God spoke to Adam and Eve, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.” Genesis 1:29:30. Not only was man created to be vegetarian but birds, animals and all living creatures were too. It was like heaven, and in fact Eden was a kind of heaven before the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. A bit of the initial almost heaven state continued after the fall. Mankind were still eating plants for food.

Eating plants honours God. However, it is also fine to eat meat. Much of our lives on earth are forward looking lives. We aim to conform more and more to what we will be in heaven, and are in fact being transformed more and more into heavenly beings. In heaven we will eat plant food only since there will be no killing of animals or any living thing

All  generations from Adam  to Noah ate plants for food. 

After the flood God brought about a change in diet.  God said to Noah ( and to mankind) “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” Genesis 9:3. Noah and His family were the first people on earth who could move away from a plant diet.

Daniel and three friends all of whom were from Judah asked to be fed vegetables and water, instead of a rich diet including wine. “ Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

So he consented to this and tested them for ten days. And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.” Daniel 1:11-16

Daniel and his three Jewish friends were seen to be in better health than the other men who were eating the rich royal food. So the steward had no hesitation in continuing feeding them vegetarian food. It seems Daniel and his friends knew the value of a simple diet that could have health benefits.

“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.” Daniel 10:2,3

Again it appears Daniel avoided meat, wine and choice food, and presumably ate vegetables again.

A being from heaven is sent to Daniel and speaks,

 “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” Daniel 10:12

From this verse it seems Daniel humbled himself by going vegetarian. Much of the poor people on earth eat a vegetarian diet a lot of the time, and only have fish or meat as a treat.  You are humbling yourself to the level of the poor when you eat simple vegetarian food. It also seems he did it for three weeks, and then his prayers were answered. This suggests that the act of continuing this diet with prayer brought an answer.

When we stay on a vegetarian diet it gains God’s approval. The way I see it fasting is the best way to get stronger in faith. Vegetarianism is another less strong way, and so is partial fasting. All three have God’s approval in gaining more grace, and we do become more effective in prayer and in our faith lives when we exercise these disciplines.

However there are times when fasting may not be possible, for example if you have a physically demanding job. Then, going vegetarian may strengthen your faith and enable you to do manual labour. Even if it only for a few days at a time, it is bound to please God.

“Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.”  Proverbs 15:17. It is better to eat simple vegetarian food with the poor for example, and where love is,  than meat with people who are hateful,

It does not matter if we eat meat or are vegetarian, since God has approved both. The only rule is follow the Holy Spirit.

Michael Hume. The Holy Spirit teaches you everything.  Copyright belongs to author.