The Bible includes specific instructions about what God’s people should and should not eat, especially in the Old Testament.
While many of these rules were given to the Israelites for health, worship, and holiness, they still raise important questions for believers today. Some foods were called clean, while others were forbidden and called unclean.
These guidelines often reflect deeper spiritual lessons about purity, obedience, and separation from harmful practices.
Whether or not they apply in the same way today, learning about them offers wisdom and helps us better understand God’s heart for His people.
Animals Without Split Hooves or That Do Not Chew the Cud
In the book of Leviticus, God gives very specific rules about which land animals are acceptable to eat. According to Leviticus 11:3, animals must meet two requirements. They must have split hooves and chew the cud.
This means animals like cows, sheep, and goats are considered clean. They chew the cud, which means they digest their food in stages, and they also have a divided hoof. These features were signs of purity and proper digestion, which carried deeper symbolic meaning.
However, animals that only meet one of the two rules are not to be eaten. For example, pigs have split hooves but do not chew the cud. Because of that, they are listed as unclean in Leviticus 11:7. The Bible says their meat must not be eaten, and their bodies must not be touched.
Camels chew the cud but do not have split hooves. Rabbits also chew the cud but lack hooves. These animals are also listed as unclean and forbidden for food.
God gave these rules to set His people apart. The Israelites were surrounded by nations that did not follow these practices. By avoiding unclean animals, they were reminded daily that they belonged to God.
This rule was also practical. Many unclean animals carried more diseases or were scavengers. These laws helped protect people’s health in a time when there was no modern science.
Even though these food laws were part of the Old Covenant, they still teach important lessons today. They show how God cares about both our physical and spiritual health. They also remind us that obedience in the small things matters to God.
In the New Testament, Jesus declared all foods clean. But that does not erase the wisdom and symbolism behind the original laws. Learning why God made these rules helps us see His care and purpose in even the smallest details.
Fish Without Fins and Scales
In addition to rules about land animals, the Bible also speaks clearly about what creatures from the water may be eaten. Leviticus 11:9–10 explains that fish must have both fins and scales to be considered clean.
Fish like salmon, cod, and trout meet these requirements. They are clean and were permitted for food. They live in fresh or saltwater and have both fins to swim and scales that cover their skin.
However, creatures in the water that do not have fins and scales are forbidden. This includes animals like catfish, eels, shellfish, shrimp, lobsters, and crabs. These were considered unclean and were not to be eaten.
Many of these unclean sea creatures are bottom feeders. They live on the ocean floor and feed on waste or dead matter. This detail matters because God often tied physical purity to spiritual lessons. Eating these animals could bring illness, but it also symbolized the need to stay away from spiritual corruption.
Shellfish were especially common in surrounding nations’ diets. But for the Israelites, refusing to eat them was a way to remain separate and holy. It was an everyday way to live out obedience.
This rule again shows God’s concern for both health and holiness. Many of the forbidden fish are more likely to carry toxins or parasites. God gave these rules to protect His people from harm, even if they did not fully understand why at the time.
When Jesus came, He fulfilled the Old Law and made a new covenant. Mark 7:19 says that Jesus declared all foods clean, which means that believers are not bound to these laws today. Still, understanding them adds depth to our faith.
These food laws were not just about diet. They were about discipline, identity, and the daily choice to walk with God. Whether we follow them today or not, they still speak to the heart of a God who calls His people to live with care, respect, and purity.
Birds That Feed on Flesh
In the list of forbidden foods found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, certain birds are singled out as unclean. These are birds that feed on flesh, often referred to as scavengers or birds of prey. God told the Israelites not to eat these birds because of their habits and what they represented.
The Bible lists specific birds like the eagle, vulture, raven, hawk, and owl as unclean. These birds hunt or feed on dead animals. They are often associated with death, decay, or violence, and God made it clear that His people were not to eat them.
One reason these birds were forbidden was their role in creation. Scavengers clean up decaying matter and help maintain the natural order. While they serve a purpose, they were not meant for food. Eating them would blur the line between what was clean and what was not.
Symbolically, flesh-eating birds were linked to judgment or ruin in Scripture. In many Bible passages, birds of prey are described circling over destruction or eating the remains of fallen soldiers. God used them as signs of warnings, not nourishment.
Health was also a concern. Birds that feed on dead animals are more likely to carry disease. In a time before refrigeration or sanitation, eating such birds could be dangerous. God’s laws protected His people from things they might not understand but could still harm them.
Even though Christians today are not bound by these food laws, they can still learn from them. God calls His people to live in a way that avoids corruption, even if it seems small. Choosing not to eat certain things was one more way Israelites stayed set apart.
When we see what God asked of His people, we realize how He wove holiness into every part of life. It was not just about food. It was about honoring God with every choice, even what went on their plates.
Insects That Do Not Jump
Among the many creatures listed in Leviticus 11, insects also appear on the list of unclean animals. At first glance, it may seem strange that God gave rules about which insects could and could not be eaten. But each command had meaning and purpose.
The Bible says that only certain insects were considered clean. Specifically, those with jointed legs for hopping on the ground were allowed. This includes locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. These insects were sometimes used as food in ancient times, even by prophets like John the Baptist.
However, most insects were not to be eaten. Those that crawled or flew without hopping, such as flies, beetles, or worms, were forbidden. They were seen as impure, possibly because they came into contact with decay or filth.
Unclean insects could spread disease and contaminate food. In a desert setting where survival was fragile, one wrong meal could lead to illness or worse. God’s instructions gave physical protection, but they also reminded the people to stay aware and obedient.
Some insects were part of pagan worship rituals in nearby nations. By steering His people away from these creatures, God helped them avoid blending their faith with other customs. He kept their lives holy and focused on Him alone.
Allowing certain jumping insects may also show that God is practical. In times of famine or when food was scarce, these creatures could offer a source of protein. But the limits still helped draw a line between what was holy and what was not.
These small laws taught big lessons. They required people to think before they ate and to remember that every part of life belonged to God. Eating was not just about hunger. It was an act of devotion, even in something as simple as choosing the right insect.
Today we might not follow these rules the same way, but their meaning has not disappeared. They still teach us to pause, to seek wisdom, and to honor God in the daily decisions we make.
Meat With Blood Still in It
One of the clearest food restrictions in the Bible is the command not to eat meat that still has blood in it. This rule appears early in Scripture and is repeated throughout both the Old and New Testaments. God told Noah in Genesis 9:4, “But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.”
In Leviticus 17:11, God explains that “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” Blood was considered sacred and represented the life force of the animal. Eating it would be seen as treating something holy with disrespect.
The Israelites were commanded to drain the blood completely before eating meat. This was not just a health concern but a spiritual reminder. It taught them to honor the life of every creature God had made.
Other nations around them often consumed blood during religious rituals. These acts were tied to pagan worship and dark practices. God wanted His people to be completely different in how they lived and worshiped.
By avoiding blood, the Israelites stayed spiritually clean. They learned that even daily actions like eating could reflect their faith. Every meal became a chance to honor God.
In the New Testament, this principle is repeated in Acts 15. The early church leaders advised Gentile believers to avoid meat with blood. This shows that the instruction was more than a cultural rule for Israel alone.
Even if the physical command is no longer enforced by law, its heart remains. God cares about how we treat life. He also wants our eating habits to reflect our respect for His creation.
Today, most meat is already drained of blood before it reaches the store. But the idea behind the rule is still meaningful. It invites us to approach everything with reverence and gratitude.
Final Thoughts
The Bible’s food laws are more than a list of forbidden items. They are spiritual lessons woven into daily life. Every command had a purpose beyond the plate.
God gave these instructions to teach His people to live set apart. They were called to walk differently, eat differently, and think differently. Their obedience was a sign of love and devotion.
Today, we may not live under the same food laws. But we are still called to honor God in the choices we make. What we consume, how we live, and why we choose matters deeply to Him.
Each rule reminds us that holiness touches every part of life. Even our meals can be an act of worship. Even our plates can reflect our hearts.