HISTORY OF MAN’S DIET

THE DIET IN EDEN

Gen. 1:29-30 fruit and grains for man; vegetable for animals

First dietary restriction:

Gen. 2:9 fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil

Gen. 2:16-17 Unfallen, perfect, sinless state

Ministry of Healing 395

In order to know what is  the best food, we must study God’s original plan for man’s diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food…

There was no fire for cooking in Eden. All are sun baked and fresh without decay.

Counsels on Diet and Foods   81

God gave our first parents the food 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. The fruit of the trees in the garden was the food man’s wants required.

Isaiah 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man…

AFTER THE FALL OF MAN

-nature became imperfect under Satan’s control

Gen.3:18-19   God gave man the herbs of the field for his use, because in his fallen state he was going to need them for medical remedies.

FIRST STEP DOWN eating food designed for animals

MH 296   

Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling the earth under the curse of sin man received permission to eat also the herb of the field.

Vegetus- full of life

BEFORE THE FLOOD

Gen. 6:11-13 man’s wickedness

 CDF 373  

The inhabitants of the old world were intemperate in eating and drinking. They would have flesh meats, although God had given them no permission to eat animal food. They ate and drank to excess, and their depraved appetite knew no bounds. They gave themselves up to abominable idolatry. They became violent and ferocious, and so corrupt that God could bear with them no longer. Their cup of iniquity was full, and God cleansed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood.

AFTER THE FLOOD (total destruction)

SECOND DIETARY STEP DOWN Gen. 9:3

v. 4, 5 –blood to be drained, unacceptable eating, because it contains impurities that are on the way to the kidneys to be eliminated

-decrease of lifespan of Noah’ progeny

Gen. 7:2 clean animals by 7’s

No retraction of what is permissible to eat.

MH 311-2   

The diet appointed man in the beginning did not include animal food. Not till after the flood, when every green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did man receive permission to eat flesh.

Spiritual Gifts vol. 4 p.120-1 

God gave man no permission to eat animal food until after the flood. Everything had been destroyed upon which man could subsist, and therefore the LORD in their necessity gave Noah permission to eat of the clean animals which he had taken with him in the ark. But animal food was not the most healthful article for man…

After the flood the people ate largely of animal food. God saw the ways of man corrupt…and he permitted the long-lived race to eat animal food to shorten their sinful lives. Soon after the flood the race began to rapidly decrease in size and in length of years.

DIET FOR ISRAEL

God intended to take them to heaven- Exodus. 15:17-8

v. 26 conditions of being free from disease

Exo. 16:3-4    The very first thing God did was to provide diet reform to test if they would walk in God’s ways

v.   8-13 they failed the test

Numbers 11:31-4   greed of quail meat killed them

                13:17-37 unbelief except for Caleb and Joshua

Ps. 78:23-37 desired for meat because their hearts were not steadfast toward God

Ps. 106:13-15 craved intensely in the wilderness

Heb. 3:17-19 first unbelief was in food

CDF 377-8

When God led the children of Israel out of Egypt… He removed flesh food from them in great measure. He had granted them flesh in answer to their clamors, just before reaching Sinai, but it was furnished for only one day…Had they been willing to deny appetite in obedience to his instructions feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed physical and mental strength. They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But they are unwilling to submit to God’s requirements and they failed to reach the standard he had set for them, and to receive the blessings that might have been theirs. They murmured at God’s restrictions, and lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt. God let them have flesh, but it proved a curse to them.

Lev. 17:11; 7:24-27 fat and blood

EXAMPLES OF ABSTEMIOUSNESS

1. Daniel – Daniel 1

Bible Commentary vol. 4 p 1166

He purposed in his heart that that he would not drink of the King’s wine or eat of his dainties. He knew that in order to come off victor, he must have clear mental perception that he might discern between right and wrong. While he was working on his part, God worked also, and gave him knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom… This is the way God worked for Daniel; and he does not propose to do any differently now. Man must cooperate with God in carrying out the plan of salvation.

YI  Aug. 18, 1898

As Daniel and his fellow were brought to the test, they placed themselves fully on the side of righteousness and truth. They did not move capriciously, but intelligently. They decided that as flesh-meat had not composed their diet in the past, it should not come into their diet in the future, and as wine has been prohibited to all who should engage in the service of God, they determined that they would not partake of it.

2. John the Baptist

Desire of Ages  72-3

John was to stand as a reformer. By his abstemious life and plain dress, he was to rebuke the excesses of his time. Hence the direction given to the parents of  John, a lesson of temperance by an angel from the throne of heaven… In preparing the way for Christ’s first Advent, he was a representative of those who are to prepare a people for our LORD’S second coming…All who would perfect holiness in the fear of God must learn the lessons of temperance and self-control. The appetites and passions must be held in subjection to the higher powers of the mind. This self-discipline is essential to that mental strength and spiritual insight which will enable us to understand and to practice the sacred truths of God’s word.

Temperance 90-1

John separated himself from his friends, and from the luxuries of life, dwelling alone in the wilderness, and subsisting upon a purely vegetable diet.

His diet also, of locust and wild honey was a rebuke to the gluttony that everywhere prevailed… He was a representative of those living in the last days to whom God has entrusted sacred truths to present before the people, to prepare the way for the second appearing of Christ.

And the same principles of temperance which John practiced should be observed by those who in our day are to warn the world of the coming Son of Man.

3. Jesus

CDF 185

As by indulgence of appetite Adam fell, so by the denial of appetite Christ must overcome… He exercised a  self-control stronger than hunger or death. (40 day fast)

CDF 186

All who would live godly lives must overcome as Christ overcame… he would begin the work of overcoming just where the ruin began - on the point of appetite. When Christ was the most fiercely beset by temptation he ate nothing.

OUR DUTY

MH 129

Intemperate desire resulted in the loss of Eden. Temperance in all things has more to do with our restoration to Eden than men realize.

7T135

By precept and example make it plain that the food which God gave Adam in his sinless state is the best for man’s use as he seeks to regain that sinless state.

2T 64 (1868)

We say to you, Dear Brother and sister, your safest course is to let meat alone.

1 Cor. 15:39 4 kinds of flesh or meat

CDF 407 (1884)

Use less and less meat, until it is not used at all.

TRANSLATION DIET

 I Kings 17: 1-6 flesh

                   : 9-16 non-flesh

                19: 4-8 bread and water

2T 352   fruit diet

Eccl 1:14 EGW Bible Comment: Jewish custom – 2 meals a day

CDF 394, 380 (1890)

Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back step by step, to his original design---that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth.

Among those who are waiting for the coming of the LORD, meat eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to from a part of their diet. We should keep this end in view and endeavor to work steadily toward it.

CDF 411 (1898)

We cannot now do as we have ventured to do in the past regarding meat eating… The diseases upon animals becoming more and more common, and our only safety is leaving meat entirely alone.

eg. Mad cow, Avian flu, HIV

MH 296 (1905)

Grains, fruits, and nuts, vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful ad nourishing. They impart strength, power of endurance, and a  vigor of intellect, that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.

DIET IN HEAVEN

Rev. 22:2   tree of life

BIBLICAL IMPORTANCE OF OUR HEALTH MESSAGE

James 1:27 – pure religion is related to health laws- undefiled

3 John 2 – spiritual health is connected to our physical health

I  Cor. 10:31 eating and drinking is a means of glorifying God

              6:20; 3:16, 17, 20 as steward of the temple of the Holy Ghost

               9:25 for character perfection

Romans 12:1 getting ready for translation

Acts 17:28   we are His by creation and redemption

John 17:14, 30:17 God is the healer

Ps. 103:3 healing means forgiveness

Isa. 40:31 endurance for the ministry and the time of trouble

2 Cor. 5:10 it is one of the basis for judgment

Acts 3:21 it is part of the restoration of all things before Jesus comes

Around the Corner

this poem applies to everyone. do things push you around and take all your time that you 'do not have time' to even say 'hi' to your loved ones? read this poem and think twice..before it's too late.

i remember my childhood best friend.we were so close when we were young, like sisters.but when they moved to another municipality and she transferred to another school after Grade V, it took 5 years before we had communication.Again, we shared our goals in life. We dreamed of forming a foundation to help the less fortunate ones.I will be the nurse and she will be the social worker.we also planned of initiating an elementary batch reunion someday.

i didn't realize we will fulfill the plan in just a year. two days after new year of 2006, she and her younger brother (who happens to be my younger brother's best friend too) met a fatal vehicular accident in Bauang, La Union. Her brother died in an instant but she fought hard for her breath until she 'came home' to Irisan, our home. there, she released her last breath...gathering our elementary batch friends.

most of our friends expressed their regrets of not keeping in touch with her while she was well and alive.i also grieved and thought of those 5 lost years i should have spent with her.we were so near each other,just one municipality away,just some kilometers away.but in a way, i am still thankful that before she passed away, we were able to gain that closeness we had when we were younger. however, i had never mentioned to her how much i valued her... worst, i didn't share the truth, the joy i found..

the last words she told me? (through SMS when i invited her for overnight group bonding at home with batch friends, last days of December 2005) "Sige, nu next time to.." (OK, next time..).

the question is, will there be next time? 

the lesson is, we must use our precious time investing love to our loved ones and not on material things. God commanded us to love our neighbors; if we love Him, we should love His most beloved creation - people. 

another lesson, stop manana habit! every millisecond is precious!

Around the Corner

Charles Hanson Towne

Around the corner I have a friend,

In this city that has no end;

Yet days go by, and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year has gone,

And I never see my old friend’s face

For life is a swift and terrible race.

He knows I like him just as well

As in the days when I rang his bell,

And he rang mine.

We were younger then

And now we are busy, tired men;

Tired with playing a foolish game,

Tired with trying to make a name.

“Tomorrow,” they say. “I will call Jim.”

Just to show that I am thinking of him.

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And the distance between us grows and grows

Around the corner, but miles away…

“Here’s a telegram; Jim died today.”

And that’s what we get and deserve in the end,

Around the corner, a lost friend.