Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Although I would say that God's original design for His creation apparently did not involve either human or animal death (Genesis 1:29-30), after the Fall of humanity and the consequent cursing of the earth that resulted from it, the Bible tells us that God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21), and that Abel became a shepherd (indicating domestication and care of animals) and found favor with God by offering the choice cuts of meat from his lambs as a sacrificial offering (Genesis 4:4), which indicated that he had an understanding of the principle by which God would redeem humanity through the shedding of Christ's blood.

God also specifically told Noah that some of the animals that he would bring into the ark were to serve as food (Genesis 7:2). In addition, God told Noah after the Flood (Genesis 9:2-3) that the animals emerging from the ark were given to Noah and his descendants to use for food (in addition to grain and vegetables).

The extension of these passages to apply to the killing of animals for sale would then be, in my opinion, a logical and necessary next step, since it would not be efficient for everyone to raise the animals that they themselves would kill and consume for use as food or in making clothing. They would instead buy the animals or their byproducts from those who specialized in raising them for those purposes.

Again, perhaps all this was God's concession to a fallen world, and was not part of His original plan for His creation. However, I think that the Bible is clear that He does not condemn this practice.

July 13 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report