Reading the exchanges here I believe something important is missing…..the very reason why God granted permission to eat meat after the flood of Noah’s day, when that was not the original diet he mandated for all living creatures in Genesis?….
Gen 9:1-7….after the floodwaters had subsided…..
”God went on to bless Noah and his sons and to say to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth.”
This was the same mandate given to Adam and his wife, with the exception of one important factor…the “subduing of the earth” was now missing. Why, becomes apparent on further investigation….
“ 2 A fear of you and a terror of you will continue upon every living creature of the earth and upon every flying creature of the heavens, upon everything that moves on the ground and upon all the fish of the sea. They are now given into your hand.“
3 Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for you. Just as I gave you the green vegetation, I give them all to you.”
There were no animals that could not serve as food back then. So, before God allowed humans to eat the flesh of animals, there was no fear of man in them. This was instilled to give these creatures at least some protection from indiscriminate slaughter. Prior to God’s permission to eat meat, no animals had any reason to fear man…..now they did. The only reason to take their life, was for food….not sport. But we know what happened about that….and how God must feel about such wanton killing.
God’s original instructions in Eden were plainly stated….
“And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.”
29 Then God said: “Here I have given to you every seed-bearing plant that is on the entire earth and every tree with seed-bearing fruit. Let them serve as food for you. 30 And to every wild animal of the earth and to every flying creature of the heavens and to everything moving on the earth in which there is life, I have given all green vegetation for food.” And it was so.” (Gen 1:27-30)
So what was there before the flood, that was not there after it, causing God to alter the human diet?
The apostle Peter mentions a canopy of water that surrounded the earth, also mentioned in the Genesis account as “the waters above the expanse and the water below the expanse.” (Gen 1:6-8) There was a separating of the waters above and the waters below. If this water canopy was suspended there above the earth “by the word of God” as Peter stated, (2 Pet 3:5-6) then it explains where the water came from when God flooded the earth.…but where did the water go?
We have two poles on this earth which are both magnetic. Water responds to magnetism (the moon controls the tides through its magnetic pull) so the waters were drawn up into the polar regions and snap frozen when the climate changed in such a short period of time.
It also explains why there is concern about global warming and the polar ice caps melting and again flooding the earth.
That shield of water would have prevented radiation from the sun from harming living things on the earth, creating instead a temperate warm and moist climate in which life would thrive. Removing that canopy would alter the earth’s climate dramatically and increase radiation, leading to premature aging and death through various sicknesses which occurred as mankind descended further and further from the perfection with which they were originally created. Man’s lifespan dropped dramatically after the flood, from hundreds of years to a mere 70 or 80.
The requirement for more protein in their diet was perhaps to counter that reality somewhat. But they were not to be “gluttonous eaters of flesh”, including vegetables in their diet as well other foods. Mankind’s first foods were fruit, having the choice of many varieties provided by God in the garden.
The other thing to consider was that animals did not prey on one another before then either…..as all were given a vegetarian rather than a vegan diet.
And, there was one further proviso…..
4 Only flesh with its life—its blood—you must not eat. 5 Besides that, I will demand an accounting for your lifeblood. I will demand an accounting from every living creature; and from each man I will demand an accounting for the life of his brother. 6 Anyone shedding man’s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God’s image He made man. 7 As for you, be fruitful and become many, and increase abundantly on the earth and multiply.”
Blood was sacred to God as the lifeblood of all creatures sustained their lives and the reason why the sacrifices in Israel involved blood being poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Blood was the very symbol of life itself, and the reason why our savior had to shed his own blood to save mankind.
Every human would account to God for the blood they shed, be it animal or human.
Now, can we see the reason why the mandate to “subdue the earth” was missing?….in the first instance, humans were to represent God on this earth by taking care of all the creatures who would share life here and to care for the planet itself, turning the land outside the garden into a beautiful paradise where they were to live forever…..with the fall of man, that side of the mandate was put on hold whilst God dealt with sin and its dire consequences. Only after everything was reconciled and God’s original purpose re-established, could that mandate go ahead……the earth will then become the paradise of everlasting pleasure that God first intended it to be…..(Isa 55:11; Rev 21:2-3)
That is what my study of the Bible reveals…..FWIW.
