LEVITICUS 11:1-2; DEUTERONOMY 8:3-4; MATTHEW 4:3-4, Leviticus 11:1-2
1 Timothy 4:4-5. “4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer”.
Understand, before the law – all things I have given to you. After the law, in the dispensation of grace – for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused since it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
- Sufficient Provision of Food and Water
(Leviticus 11:1-4; Psalm 104:14-15; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 6:17)
We need to understand that these instructions were for the children of Israel, and not for the whole world in all generations until the world will end. They were things that were meant for the children of Israel. Leviticus 11:3-4
- 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
- 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
Psalm 104:14-15. We are going to eat of the cattle and God feeds them appropriately so that they can provide good nourishing meat for us. We also have the vegetables, fruits and everything which grow on the ground to balance our food for us. We need to eat balanced diet: food, vegetables, and meat as well other things.
vs 15. “And wine that maketh glad the heart of man…” this refers to fruit juice from carrot, orange, and every other fruit in liquid form to give us balance diet. It also talks about the kind of oils which are appropriate for our health.
1 Timothy 4:1-4. As we come to the end of the age, we see men of authority in religion, and everywhere who control lives – I won’t say your life because they cannot force anything on anyone – They control lives and are not concerned about our good here and in the hereafter. They forbid people to remarry for reasons best known to them. They might say because you are 75 year old, they don’t think it is right for you to remarry. Others in exercising their authority say after losing your husband, especially when the deceased is a Pastor, his wife is not supposed to remarry, in honour of the Pastor or Evangelist. The Bible did not say this.
They also forbid people to eat some types of food which God created and is to be received with thanksgiving.
ch 6:17. “1 Timothy 6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” God has given us all things to enjoy – food, water, fruit juices to do our bodies good.
- Sanctifying Prayer over Food and Water
(1 Timothy 4:4-5; Exodus 23:25; 2 Kings 2:19-22; 4:38-41)
That is, when we sit at the table, we pray over our food, first of all thanking God who provided the food, and all things for us, then we pray to sanctify, purify the food so that it will do us good.
vs 5. What God has cleansed, let no man call unclean. It is necessary to pray when we receive our food from God.
Exodus 23:25. Our bread (food) and water can be medicine through which God takes sicknesses away from us. Some people have studied this in the medical way. They know and have said that it is not good for us to be dehydrated because water serves a lot of good purposes in our bodies. You can live for a number of days without food, but not without water because it nourishes your body.
2 Kings 2:19-22. When the water of a place where the sons of the prophet dwelled was bitter and not good for drinking, they cried to the him and he cleansed it by putting salt in the source of it and the water was healed and became healthy for drinking. Water is very good because it nourishes the body, whether it is from the spring, or in a bottle, the most important part is that it is clean and fit for drinking. When it has stayed for a long period in the sun or in the car, it becomes unsafe even if you put it in the fridge to cool. The water we take can either bring life or death.
ch 4:38-41. There was famine at a period of time in Israel. The sons of the Prophet sat in his presence and he commanded that food be cooked for them. Someone by mistake gathered non-edible herbs along with edible ones and added them to the pot of pottage. You must know what you are cooking for the family, the health values and what it will give to the body, whether good or bad. As they were eating the pottage, someone cried out that there was death in it. What a lesson for us today, to ensure that we know what we are eating to prevent sicknesses and diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clotting which can lead to untimely death.
When you go to visit people, when they set before you what they eat and you know it is not good for you, you must politely turn it down for the good of your health. When they reported to Elisha the condition of the food, he told them to bring him meal, and he put it in the pot and instructed that the food be served and it was safe for eating. The point is, we need to pray on our meals, on the food and water.
- Spiritual Perception of Forbidden Food and the World
(Leviticus 11:4-7; 20:24-26; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4)
What are the spiritual perceptions we have about what God was teaching the children of Israel? Known unto God are all His works from the foundation of the world. Everything written in the Scriptures were written for our learning – for them and for us Gentiles. God forbad the children of Israel from eating animals that do not chew the curd and ones whose hoofs are not divided.
- Chew the curd. Masticating and digesting the food. How does this apply to us? Chew and digest the word of God and it will keep you healthy and strong. Reading of the word helps you to digest it and know exactly what God wants you to do.
- Part the hoof – For example, the hoofs of camels and some other animals are not parted. You must be separate from the world and keep yourself holy for the Lord.
Leviticus 20:24. Be holy, because the Lord, your God is Holy. Believe His word and live by it.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Separate yourself from unbelievers. Be ye not unequally yoked with them. If you feed on the word, you must not be yoked with unbelievers. As you chew the curd, you must also part the hoof, that is, be separated from sin and sinners. If you part the hoof – separate yourself from sinners and you don’t feed on the word, you will be unclean before God. The two things must go together.
There is no agreement between Christ and Belial, no communion between light and darkness, no part joining the saints and infidels. We are the temple of the living God. When we separate ourselves, we will be His children and He will be our Father.
Revelation 18:4. Part the hoof, chew the curd. Be not partakers of their sins, separate yourself from them.
- PROVIDED FRUITS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE AND HAPPY EXISTENCE. Genesis 1:29-30; 43:11
We need food and fruits and it is the combination of the two which actually feeds our bodies. Many people don’t know that food also affects our moods, emotion, thinking and the function of the brain.
We are now talking of fruits and vegetables – pawpaw, pineapples, tomatoes, pomegranate, oranges, etc. They are not food, but we need them because God created them for us.
Genesis 1:29-30; 43:11. Vegetables, fruits – God gave them to us. The children of Israel were going to buy food in Egypt and he instructed them to take of the best fruits in the land along as gifts to the Prime Minister. This shows us how important fruits are to the body, and the fact that some of them help in lowering the blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. Note that some of the fruits also have sugar in them, and this makes it inappropriate for you if your blood sugar is already high. Nuts are parts of the fruits – and they are very good and nourishing. Some are even ground to make milk, etc.
- Essential Fruits for Sustained Health
(Ecclesiastes 2:5; Joel 2:21-26; Psalm 104:13-14; Amos 9:14)
Ecclesiastes 2:5. Some people plant fruits and vegetables in gardens around their homes and therefore get things that other people pay for free of charge. This helps them to be healthy. May God help us to be wise.
Psalm 104:13. The works of God – as the rains come, they grow. We can equally take advantage of the rains and plant things that will be beneficial to our health – vegetables of different kinds, seeds of various kinds. Make use of the provision of God to prosper the works of your hands in feeding yourself.
vs 14. Tea comes from some leaves. They are processed and from it, we have the variety that solves some health problems, and the one we drink as part of our food.
The cattle, fish, birds do not grow from the earth, therefore, they are not the completeness of our foods but the vegetables, fruits, nuts, Irish and sweet potatoes, etc. grow out of the earth and make food for us.
Amos 9:14. “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.” This is not referring to fermented wine which intoxicates but juices which are squeezed from the fruits which are very good for the body. They will also make gardens in their homes, reap and eat the fruits of them.
- Enjoyable Fruits that Strengthen Hearts
(Deuteronomy 11:10-12; Number 11:5; 13:23-24; Deuteronomy 8:8-10)
Here, we are not talking about the spiritual heart but the normal heart, the center where blood is pumped to all parts of the body including the brain. When the heart is strong and healthy, it serves you well. You will not run or walk and get tired easily because you have a strong heart which gives the rest of your body real strength.
Deuteronomy 11:10-12. God told the children of Israel that in the land they were coming to, they would have all the fruits and vegetables that made them talk about the land of Egypt with so much longing. The land was fruitful and they would not need to do irrigation to wet their crops because rains fall directly from heaven to water it. God cares for the land and His eyes are over it from the beginning to the end of the year. There are fruits and vegetables that grow in each season because God waters it every period of every year.
- Expected Fruit from the Spiritual Heirs
(Titus 3:7-8,14; Galatians 4:6-7; 5:19-26; Romans 6:22-23)
As we consider our bodies, we also consider our souls and spirit so that we balance up everything. We are Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ (Titus 3:7-8) We must maintain good works so that we can be fruitful. We take fruits and vegetables to nourish our bodies, same way we allow the fruits of the Spirit to manifest from us so that we will have the kind of good influence we ought to have on other people.
Galatians 4:6-7. We are spiritual Heirs of God through Christ and we need to bear fruits that prove this.
ch 5:19-26. People who indulge in the works of the flesh are not born again or regenerated and have nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. They indulge in the works of the flesh and they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. They are strangers to God who turns our lives around, and foreigners to the Holy Spirit who helps us to bear good fruits in our lives. But those who have a relationship with the Holy Spirit are born again and the Holy Spirit abides and bears fruits in them. If we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit. Interaction and living in the Spirit takes the desire of the flesh away from us. Also, as believers, we must not envy or provoke one another.
Romans 6:22 “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” The freedom which comes from Christ our Saviour and Lord helps us to be servants of God and also bear fruits to everlasting life.
vs 23” For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- PROPER FEEDING FOR A HOLY LIFE AND HEAVEN’S ENTRY. Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:3-4
Because our lives on earth is brief and small compared to the totality of our existence, whatever happens here on earth has a lot to do with our gaining entry into the Kingdom of God. We may even live up to 100 years and more, but one day, the physical life will be over, and dust will return to dust, and the soul and spirit will return to God who gave it. To be healthy and fit to enter into heaven, you must feed your soul and spirit with the word of God.
Deuteronomy 8:3. Man does not live by food only, but by every word of God. You cannot abandon the food that goes through the mouth because of the one which goes in through the ears and eyes, your spiritual life will be good but your body will be weak and sickly. To grow spiritually, you must take in the word by reading with the eyes and hearing with the ears.
Matthew 4:3. The devil came to the Lord, tempting Him. He is so limited in his knowledge and only cares for the bread that nourishes the body. Jesus knew beyond him and so, He told him that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Words from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel are not their words but words which comes from the mouth of God.
- Diligently Feeding on the Word for a Humble Life
(1 Peter 2:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14; Micah 6:8; Matthew 23:12)
1 Peter 2:1-2. Just like our mothers will tell us not to eat some kind of foods because they are not healthy, so we are supposed to abandon some things and take in the word of God in order to grow spiritually.
Micah 6:8. When you read the word of God, you know what is just and unjust, clean and unclean, acceptable and unacceptable. Then you will be able to walk humbly and justly before God, with no spirit of retaliation towards your fellow man.
- Daily Following “The Word” for a Holy Life
(John 1:1-4,14; Ephesians 5:1-7; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; Galatians 2:20)
John 1:1-4. He calls Him “The Word” in vs 1, and “Him” in vs 3. Jesus Christ is the Word and without Him, nothing was made. He became flesh and dwelled among us, showing forth the glory of the Father. He is the Word that we follow, we live like Him, for Him and by His strength which He gives us.
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” This is why we are able to follow, live in, for, and by His strength.
- Decidedly Drinking of the Water for a Heavenward Life
(John 4:13-14; Ephesians 5:26-27; John 7:37-39; Revelation 21:6-8,27)
John 4:13. Jesus here talks to the woman at the well that He would give her the water of life, and not the one from the well. Whosoever drinks of the water of life will live and never thirst again. We come and lean on Him and He gives us the water of life which changes our desires, and we no longer desire the things of the flesh but of the Spirit. When we take clean water, our insides will be properly cleansed, our nerves and every part will function well, and all impurities and toxic wastes will be expelled from our system. Same with when we take in the word of God, it cleanses, purifies and takes out all wastes that would affect our lives. Then He will present us to Himself as a glorious church with no spot, wrinkle or any such thing.
Even if you are old in age, when you drink enough water, it helps your aging to slow down and the wrinkles will be smoothened out. Same for when you take the water of life, it will smoothen out all wrinkles in your spiritual mlife.
John 7:37-39. He has spoken to us about water, relating to salvation and sanctification, now, he is speaking to us about water relating to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He is calling anyone who is thirsty to come to Him and drink of the water of life and out of his inner man shall flow rivers of living water. The Lord is inviting us to come for the bread and water of life.
Revelation 21:6-8,27. It is all done. Every provision has been made, and everything can be yours. He will give to everyone who is thirsty of the water from the fountain of life freely. Health for your life, salvation, progress, prosperity, sanctification, Holy Ghost baptism, everything for enjoyment of your spiritual life, and for moving from here to heaven. Come and it is free.
Rise and go to the Lord in prayer. Ask for all that the Lord has provided for your spirit, soul and body. Come, He will not discriminate against, or push you back, He will not say No to anything you need – restoration, revival, renewal, everything is available. He loves, and provided and prepared everything for you.
