Daniel

My mind is all over the place. I have so much to say and I hope it translates well. Here goes one of my many entries on health! I have so much to write about on this topic but will stick to what I am feeling at the moment! This past week I have been studying the book of Daniel. In fact, not too long ago I got home from my ladies Bible study. We always have great discussion around the table. I love digging into the Word together and then hearing how it applies to our life! I have studied Daniel before (Beth Moore—awesome!) but am currently doing a study where we study every book of the Bible. Every week we will go to the next book and so now we are in Daniel. It has been great to get a deeper understanding of how the Bible all fits together.

Let me give a brief summary of something impacting from Daniel: (taken from chapter 1) Daniel was to serve in the king's palace. He insisted on not defiling his body. Defiling his body would be to partake of the same food everyone else was eating in the palace. God had special laws that forbid His people to eat unclean meats (pork, shellfish, wine, etc.). These meats God calls “detestable”. The Israelites were spared all kinds of diseases and illnesses by obeying these dietary laws. Daniel asked permission from the chief official to eat vegetables and water. The official thought he would get in trouble because Daniel and his men would be very malnourished. Daniel insisted that they test this for ten days. All was agreed upon and at the end of the ten days the Bible says that Daniel and his men looked healthier and better nourished than any of the men that ate the unclean meats. I have in my notes that as a result of Daniel's obedience God gave him health, wisdom and understanding. Under that I have that trusting the Sovereign God brings God's power.

For once I would love someone, a pastor, a teacher, anyone, to camp out on this chapter. As new testament believers we are free from this law that forbids us to eat unclean meats. However, people use that as a crutch that will allow them to eat these unhealthy things. God didn't just pull things out of the air to forbid them to eat. He gave a very specific list of things that to this day if consumed brings about high cholestorol, unstable blood pressure, illness (from a low immune system), and obesity (which that alone leads to a number of things but the highest on the list is heart disease). They were unclean thousands of years ago when God called them detestable and they are not any better now! Is it a sin to eat unclean meats? No. Christ came and freed us from this law. But if you want to be healthy and lower your chances of disease it would be a good idea to try to eliminate these things from your lifestyle. It's very common for Americans to have bacon and eggs for breakfast and then a ham sandwich for lunch followed by a pork chop dinner. And we are wondering why as a nation we are suffering from obesity.

Here are some quick facts about pork: Pigs eat everything and anything including their own waste and young. Disease and toxins get into their bloodstream and are released into their flesh. Pigs don't sweat which is a way to release toxins. Research has shown that people that live too close to pig farms have been sick because of dangerous gases. 70% of pork contains parasites. If you press down on a pig's hoof green pus comes out. Think of that next time you make a ham sandwich.

I understand the point in Daniel was that he was obedient and God honored that. I just get frustrated when we fail to know the whole context. Another side note is that Daniel's diet of eating only vegetables and water for 10 days is a great detox plan. But I will have to go into that at another time!

Please no hate emails! :) This is why I have a blog. I just want to educate and share what I am learning!