One question that troubles a lot of people when they read Scripture is how the ancients could have lived so long. satan is at work using questions like this to undermine the faith of multitudes, by appealing to their natural senses, which posit that it is biologically impossible for men to have lived as long as the ancients once did and that since this is scientifically proven, then it means Scripture is inaccurate.
But the devil is a liar. Scripture is inerrant and is the word of God, and when we search the Scriptures, we will find life and truth.
So, why did man once live very long, and why do we no longer live as long as we once did?
Have you ever wondered why the animals in the Garden of Eden never posed a physical threat to Adam and Eve, or why the wild animals Noah kept in the Ark never attacked him and his family?
If that question had ever crossed your mind, my prayer is that today, you will find answers in Scripture.
You see, we live in a falling world. We do not live in a fallen world. What do I mean? When man fell in the Garden of Eden, our fall was not an event, or a one-day affair. The fall of man was a journey and it was progressive. Meaning that in the process of time, the world and man fell deeper and deeper. The fall of man is present continuous, until Christ returns.
In physics, this is known as The second law of thermodynamics, which in summary is that entropy (the degree of disorder) increases with time.
You see, in the beginning, God did not create humans and animals to be natural enemies, who attacked and killed each other for food. In Eden, and even after the fall of man began, both man and animals were created to be vegetarians. Do not take my word for it. Let Scripture convince you:
Genesis 1:29 relates to humanity:
“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.”
Genesis 1:30 relates to animals:
“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.”
The difference God made between food for humans and that for animals, is that man was only to eat fruits and vegetables that had SEED in it. While animals were allowed to eat any fruit and vegetable, whether or not it had seeds.
And when this world comes to an end, and all things are restored in paradise, the unnatural enmity between man and animals will be taken away. And we see that in Isaiah’s prophecy of God’s Kingdom:
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.”-Isaiah 11:6.
Yes, Genesis 4:2 teaches us that Cain kept livestock. But he did NOT eat them. They were kept for animal sacrifice, which was a regular affair after man was sent out of Eden.
From Genesis 1 to Genesis 9, you will not find even one verse were any man or animal ate meat.
So why did man and animal start eating meat?
Genesis 9:3 gives us the answer. That verse reads:
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I NOW give you everything.”
Notice the word ‘NOW’. God allowed man and animal to eat meat, because the Great Flood, that occurred during the time of Noah, had destroyed all vegetation on Earth. And it took a while for the Earth to be revegetated. Noah and his children were the first set of human beings to ever eat meat.
You will notice something. Noah and his ancestors all lived extraordinarily long. It was only after Noah and his children started eating meat that their lifespan reduced. Let me give my readers some examples.
Adam lived for 930 years. His son Seth, lived for 912 years. Seth’s son, Enosh lived for 905 years. Enosh’ son, Kenan, lived for 910 years. Kenan’s son, Mahalalel, lived for 895 years. Mahalalel’s son, Jared, lived for 962 years. Jared’s son, Enoch, lived for 365 years, but never died. He was taken to heaven, alive. Enoch’s son, Methuselah, lived for 969 years (the man with the longest lifespan ever). Methuselah’s son, Lamech, lived for 777 years. Lamech was the father of Noah. Noah lived to be 950 years.
You can find these information in Genesis chapter 5.
Now fast forward to Genesis 11. After man started eating meat, Shem, Noah’s son, lived for 500 years, which is half his father’s lifespan. His son, Arphaxad, lived for 403 years. Arphaxad’s son, Shelah, also lived for 403 years. Shelah’s son, Eber, lived for 430 years. Eber’s son, Peleg, lived for 209 years. Peleg’s son, Reu, lived for 207 years. Reu’s son, Serug, lived for 200 years. Serug’s son, Nahor, lived for 119 years. Nahor gave birth to Terah, who was the father of Abraham.
So you can see that it was AFTER man started eating meat that we started to live shorter and shorter lifespans.
Consult your doctor and he will tell you that if you want to live a long and healthy life, you must stop eating or reduce your intake of meat, especially red meat.
What makes meat red? Blood. And what did Scripture tell us about blood?
“Be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.”-Deuteronomy 12:23
In the New Testament, the disciples gave we Gentiles only four laws to keep. You can find them below:
“Abstain from things offered to idols, from BLOOD, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.”-Acts 15:29.
In Japan, the nation with the highest life expectancy in the world, the eating of any type of meat was banned for centuries. Please research it. Do not trust my word
It was illegal to eat meat in Japan until 1872, when Emperor Meiji lifted the ban. However, even after the ban was lifted, the Japanese still rarely consume red meat. Asians in general consume more fish than meat, but the Japanese in particular, consume a lot more fish compared to other Asian countries. And they do not just consume fish, they tend to eat it raw. That is the secret of their longevity.
If you want to live a long, healthy and happy life, your chances are increased (but not guaranteed), if you can eat only fruit and vegetables, and fish for animal protein. And not just any fish and vegetable. Eat organic fruit and vegetables.
Think back to Daniel. Daniel 1:8 reads:
“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not DEFILE himself with the portion of the king’s MEAT”.
Daniel was a vegetarian. Daniel 1:12 reads:
“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but VEGETABLES to eat and water to drink.”
Daniel 1:15 reads:
“At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.”
I am proof of Daniel’s word. I don’t eat meat. I eat only organic fruit and vegetables. I eat fish and seafood. Yet, I am stronger and healthier than my own blood brother who eats meat, despite the fact that I am 10 years older than him. He travels the world with me. I run everyday for an hour. He lasts 30 minutes and gives up.
I never get sick, even though my brother gets sick periodically. Health insurance is wasted on me. Without trying to be vain, I look physically good even though I am 47 years old in two months time.
Follow the word of God. Eat and live as it says you should. “It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.”-Proverbs 3:8.
Both on Earth and in heaven, God did not just intend for food to be for physical nourishment. He intended and still intends for food to be first of all, medicine.
That is why Ezekiel 47:12 says:
“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for HEALING.”
And for heaven, we read in Revelations 22:2 as followed:
“Down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
You will notice that Christ ate twice after his resurrection. And at both times, He only ate fish.
We see the first instance in Luke 24:42-43:
“They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish [k]and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.”
We see the second incident in John 21:13:
“Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.”
If a doctor tells you you are going to die next month, you will make peace with God and man and start living right. But we will all die one day. Tomorrow is promised to no man. Why wait until your health fails?
I traveled to 32 nations last year, and a lot of them were in Africa. I used to think that it was only in Nigeria that we believed ‘village people’ could kill city people. My travels to Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, disabused my mind and taught me that it is a Black African thing.
I saw Black African men eating so much red meat, accompanied with the most carbohydrate loaded diet. I saw these men enter cars and drivers drove them around. I saw them go to their homes, where domestic servants do all the physical work for them and their families.
They never exercise, the only thing that they tended to do in excess, whether Christians or Muslims, was pray.
And when they get a stroke or heart attack, their families never, ever blame their lifestyles. It is always village people.
Meanwhile, Scripture says;
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”-Galatians 6:7-8.
Reno Omokri
Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Avid traveller. Hollywood Magazine Film Festival Humanitarian of the Year, 2019
