Let me touch a very sensitive subject "meat-eating".This is important because before we see God greater reforms should be seen among God's people.
"There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reformation."GC,p506
Let me start from Eden since we are from eden to eden.
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."--Genesis 1:29
"It was not in the plan of God in creation that the life of any of His creatures should be taken.Death, in man or beast, wherever it might exist,came in consequence of sin,and this whole mammoth custom of taking the life of God's creatures to sustain human life,is simply the fruit of transgression.Had our first parents maintained their Eden innocence,had the curse never fallen upon man or beast,the earth would never have been stained with a drop of blood;the almost universal custom of flesh-eating, with its attendant pain and death, would never have been known. The Creator, in definately stating what should constitute food for man, did not mention flesh." "C.T.B.H p169.
"Even in this life it is not for our good to depart from the will of our Father in heaven. When we learn the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our only questions will be, What is God's command? and what His promise? Knowing these, we shall obey the one, and trust the other."DA 121.2.
In Numbers chapter 11-We see God tried to make His people vegetarians when He took them out of Egypt.It is important that we study the history of the children of Israel so that we may not repeat the same mistakes.Consider these qoutes:
"Satan's snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people."5T,p160
"I have seen that self-glorification was becoming common among Seventh-day Adventists and that unless the pride of man should be abased and Christ exalted we should, as a people, be in no better condition to receive Christ at His second advent than were the Jewish people to receive Him at His first advent."5T ,p727.3.
Let me look closely what happened....
"And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?"--Numbers 11:4
"And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust."--Psalm 78:18.
Then Moses sayed "Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat."--Numbers 11:13.
Then the Lord gave them their own desire--"And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth."Number 11:31.
NB-"And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted."Numbers 11:33,34.
Pork eaters be reminded--"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
Paul says--"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted...Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."1 Corinthians 10:6,11
" Our habits of eating and drinking show whether we are of the world or among the number whom the Lord by His mighty cleaver of truth has separated from the world. These are His peculiar people, zealous of good works. God has spoken in His word. In the case of Daniel and his three companions there are sermons upon health reform. God has spoken in the history of the children of Israel, from whom for their good He sought to withhold a flesh diet. He fed them with bread from heaven; "man did eat angel's food." But they encouraged their earthly appetite; and the more they centered their thoughts upon the fleshpots of Egypt, the more they hated the food which God gave them to keep them in health physically, mentally, and morally. They longed for the fleshpots, and in this they did just as many in our own time have done. "6T ,p 372.2
"Satan, the author of disease and misery, will approach God's people where he can have the greatest success. He has controlled the appetite in a great measure from the time of his successful experiment with Eve, in leading her to eat the forbidden fruit. He came with his temptations first to the mixed multitude, the beiliving Egyptians, and stirred them up to seditions murmurings.They would not be content with the healthful food which God had provided for them. Their depraved appetite craved a greater variety, especially flesh-meats.This murmuring soon infected nearly the whole body of the people."SOP. Vol 1,p281.
Lets here what the prophet says now........
"The Lord intends to bring His people back to live upon simple fruits, vegetables, and grains. He led the children of Israel into the wilderness where they could not get a flesh diet; and He gave
them bread from heaven. Man did eat angel's food. But they craved the flesh pots of Egypt, and mourned and cried for flesh, notwithstanding that the Lord had proposed that if they would
submit to His will, He would carry them into the land of Canaan, and establish them there, a pure, holy, happy people, and there would not be a feeble one in all their habitations, for He would
take away all sickness from among them. But although they had a plain 'thus saith the Lord,' they mourned, and wept, and murmured, and complained, it displeased the Lord;..." SpM45-46
"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. Vegetables, fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh meat should enter our stomachs. The eating of flesh is unnatural. We are to return to God's original purpose in the creation of man." Counsels on Diet and Foods, pg. 380.
"Meat eating...has always been a curse to the human family..., and our only safety now is in leaving meat entirely alone." Counsels on Diet and Foods,p 412
"Will the people who are seeking to become holy, pure, refined, that they may be introduced into the society of heavenly angels, continue to take the life of God's creatures, and enjoy their flesh as a luxury? From what the Lord has shown me, this order of things will be changed, and God's peculiar people will exercise temperance in all things." CTBH 48.2.
"...we do not hesitate to say that flesh meat is not necessary for health or strength. If used it is because a depraved appetite craves it. Its use excites the animal propensities to increased activity and strengthens the animal passions. When the animal propensities are increased, the intellectual and moral powers are decreased. The use of the flesh of animals tends to cause a grossness of body and benumbs the fine sensibilities of the mind."2T p63.2.
“If ever there was a time when the diet should be of the most simple kind, it is now. Meat should not be placed before our children. Its influence is to excite and strengthen the lower passions, and has a tendency to deaden the moral powers. Grains and fruits prepared free from grease, and in as natural a condition as possible, should be the food for the tables of all who claim to be preparing for translation to heaven.” 2T 352
"Those who believe present truth...should refuse to eat flesh meat." EV 265
"It has been clearly presented to me that God's people are to take a firm stand against meat eating." CDF 383
"Those who use flesh meat disregard all the warnings that God has given us concerning this question. They have no evidence they are walking in safe paths." Ibid., p. 383.
"Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat eating will eventually be
done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavour to work steadily toward it." Counsels on Health, p. 450.
"Those who are in a position where it is possible to secure a vegetarian diet, but who choose to follow their own preferences in this matter, eating and drinking as they please, will gradually
grow careless of the instruction the Lord has given regarding other phases of the present truth and will lose their perception of what is truth." Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 156, 157.
"Many who are now only half converted on the question of meat eating will go from God's people, to walk no more with them .... Far better give up the name of Christian than make a profession and
at the same time indulge appetites which strengthen unholy passions .... [God] calls for decided reformation." Counsels on Health,pp. 575-579.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."--1 Corinthians 3:16,17.
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."--1 Corinthians 6:19,20 .
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."1 Corinthians 10:31.
May God help us to live up to the light He has given us up to the present.
God Bless.
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