Leviticus 19:19, Livestock breed with another kind…sow your field with mixed seed.
The ancient biblical writings are amazingly prescient on this issue when the Torah forbids the mixing of dissimilar species (such as seeds and animal species), which were separated in the creation by Elohim, and which he established to reproduce after their own kind.
What does the Torah have to say about genetically modified organisms (GMO) or foods? This verse addresses the issue. The type of genetic modification of plants and animals that we’re concerned about is that of forcing the DNA of one species into that of another. In reality, it’s a form of man-induced macro-evolution where one species takes on the characteristics of another species. Micro-evolution is a natural phenomenon that occurs between like plant and animal species (e.g. diverse kinds of cats, apples, palm trees, etc.).This can occur naturally (called adaptation) and through the human-induced processes of hybridization. This isn’t a bad thing, in most cases. However, there are no examples of macro-evolution in the creation despite evolutionists’ best efforts to prove otherwise. Evolutionists have failed to find the missing links between monkeys and men, or lizards and birds, or slime and amphibians—at least not until genetic engineering came along. Now through genetic engineering they can create the missing link. This is not only an affront to the Creator, and goes contrary to the Bible, but it’s the opening of a Pandora’s box of all sorts of unintended evil consequences where man is playing God, while not knowing what the consequences will be.
The Creator simply commands men not to mix diverse kinds (species) without giving the reasons. We are to assume that he knows best whether we understand the technical reasons or not.
Since the recent emergence of the science of genetic engineering and the negative consequences of some aspects of it, perhaps the Creator’s prohibitions against mixing dissimilar species now makes more sense.
Here are the scriptural prohibitions:
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. (Lev 19:19)
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. (Deut 22:9)
Here are some excerpts from some Bible commentaries on Leviticus 19:19 pertaining to this subject:
These practices might have been considered as altering the original constitution of God in creation; and this is the view which the Jews, and also Josephus and Philo, take of the subject. (The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on Lev 19:19)
God in the beginning made the cattle after their kind (Gen 1:25), and we must acquiesce in the order of nature God hath established, believing that is best and sufficient, and not covet monsters. Add thou not unto his works, lest he reprove thee; for it is the excellency of the work of God that nothing can, without making it worse, be either put to it or taken from it, Eccl 3:14. As what God has joined we must not separate, so what he has separated we must not join. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Lev 19:19)
By these laws the observance of the natural order and separation of things is made a duty binding on the Israelites…as a divine ordinance founded in the creation itself (Gen 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25). All symbolic, mystical, moral, and utilitarian reasons that have been supposed to lie at the foundation of these commands, are foreign to the spirit of the law. (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the OT on Lev 19:19).
God created the world with certain distinct species, and His wisdom decreed that these species remain intact and unadulterated. For man to take it upon himself to alter the order of Creation suggest a lack of faith in God’s plan. Moreover, each species on earth is directed by a Heavenly force, so that the earthly species represents profound spiritual forces. To tamper with them is to cause harm that earth-bound man cannot fathom. (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash on Lev 19:19)
…God’s Creation should be permitted to function according to the laws of nature that He instituted, without tampering by man. It should be noted that these laws of mixture are limited to specific matters [i.e. cross-mixing of species], and do not limit the infinite number of alloys or combinations that are so much a part of modern life. To the contrary, man is duty bound to improve the world and, in a sense, “complete” the work of the Creation. (The ArtScroll Tanach Series Levticus Commentary on Lev 19:19)
With regard to GMO foods, there is also the issue of what is biblically kosher or not. If foods are genetically altered, who knows if what one thinks he is eating actually is totally that. Within the milk you’re drinking or the steak that you’re eating, for example, there may be genes from an unkosher animal.
Great article. This also is another tie into the vaccine issue. They are biological blood products in which received is dna from animals.
Correct. The push for vaccines, especially, in America and even Africa by the WHO, is another fulfillment of Revelation 18:23, and is an aspect of sorcery. I will not be part of this!!!! Satan comes to kill, steal and to destroy, and so do his evil internationalist, global elite, Luciferian, Antichrist workers and their minions. It’s about money/greed and power/world domination and population reduction. Yeshua has given us the victory, and the devil is defeated by the blood of the Lamb. Have a blessed day.
I know that Isaiah 55:2 isn’t about GMO’S (OMG backwards!) but might it not apply here? for bread is not bread anymore (unless you can buy grain not tampered with) I heard a story that the “amber waves of grain’ were no more for the head of the wheat is so genetically modified it will not “wave” in the breeze anymore because it is so top heavy with gluten now! YHVH created it with about 14 chromosomes and now it contains 48 or so! This gluten has contributed to the obesity epidemic in this country because the body does not recognize ( I was told) GMO’S so it stores them as FAT! And what about spider genes in our tomatoes so the tomato worm detects a spider and won’t eat it! Hey, if a tomato worm won’t eat it neither should we. Besides I don’t eat spiders and Who knows what these things are doing to our bodies besides obesity? I read that Morgellan’s (skin disease) is caused by GMOS! (red and blue threads coming out of people’s skin when they scratch an itch! YHVH will destroy those who destroy the earth through their PHARMAKIA Isaiah 47! God help us! I am growing an organic lemon tree and my city wants to apply an insecticide to it which I refused because we raise praying mantis and they eat the pests they claim are destroying citrus crops. Naturally 🙂
I don’t think Isa 55:2 exactly applies here, since this is not the context of the passage, but why would we want to spend money for that which is not physical bread? The other day, I we were on a job and a client gave me and my two boys a Hostess Twinkie type something or other. I smiled and took it, but refused to eat it. One of my boys ate it instead. I’m “proud” to say that I’ve never had a Twinkie in my life, and I’m not about to start now. Our bodies are the temple of the Ruach.
As far as GMOs go and the genetic tampering that goes on and all the chemicals that are placed into our foods, it’s as I said in another comment below about vaccines.
This, to my thinking, is just another fulfillment of Revelation 18:23, and is an aspect of sorcery. I will not be part of this!!!! Satan comes to kill, steal and to destroy, and so do his evil internationalist, global elite, Luciferian, Antichrist workers and their minions. It’s about money/greed and power/world domination and population reduction. Yeshua has given us the victory, and the devil is defeated by the blood of the Lamb. Have a blessed day.
P.s there are no such things as seedless: grapes, watermelons etc=GMO! and now they are working to genetically modify apples=no seeds. Too bad the “seed” of the enemy isn’t seedless.
Hybridization is one thing. Genetic modification is another. They’re different. The first is acceptable, the latter is not.
Natan, A different way of looking at it:
A vineyard = a nation. Different types of seeds = multiculturalism.
John
Hmmm. Never thought of it that way before.
Not sure that YHVH is totally against multiculturalism. Joseph’s coat had many colors in it. Some people see this as the different cultures within the tribes of Israel.
The problem is when multiculturalism causes YHVH’s people to turn away from obeying him and start worshipping the Baalim of the other nations. Now that’s a problem!
The differences in cultural under the rubric of Torah is a beautiful thing; under Baal, that’s satanic.
I suppose, there are some interesting and enjoyable activities from other cultures but as you pointed out, everyone has to abide by YHVH’s instructions; He tells us what to eat, how to dress (decent), how to behave, how to speak, how to judge and so on. That doesn’t leave too much room for variation.
I vaguely remember that YHVH says to the Israelites to treat the foreigner in their land like they would treat an Israelite, but the foreigner has to become like them.
Anyway, we are on the same page.
Shalom, Sonja
Shabbat shalom everyone! Huge topic. My family has been working on establishing year-round edible gardens for the last few years due to all the corruption of Yah’s creation. Are nursery-bought grafted fruit trees (seeded fruit) a problem? We don’t yet eat from most of them (uncircumcised) but someone told me recently that fruit from grafted trees is a problem as that fruit takes on characteristics (e.g., flavor) of root stock. Another question: are we to strictly keep crops in their own sections? Every year volunteer plants (cilantro, onions, berries, etc.) crop up all over our small yards from seed scattered by wind. I’ve never had a cilantro-tasting onion but have seen a yellow rose bush yield a red rose like the red ones growing on another bush nearby.