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The people who lived before the flood ate animal food, and grati-
fied their lusts until their cup of iniquity was full, and God cleansed
the earth of its moral pollution by a flood. Then the third dreadful
curse rested upon the earth. The first curse was pronounced upon the
posterity of Adam and upon the earth, because of disobedience. The
second curse came upon the ground after Cain slew his brother Abel.
The third most dreadful curse from God, came upon the earth at the
flood.
After the flood the people ate largely of animal food. God saw
that the ways of man were corrupt, and that he was disposed to exalt
himself proudly against his Creator, and to follow the inclinations of
his own heart. And he permitted that long-lived race to eat animal
food to shorten their sinful lives. Soon after the flood the race began
to rapidly decrease in size, and in length of years. There were a class
of very large animals which perished at the flood. God knew that the
strength of man would decrease, and these mammoth animals could
not be controlled by feeble man.
Sin has prevailed since the fall. While a few have remained faithful
to God, the great majority have corrupted their ways before him. The
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was on account of their great
wickedness. They gave loose rein to their intemperate appetites, then
to their corrupt passions, until they were so debased, and their sins
were so abominable, that their cup of iniquity was full, and they were
consumed with fire from heaven.
When the Lord brought his people from Egyptian bondage, he led
them through the wilderness to prove them, and try them. He promised
to be their God, and to take them to himself as his peculiar treasure.
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He did not prohibit their eating meat, but withheld it from them in a
great measure. He gave them food which he designed that they should
have, which was healthy, and of which they could eat freely. He rained
their bread from Heaven, and gave them purest water out of the flinty
rock. He made a covenant with them, that if they would obey him in
all things, he would put no disease upon them. But the Israelites were
not satisfied with the food which God gave them. They murmured
against Moses and against God, and wished themselves back in Egypt,
where they could sit by the flesh pots. God in his anger gave them
flesh to gratify their lustful appetite, and great numbers of them died
in the act of eating the meat for which they had lusted. While it was