Lesson 6: What Shall We Eat?

 A Healthy Lifestyle for Your and Your Family

Lesson 6: What Shall We Eat?

Part 3: Eat That Which Is Good

1. To what city were Daniel and his fellow captives taken? Daniel 1:1

2. Revelation speaks of a Babylon and gives us what warning about it? Revelation 14:8

The Babylon of Revelation is symbolic of a group of people who are opposed to God’s government and law.  They have wine, “the wine of the wrath of her fornication” and “abundance of delicacies” (Revelation 18:3) such as ancient Babylon had.  To have clear minds and healthy bodies we must, like Daniel, not defile the body temple with the wine and delicacies, whether real or spiritual, of Babylon.

The prophet Elijah has been used in the Bible as a symbol of the godly people who will be living on earth just before Jesus comes the second time (Malachi 4:5-6).  Elijah went before King Ahab of Israel and pronounced there would be no rain because of the sinfulness of the people.  He then hid out as God directed by a brook where ravens fed him.

3. What food was brought to Elijah to eat? 1 Kings 17:6

4. How often did the ravens bring food? 1 Kings 17:6

Elijah ate 2 meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening.  

5. When the brook dried up, where was he sent? 1 Kings 17:9

6. What his diet there? 1 Kings 17:12,13

7. Those who are ready for heaven when Jesus comes the second time will have been eating what kind of food? Isaiah 33:14-17

Just as Elijah, a symbol of those who will be taken to heaven at the Second Coming without seeing death, was eating bread and water, so will those who are translated.  They will be eating a simple diet of the foods that God originally gave mankind to eat — fruits, nuts and seeds, grains, and vegetables.

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind” Isaiah 66:17.

8. What will the animals eat in the new earth? Isaiah 65:25

9. What food will the redeemed be eating in the new earth? Isaiah 65:21

10. What will have happened to those who were eating all kinds of forbidden things and telling themselves that they were holy and pure? Isaiah 66:17

“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one” (Job 14:4).  “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).  “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:13-16).

11. What advice did Solomon give to those who have a problem with appetite? Proverbs 23:2

Jesus said if your right eye offends you to pluck it out (Matthew 5:29).  Neither Solomon or Jesus were saying that we should mutilate or destroy our bodies if we are beset by bad habits.  Though gluttony is a slow form of suicide, for the body is getting more than it needs and can beneficially use, through the strength that Christ offers, overeating can be overcome.

12. What is associated with gluttony? Deuteronomy 21:20

13. What was the prescribed punishment? Deuteronomy 21:21

14. What sign relating to food did Jesus say would be evidence of His soon return? Luke 17:28; Matthew 24:37-38

15. What warning did He give us? Luke 21:34

Gluttony is a sign that mankind is living in the time just before Jesus will return to earth to save His faithful children.  All the world will be eating and drinking to excess, so He has left a warning on record that His followers are to be careful how they eat and drink, lest they be caught unprepared for His coming.

16. What did an uncontrolled appetite cause Esau to do? Genesis 25:29-34

17. How does the Bible describe Esau? Hebrews 12:16

Daniel and Esau had to make the choice to deny appetite for the sake of physical and spiritual health or to indulge and suffer the consequences of the wrong choice.  Esau willingly sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils.  Millions today sell their health and shorten their life span needlessly just to gratify the taste buds.  Heart attacks kill more Americans than any other disease, yet it can be largely prevented by a diet that is free of cholesterol, low in rich foods, and exercising regularly.

18. What one thing should regulate our appetites? 1 Corinthians 10:31

19. What will happen to the glutton? Proverbs 23:21

20. What sweet does the Bible tell us to eat? Proverbs 24:13

21. How much should we eat? Proverbs 25:27

22. Why shouldn’t we eat a lot of it? Proverbs 25:16

This advice applies to all good things to eat, especially those foods which are rich.  For example, nuts are high in fat in the form of oil and should be eaten moderately, not in large quantity.

23. What is considered a greater accomplishment than taking a city? Proverbs 16:32

A person who does not control his spirit is controlled by his appetites, passions, and lusts.  “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” Proverbs 25:28.

24. How was Adam to obtain his food? Genesis 3:17-19

25. What did Paul say about useful employment and obtaining food? 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Note: The poor are always to be helped.  See Isaiah 58:6-7; Deuteronomy 24:18-22.

26. What should we avoid buying and what should we eat? Isaiah 55:2

The fatness spoken of here is abundance.  It does not mean an abundance of what we clearly know is bad for health, or even things we want to think are good for us.  It means those things which God has declared are good for food — namely, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes (beans and lentils).  These can be eaten without fear of cholesterol (the main cause of heart disease), low fiber (responsible for colon cancer), and high sucrose (white sugar that leads to diabetes).  Of these you may freely eat, but within moderate guidelines.  It is no better to eat too much of what is good than to eat that which is bad.

Next Lesson: What Shall We Eat?

Part 4: A Loaf of Bread