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SUBJECT: Meat and Meat-eating
QUESTION: Did man eat meat before the flood?
ANSWER:
Apparently the Bible is silent on the matter. Commentaries
and other sources go each way (there
was meat-eating/there was not), which would seem
to support the Bible being silent on the matter.
Here is the Bible Dictionary on "Meat":
MEAT
This word does not appear in the KJV in the sense of animal
food, which is denoted uniformly by "flesh." Perhaps "savoury
meat" (Genesis 27:4) and "corn and bread and meat" (45:23)
would be exceptions (the
NASB renders "savory dish" and "grain and bread and
sustenance"). The only real and inconvenient
ambiguity caused by the change that has taken place in the
meaning of the word is in the case of the "meat-offering,"
which consisted solely of flour and oil, sacrifices of flesh
being confined to the other offerings. The NASB and NIV read
"grain offering" (Lev 6:14).
Several other words, distinct in the original, are rendered
"meat" in the KJV; these are generally replaced in the NASB
and NIV by "food." None presents any special interest except
Heb. terep (something torn).
This word is rendered "food" in the NASB, with a marginal
reading of "prey." In the NT a variety of Gk. words are
rendered "meat" in the KJV; in the NASB and NIV such
expressions as "at the table," "something to eat," and
"food" are used instead.
~From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary
Note: This is
saying that meat as food is not mentioned till long after
the flood.
Now a key verse.
Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing
seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every
tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to
you it shall be for meat.
It is clear that vegetable matter is fine. There is no
verse on meat of animals.
Now the commentary...
Genesis 1:24-31
Verse 29,30. Every herb bearing seed and tree bearing fruit
is granted to man for his sustenance. With our habits it may
seem a matter of course that each should at once appropriate
what he needs of things at his hand. But in the beginning of
existence it could not be so. Of two things proceeding from
the same creative hand neither has any original or inherent
right to interfere in any way whatever with the other. The
absolute right to each lies in the Creator alone. The one,
it is true, may need the other to support its life, as fruit
is needful to man. And therefore the just Creator cannot
make one creature dependent for subsistence on another
without granting to it the use of that other. But this is a
matter between Creator and creature, not by any means
between creature and creature. Hence, it was necessary to
the rightful adjustment of things, whenever a rational
creature was ushered into the world, that the Creator should
give an express permission to that creature to partake of
the fruits of the earth. And in harmony with this view we
shall hereafter find an exception made to this general grant
(Genesis 2:17). Thus, we perceive, the necessity of this
formal grant of the use of certain creatures to moral and
responsible man lies deep in the nature of things. And the
sacred writer here hands down to us from the mists of a
hoary antiquity the primitive deed of conveyance, which lies
at the foundation of the common property of man in the
earth, and all that it contains.
~from Barnes' Notes
I found this on the Internet.
After the Flood God made an unconditional covenant with Noah
and his descendants. This is known as the Noahic covenant.
There are several specifics of this covenant.
Universal Scope
The scope of the covenant is universal.
Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: And
as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with You and with
your descendants after you, and every living creature with
you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth
(Genesis 9:8-10).
1. Fill The Earth
God gave Noah a similar commandment that he had given
Adam and Eve. They were to fill the earth. The same Hebrew
word that is used in Genesis 1:28 meaning to fill, not
refill or restock. There is no idea of some Pre-Adamic race
in the world.
2. Rule Over Animals
The rule over the animals would now be different. Fear and
terror would now characterize the relationship of beasts to
humanity. God performed a gracious act in giving humankind
the rule over the beasts. If the beasts were allowed to
multiply without any restraint, they may have eventually
wiped humanity off of the face of the earth.
Problems With Wild Beasts
In Leviticus 26:,6,22 the problems with wild beasts are
mentioned. In the Book of Revelation wild beasts become a
global threat during the tribulation because of lack of food
at the time. Without a strong sense of fear and terror, some
of them could prey upon humanity.
New Diet?
One of the ways God permitted to help solve this new problem
with the animals was a new diet for humankind. Previously,
there had been a vegetable diet, now there was a meat diet.
The vegetable diet was still in effect after the Fall. If
human's ate meat before the Flood, there is no record of it
in Scripture. We are not specifically told why God permitted
the eating of meat after the Flood, though the keeping down
of the animal population is one obvious reason. It has also
been suggested that humankind's physical strength was not
the same as before the Flood as is evidenced in his
decreased life-span. The meat diet was now more necessary to
their survival. This also demonstrated God's mercy by this
increased provision.
Finally, the fact that humans could eat animals emphasized
the gap between humanity and the animal kingdom—only
humankind has been made in the image and likeness of God.
Not all agree that this new diet was instituted after the
Flood. There is no prohibition of eating meat before the
Flood. The Bible is silent on the matter.
---END---
This item seems clear. There is no record, one way or the
other. It does seem clear that meat eating is okay after
the flood and we have all kinds of meat-eating examples
throughout the rest of the Old Testament and into the New
Testament, including meat-eating being mention by Jesus and
in parables.
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