Meat Eaters

[TCC]

It really is speculation. I've often thought how much more convenient it would be if every creature on the ark just ate grass, but I do think that obligate carnivores became carnivores after the fall.

This is a good observation. Although it would seem easier to have a bunch of animals for long together if they were not eager to eat eachother. Practicality on that kind of timing perhaps might fit into the equation of timing perhaps?

 

[TCC]

Kaajte great question. After reading through this thread it caused me to ponder on some theological implications to perhaps pepper some consideration on animal meat eating timing. Or at least hopefullly spark some thought in that direction. By the way Kaatje, you are quite an impassioned deep thinker upon Him. Love it

Because God's unfolding plan has meaning (like skins to cover Adam and Eve, Abel vs. Cain offering etc), it Is to me also interesting to consider like what is the revelatorily interesting about Him that we could now eat animals after leaving the arc? Like how might that be metaphoric or implicational of something theological about Him, His character, or His plan? The skin in the garden and accepting Abel's sacrifice fit theologically. But eating meat? Like maybe as opposed to drinking milk (meat/meat of the word--like as mankind progresses through time with God's revelation, he/she is able to eat weighter food with more intimately powerful nutrients)?

Or maybe from manna to meat? "Eat my body." And even more controversial (because of its sacredness, "Drink my blood." Just like we see escalation from temple show bread and slaughterhouse sacrifices, we move on to them being metaphor for God Himself in human intimate flesh and blood. We could not eat the blood of animals. But when Christ came, heartily drink His blood. That sounds strange to us. No doubt how it might have seem of such offense to even perhaps the pagan world in the 1st century...and of course the religious Jews.

So maybe something like that where we see graduating pictures of God's unfolding revelation of Himself, so perhaps this is maybe why no meat at first. Then after the arc eat meat. The first Adam / second Adam (Noah as a type). Human nature / resurrected bodies. This kind of pattern of going from this to that. And although eating meat next to plants seems more savage perhaps, what it does to me suggest in His word in Gen 9 is: "I give all to you, as I gave the green plant." So in that sense, even in the garden Adam and Eve did not have this fullest access to God's creation in this way (even though in paradise without sin). But now after Noah, we get "the full range of His creation available to us INTIMATELY so.

So that makes me wonder though, if the lion and lamb or wolf and lamb will lie down next to each other in the 1,000 year reign, will animals no longer eat meat? Living longer because the protective canopy is back? If animals don't eat meat, will people stop eating meat because the very presence of Christ (the fullness of metaphor actualized) is present then?

 

[Batman]

My take on scripture and the MK and then eternity afterward is that animals will absolutely not eat meat and we will see a post MK eternal world where the riches of food will be unimaginable, but meat will not be included. During the flood I've always believed that dried meats/veggies/fruits/nuts, etc. were in plenty for the time on board the ark, including dog/cat/pet food like items for the animals. I've also always believed the animals were very young and docile/kind/gentle.......and small too. The time in Heaven and back on earth to learn these things will be exhilarating.

 

[TCC]

My take on scripture and the MK and then eternity afterward is that animals will absolutely not eat meat and we will see a post MK eternal world where the riches of food will be unimaginable, but meat will not be included. During the flood I've always believed that dried meats/veggies/fruits/nuts, etc. were in plenty for the time on board the ark, including dog/cat/pet food like items for the animals. I've also always believed the animals were very young and docile/kind/gentle.......and small too. The time in Heaven and back on earth to learn these things will be exhilarating.

Wow interesting angle Batman. Will we be eating meat in our new bodies? lol. Like i never thought about that. Ok but just like what did Jesus eat in His? Salad? During the millenisla kingdom though i believe there will be animal sacriifices again per Ez 40-48 new temple. If so....some of us might be eating meat maybe? These thoughts are challenging. Blessings

 

[Amethyst]

whatever the case, in the meantime I will continue with my delicious feast of juicy country ribs, and ground chuck and of course roasted chicken.
Nom nom

 

[Growing in Grace]

post MK eternal world where the riches of food will be unimaginable, but meat will not be included.

Sounds biblical to me

what did Jesus eat

We'll have fish (inc. anchovies??)

So maybe something like that where we see graduating pictures of God's unfolding revelation of Himself, so perhaps this is maybe why no meat at first. Then after the arc eat meat. The first Adam / second Adam (Noah as a type). Human nature / resurrected bodies. This kind of pattern of going from this to that. And although eating meat next to plants seems more savage perhaps, what it does to me suggest in His word in Gen 9 is: "I give all to you, as I gave the green plant." So in that sense, even in the garden Adam and Eve did not have this fullest access to God's creation in this way (even though in paradise without sin). But now after Noah, we get "the full range of His creation available to us INTIMATELY so.

I love this thinking! Isn't all we do eventually for the glory of God? I Cor. 10:13 "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
I don't know about anyone else, but I honestly am not truly doing what Paul commands because I am not that mature, and I don't understand it well enough. Maybe that maturity will grow to the point that I will adjust my eating and drinking to exactly how God originally intended

I would suspect that both birds did not fly out hungry, as they had food in the ark.
So it wasn't about food, it was about a resting place.
A raven doesn't need much to rest, a piece of driftwood or something similar, would already suffice.
But a dove has to build a nest first, and he couldn't accomplice that task yet.
And that also explains the piece of leaf it had in it's beak.
On his second flight, the dove was able to start his nest, but it was not yet finished.
So, when he got tired he flew back to the ark, with another piece of "work" in it's beak.
The following week he finished his nest and was able to rest on it without having to return to the ark.

Kaatje, this is brilliant. Thank you for sharing

 

[Matthew6:33]

I think people ate meat after the fall. Animals ate other animals too. Can't see a carnivorous beast with pointy canines eating grass (fossil evidence?) don't know. Considering Gen 9, when God gave the command, I think it was to clarify things, I don't think it was to legalize anything. I imagine the time before the flood, there was a lot of paganism going on and people were drinking blood of animals and maybe even people in satanic rituals (Nephilim running around?). This is why God adds the bit about drinking blood which was forbidden in the Jewish laws as well. I think verse 5 introduces what is later clarified in the law for an eye for and eye. I think there is a lot of demonic influence involved with taking the life of a human (made in God's image) whether the perpetrator is a man or a beast. Thus the heavy consequence and the strive to keep things as pure as possible.

[Gen 9:2-5 NASB95]
2 "The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
3 "Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as [I gave] the green plant.
4 "Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, [that is,] its blood.
5 "Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from [every] man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man.


Of course when Nimrod and the Tower of Babel come on the scene, all the paganism, murder, sacrifice, blood drinking is probably going on all over again. But such is our sinful world, showing evidence for the need for a Redeemer.