I Don’t Like Spiders and Snakes

Green Spider Fractal by Flickr User Ahmed Sagarwala, CC License = Attribution, Noncommercial, No Derivative Works
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…and that ain’t what it takes to love God because apparently He doesn’t like them either. Well, at least He doesn’t like them on our dinner menu. 🙂 And I like them so little that I was getting pretty grossed out as I was looking for a picture to go with this post, so I went back to my search box and typed in “spider fractal” to come up with the above. That’s not quite as bad to me.
In today’s reading from Leviticus 11:1 through Leviticus 11:32, we get to see the beginnings of what God told the children of Israel would be a good diet for them. First, God gives Moses some attributes of clean animals, like those that chew the cud AND have a split hoof. And then He tells them some of the animals included under the headings of “clean” or “unclean.” He also makes sure they know that unclean animals are unclean if they are eaten, if their carcasses are touched, or even if a person touches something that touched the carcass.
Some of the items ON the menu include fish with scales (this doesn’t sound too bad) and winged insects (bugs–yuck) that have bendable joints. That means we can eat chocolate-covered grasshoppers if we want, but I don’t think I want. OFF the menu items include weasels, mice, lizards, and geckos. (I’m sure Geico is happy about that last one. LOL) You’ll have to click the link above if you want to read the entire list of clean vs unclean food for that time.
I added the for that time because I do believe that some foods probably could still be left off our plates, but in those times without proper refrigeration and cooking techniques. there were likely even more problems. Of course, we also need to remember that these eating standards were given prior to the discovery of germs. God knew about those things that men could not see, and even after that discovery, those who taught the new “germ theory” (teaching that something too small to see could be deadly) were often considered insane. Aren’t we glad we know better now? And aren’t we glad that God has always known better about these and all things? This is just another example of why we should trust Him now and always.
I find it very interesting that God gave a list of “unclean” animals. Any animal that is a scavenger eating dead things, we are told not to eat. But I have to admit, l love crab legs, shrimp, lobster. Though, they are high in cholesterol. If, I’m not mistaken, beef was allowed and pork was not due to cows do not hold their perspiration in, but pigs do. But I have to admit I love bacon. 🙂
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Yes, Brenda, it’s those things we’ve become accustomed to, especially things like bacon, that make the idea of unclean things seem so difficult to give up. I’ve yet to find bacon from another meat that tastes the same. But the shellfish part is easier for me because my husband has always found them disgusting.
I did learn something interesting today, though… fish with fins and scales do not absorb toxins from the water they swim in, while other (unclean) fish can absorb all kinds of yucky stuff. And lobster, crabs, and shrimp are not actually shellfish. They are in the same family as spiders, cockroaches, and caterpillars. Okay, so now it’s even easier for me to not want them–even if hubby suddenly said it wouldn’t gross him out.
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