There is so much false teaching and confusion out here that many people don’t know what to believe. They are being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). One of the most dangerous things a person can do is accept lies as truth. It blinds you to reality; it closes your ears to truth, being misguided by inherited lies. It’s time to wake up! You can’t afford to be misinformed any longer.
You have to stop shutting your ears to the truth and spark an interest to rethink what your mind has accepted as true. There is no harm in reassessing a situation. You should always do your own research to validate whatever you accept as truth. With that being said, let's reevaluate this thought on Divine license to eat pork. This question really needs answers, and that is, “Is it really scripturally okay to eat pork?”
Sanctifying Themselves to Eat Pork
First, let us emphasize that "He has commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has He given any man license to sin" (Sirach 15:20). Yahuah (God) has not granted permission for anyone to indulge in sin and act as they please. His commandments were given to protect us and, through obedience, to bring blessings upon us. Many of the challenges we face in life stem directly from our disobedience to His commandments. "My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23).
Therefore, did Yahuah truly sanction His people to consume pork? Or did mankind assume this permission for themselves? Consider the words of the Prophet Isaiah “17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens Behind one tree in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, Shall be consumed together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 66:17). Prophet Isaiah makes it clear that it is Yahuah's people who have chosen to sanctify themselves for the consumption of pork, not the Most High Yahuah Himself.
His commandment on Pork
Yahuah commanded His people not to eat pork. You find this in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. He said, “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. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:4-8).
“8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase” (Deuteronomy 14:8).
Nowhere else in the scriptures does he say it's ok to eat pork.
The Vision of Peter: Did Yahuah (God) Permit Abominable Meats?
“9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven” (Acts 10:9-16)
Many people claim that Yahuah (God) sanctioned the consumption of abominable meats through Peter's vision. But is this true? Was the vision solely about dietary permissions?
“Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean” (Acts 10:17). Peter himself was uncertain about the meaning of the vision. He sought clarity because he understood that Yahuah would not contradict His own commandments, which prohibit such meats. To suggest otherwise would imply confusion and a contradiction in the nature of Yahuah (God).
“28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). The vision was revealed unto him, it had nothing to do with food, but with people Yahuah wanted to save at Cornelius house.
Hypocrisy in 1 Timothy 4:3-5
It's intriguing how people selectively turn to 1 Timothy to justify eating pork while ignoring its teachings on women's roles in the church. They dismiss Paul's words in 1 Timothy 2 about women not teaching or preaching, labeling him as biased or outdated, yet eagerly embrace 1 Timothy 4. This is hypocrisy at its finest!
Now, let's delve into what 1 Timothy 4:3-5 actually says.
“3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 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”.
First and foremost, Paul addresses those who advocate abstaining from meats altogether, promoting a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. This issue is also addressed elsewhere in scripture, such as in Romans 14. Paul clarifies that it is permissible to eat meat, but only the meats that scripture permits. He establishes this by pointing out that they were being commanded to abstain from meats which Yahuah (God) created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. To truly understand which meats are acceptable, one must know the truth revealed in Yahuah's commandments in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
Paul continues by stating that every creature of Yahuah is good and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. However, this cannot mean one can eat anything indiscriminately. It does not imply that every creature Yahuah created can be eaten. By that logic, one could justify consuming human flesh from a deceased person, or eating creatures like jellyfish, poisonous spiders, scorpions, hyenas, and komodo dragons. No! Paul is referring to the meats Yahuah has designated as clean for consumption according to His Law.
He further explains that such meat is sanctified by the word of Yahuah and prayer. This means that the food He has already declared clean in His word is the only food that should be eaten. When you pray over it, that food is sanctified and safe to consume because Yahuah has sanctioned it.
The Consequence of Eating Unclean Food
Consider the New Living Translation of the Prophet Isaiah: “Those who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center—feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats—will come to a terrible end,” says the Lord (Isaiah 66:17, NLT). When you sanctify yourself to eat pork despite Yahuah's commandments against it, you will face consequences. You cannot justify your sin with pork by cherry-picking one-liners from what we call the New Testament.
Peter warned about those who twist scriptures, prophesying, “And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction” (2 Peter 3:15-16, NLT). Peter emphasized that twisting scriptures to contradict Yahuah's commandments will lead to self-destruction.
Yahusha (Jesus) Teaching on the Law
Listen, Yahusha (Jesus) said, “17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19)
Yahusha's sacrifice on Mount Calvary was not to permit the consumption of pork, but to offer us forgiveness and cleansing from sin. He upheld the eternal validity of Yahuah's commandments, including those concerning what is clean and unclean for consumption, as outlined in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. To disregard these commandments is to undermine Yahusha's own teachings and diminish one's standing in the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, let us honor Yahusha's words by living according to the truth of Yahuah's commandments, understanding that His sacrifice calls us to obedience and holiness, not to disregard His instructions.
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