There is no mincing of words from the Son of God. “But I have a few things against you” He warns us in the end time prophetic book of Revelation. To us He speaks; the people of His pasture, the sheep of His fold. Not to an unbelieving world, but to His end time church. “…you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” -Rev. 2:20
One could not attempt to fabricate an argument for the first charge. Sexual immorality is seemingly as rampant in the church (and often ministry) as in the world. If the rate of divorce, adultery, abortion and fornication is the benchmark, professing Christians share the same ominous ranking as the secular community. As a culture we have grown very comfortable with the breaking of these laws and barely blush over these transgressions. Yes, we are guilty as charged. But eating food sacrificed to idols? Certainly it would be hard for most believers to agree they are guilty of this.
Yet another puzzling statement Jesus makes to His end time church is found in Rev. 20:4. “…I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.” Beheading? Up until very recently I think most of us would have dismissed this as also not applying to us, but maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the words of our Savior and the current climate in which we live.
The rise of Islam has brought about shocking changes to our American culture and around the world. The esteemed prophet Muhammad commanded his followers to execute infidels by the sword, his passionately preferred form of slaughter. Adding other gruesome forms of torture for all who did not serve Allah, one sees more specific terrors reserved for the people of the book; Jews and Christians. These two segments of the populace are targeted with a more than loathsome disdain.
Many reasonable people find these claims hard to believe and categorize them as falling into the radical Islam culture exclusively. These are those who have not yet read the Koran or writings of Muhammad in the Hadith, a major source of Islam’s religious law and moral guidance. For many years I was one. I’m sure much of the world struggled with this same issue as news of Adolf Hitler’s acts of horror began to spread. Utterly impossible to believe.
Yet how could any devout Muslim find their prophet’s instructions for jihad easy to ignore? They are plentiful through Islamic writings and one would wonder how any committed Muslim could disregard their prophets most fervent directives. Perpetuated by its followers the ultimate goal for Islam is world domination. According to their writings one is either a follower of Allah, or an infidel and reportedly deserves either everything or a brutal death. Quite the contrast to the character and words of Christ; “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”– Mathew 11:28-29
The ancient form of execution by beheading continues its resurgence. Reading a story by David McKay Wilson published in USA Today a quote from James Foley, stirred me; a Christian journalist who was brutally beheaded while video taped by ISIS in August of 2014. The story describes the deep faith of Foley who had previously been captured and released. “If nothing else, prayer was the glue that enabled my freedom, an inner freedom first and later the miracle of being released during a war in which the regime had no real incentive to free us. It didn’t make sense, but faith did.” His second capture ended not in his release to our earthly realm, but most certainly to heaven’s. I can not help but think of James Foley as I read Rev. 2:4.
The Islamic impact of our culture continues in other areas. Also foretold by our Savior two thousand years ago; eating food sacrificed to idols is nothing new. The infamous Jezebel created a culture in ancient Israel promoting the use of alcohol and mind altering drugs (what the Bible calls sorcery or pharmekeia), adultery, fornication, homosexuality, child sacrifice and public pornography via temple prostitute worship and also the eating of food sacrificed to the idols of Baal. Blood sacrifice has always been an earmark of victory for the King of Darkness. As scripture states; he too knows the life (spirit) is in the blood and it is that he covets. (Lev. 17:11)
Public data confirms 80% of the meat production in our country is done by four major companies, JBS, Cargill, Tyson and National Beef. Each one of these companies boast halal slaughter. Multiple journalistic reports quote the shocking statement issued to small and large meat producers alike on the U.S. Government’s website. It reads as follows: “New Zealand found Halal slaughter to be so easy and so profitable that it was cost effective for them to send animals to Halal slaughterhouses regardless of whether the meat would be exported to a Halal market or not.” Halal is the Arabic word for permissible and halal meat is that which adheres to Islamic law as defined in the Koran.
In an article titled “The Secret Selling of Halal Meat In US” written by Pam Geller of Human Events Ms. Geller reports, “One of the largest producers of turkeys for the holidays in America, the Butterball Corporation complies with halal in all their slaughter. The U.S. government is negotiating with several major Muslim countries to gain acceptance of U.S. Halal standards as equivalent to their own. This will open more markets to U.S. Lamb and mutton exporters as at least twenty Muslim countries require Halal certification for meat. There are 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world, so the potential market for Halal meat is very large. Currently the United States is negotiating with Saudi Arabia (any agreement would extend to the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council; Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain), Egypt and Malaysia.” She also states Halal meat is being supplied to our public schools. According to published reports, all of these companies now claim to now slaughter according to Halal standards.
In an article published in Daily Mail they claim McDonalds was selling halal meat without informing their customers. “Fast food giant McDonald’s has admitted selling halal chicken without telling its customers. The poultry was used in popular menu items such as Chicken McNuggets and the McChicken Sandwich in its 1200 British outlets. The admission comes three weeks after the company categorically denied to this newspaper that is used any halal meat. Now McDonald’s has revealed that the firm {which} supplies its poultry, Cargill produces halal chicken at one of its abattoirs. A company source said; “It’s fair to say that most lamb is halal and I would say half of the chicken is halal.” Islamic law requires Muslims to slaughter animals by slitting their throat while reciting an Arabic prayer which translates as; “In the name of Allah, who is the greatest.”
A culture of passivity, timidity and ignorance has clouded the church for so long we have allowed a meaningful compromise of Judaeo;Christian values in our communities and country. The America that was proudly founded on the Bible is now steeped in the very culture and tradition that Jezebel ushered into ancient Israel. As Jesus told us we have tolerated (in Greek meaning allowed, not spoken against) that woman Jezebel (or the spirit thereof) and allowed her influence a broad reach indeed.
So where does that leave one who is a fervent follower of Jesus Christ? One who seeks to pay heed to His warnings? I am reminded of the many times the Lord instructed Moses to fully obey the Lord and be careful to follow all his commandments (Deuteronomy 28). Sadly I fear we do not. Jesus warns us explicitly; “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?” -Luke 6:46
As I see it, one can either debate the scriptural references defending the right to eat what ever one gives thanks for or one can take the words of our Savior simply at face value and examine ourselves in light of them. But I have a few things against you…you practice sexual immorality and eat foods sacrificed to idols. So I asked myself a simple question, Does it matter to God that these animals are sacrificed to Allah and His children partake of them?
This spirit of the age would like us to believe our gospel of grace gives us a free pass to re-write the laws of God according to our preferences. But Jesus lived and fulfilled the commandments of the Torah and never discarded them. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” -Mathew 5:17 They mattered very much to Him, they mattered to His disciples and they matter to me. Not withstanding, of their own accord, I find His words to the end time church crystal clear.
So what to do. On a personal note, our household has embraced a life style of less meat and a much more careful selection of it. Smaller local ranches that do not follow halal slaughter and strictly Kosher meat production that does not intermingle halal, are where we now purchase our meat products. We believe bringing awareness to this issue for those that are entirely uninformed regarding this is vital and taking a clear stand regarding it. It is not acceptable to any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We influence community and culture not only with the words we speak, but with our writings, actions and our resources. We personally will no longer purchase meat likely to have come from these four major production companies until they establish undeniably clear boundaries for non-halal meat products. Until they provide transparent proof of proper separation of halal and non-halal animal slaughter, an issue most journalists report is a grossly blurred line, or utterly non-existent one as there is no regulation in this area.
I have come to understand these matters (and others) not always treated as priorities to us are very important to our Lord Jesus Christ. If not, He would not address them. I believe He says exactly what He means and He means what exactly what He says and I do not take His words casually.
By His grace I endeavor to carefully follow His commandments and obey them fully. The rest I leave up to Him for my salvation is by His grace, not by my works. The law addressed the behavior of man, Christ addressed the heart of man resulting in an even greater demand for righteousness. The difference? We can fulfill it through Him only. As Paul says, “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? God forbid.”– Romans 6:1
Please do share this information with many and let the prayer of our hearts along with our words and deeds ignite change.
Shalom.