Deuteronomy
14 – Israel’s Diet
The
dietary law recorded in Leviticus has now been tested during the wilderness
march for forty years. The diet which God gave to His people was more than just
a religious ritual. There was a physical benefit from their observation of it.
We
are living in a day of diets of all sorts. Everyone seems to be interested in
diet. God has not given specific dietary
laws for you and me. It makes no difference whether we eat meat or don’t eat
meat as far as our relationship to God is concerned.
The
hoof of the animal was to be divided or separated. The separated hoof speaks of
a separated life. Israel was to be separated from the world. Cleaving can mean
to break apart or asunder, or it can mean to be attached to something. This is
true also of separation. The important thing is not to be separated from
certain activities or habits but to be separated unto Christ. When you are
joined to Him, your “walk” will undergo a radical change.
That
word “meditate” has the idea of chewing the cud. Chewing the cud is rechewing,
going over it again. That is what we are to do with the Word of God—we are to
go over and over it, meditating on it.
The
unclean animals fail to meet these two requirements. The pig has the divided
hoof but does not chew the cud. Such animals were designated as unclean and
were not to be eaten.
God
promised to bless His people in a material way if they would serve Him. Out of
that blessing, they were to tithe for the Lord from the produce of the land as
well as from the flocks. This tithe was
to be eaten before the Lord at the place of sanctuary. This would be a special
feasting before the Lord.
The
spiritual principle here is that we must be separated and obedient people. We
must learn to distinguish between what God accepts and what He rejects. We
should glorify God in what we receive and also in what we give.
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.
J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference
Commentary.
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