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What does the Bible say about eating/drinking blood?



    
    

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

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Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
In Acts 10, the apostle Peter began to realize just how different this new Christianity was from Judaism. While praying on a rooftop, waiting for lunch, he had a vision. A sheet was lowered from he...

July 01 2013 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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Open uri20150122 31549 1ruiwsl Jyotish Mishra Supporter Saved by grace through faith in JESUS CHRIST.
One can nullify God's word through logic and deductions just like the Pharisees did to devour the widows houses. They had distorted the word of God to such an extent that our Lord pronounced woes on them. Please read Matthew chapter 23 for a greater insight. They gave more importance to the tradition of their fathers as compared to the word of God to gratify their greed and lust. We can today handle the word of God in the same way but that would not bean act of faith that would please God (Hebrews11:6)

However we observe from God's word that when God allowed mankind to eat flesh after the flood He cautioned the mankind not to eat blood as we read in Genesis 9:4. In Leviticus 7:27 the children of Israel were commanded not to eat blood. In Leviticus 17:10 God told the Children of Israel that He would set His face against any one who eats blood and He gave a reason for that in Leviticus 17:11. King Saul cautioned the people not to eat the flesh of the plundered animal along with the blood (1 Samuel 14:33-35)

The apostles in their first council about the conduct of gentile believers commanded the believers to abstain from eating blood. Please read Acts 15:20&29,21:25. Please note this council met much after the incident that happened in Acts chapter 10. Added to this we have been told in Romans 15:4 that things that were written before should be our examples to be followed in our journey of faith. We do not find any scriptural example either in the Old or the New Testament where this principle has been diluted. Neither we see any apostle of our Lord eating blood.

Therefore if churches are to be guided by apostles doctrine,fellowship,breaking of bread and prayers as per Acts 2:42 then it would not be correct to eat blood as it is life and meant for God alone for the atonement of soul as per Leviticus 17:11.

Let us respect God's word and walk by faith not by sight (2Corinthians5:7),neither by logic,nor by theological conclusion and let our life please the Lord by our faith (Hebrews11:6). Let us be like Enoch who walked with God and pleased Him and was raptured just before the judgement of flood struck the earth during Noah's time. When we walk by faith we may have to say No to some temporary pleasures as Moses said No to pleasurs of Egypt.God says in 1Samuel 2:30 that those who honor Him,them He will honor.

February 12 2015 2 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Dscf1720 Myron Robertson Supporter Seeking God's heart
Not only does the Bible say not to do this, it also tells us why, but because of bad translating and extremely inadequate theological study very few, even of the most educated theologians have any clue about why this prohibition exists. Furthermore, there is the matter of whether these things are to be seen as symbolism or reality.

That additional point is really quite easy to answer and so important to this matter that we will look at it first. In Numbers 12:6-9 God told Miriam and Aaron that when he speaks through prophets it is always symbolism. The common translations of the Hebrew wording is usually riddles or dark sayings, but the bottom line is that NO prophecy is ever to be understood literally, or, at least, only literally. (They do often have a literal fulfillment as well, but the scale is usually much smaller than indicated.)

In John 5:45-47 Jesus tells us that everything Moses wrote is prophecy about him. Since the entire law is prophecy of the plan of salvation it is all symbolism. In Col 2:16, 17 Paul tells us that all of the symbols of the law are only shadows of a greater reality.

In Genesis 9 and Lev 17 Moses tells us that the nephesh is in the blood. Christian scholars have chosen to translate that word as life in these passages. That is an absolutely incorrect translation of this word. This is the most mistranslated word in the Bible. Hebrew words often have at least two or three words they can be translated as, and still be correct. However, according to Strong's Concordance the translators of the KJV translated this word into 38 different words or phrases. That means there are about 35 incorrect words this is translated to.

The Hebrew word for life is chai, Nephesh is never properly translated as life. It is translated as soul. Christians frequent treat soul and spirit as the same thing; in Hebrew thought they are always two different things and neither one of them is the equivalent of life. Few Christians have a proper understanding of any of these words because of this obfuscation.

So, the thing that is in the blood is the soul. Deeper study shows the soul has a consciousness that is separate from that of the spirit and we are only truly alive when both body and soul are together in the body. Paul refers to the consciousness of the spirit as the New Creation or New Man; theologians refer to the consciousness of the soul as the old man of sin, but the exact phrase does not exist in scripture.

So, what is in the blood? We cannot adequately explain what soul is but we know that consciousness is not in the blood. However, we really do not need to worry about this because these thing are all shadows of some greater reality (Col 2:17). God is not overly concerned about whether you eat the blood of the beasts of the field or not. He is actually concerned about the many ways we all devour the souls of those God has placed in our care and there are a great many ways we are blood-thirsty and slake that thirst.

When a parent refuses to allow a child to develop his own interests and talents, and insists, "You will learn this skill because I always wanted to and never had the opportunity," the parent is eating that child's blood. When a person desperately seeks revenge, most especially if it is against someone who has not directly sinned against you, and you don't even know that person's victim, you are being blood thirsty.

These are only the most obvious manifestations of spiritual blood drinking that I see on a regular basis from people claiming to be Christian. There are many others. It is time that we all take a good close look at our actions and compare them to God's law to see the ways we are being bloody-minded and begin to correct these matters. God is calling many of them to our attention every day in the news, especially the news out of Washington which is extremely bloody minded.

January 22 2018 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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