Work
and worms
These two subjects
I’ll address
Both are touchy
I’ll confess
But we’ve taken them lightly
And made a mess
So this is my invitation
To the great worm fess
But before the feat
Take time at least
For another look
In the good old book
And from the inspired writings discern
That we are free to go out and eat worm
The words in brackets added are mine
Check them close, line by line
And if you find some heresy
Please please do inform me
Then at the feast our gracious host
Will fill your plate with the best and the most.
So much for jest
Now for the test
Start with I Tim. 4:1-2
(If you can catch me in a lie,
you’ll get a double portion of our tasty fly pie.)
Verse 3 forbidding to marry
(The only ones I’ve forbidden to marry
was the threefold cord of Tom, Dick and Harry)
I Tim 4:3 … and commanding to abstain from meats which God created to be received with thanksgiving (Did God create all animals for us to eat
including rats, mice, dogs, flies, beetles and lice?)
Verse 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
The word and prayer
May I ask you where
Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14
Sanctifies many
But some are unclean
This is the only word they had
So here’s where we go
And oh it’s so sad
That here he declare
That worms are bad
So are the beetles, stink bugs and mice;
Before I’d eat em I’d sure think twice.
Before we continue our Scriptural squirms
Let’s go out and eat worms.
If you’ve been to the cross
For cleansing from sin.
Your faith in God will get you in.
So this little poem has nothing to do
With going to the pit or beyond the blue.
But it’s all about snails and whales
And pigs and pooh
And what you add to your porage and stew.
Puppies and pigs are in my pot.
Before you eat you surely pray
Because it’s sanctified that way.
But that’s just one thing, Paul names two
That make the pot safe for you.
Prayer and the word mark it as clean
So let’s look closer at what he might mean.
Sanctified means set apart.
God did this right from the start.
What did Noah take into the ark?
And why did God have to stick his nose
Into Noah’s diet while the flood arose?
Take two of the unclean
So they can mate (Gen 7:2)
But seven clean which I did create
For you to enjoy and put on your plate
I created your innards to digest these forms
Why, Noah, you don’t need to go out and eat worms.
Now if Dr. Spook
Wrote a big book
Telling you the best way to cook
You’d ask no questions, he’s a Doctor, you know
He’s earned his degree
He studied it good
Just like a good Doc would.
I’ll take it as gospel and eat with a smile.
Whatever God says I’ll hide in the file.
After all how should he know
What’s good for me
He only created the land and sea
The sun, the moon and you and me.
So why should I look
To his dusty old book
When I can read from my dear Doctor Spook.
In Leviticus all God made, it is quite clear
Of things we can eat and things we should fear
To put in our tummy each day of the year.
But we mostly ignore it, our bellies to dear.
The eagle, the turtle, the beetle, the hare
The worms and the pigs
Have one thing they share
Unclean, unclean, this label they wear.
Created that way by the God we trust.
Eat em we do, eat em must.
Is this obedience or is this lust?
Maybe because we’ve been misinformed
They said it’s ok to go out and eat worms.
It won’t defile the spiritual man,
You can eat all the worms
They can put in a can.
Then take your shovel and dig a bunch more,
Eat until you’re squelched out on the floor.
Have a big party
Invite all your friends,
Eat more worms until the night ends.
Rise the next day as you uncover
With utter dismay, you discover
Your body got you singing the blues,
It aint no fun, it’s not good news.
So what’ll I do to cure this ill?
I’ll take a good dose of the old gospil.
I’ll go to the book, I’ll take note,
I mean the gook that Dr. Spook wrote.
It says right here if you can just find
Enough fat worms of the right kind
Eat all you want, you’ll have peace of mind.
You think you can work seven days a week
Eat any old thing and be at your peak.
I’m sorry, my friend, you’ll soon be through
That’s what worms and work will do.
You say it’s ok, it’s not a bad sin
You may be right, but it will do you in.
Many relish the handsome old swine
And say he’s ok
But we’ll draw the line – they say
On rats and mice
And roaches and lice.
Of ants and flies
We’ll not make our pies.
But if one is unclean so are all
God made em that way
Long before the fall.
It wasn’t the pig that ate of the tree
The book’s quite clear it was Adam and me.
Pigs were created to wallow in mud.
It’s just a pig to be full of crud.
So God never sent his beloved son
To redeem the pigs from what they had done.
They’re just as innocent as stars in the sky
They’re not the reason Christ had to die.
It was us, we ate the fruit without fear
And now it seems the fruit’s still here
We eat whatever the butchers bring
Then proudly sing
He’s my healer, he’s my king.
But much of our sickness, infirm and dread
Results from the lies we’ve been fed
Satan’s many tricks to wind you up dead.
Eat what you want. Be your own boss.
The tree’s not bad. You’ll not suffer loss.
But who was right and who was wrong?
Like you and me they thought they were strong.
But look where they fell because of that sin,
right smack dab in stinky pig pin!
Over and over we go there again.
But perhaps you’re like the prodigal son
Who ate with the pigs when his money was gone
You’ll read these lines and come to yourself
And put your own ways back on the shelf.
Once you taste the father’s fatted calf
Who he has prepared on your behalf.
I’m sure you’ll forsake the pigs and the pin
And come runnin’ home, he’ll invite you in
To eat at his table
While you’re still able.
But if you decide that you’ll just wait
Cause you’ve really loved these worms to date
Soon you’ll meet the judge at the gate
I doubt they’ll question, “What’s that on your plate?”
His mercy and grace will see you through
But you’ll have wormed your way in before I do.
So much for jest
Now let’s continue the Scriptual test.
Some say these dietary laws were for
In the old covenant anyone from any nation (usually
called strangers) who joined themselves to the nation of
Exodus 12:19; Exodus
When the
Now we see that certain meats were not created to be received with thanksgiving. They were created unclean. They are referred to as abominable. That is detestable, loathsome, corrupt, and are to God an abomination.
Deut
Leviticus 11:43-45 …ye shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby
….sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy … be holy for I am holy. Peter quotes from Lev 11. I Peter 1:14-16 as obedient children (this dietary law is not written for sinners (unclean), but for children) not fashioning yourselves according to your former lust (lust of the flesh which says do and eat anything you like) in your ignorance. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (conduct, and manner of living).
Because it is written (Lev
Here peter quoting from the scripture which set apart clean and unclean animals, etc. is confirming the fact that this dietary law is still valid. God gave it for our good health!
Verse 19 makes it clear that this is not a law affecting our soul’s salvation. That is only through the blood of Jesus. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse our heart and soul. Rather this is a matter of obedience. Not fashioning yourselves after the old appetites in your ignorance (or deception and misunderstanding of God’s requirements).
Jesus
Teaches
Jesus taught us that it’s ok to eat rats, mice, beetles and lice, dogs and pigs and worms and flies? I doubt it! Let’s look more closely. Read Matthew 15:11-20… Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man ….those things which proceed from the heart defile the man … but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.
If our diet and cleanliness (unwashed hands) is not capable of affecting our health, then why does our government have laws and ordinances for bidding good service persons to handle food with unwashed hands.
Fact #1 Jesus taught this while under Old Testament times. He had not yet died and rose again. Would he teach contrary to God’s word in Leviticus 11 which states that to eat the unclean is to defile yourself? Certainly not! If so he would have relegated himself to being least; for he said whosoever shall break the least commandments and teach men to do so would be least in the kingdom of heaven.
The greatest commandments are those relating to the heart and soul. The least are regarding the body. God’s dietary laws are the least important since they affect the body but not the heart. However, since I do not with to be called least in the kingdom, let me make clear, I am one who observes God’s dietary law and I am teaching you to do the same.
Fact #2 Jesus was teaching Israelites, Jews who knew and observed the dietary laws of God written in Lev 11 and Deut 14. He was not addressing the question of what they considered clean or unclean. This was clearly settled in Scripture. When he said what enters the mouth does not defile the man, he was referring to washing hands before eating anything. This is established in verse two. The Pharasees asked Jesus why his disciples broke tradition and command by not washing their hands. This was the crux of his teaching all the way to verse 20 where he ends the subject by saying, “But to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.”
Fact #3 I believe he used the word meat as generality meaning food. The same as when he told the disciples that he had meat to eat that they knew not of. They asked if anyone had brought him something. But we know he was speaking of spiritual food. Bread is also used as a reference to any food in general as in the Lord’s prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.”
I conclude that Jesus was not teaching something contrary to the scriptures he must live by in order to remain a holy and perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Let’s go now to 2 Corinthians 6:17- 7:1 …. Be ye separate … touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you … let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness (uncleanness) of the flesh (body) and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
One way you cleanse and keep the body clean is by eating the clean and not eating the unclean. This is one way you separate your body to be holy …
The Spirit (inner man) is cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus.
Adam and Eve ate of the tree that was forbidden. Eve said to the serpent, “God said we should not eat neither touch it.” Many assume that she added the part, not to touch it. However, I believe not all is told in the very sketchy account in Genesis and perhaps God did say not to touch it. If so this corresponds with Lev11 and 2 Cor 6. Here we are instructed neither to eat nor to touch the unclean. Could it be that the temptations we face in our garden is the same as Adam and Eve’s?
Now read 1 Cor 10 and you see that Paul is addressing the subject of eating things sacrificed to idols. This is repeatedly stated. The passage is not dealing with clean or unclean. The question of clean and unclean is established in other Scriptures and so there is not need to reestablish it while discussing eating things sacrificed to idols. It is understood that when he instructs us to eat whatsoever is set before us he is referring to those meats of animals God created to be received with thanksgiving and prayer.
If you sincerely believe he means to eat worms, you can prove it by accepting my invitation to the upcoming great worm festival. Free! However you will be required to eat whatsoever is set before you (including the worms, beetles, mice and stinkbugs) asking no questions (about whether the creeps or the wiggles on your plate).
RSVP - ASAP
Henry Wiebe
Another requirement is that you “clean your plate” (eat it all). This I learned as a child from my daddy, real good!
Now let’s examine Peter’s Vision. Acts 10:9- This sheet had all manner of beasts, creeping things and fowls wherein Peter was told to eat. Peter protested saying, “I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
This was over 3 years after Christ’s death. If
In verse 28, he states the meaning of the vision. “God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Every time he referred to the vision he made it clear that the vision was given him to show that God cleansed all the people of the world, not animals.
Once again to Paul’s teaching in Col. 2: 8-23, Please don’t make the common mistake of drawing a conclusion form a casual reading and then zero in on one sentence or verse. Read carefully Colossians 2:8-23, then let us reason together.
1. The warning – BEWARE of intellectualism, philosophy, psychology, men’s ideas, rudimentary, elementary (v 18) puffed up (pride), fleshly mind (v 22) commandments and doctrines of men. God’s Holy Scripture definitely does not fit this description. In no wise is this referring to God’s ten commandments nor to his dietary laws of clean and unclean.
He’s referring to the proud fleshly minded doctrines of carnal minds which promise liberty but are themselves servants of corruption. See II Peter 2:19-22. Could it be we were promised liberty (to cat, rats, mice, dogs, pigs and actually it happened to us according to the true proverb) II Peter 2:2 … the sow that was washed returned to her wallowing in the mire. Once again referring to 4:3
Man’s religious law forbids their priests to marry. We see the fruit of that recently manifested in the Catholic Church. Some of man’s religious laws go beyond - and forbid the eating of clean meats which God created to be received with thanksgiving. This is adding to Scripture. Man thinks himself more righteous or more wise than.
One example of God’s revision is found in I Kings. God told Elijah during the drought to go to the brook Cherith and He (God) would command the raven to feed him there. The ravens brought him bread and flesh morning and evening. This was God’s provision. Had he been a dedicated vegetarian he would have rejected God’s provision and possibly starved to death.
Now back to Colossians 2 from verse 10-16, we identify
with Christ in death, burial and resurrection and therefore are forgiven all our
trespasses. Jesus blotted out those
ordinances that were against us, created by sin. All sacrifices were by ordinances that
were a type of Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
They were nailed to the cross fulfilled in Christ. In verse 16, Paul obviously is referring
to
All the seven feasts (beginning with the Passover) had ordinances requiring animal sacrifices in which they ate the meat (no unclean – all clean meat) and certain drinks. They also contained Holy Days, New Moons and Sabbaths. These were all a picture of the redemptive plan of God to remove man’s sin. They were fulfilled in Christ. Many people still observe the feasts with many of the ordinances they contained. Paul was saying that we need not observe those they were only a shadow of what Christ fulfilled.
When in verse 16 he refers to meat, drink, Holy days, New Moon and Sabbath days, he was obviously speaking of all the things they observed in their special feasts which had special Sabbath added because man’s transgression.
Notice God’s perspective, in Isaiah, when the people had fallen into apostacy and forsaken the Lord yet held onto their appointed feast, Isaiah 1:13-14. “Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination to me, the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies … your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth …”
I t is clear that in Colossians 2, Paul is addressing the festivals and their special Sabbaths and animal sacrifices. I’m convinced he was not addressing the Ten Commandments or the law of clean and unclean animals, nor the Sabbath Day he told us to remember.
For them to have offered unclean meat of unclean animals on their festivals such as dogs or pigs would have been a total defiance and affront to God, a desecration of their altars and an abomination which they themselves would not tolerate. If he had meant to forget keeping the Sabbath which he established in Genesis, it seems that the writer of the book of Hebrews would have said so. Instead he says to fear lest a promise of entering his rest, (God rested the seventh day not the first day) any of you came short of it.
In Hebrews, chapter three and four, the writer reestablished the Sabbath as the rest to which he refers.
I do believe that keeping the Sabbath only begins with
our physical rest. What God really
wants is our full undivided attention.
Our heart and mind renewed by waiting upon him in his presence, listening
for his voice and fellowship. As
you study the Old Testament, you understand that God’s standard of cleanliness
relates to many areas of our lives such as our sexual activities and diet. These are what Paul refers to in
Let me give you a list of what I believe these things include:
Premarital sex, incest, sex during the menstrual period, sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, masturbation, oral sex, pornography, any form of sex with animals, eating unclean animals.
I list eating unclean animals last because I believe it
has the least devastating effect in that it affects only the body. That is until you have been
instructed. Then there may be
eternal consequences. Verse
6... “For which sake the wrath of
God cometh on the children of disobedience.”
(
I have an intense love and also a healthy fear of God and will do anything he says to avoid his chastening rod.
I have mentioned two areas:
1. God’s dietary laws
2. The ten commandments including the keeping of the Sabbath.
Some would protest by saying we are not saved by works of the law.
My reply:
If work is rest
Then east is west
Silence means shout
A pig’s tail is his snout
Bananas are sour crout
And to be in is actually to be out.
It is true that keeping the whole law perfectly does not remove our sins. Only the blood of Jesus gives us salvation and righteousness with God. However, obedience will save us many stripes from his chastening rod. Some years ago when I read the Scripture, “Be ye holy for I am holy,” I told God I wanted to be holy unto him. I asked him to please judge me and show me any shortcomings so I could correct them and be holy as he would have me. Several areas he dealt with. First he told me to begin keeping the Sabbath. I did. Next he spoke these words. “In some ways the Old Covenant was better than the new.” At that instant he gave me a picture (vision) and I saw the eleventh chapter of Leviticus with its instructions regarding clean and unclean food. I then observed these commandments. I began keeping the Sabbath and eating only clean meats.
I began not only experiencing a closer relationship as I dedicated 24 hours of my time on the Sabbath just for rich sweet fellowship with God, but I also am experiencing renewed physical and mental strength. As Isaiah declared, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”
As Jesus said; I too wholeheartedly say, “I DELIGHT TO DO THY WILL, Oh GOD!!”
In the end, suppose you still close to break the Sabbath and you’re right and I’m wrong.
I’ll not lose any sleep nor the rewards of obedience. Let’s say I’m right and you’re wrong. Uh oh!
I might mention that now at the age of 66 I use no uppers, downers, or sidekicks, nor drugs of any kind. I sleep like a log, eat like a h…, Oh well, forget that, and still regularly enjoy playing a basketball game. I attribute this to God’s grace and mercy and I believe his diet of cleanliness and Sabbath rest does help a lot.
Without a lengthy teaching regarding unclean spirits let me just very briefly mention a few facts for you to consider. As you study the gospels you will discover these truths.
1. There are many kinds of evil spirits and many Scriptures specifically mention unclean spirits. There are also many references to infirm spirits, or spirits of infirmity.
Jesus gave the 12 and also the seventy who he called the power over all spirits and all sickness and disease and in his sending forth commissioned them to heal the sick, cast out devils and cleanse the lepers. Leprosy was unclean. (More teaching on this at a later date)
2. In my personal encounters and dealing in deliverance I find that if the person is demonized (under the influence of a demon or demons at times) often it is because a door for such activity has been opened, usually by them or their ancestors or someone in authority over them. There are many such doors in the world. In casting out spirits we must be sure these doors are closed or these spirits simply have the pleasure of reentry along with other spirits even more evil.
3. When in dealing with the subject Jesus said in Matthew 12:43, “When the unclean spirit is gone out… he saith, I will return … He findeth it empty … He reenters with seven other spirits more wicked than himself.
Here he spoke specifically of unclean spirits.
When we allow ourselves to participate in unclean sexual activity, we open the door to unclean and infirm spirits. I believe the same can be true with eating unclean animals. In order to be delivered we must close these doors.
I also believe that this is one reason (There are many reasons.) that Christians are seemingly no freer from sickness, disease and infirmity than most of the world. It could account also for many who receive healing and deliverance from infirm spirits and then soon find themselves overcome by the same thing.
It’s useless to pray for healing of a person with an infirm or unclean spirit. They must be cast out. You cannot heal a demon! He’s got to go, and many times it’s with violence and seldom ever is a pretty picture! Cast them out then CLOSE the door.
Animals have symbolic meanings placed upon them. The horse equals strength, so your engine has horsepower. Dogs usually represent sexual impurity or some sort of degrading, hence things are going to the dogs. Serpents represent evil and usually satan and demonic spirits. This was so even before the fall of man. Has satan and all these been cleansed? No, neither symbolically or literally. God does not intend for us eat them.
Suppose you’re finding yourself resisting this teaching. Examine the reasons. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is in your heart. Could it be that the enemy knows that for you to observe God’s standards of rest and cleanliness would bring you greater peace and better health. Satan doesn’t want that!
Could it be that you wish to continue violating God’s standards because you like your own ways and are not willing to day self?
Could it be what friends, relatives, religious associates would think? Fear of man? Pride?
I delight to do Thy will, oh God! I am so thrilled that God has given me
specifiecs. Things in which I can
prove my obedience and that give me great faith and assurance that when I need
him, he is my healer. I John
I have been criticized by religious Pharisees for keeping
God’s Holy day Holy, and abiding by his dietary laws in order to provide a
holy temple for him. Yet the
ones who criticize sometimes run to Dr. Kizmquik or government studies or
clinical tests and discoveries and formulas and doctrines of man for the diet
which say (