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Food on Our Tables
159
the wants of man, then the Creator made a mistake in providing for
Adam....
That Israel Might Preserve Physical and Moral Strength
—
God did not withhold meat from the Hebrews in the wilderness
simply to show His authority, but for their good, that they might
preserve physical and moral strength. He knew that the use of animal
food strengthens the animal passions and enfeebles the intellect.
He knew that the gratification of the appetite of the Hebrews for
flesh meats, would weaken their moral powers, and induce such an
irritable disposition that the vast army would become insubordinate,
that they would lose the high sense of their moral obligations, and
refuse to be controlled by the wise laws of Jehovah. Violence and
rebellion would exist among them, making it impossible for them to
be a pure and happy people in the land of Canaan. God knew what
was best for the children of Israel, therefore He deprived them in a
great measure of flesh meats.
Satan tempted them to consider this unjust and cruel. He caused
them to lust after forbidden things, because he saw that through the
indulgence of perverted appetite they would become carnally minded
and could be easily brought to do his will; the lower organs would
be strengthened, while the intellectual and moral powers would be
weakened.
[161]
Satan is no novice in the business of destroying souls. He well
knows that if he can lead men and women into wrong habits of eating
and drinking, he has gained, in a great degree, the control of their
minds and baser passions. In the beginning man ate of the fruits of
the earth, but sin brought into use the flesh of dead animals as food.
This diet works directly against the spirit of true refinement and
moral purity. The substance of that which is taken into the stomach,
passes into the circulation, and is converted into flesh and blood....
God requires that His people should be temperate in all things.
The example of Christ, during that long fast in the wilderness, should
teach His followers to repulse Satan when he comes under the guise
of appetite. Then may they have influence to reform those who
have been led astray by indulgence, and have lost moral power to
overcome the weakness and sin that has taken possession of them.
Thus may Christians secure health and happiness, in a pure, well-