This weeks topic may be a little hard for some people to choke on. It’s the thing that most people relate toward Mormons [for the most part, is generally true]: the Word of Wisdom.
The word of Wisdom is a health code that most Latter-Day Saints follow, but before diving into the mechanics of this modern revelation [next week], here's some history.
The Codes of Health
We are God’s children. It’s a fact that is often repeated. Why wouldn’t a good father want his kids to be fit and strong?
Since Moses [and no doubtfully before] God has initiated certain diet codes and practices for his people.
For example:
-Unclean animals described under the law of Moses [such as pigs] shouldn’t be consumed
-People with certain diseases [like leprosy] were not allowed in the camp until fully healed
-Upon a person’s death, ALL their property was destroyed.
-A person was required to wash their hands before eating.
The list goes on. [One can read about these in the books of Moses]
While long and drawn out, these commandments were not meant to punish his people.
Consider the following short film [if time is not permitted, then just skip to below or read the story in Danial 1 and Danial 2]
After Jerusalem [the capital for the ancient Jewish nation] was destroyed, many of the people were taken into Babylon.
Babylon was a great empire. Babylon was a very well versed empire. Even at this time, did Babylon control just about everything.
In an attempt to integrate their captives into their culture, the Babylonians taught the Jewish children customs, sciences, and even the way of living. The Babylonian way of living, however, did not coincide with Jewish dietary laws.
Danial and some of his friends [who were captive Jews] asked not to eat the same type's of meat as the others did. They made a compromise with their Babylonian teacher that if they would just compare their diet with the others over a matter of days, then their teacher can pass judgment. He agreed, and he noticed that Danial and his friends were stronger, clearer of mind, and more fair then their counterparts.
In addition with health, there was something far more important.
The Revelation of Peter
Peter [a follower of Christ] received a vision of a large sheet that let loose all kinds of animals upon the earth.
He was commanded to eat, but Peter [raised Jewish] was hesitant, as most of the animals were unclean according to the law of Moses.
However, times changed, and by changing this health code showed Peter how God, In a literal sense, gave every willing human to experience the gospel.
The Law Continues....
Although it meant of the diet code's of Moses, it did not mean the end of living healthy lifestyles.
In the epistle to the Corinthian disciples, they were told to treat their own bodies as temples.
This gives man the charge to be weary of certain fations [tattoos, piercings ect.] and diets that could lead to physical and even spiritual degeneration.
By simple commandment, man was edified both physically and spiritually.
Next week, this topic will be further explained as why the law was different then, and what the law is now concerning God's given Health Codes.
