Were we originally vegetarians?

[gators_2006]

I was listening to some sermons online and one thing that got me thinking was the preacher made a comment that we were all vegetarians in the beginning, including all animals. He used Genesis 1:29-30 to support his claim.

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. ” And it was so.

He also mentioned it was not until later that man began to eat meat. He never mentioned when animals started eating each other but did use Genesis 9:1-3 to support this.

9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

What do you all think about this claim?

 

[preachinjesus]

Yes...it's why there is sin the world.

 

[Michael Wrenn]

I was listening to some sermons online and one thing that got me thinking was the preacher made a comment that we were all vegetarians in the beginning, including all animals. He used Genesis 1:29-30 to support his claim.

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. ” And it was so.

He also mentioned it was not until later that man began to eat meat. He never mentioned when animals started eating each other but did use Genesis 9:1-3 to support this.

9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

What do you all think about this claim?

I agree with it.

 

[USN2Pulpit]

May I ask...why were we created with incisors and canine teeth? Please - it's a legitimate - not argumentative - question I've always wondered about.

 

[convicted1]

May I ask...why were we created with incisors and canine teeth? Please - it's a legitimate - not argumentative - question I've always wondered about.

For the "tougher" plants?? :laugh: J/K

 

[HeirofSalvation]

I agree with that....moreover, if you Read Genesis carefully, (prior to the fall) man was not required to eat any "herb of the field" no broccolli/ spinach/ rutabaga or turnip/ (vegetables basically) man ate the fruits of the trees.....

Gen 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.

Food for man

Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Food for animals....
After the curse, man would have to till the soil....in sweat......and notice this:

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;


Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

I have often thought that this makes for an interesting commentary about a child's general love of fruits and disdain for vegetables. <---as though in their innocence they somehow know that this is unnatural...that God did not initially intend for them to eat cabbage. But then we sin, we grow old....and we become comfortable eating roots....eating bean sprouts....we fall in love with greens and spinach. :tear:

 

[convicted1]

So it seems that Adam and Eve were to only eat that which was not meat in substance. Now, where and when, does it state that mankind began eating animals for their food? I mean the first time they killed an animal for food?

 

[annsni]

It's Biblical. It wasn't until after the flood that animals were given to man to eat.

 

[webdog]

May I ask...why were we created with incisors and canine teeth? Please - it's a legitimate - not argumentative - question I've always wondered about.

Could they be the result of the fall as birth defects are? Maybe Adam and Eve never had them. I also am inclined to believe Lions, Tigers and other carnivores were not created with them.

 

[USN2Pulpit]

Could they be the result of the fall as birth defects are? Maybe Adam and Eve never had them. I also am inclined to believe Lions, Tigers and other carnivores were not created with them.

I guess one case where "spontaneous evolution" could be true? An interesting hypothesis.

 

[HeirofSalvation]

So it seems that Adam and Eve were to only eat that which was not meat in substance. Now, where and when, does it state that mankind began eating animals for their food? I mean the first time they killed an animal for food?

Immediately post the flood account Gen 9: 3,4 God authorized the eating of animals....but the Scriptures do not state if this had occured (against God's command) prior to it....Henry Morris suggests that it is possible that some had done so against God's command prior to the Flood...but we don't know for sure.

 

[HeirofSalvation]

I guess one case where "spontaneous evolution" could be true? An interesting hypothesis.

I have no problem with natural selection and minor change through time to increase survivability...I.E. God probably took something like only one or two different generic wolf/canine types for instance, and the numerous species we now have evolved from those two sources. I would assume that the genes necessary for "carnivourous" teeth were present in the DNA of future carnivores, and that once animals became carnivorous, these traits became pronounced. Either that, or some limited new genetic information was passed onto what are now carnivores for such teeth. There are always counterexamples of course!!!

 

[Iconoclast]

So it seems that Adam and Eve were to only eat that which was not meat in substance. Now, where and when, does it state that mankind began eating animals for their food? I mean the first time they killed an animal for food?

Put down the squirrel Willis! Don't do it:laugh::laugh::laugh::wavey:

 

[convicted1]

Put down the squirrel Willis! Don't do it:laugh::laugh::laugh::wavey:

In all honesty, squirrell is delicious. Rabbit and groundhog are also good, though I have only tried them once.

My father-in-law once spoke with an old man who grew up around here during the great depression. He stated that you couldn't find any wildlife, because people had just about wiped them out for food. He stated that people were killing robins to eat.

But in all sincerity, you should try squirrell and rabbit if you haven't.

 

[12strings]

Don't pounce on me...

Could it be that humans and dogs and T-Rexes had canines prior to the fall because God KNEW the fall would happen? Doesn't Revelation say the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world?

 

[freeatlast]

I was listening to some sermons online and one thing that got me thinking was the preacher made a comment that we were all vegetarians in the beginning, including all animals. He used Genesis 1:29-30 to support his claim.

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. ” And it was so.

He also mentioned it was not until later that man began to eat meat. He never mentioned when animals started eating each other but did use Genesis 9:1-3 to support this.

9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

What do you all think about this claim?

Based on what scripture we have he is correct at least they while they were in the garden as short as that time must have been. I don't think it took years for the fall to take place after creation, perhaps just a few days so the time would be short. The interesting thing is that there is some evidence that during the 1000 year rule of Christ things will revert back in many ways as it was in the garden. The Lion will lay down with the lamb and will eat straw Isa 11:6,7.
I would suggest that Adam and his family ate meat after the fall and man did not wait until after the flood to eat meat.
We know that Cain was a farmer and Able raised sheep. I think it is reasonable to hold that the sheep were used for both food and clothing.

 

[webdog]

Don't pounce on me...

Could it be that humans and dogs and T-Rexes had canines prior to the fall because God KNEW the fall would happen? Doesn't Revelation say the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world?

I thought of this, but then how would His creation been "very good" if He created it with the fall planned?

 

[Amy.G]

According to some creationists, the canines were needed not only for meat, but also for tough skinned fruits. They are used for more than tearing meat.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Put down the squirrel Willis! Don't do it:laugh::laugh::wavey:

Now ask him bout that opossum road kill

 

[quantumfaith]

Don't pounce on me...

Could it be that humans and dogs and T-Rexes had canines prior to the fall because God KNEW the fall would happen? Doesn't Revelation say the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world?

12 strings, for an interesting take on this theme, if so inclined, read "The End of Christianity" by Dembski.