#6.5 Herbs + fruit = Food

And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:29 - 31

Apparently our ancestors were vegan. I myself am a meat eater and herbs and fruit play a great supporting role in the food I prepare, but I do eat meat. If a person chooses not to eat meat, I don't believe they can do so thinking that it is from a Biblical view unless they chose to read only this passage of scripture. It is not evil to eat animals, but there should, I feel always, be a respect and reverence for the act of taking the life of another living thing to acquire your own sustenance. I think it safe to say that, not just man, but all of creation at this time was provided for in the same manner.  

To those that would still insist that vegetarianism is a higher calling, or that their diet somehow puts them on a higher plane: it is no way a Biblical view. At the same time, from what we have read in the first chapter of Genesis, men were created on the last day after all else had been made and God saw it was good. He gives man dominion over the earth and the animals, so with that is also the responsibility and conservation of our planet. Maybe we should care a little more about the natural world and the reverse role we have taken since that time when God saw that it was good.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrine of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it is received received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 1Timothy 4:1-5

I am starting to see that whenever I eat, or whatever activity I am involved in at the time, there is a chance to remember our history. Giving thanks at our meals is also a time of reflection, and we will see in books following this that the culinary was used often to convey such, like at the Passover. Something dies so that other things live.