In the beginning, walking with Christ, when reading the dietary restrictions in the OT (Old Testament), I off course (as I did with so much back then) one will read these verses all to literal. Then, I made the second big mistake, after I choose not to pray about it and seeking the face of the Almighty - I didn't pray about it and started listening to people. Which leads you to some pastor or what have you rabbi - telling you about mixing the two, milk and meat, and why was/is such an `abominable sin`.... The thing is, most of these opinions are derived from MEN, more precisely something called the Babylonian Talmud. A downright dangerous book written by extremely (outwardly) religious people, not interested in much else than controlling and being in control. Another issue, and we`ll have to get back to this book in a future post.
Lets get to the core off why all this confusion has taken its root, and why it today should be regarded as an all together bad fruit. Now, we read at the end of Exodus 23,19,`You shall not boil (seethe) a young goat in its mothers milk.`
Thats it. Nothing more is there to be found. But lets see how the so-called jewish dietary laws has made their way, from this single verse into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. Yes folks, it may all in the end be about the money. As per usual. Lets go deeper.
Origins
So then, from whereabouts stems this rotten tomato? The doctrine of not consuming meat and milk together holds as one of the main teachings in (modern I must ad) jewish dietary laws, determining wether or not a particular food is kosher or not. But where did they get this concept, now a big industry, where did they grind parve and kosher from? Can we find any proofs from the Almighty Himself (Scripture) saying if this is found (elsewhere) in the Old Testament? If you dig into the textbooks of Judaism, they all agree with the Jewish Encyclopaedia, quoted from the article `Dietary Laws`:
Prohibition of Eating Milk and Meat Together. The prohibition of eating meat and milk, or foods derived from them, is first mentioned in the Talmud (Hul. 8:1), but is traced back by the rabbis to the Biblical commandment: "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" (Ex. 23:19). It applies, however, to the flesh of poultry as well as to that of mammals. Foods derived from the meat of mammals or poultry are known as fleishig; those derived from milk, such as cheese, rennet and pastry made with milk, are known as milchig. All other foods are neutral (minnig or parve), including fish, eggs, and all vegetables and fruits; accordingly, they may be eaten together with both milk and meat dishes. The latter, however, can be eaten only six hours apart. Scrupulous individuals are careful to have two sets of dishes, cooking vessels and table utensils, in order to remove any possibility of the contact of the tiniest part of one of the two kinds of food with the other.
Now, you should note that the doctrine is `first mentioned in the Talmud`, what is this fresh hell you might ask? Its a kind of encyclopaedic compilation of jewish civil and religious laws, and includes a rather large set of MAN-MADE commentaries and fanciful interpretations of Old Testament Scriptures. These are old books having been dated to centuries after Amanwele (Emmanuel the Christ) walked the earth. Which was a long time after the Almighty gave his laws on Mount Sinai somewheres in southern Africa. Modern rabbis trace their doctrine back to this verse, Exodus 23,19. And this is, to put it blunt, reading into the text itself. Are there Scriptures which convey that perhaps it is not FORBIDDEN to combine the two? You guess right, there most certainly is. We could easily end the discussion right here by stating it, however lets dig into why you should not boil someone/something in its mothers milk in the first place. I dont know about you, but this sounds like a bad idea and rather barbaric, wouldn't you agree?
The word `Seethe` is an old english word for boil or stew. And why would you even consider doing such a thing in the first place. Various commentaries on the Bible (of whom none should be trusted off course), does however mention how pagan rituals (still practised today) included such practises. This specific rite was (and still is) and ancient fertility rite, where you actually boiled a kid in its mothers milk, where you would sprinkle this brew your magic stew in gardens and fields. Why? Fertility and blessings, and important in ancient times was a big crop yield. They didn't have chemical steroids pumping up their plants and relied on things like rain and good soil. So, people got `creative`, and not the good kind of creative. If you go to the books and commentaries, for instance, the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge (1830), compiled by some American history buff and evangelist by the name Reuben Torrey (1856-1928), he has this to say about Exodus 23,19:
The true sense of this passage seems to be that assigned by Dr. Cudworth, from a MS. comment of a Karaite Jew. "It was a custom with the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid, and boil it in the dam's milk; and then in a magical way, to go about and sprinkle all their trees, and fields, and gardens, and orchards with it, thinking by these means, that they should make them fruitful, and bring forth more abundantly in the following year. Wherefore, God forbad his people, at the time of their in-gathering, to use any such superstitious or idolatrous rite.
Now regardless of this particular books fanciful theories on Israel in general (which are mad to the core), it gets interesting when thinking on if this a custom of the people of Canaan (African tribal pagans) or a custom of the people living in ancient Persia (modern day Israel). Perhaps both. Whatever you make of this text and the pagan ritual, it should be rather clear, if you read the verse without someones interpretations ringing in your ear - that the verse itself was/is a warning. Its giving you a heads up: `oh btw, please dont boil your kid in your mothers milk.` It had nothing to do with dietary laws. None whatsoever.
Today?
Can we attach importance of this command today does it have any significance? I would say so. Personally I stay away from meats all together in this day and age, when most foods you get from the store-bought shelves are either rancid (dead food) or laced with so much sugar it will in the end throw your thyroid (hormone regulating gland) into a confused and sometimes irreparable state. This leads to, for some, having the gland either removed or heavily medicated, for life. Having a troubled thyroid also keeps people from being able to enjoy solid and nutritious foods such as goats milk (nutritious and fatty), other dairy products or just foods in general. Hashimotos or Graves - I will remain cautious with what I eat. Judging no man for it off course, although we are taught (on point) about which animals are clean and unclean (i.e, which animals that actually eat their own kids and excrement - like pigs, shrimps, bears, canines, rodents, reptiles, etc). But you know this.
Lets get back to that GOAT then, shall we? How many does, in the westernised world anyways, have goats in their backyards? Not that many I hope. So what then is the context of the command actually given? Now, if something is repeated in Scripture, its a sign that you should listen up and pay attention, and this command is actually repeated two other places. Making it something you should pay extra attention to. However, and more importantly lets read the verse in its CONTEXT (Exodus 23,14-19):
`Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out from Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty); and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering, which is at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before So NiNi. You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor shall the fat of My sacrifice remain until morning. The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of So NiNi. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.`
These are the instructions, and far more important, they tell you what to do and what not to do on His feast days. Which I will publish in a future post, the ancient calendar in Africa. Now the first repetition of this command is found in Exodus 34,26, again the context is (far more importantly) how to keep and observe the feast days (Exodus 34,18-26):
`The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt. All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstling among your livestock, whether ox or sheep. But the firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the So NiNi, the Lord God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year. You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leaven, nor shall the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover be left until morning. The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.`
The third (and final) occurrence of this command is in Deuteronomy 14,21, and the CONTEXT is (you guessed it) observance of the everlasting feasts, which are shadow-pictures of what is to come (Galatians 2,16-17), and how to prepare for the feasts including tithing (Deuteronomy 14,21-27):
`You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to the alien who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to NiNi. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk. You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before So NiNi, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstlings of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear NiNi always. But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where NiNi chooses to put His name is too far from you, when NiNi has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which So NiNi chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before So NiNi na NiNi, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.`
The Almighty is telling you how to observe His nature abiding feast days, and to keep them in the same way the Canaanites and Egyptians where keeping their holy days (Holi - Egyptian deity). What then should we do? Apply the principles of the commands (if you are able try following the ancient calendar), dont duplicate the methods and pagan calendars we know in modern times. Stay as far away as possible from things like: Christmas, New Years Valentines Day, Lent, Halloween and Easter. They are all pagan in origin.
Instead of listening to all kinds of pagan mumbo - have a look up towards the sky and at the moon, waning and waxing, telling you when a month ends and starts. If you keep looking soon enough you`ll find the Sabbath, the hidden day off rest, given to us all. This is future and detailed post fer sure, only it needs to be as simple as above, so you can find your own way, without someone having to explain it to you :)
Back to the goat right? Lets say, for the sake of argument, that you where inclined to boil a kid in its mothers milk.... lets say you where tempted, as you know all sin feels good to the flesh, will there be consequences? Deuteronomy 6,16 and Malachi 3,15 states rather clear that they (the commandments) are indeed binding.. Is it permissible then, to eat meat and milk products together? Short answer, Yes. Now, if you where lazy, you skipped right on down until the end, and found the verse that CRUSHES all certified kosher and reveals it for what it is. You remember Abraham and Sarah? Well, years before Moses, they did, with the outmost African hospitality prepared a meal for The Almighty... try to imagine that. And you can find the whole story in Genesis 18,1-8, which tells us:
`Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. . . . So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.`
Amazing what you can find, if do some digging in the good Book. So, chew on that for a while. Certified....?
More like Certified...
