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Over two years ago there was a thread looking at statements by Ellen White regarding the Israelite diet. This thread is a more focused part 2, looking at one aspect--the claim that meat eating weaken's moral powers.
Here are the statements:
The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1876, Art. A
Councils for the Church, 228
As can be seen from the above, Ellen White indicated that eating meat reduced moral power among the Israelites. She indicated they departed from the plan appointed for their diet, and suffered loss, not reaching God's ideal of character or fulfilling His purpose.
However, these claims do not match up with Scripture
God indicated the Israelites may eat meat, according to the blessing of the Lord.
God said that if they were faithful He would bless the Israelites with grass so that the Israelites might eat the livestock and be filled.
God required the Israelites to eat meat in the Passover.
God gave regular portions of the sacrifices to the priests.
God outlined the peace offering which involved eating meat from the animal.
God provided Elijah meat.
Jesus provided fish to His disciples, and to the multitudes.
Jesus ate the Passover, and had His disciples arrange for it, and eat it with Him.
Jesus fed the multitude with fish.
Jesus called a fish a good gift, which it would not be if it weakened moral powers.
It is unbiblical to claim that Jesus would give food to people that weakened their moral powers, and had "evil results."
Here are the statements:
The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1876, Art. A
God did not withhold meat from the Hebrews in the wilderness simply to show his authority, but for their good, that they might preserve physical and moral strength. He knew that the use of animal food strengthens the animal passions and enfeebles the intellect. He knew that the gratification of the appetite of the Hebrews for flesh-meats, would weaken their moral powers, and induce such an irritable disposition that the vast army would become insubordinate, that they would lose the high sense of their moral obligations, and refuse to be controlled by the wise laws of Jehovah. Violence and rebellion would exist among them, making it impossible for them to be a pure and happy people in the land of Canaan. God knew what was best for the children of Israel, therefore he deprived them in a great measure of flesh-meats. Satan tempted them to consider this unjust and cruel. He caused them to lust after forbidden things, because he saw that through the indulgence of perverted appetite they would become carnally-minded and could be easily brought to do his will; the lower organs would be strengthened, while the intellectual and moral powers would be weakened.
Councils for the Church, 228
Upon their settlement in Canaan, the Israelites were permitted the use of animal food, but under careful restrictions which tended to lessen the evil results. The use of swine's flesh was prohibited, as also of other animals and of birds and fish whose flesh was pronounced unclean. Of the meats permitted, the eating of the fat and the blood was strictly forbidden. Only such animals could be used for food as were in good condition. No creature that was torn, that had died of itself, or from which the blood had not been carefully drained, could be used as food. By departing from the plan divinely appointed for their diet, the Israelites suffered great loss. They desired a flesh diet, and they reaped its results. They did not reach God's ideal of character or fulfill His purpose. -CCH 228
As can be seen from the above, Ellen White indicated that eating meat reduced moral power among the Israelites. She indicated they departed from the plan appointed for their diet, and suffered loss, not reaching God's ideal of character or fulfilling His purpose.
However, these claims do not match up with Scripture
God indicated the Israelites may eat meat, according to the blessing of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 12:15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.
God said that if they were faithful He would bless the Israelites with grass so that the Israelites might eat the livestock and be filled.
Deuteronomy 11:15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’
God required the Israelites to eat meat in the Passover.
Exodus 12:8 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (NKJV)
God gave regular portions of the sacrifices to the priests.
Leviticus 7:31 And the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. 32 Also the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 He among the sons of Aaron, who offers the blood of the peace offering and the fat, shall have the right thigh for his part. 34 For the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering I have taken from the children of Israel, from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the children of Israel by a statute forever.’ ”
God outlined the peace offering which involved eating meat from the animal.
Leviticus 19:5 ‘And if you offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, you shall offer it of your own free will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. And if any remains until the third day, it shall be burned in the fire.
God provided Elijah meat.
1Ki 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
Jesus provided fish to His disciples, and to the multitudes.
Joh 21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
Jesus ate the Passover, and had His disciples arrange for it, and eat it with Him.
Luke 22:14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer
Jesus fed the multitude with fish.
Matthew 15:35 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.
Jesus called a fish a good gift, which it would not be if it weakened moral powers.
Luk 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
It is unbiblical to claim that Jesus would give food to people that weakened their moral powers, and had "evil results."
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