted earlier in Leviticus 11, the clean fish are only those with fins and scales.

Therefore, we see three diets named in the Bible: the plant-based diet is the   first one which God provided for man in the Garden of Eden, the perfect paradise.  This diet would be God’s ideal diet, chosen before sin entered the human race.  There was no human or animal death before sin; it was sin (disobedience to God’s commands) that brought death.  However, just as Biblical skeptics reject the Genesis teachings that God is the source of life and that He created man, animals, birds, the sun, moon, and stars, etc., many also reject God’s original diet.  In fact,  one “self-styled” materialist wrote: “I firmly believe that properly-sourced animal products are essential to … the health of the human race.”  One may firmly believe error; one can be sincerely wrong. The test of truth is God’s word, not what some human narcissist believes.

Now, let’s look at an example of a modern-day vegan (one who eats only plant-based foods.)  Ariel Rosenfeld is an ultra marathon runner and a vegan. In 2016, Ariel decided to run in the Berlin Wall 100-mile race.  Ariel won the race in 15 hours, 20 minutes, and 49 seconds. This was safely inside his target time by 68 minutes. This is what Ariel says about his diet: “I shifted to a vegetarian diet in 2011. A year after, in 2012, I upgraded my diet to 100% vegan.”

Ariel’s incredible performance won over many skeptics.  Some of them turned vegan.  He, from Israel, notes that his example is promoting a wave of veganism across Israel.

I have been a vegetarian for some 62 years, the last 20 of these being vegan.  At 83, I am active, managing eight rentals, pastoring Guthrie Memorial Chapel (a local Christian congregation), and writing this weekly column for the Southside Messenger.   Praise God, I am not obese, have no arthritis, no high blood pressure, and no diabetes. I speak without charge to local groups on healthful living.

Until next week, may God richly bless you and yours.

Contact: fhevener@oilart.com; (434) 392-6255; www.guthriememorial.org.    

© By Fillmer Hevener, 2017