God’s provision of healthy food
Read Genesis 1:11-13 and Genesis 1:29-31.
- How does God provide for our need to eat?
Discuss the main foods that are eaten in our area. How many of these come from seed-bearing vegetables or trees?
- Why did God create us with the need to eat?
- Who does God make a covenant with regarding food?
God first chose a vegetarian diet for us. He only gave permission for people to eat foods such as grains, nuts and fruits from vegetables and trees. However, after the flood he gave permission to eat meat. People were told not to eat blood or fat, and only to eat ‘clean’ meat from animals that feed on plants or insects, rather than unclean meat from scavengers. (See Leviticus 11.) The food laws were given to mark the Israelites as God’s people, but they were good for the people’s health as well.
Read Genesis 9:1-5
God makes a new covenant concerning food, this time with Noah and his family.
- What has changed from the time when the first covenant was made?
- What new food was available? Why do you think there has been a change?
- Why do you think God told people not to eat meat with blood in it?
- Why does this law not apply to us today?
