Is It Wrong to Eat Meat & Was Sacrifice Necessary?

Buckle up, this is a long one! To the vegetarians, omnivores, and carnivores, this post is for all of you. Here is a thoughtful poser to any among us who may judge others for their diet choices, to any among us who consider the non-meat eater as weak-minded and foolish, and to any among us who consider the meat-eaters as barbarous butchers: Do any of us fully understand the meaning behind life, death, and sacrifice and how it all correlates to what we consume? I am continually frustrated over the hatred, mockery, and slander that is flung around by both sides, so please tuck away your pride and try to read the following with an open mind, as my endeavor is not to offend but to appeal to your understanding nature.

And let’s just be clear, if you believe God never permitted humans to eat meat (whether it is right or wrong we'll get into), then you are probably among those who believe the scriptures can't be trusted at all. If this is the case, please skip reading this article, because it will have scripture throughout.

Psalms 12:6,7 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, you shall preserve them from this generation forever. 

So let’s explore the scriptures and thoughts behind humans eating animal flesh and the sacrificing of animals.

Leviticus 17:13,14 Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore, I have said to the people of Israel, "You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."

Exodus 29:17,18 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to Yehovah. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to Yehovah.

As someone who is a huge animal lover, it may seem odd to some of my vegetarian friends that I have no problem eating meat. It is, in fact, probably my favorite source of energy. I attribute the practical mindset I believe I have to my father. I grew up on a farm where we had to butcher chickens, rabbits, sheep, ducks, turkeys, geese, and cows. When I was around ten years old, my father taught me how to chop off a chicken's head. He showed us how to do it with respect and mercy for the animal. When you learn about the hard aspects of life at a young age, you don’t go through the shock that people who learn it as adults do.

Living on a farm with the reality of disease, injuries, death, and problems all around me, I realized that if I let my emotions control me while doing the hard task of putting meat in the freezer, I wouldn't be able to do it in a manner that spared the animal any pain. I would mess up and make it suffer more, so I trained myself to accept the reality of death and dispatch of them as quickly as possible so that there would be no suffering. I became proficient at this and often took over the task for others who understandably didn't want to do it. My husband asked me, “Is it something that you become numb to? Or is it something you can never get used to?” Some people get numb, yes, but I never will. Realizing the necessity behind this task may have toughened me up, but I will never not feel sad for seeing an animal die. Never. This is because that animal is sacrificing its life for my wellbeing.

My belief is that, whether vegetarian or not, we literally receive life from all living organisms. Everything we eat is or was alive. It has to be. Try and survive by eating just salt which is not alive. Plants, though not animals, are comparable to them. They live, they breath, they listen to sounds, and they even communicate with each other. Some species we label male and female. Plants need to eat as well. Some consume dead flesh, and some plants even consume live flesh, like the Venus-flytrap or the pitcher-plant. It’s the food chain or the circle of life. We all depend on each other. Life must always be taken from somewhere in order to survive because of the curse. When death entered the world – so did sacrifice. In order for life to continue and delay death, the life of one thing must be sacrificed in order to sustain the life of another thing. Inevitably all living things will die, but sacrifice prolongs the inevitable.

I’m intrigued by Christians who claim animal sacrifices were ended with Yeshua’s death on the cross. I hear some exclaim, “Thank goodness animal sacrifices are abolished!” Many don’t stop to think, though, that for 70 years after His resurrection, His followers continued to sacrifice animals in the temple until it was destroyed. I guess Yeshua didn't tell them, "I’m the last sacrifice ever."? Yeshua's sacrifice did not end death. He Himself defeated death when He was resurrected, spiritually and physically, but death for the rest of the world still continues. Because of this, so does the necessity of sacrifice. Death and sacrifice will only be ended when the last of all corrupted bodies put on the incorruptible in the final resurrection. Yeshua's sacrifice makes this possible. His incorruptible life will give us a life that not even the second death can touch.

1 Corinthians 15:53,54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory..."

Revelation 20:14,15 And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire.

So we can see there is much that hasn't been fulfilled yet by Yeshua, but because Christians seem to believe that everything has been accomplished, there is so much confusion surrounding sacrifice. Yes, He conquered death, but we will still die. Yes, He conquered sin, but we will still sin. This is why I always stress how the entire law is not abolished. Until Yeshua has completely obliterated sin and death on the very last day, all these things still remain – sin, death, sacrifice, the law, the need for obedience, etc.

Christians still kill animals and eat them just as people did in the Old Testament. Not as a sacrifice to God of course, but it is a sacrifice, nonetheless. None of us should be surprised, then, that temple sacrifices will be renewed (read Ezekiel 40:41-43, 46, and Zechariah 14:21) when Yeshua comes to reign in the millennial kingdom. They will continue to serve as sobering reminders to people.

The very first sacrifice of an animal was done by God himself when He clothed Adam and Eve with the skin of the sheep. He showed them His provision through His creation, but also the cost of their disobedience. Never again could Adam and Eve have pleasure and goodness without some kind of cost. We see people fighting this reality in the world today all the time – everyone wants to eat their cake and have it too. We want the joy without the pain, the blessing without the suffering, and the reward without the work. But we don’t live in the garden of Eden anymore. If you want something good, you will need to sacrifice something to obtain it. Nothing is free. Even for eternal life, which is described as a free gift, we must daily sacrifice the desires of our flesh to attain it. That is why we are called living sacrifices.

Matthew 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

We all know how joy and appreciation of blessings cannot be fully experienced unless suffering comes first. I've often asked myself, why did I have to give up that, or why did God make me suffer so much by going through this, and then I realize why later when the blessing comes. Because of sin, we cannot understand real happiness or gratification without some amount of loss. We can’t keep fighting to live in the Garden of Eden, to have our cake and eat it too. I've seen this idea trending a lot on social media, that we have to go back to living the way things were before the curse, but the reality is we’ve been banished from that life until God brings a new heaven and earth that hasn’t been tainted by sin and death. Our flesh is corrupt, so to try and go back to a place of perfection is denying reality. It's like climbing over the wall like a robber or fighting to get past the angels who guard the entrance. There is a good reason we are not allowed back. We would corrupt the garden and continue breaking His laws because we are no longer perfect. We cannot skip suffering, and we must learn to endure according to His will in order to be able to experience the joy of the next life. So many teach to take hold of things by force, such as healing, knowledge, gifts, etc, but the Father wants submissive children who seek His will and His timing and accept when He says no.

Romans 8:16,17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

An animal giving up its life serves as a constant reminder of the price of sin and the value of life. We shouldn’t consume unless we are aware of that sacrifice. Vegetarians, do you remind yourself of the sacrifice even plants make for your well-being? Those who eat meat, do you mindlessly consume meat without remembering the sacrifice that was made to give you it?

Even if sacrifice is not a pleasant thing, I can still see the care God has taken to make a blessing out of a curse. He has made sure nothing is wasted. When we consume the animals that God has designated as food for us, our bodies are obviously benefiting from the energy, minerals, and nutrients they supply. Any time an animal dies, whether it is eaten by a human or not, its body will contribute to feeding some other animal or else giving nutrients to the ground which then the plants consume, and in many cases, those plants are then consumed by more animals or humans. The circle of life has been ordained to not waste anything in a world cursed by death, so honestly, whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater, you are a part of that cycle. None of us should be judging anyone’s dietary preferences, because we are all forced to benefit from life-giving organisms. Both meat-eaters and vegetarians are constantly benefiting from the death of animals, even if it's indirectly, and in my opinion, we contribute to less waste when we consume animals conscientiously. I think there would be far more waste and disease if the whole world suddenly stopped eating meat. This is because God has balanced the way the world functions, even if it is not perfect anymore.

Many people claim that we don't need to eat meat. I would like to politely disagree with this. If you have lived in multiple bodies and experienced all the different kinds of metabolisms and seen that you can still be healthy and satisfied in them all, then I'd say you have perfect license to direct someone's dietary needs beyond your own. I believe after the fall that sin not only corrupted the body, but it also corrupted God's creation (we see how both the plants and the animals were changed in order for them to survive instant death after the curse). Whatever perfect kind of food they had in the garden was sufficient for their perfect bodies. It must have been wonder food! Now though, we are changed - and each one of us is unique for survival to have its best chance. Notice how some animals only eat plants, and some animals only eat meat. Imagine if everything had the same diet! Starvation and extinction would be certain. Humans are similar in that all our bodies operate differently. Some of us need only plants, and some of us need only meat. Some of us are in-bewtween. I used to think everyone should go on the carnivore diet and limit carbs, and then I realized I was completely wrong. My husband needs high carbs or else he wastes away. I, on the other hand, cannot eat lots of carbs like he can without gaining weight speedily. My body needs less to function. Beans cause me agony no matter how long I've tried to condition myself to them. Grains give me headaches. I even have a limited interest in fruit whereas my husband eats loads of fruit every day. I see this as proof that all things, including plants, have been corrupted, so we need to find what our bodies instinctively know is best in order to survive this temporary curse. We shouldn't judge anyone for their body's unique needs.

Every living organism exists on what I call an "Awareness Spectrum," and based on where it is on the spectrum, there is either more or less sadness over the taking of its life. Interesting, isn't it? Everything suffers in some way when it dies, but we don't care quite as much for the suffering of something that isn't as aware of its suffering.

AWARENESS SPECTRUM

1. Animals such as chimpanzees, dolphins, parrots, and elephants exist at the top of this spectrum. They are among some of the smartest and most aware of all living organisms after human beings. I think many of us are most disturbed when we see the killing of such incredibly smart animals. They are useless for meat also, so it is completely wasteful to take their lives.

2. Dogs, cats, and other predatory animals come next. They are highly intelligent and experience a wide range of emotions.

3. Sheep, cows, and common birds come next. They are often labeled as stupid, but they still have emotions, and some can be quite intelligent.

4. Fish come next. We can detect personality, but their emotional awareness is harder for us to perceive. I believe this is why some "vegans" will include them in their diet, but I have not personally asked a vegan if this is why. If you have an opinion, feel free to share!

5. Insects come next. There are some insects like praying mantises and jumping spiders that seem to be more aware and have personality, but generally, we see insects as emotionless. I've met only a couple people in my life who feel it's wrong to kill an ant, spider, or mosquito.

6. Plants come next, and I could make a complete Awareness Spectrum for them as well, but I'll keep it all in one paragraph. Sensitive plants (Mimosa Pudica) can react to touch by folding their leaves, and the Venus Flytrap is incredible with its fast-acting jaws. Sunflowers exhibit heliotropism, turning toward sunlight, indicating awareness of light direction. Some trees respond to danger by releasing chemicals to deter herbivores, but despite these things, most deem plants as very unaware, near the bottom of the spectrum.

7. Fungus, coming last, can do basic problem-solving when navigating toward nutrients. One kind of fungus, incredibly, can infect the brains of its prey, taking control and forcing the animal to climb to the highest place where it can then let off its spores.

I'm not too sure where bacteria or crustaceans would fall on this spectrum, but I think you get the idea. We can see even the organisms on the very bottom of the spectrum are capable of extraordinary things and have awareness, and that is because they possess the miracle of life. Still, there's is not as much sadness associated with taking life from something that is less aware, and I believe that's why some of us turn to eating only plants. I understand that it's hard to accept the reality that something has to die in order for us to live.

So, my real beef is with people who love to kill and waste just for sport. With people who corrupt or abuse. With people who think they are better than others for not eating animals. With people who say that if someone is frustrated over being told they shouldn’t eat meat, it's their demons reacting to the truth. With people who persecute or mock others for not eating animals. With the city folk who could care less that they depend on others to do all the dirty sacrificial work for them.

Now that I've expressed why some eat meat and why some do not, neither being wrong, I want to discuss the need for Yeshua's sacrifice. If one considers that animals can be food, and the only animals that could be sacrificed are those fit for eating (clean animals), then this implies that all sacrifices pertain to what is consumed - food. It is fascinating to me the link between food and sacrifice that perhaps we don't often think about. Gidon brought the Angel of the Lord food as a sacrifice, and He consumed it with fire. The priests and even the one who brought sacrifices to the temple were often required to consume the sacrifice. Yeshua's body was sacrificed for us, and He tells His disciples that they are required to "consume" Him if they would have life. More on that later.

I remember reading a children's book when I was young that implied God rejected Cain's offering because it was fruit and not a lamb; however, Cain was likely making a firstfruit offering - an offering where the best of the first fruits is to be offered to God. His offering was rejected because his heart was full of jealousy. The firstfruit offering is an extremely important one, for it points to the Messiah's resurrection from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

We see also the virgins of Revelation who will be a firstfruit offering.

Revelation 14:4,5 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

Consumption is a peculiar thing, and I believe it correlates to the spiritual far more than we realize. Since sacrifices are linked to consumption, Yeshua uses His bodily sacrifice as an allegory.

John 6:52-58 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Later, his disciples confused, questioned Him about this:

John 6:60-64 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

The Jews were offended because obviously one was not to eat or drink human flesh and blood. Their minds were set on the flesh, though, not the spiritual, so they couldn't understand the allegory Yeshua made. I think Yeshua intentionally spoke this way because he knew the hearts of those listening to him. He was not afraid of offending their flesh. Instead of being offended by what is permissible because all we see is death, flesh, and blood, we should be searching and looking for the spiritual meanings, benefits, and blessings of the things God has allowed. Writing this article has certainly caused me to more deeply consider my diet and appreciate the sacrifice made by what I consume. I hope I've been able to encourage you to feel this as well regardless of what you choose to eat.

1 Timonthy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Hebrews 10:11-14 And indeed every priest stands day by day ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But He, offering but one sacrifice for sins, "sat down" in perpetuity "at the right hand" of God, from then on expecting "until His enemies are placed as a footstool" of His feet. For by one offering He has perfected in perpetuity the ones being sanctified. 

So animal sacrifices cannot remove sin, they are the result of sin. However, Yeshua's sacrifice, because He was sinless, gives eternal spiritual life to the one who believes. Since the law requires sacrifice as a punishment for sin, He receives the punishment in our place, and our faith in His sacrifice perfects us in His sight. It is all spiritual - for we know that even as believers, we will continue to sin and die. That is why we must have faith, walking and thinking in the spirit. The curse of the law, the law of sin and death, continues in the lives of all who reject Him, and the corruption of the flesh (sin-nature) continues even in all those who receive Him until heaven and earth passes away. This is why the believers continued with sacrifices even after the resurrection of the Messiah, despite the ultimate sacrifice already being made. We are still waiting for sin and death to be removed before the law can be ended.

Luke 16:17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. 

Romans 8:2-5 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set me free from the law of sin and of death. For the law being powerless, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous demand of the law might be fulfilled in us, those not walking according to flesh, but according to Spirit. For the ones that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh. And the ones according to Spirit mind the things of the Spirit.

God is not bloodthirsty. God does not take pleasure in death. What did Samuel tell the rebellious Saul? To obey is better than sacrifice. Sacrifice means absolutely nothing if there is no love, no understanding, no remembrance, and no obedience. Sadly, many today have very little of those things. Instead of criticizing others for having to operate a certain way because of the curse and for sin making these sad reminders necessary, we should be seeing the positive elements of what God is showing us through these sacrifices and helping each other remember their purpose. Sacrifice should point us to the Messiah, the ultimate innocent One who suffered and died for us by sacrificing Himself. Please try not to block that important reminder through refusing to eat meat or see an animal die. I hate seeing the death of animals, but I also appreciate my experience with it because it has made me appreciate what true sacrifice is. Don't think about it as just blood being spilled. It's about giving up life in order to strengthen or aid someone else's life. Fast food, convenience stores, and processed foods - they all mask that sacrifice and teach people to take advantage of it without paying any cost besides money, without feeling any of the soberness they should when they know something was sacrificed for their benefit. This whole world is numb to sacrifice, and the devil has done everything to twist sacrifice to conceal its message, to either make it look horrid so that it causes offense and thus division, or for people to use it to indulge in wickedness.

I can see the good despite the suffering. A human mother sacrifices her very blood and body to grow the vulnerable child inside her. The devil tries to twist this around and demand the sacrifice of the child for the mother in order for the mother to be able to indulge in her sin, be it fornication or lack of faith in God (another example of man trying to have their cake and eat it too). Unless we fight to uphold the message of goodness, the devil will confuse and defile the meaning of true sacrifice or have us forget about it altogether as we get into meaningless arguments about each other's diet choices.

Unfortunately, because we are so forgetful as human beings, the Father has to use hard reminders. I hope He can use this post as a thoughtful reminder to whoever reads it. The most important thing to the Father is our obedience. He's not interested in blood and suffering. He's interested in our hearts being sober and submissive to Him so we can fend off the power of sin and treat each other with love, kindness, and forgiveness. Please stop mocking others for their diet choice, and most of all, please remember that nothing should go to waste. Remember the price. Appreciate the blessing.

Read the following verses and remember, when they say Abba doesn't desire sacrifice, they are not saying that sacrifice is unnecessary. Abba despises sacrifice that violates His pre-ordained way, but Abba still requires sacrifice done in obedience. Just as a father would be sick who took pleasure in the harsh discipline of a rebellious son, so also would be a God who took pleasure in sacrifice, no matter how necessary it is. Our Father is pleased by the obedience not the sacrifice.

Hebrew 10:3-6 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.”

1 Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Proverbs 21:3 “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Mark 12:33 “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Micah 6:6-8 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

Thank you for reading this far! If after reaching the end of this article, you still cannot accept or understand the necessity of sacrifice, it is because you cannot wrap your mind around the deadliness of sin, and that is completely understandable. We were made in the image of God, and though we've been corrupted to have a sin-nature, part of us just cannot accept how ugly sin and death is. Don't try too hard to understand it, but do try to accept that it is the way it is for now. We should not be adding to God's law, telling others what they can and cannot do in an effort to escape the reality of the law of sin and death. Thank God someday we shall be redeemed from all this pain and suffering!

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the Word that has been written, "Death was swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?" Now the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! So that, my beloved brothers, you be firm, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord always, knowing that your labor is not without fruit in the Lord.