The fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico has come to a halt as fishermen and scientists await the affects of the huge spill of oil that gushes at least 210,000 gallons a day into the sea. The South’s shrimpers have been particularly hit hard as shrimp are bottom feeders that eat the ocean waters’ waste and trash. Shrimp, like pig, and catfish are the garbage disposals of the world’s ecosystem. The uncleanliness of such animals is just one reason why the Bible forbids their consumption as food.

From the beginning pages of Genesis, one can read of a specific diet given to mankind. First, Adam and Eve are given every tree, herb, and seed bearing fruit in the Garden of Eden except one. They, of course, chose what was bad for them and fell from perfection. When Noah assembled the animals for the ark he made a distinction between the species and they did not come two by two as commonly believed. Genesis 7 shows how Noah set apart certain animals when they boarded the big boat.

The “clean” animals came in pairs of seven while the “unclean” animals came in pairs of two. The “clean” animals were needed in abundance as they would have been used for food and sacrifice by Noah and his family.

After the flood the Almighty told Noah, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb I have given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat,” Genesis 9:2-4. Of course, this verse doesn’t suggest that every plant or animal is fit for consumption as there are many poisonous items throughout the world. This is explained in Genesis 6:21 which states only that which “is edible” was to be used for food - "and as for you, take for yourself some of all food WHICH IS EDIBLE, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them." Noah knew which foods and plants were not edible and deemed unclean.

Moses later clarified exactly which animals were considered “clean” and fit for consumption in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. All land animals must “chew the cud” and have “cloven hoofs” to be eaten by mankind. Birds may not be scavengers and sea animals must have both fins and scales to be called “clean.” Shrimp, scallops, lobster, and pig are all unclean and were never considered “food” in the Bible.

In the New Testament, one can not find a single verse that shows Peter, Paul, or Jesus eating a ham sandwich or a shrimp dinner. The Messiah believed so firmly in the laws of clean and unclean meats that he destroyed a whole herd of swine being raised for food, in violation of the Almighty's law. The Apostles explained in Acts 15:29 that the laws of clean and unclean animals extended to “gentile” converts who were coming into the faith. This verse suggests that new believers were to “abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, and things strangled.”

Spiritually and physically, it does matter what a person eats. Sea animals without fins and scales were never created to be considered food and should not be eaten.

The oil spill is indeed unfortunate as will continue to affect the world’s seafood market for some time. Perhaps the oil in the water will cause more people to consider the eternal words of the Bible and shy away from unclean bottom dwellers or other forbidden animals.

 

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