Based on Leviticus 11:1-23 (New King James Version)
“Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. 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; the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you. ‘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. 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. They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you. ‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the kite, and the falcon after its kind; every raven after its kind, the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.”
Have you ever thought why God would even be concerned with telling us what is good to eat or not? Why would God worry about such details? The Word of God, in its fulness, is God’s complete counsel to man, from Genesis to Revelation. In other words, the Word of God also has its practical side where God tells man what to do for man’s greatest benefit possible. As the Heavenly Father He is, He gives us His instruction for many reasons (let’s not lose focus in that this is a message that is dealing with food only).
The first point is that the Lord gave us His Word for the good of mankind and not for His own good. The Lord is not the one that comes out losing if His counsel is not followed. We are the ones that come out losing. This is something critical that many people do not understand. Whether we obey the Word or not here on earth does not affect in the slightest of ways His kingdom because His kingdom is not even from here, as it is written: “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’” John 18:36. So then, whether we follow or not God’s things does not impact in the very least His kingdom, His sovereignty, or His existence. This is what the Word teaches us: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. So, the Word of God, His counsel is only for our own good. We are ultimately free to do whatever we want to do in this place, but everything bears a consequence, as it is also written: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10:23.
The second point has to do with the purpose the Word has, or rather, with our obedience to it. This world is only a prelude to greater and more lasting things. The purpose that this world has is to see what a person is capable of, and nothing more, whether a person understands or not what they need to understand to move forward to the next thing. This is what the Lord said: “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” John 3:12. In other words, if we don’t want to understand, and least of all, obey simple things in the present, how can we then understand and take part in greater things? It’s like a child that does not want to learn that two plus two is four. How can you teach a child multiplication, division, algebra, geometry, etc. that does not want to learn how to add? So then, what does God do with people that neither desire to accept or understand that He is God, that don’t desire to love Him or follow Him, that never take Him seriously, and of course, without any kind of desire to obey Him? His Word explains it even more clearly through this: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ‘So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ‘Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ ‘But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:14-30. If a person desires to be useless, then what more can be done?
The Lord gives us His counsel through the Word to see what we are and what we do with it, if we desire to be apt or not, if we appreciate His love and teaching, or if we simply just want to fulfill our own will, something that will never take us to God, nor to what He has prepared for those that love Him. So then, do you look to understand and follow God’s instructions, for your own good? Lord bless! John