Abstain From Foods or Meats Sacrificed to Idols and Foods made for any Man-Made Holiday Celebrations
Historicity of Foods Sacrificed to Idols among various cultures:-
Meats offered to idols, the pollution of idols and things sacrificed unto idols have the same connotation.
Refer to Blue Letter Bible definition
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g234/kjv/tr/0-1/
What is foods sacrificed to an idol?
Food offered to idols” refers to meat, grain, drink, or other offerings that were dedicated to deities in temples and then often consumed by priests, worshippers, or sold in the marketplace.
1. Ancient Near Eastern and Canaanite Practices
Temples of Baal, Asherah, Marduk, and Ishtar received animal and grain offerings.
These animals were slaughtered before an idol or altar and part of the meat was burned for the deity, while the rest went to priests and worshippers for communal feasts.
2. Greco Roman-In Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome, temple sacrifices were central to public life.
Many temples received regular animal sacrifices such as: Temples of Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Serapis, and Dionysus.
Ritual process:
The worshipper brought an animal to the temple.
A priest dedicated it to the deity.
A portion was burnt on the altar for the god.
A portion was kept for the priesthood.
The remainder was cooked and eaten at the temple banquet or taken to market (makellon in Greek). Refer to https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g234/kjv/tr/0-1/
Temple dining halls were like restaurants , they hosted social gatherings, civic banquets, and cultic meals.
3. Indian and Eastern Parallels
Vedic Hinduism
Meat offerings (pashu yajña) are integral to yajña (sacrifice).
Goats, sheep, or bulls were ritually offered to gods like:
Indra (storm/war god)
Agni (fire god)
Rudra (later associated with Shiva)
Fire carried the offering’s essence to the deity — symbolically feeding them.
After the ritual, participants consumed the remainder (prasāda in later evolution).
4. Vajrayāna Buddhism
While early Buddhism rejected animal sacrifice, tantric and folk traditions in the Himalayas and Nepal adopted ritual offerings to local deities.
Offerings of meat, alcohol, and blood substitutes were meant to pacify wrathful spirits or guardians (Dharmapālas).
5. Islamic
Islam forbids sacrifices to any but Allah (Qur’an Surah 6:121; 5:3).
What is Eid al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha[a] (Arabic: عيد الأضحى, romanized: ʿĪd al-ʾAḍḥā, lit. 'Feast of the Sacrifice') is the second of the two main festivals in Islam, alongside Eid al-Fitr.nima
Greater or Large Eid (Arabic: العيد الكبير, romanized: al-ʿĪd al-Kabīr).[3] As with Eid al-Fitr, the Eid prayer is performed on the morning of Eid al-Adha, after which the udhiyah or the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, is performed. In Islamic tradition, it honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command. Depending on the narrative, either Ishmael or Isaac are referred to with the honorific title "Sacrifice of God".[4] Pilgrims performing the Hajj typically perform the tawaf and saee of Hajj on Eid al-Adha, along with the ritual stoning of the Devil on the Eid day and the following days.
Etymology
The Arabic word عيد (ʿīd) means 'festival', 'celebration', 'feast day', or 'holiday'.
The holiday is called عيد الأضحى (Eid-al-Adha) or العيد الكبير (Eid-al-Kabir) in Arabic.[8] The words أضحى (aḍḥā) and قربان (qurbān) are synonymous in meaning 'sacrifice' (animal sacrifice), 'offering' or 'oblation'.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha
Beware and stay clear of Meats or Foods that are labelled Halal
What does the word Halal mean?
Halal is an Arabic word that means “permissible.” In terms of food, it means food that is permissible according to Islamic law. In fact, it is the only type of meat observant Muslims are permitted to eat. Halal designation for meat is an important concept and belief associated with food for this religious community, and foods that are not permitted are called haram.
For a meat to be certified halal it cannot be a forbidden cut (such as meat from hindquarters) or animal (such as pork) and it must be slaughtered in a specific way. Many Muslims can shop with ease at a local halal market, where all of the products are designated halal.
The Blue Letter Bible definition for the word Halal
How is halal meat slaughtered?
The slaughter of a halal animal is called “zabihah” and there are certain guidelines to follow:
1. The name of Allah (the god of the Muslims) must be invoked (mentioned) at the time of slaughtering by saying: “Bismillah or Basmala Allahu Akbar”, which means "In the Name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest."
2. The instrument must be very sharp to ensure humane slaughter. The animal must be slit at the throat.
3. The animal to be slaughtered must be from the categories that are permitted for Muslims to eat.
4. The animal must not be unconscious.
5. The animal must be hung upside down and allowed to bleed dry. (Eating blood is not halal.)
6. These steps must be accomplished by a Muslim or the People of the Book. (Many observant Muslims find kosher meat acceptable.)
7. The animal must have been fed a natural diet that did not contain animal by-products.
8. A halal animal must live a healthy life that’s free from suffering.
Because the industrial meat system is so fraught with animal abuse, some Muslims advocate for a meat-free diet, arguing that the product of such a system can never be halal, no matter how the animal is slaughtered.
For a more complete list of halal guidelines see this guide to understanding halal foods PDF from the Halal Research Council.
More details can be found here
https://www.thekitchn.com/good-question-what-is-halal-me-60979
Temple Worship and the Marketplace Connection:-
Temples were the butcheries of the ancient world.
Thousands of animals were sacrificed yearly.
Priests could not consume all the leftover meat.
Therefore, it was sold to markets — generating temple revenue.
Meat from temples bore ritual significance:
It had been dedicated and was spiritually marked by the god’s name.
Eating it could be viewed as sharing communion with that deity.
Rituals and Symbolism
| Element | Meaning | Example |
| Animal Slaughter | Life offered to appease or honor a deity | Goat to Agni or a bull to Zeus |
| Burnt Portion | Portion for the god | Consumed by fire (symbolic eating by the deity |
| Blood Handling | Sacred life force returned to the god | Poured on altar or sprinkled |
| Communal Meal | Unity between god, priest, and worshipper | Banquets in temples, dining rooms |
| Distribution | Priest's share or marketplace | Supports temple economy |
What happens when we eat food sacrificed to idols?
- We commit spiritual fornication/idolatry
- We fellowship with demons and give credence to idols
- We become unclean
- We honor other gods and bind ourselves to them
In all these cultures they would have worshippers or devotees and it was believed that the deity was present at the meal.
Examining the texts:-
1Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Question: Is there only one god?
Answer: There are multiple gods, but the Israelites ought to serve one god. We cannot worship any other gods.
Question: What is Monolatrism?
Answer: Monolatrism is the belief in the existence of many gods while insisting on the worship of only one.
We see the existence of other gods littered in the scriptures:-
Attack on the gods of Egypt by The Most High with the ten plagues:-
- Hapi-Goddess of Nile. Refer to Exodus 7:17-25. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapi_(Nile_god)
- Heqet/Heket-The Primary Egyptian Frog God. Refer to Exodus 8:2-6. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heqet
- Geb-Egyptian god of earth. Refer to Exodus 8:16-19. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geb
- Khepri-Scarab god. Refer to Exodus 8:16-17. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khepri
- Hathor-Cow goddess. Refer to Exodus 9:1-7. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor
- Isis-Goddess of fertility, healing and protecting. Refer to Exodus 9:8-12. More details on this god can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis
The Most High is a jealous power and we are commanded to have no other gods before him.
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
Deuteronomy 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
Psalm 106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
List of gods that Israel served throughout the bible (this list is not exhaustive)
- Chemosh (Moabite god)=1 Kings 11:7
- Milcom (Ammonite god)=2 Kings 21:5
- Asherah (Canaanite goddess)=Exodus 34:13–14 (Asherah is named in other verses: e.g., 2 Kings 23:4)
- Adrammelech (Sepharvite god)=2 Kings 17:31
- Remphan (also “Rephan”; god mentioned by Stephen)=Acts 7:43
- Chiun=Amos 5:25–26
- Ashtaroth (plural of Astarte)=1 Samuel 12:10 (also Judges 2:13; 10:6)
- Baal=Judges 2:13
- Dagon=1 Samuel 5:2
- Baal-zebub (Beelzebub)=2 Kings 1:2
- Baal-peor=Numbers 25:3
- Bel=Isaiah 46:1
- Apis / Baal of Egypt=Exodus 32:4
- Queen of Heaven=Jeremiah 7:18
The children of Israel were commanded to break down the idols groves:-
Exodus 34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
Information on groves can be found here https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-role-of-sacred-groves-in-ancient-religions
Depiction of grove in biblical time
Another account of The Most High being jealous of the children of Israel serving another god
Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Another example of The Most High being angry when the children of Israel served another god
Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
Question: What is idolatry?
The Most High is the children of Israel's husband, when we serve other gods we are committing adultery, we are cheating on The Most High.
1Corinthians 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
Depiction of a shamble in biblical time
1Corinthians 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
Consensus: We were and are not to eat of meat that is sacrificed to another god/deity/devil/idol.
1Corinthians 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
Paul acknowledged that there are other gods.
In 1 Corinthians 8 and 1Corinthians 10 Paul speaks of the gods as being idols and nothing and stated that eating things sacrificed to idols was permitted, however this is not what the law says. Because of this he was brought to the elders and corrected on his teachings and they made him to show that he was also keeping the law to the people.
Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
1Maccabees 1:41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.
44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:
48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:
Exodus 22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Question: Why would they feed us with things offered unto idols?
Answer: To keep us in sin and pollute ourselves
Judith 5:17 And whilst they sinned not before their God, they prospered, because the God that hateth iniquity was with them.
18 But when they departed from the way which he appointed them, they were destroyed in many battles very sore, and were led captives into a land that was not their's, and the temple of their God was cast to the ground, and their cities were taken by the enemies.
19 But now are they returned to their God, and are come up from the places where they were scattered, and have possessed Jerusalem, where their sanctuary is, and are seated in the hill country; for it was desolate.
20 Now therefore, my lord and governor, if there be any error against this people, and they sin against their God, let us consider that this shall be their ruin, and let us go up, and we shall overcome them
21But if there be no iniquity in their nation, let my lord now pass by, lest their Lord defend them, and their God be for them, and we become a reproach before all the world.
