Ella 
Read the Bible Verse of the Day – Deuteronomy 14:3 To Strengthen Your Spiritual Journey.
God gave the Israelites specific instructions about how to live as His holy people. These laws helped them stay separate from the surrounding nations and worship the Lord in purity. Deuteronomy 14:3 is one of these laws. It may seem like a small verse, but it carries a deep message. It speaks about holiness, obedience, and being different from the world.
The Context of Deuteronomy 14:3 KJV
The Book of Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible. It was written by Moses. In this book, Moses speaks to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He reminds them of God’s commandments. He urges them to live in obedience to the Lord.
The book is full of laws and instructions. These were meant to help Israel live as God’s chosen people. Moses speaks to a new generation. Their parents had died in the wilderness because of unbelief. Now, the children are preparing to enter Canaan. Moses wants them to remember who they are and how they must live.
The Surrounding Verses
Deuteronomy 14 begins with a reminder that Israel is God’s special people. Verse 1 says, “Ye are the children of the LORD your God.” Because of this, they were to avoid pagan mourning practices. Then, in verse 3, God begins to list specific dietary laws.
From verses 3 to 21, God tells the Israelites which animals they may eat and which they must avoid. These rules were not only about food. They were about holiness. God wanted His people to be clean, different, and obedient.
Verse 3 serves as a transition. It leads into the list of clean and unclean animals. But it also gives a key principle that stands on its own.
Deuteronomy 14:3 (KJV)
“Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.” — Deuteronomy 14:3, KJV
This short verse contains a command from God. It is clear and direct. God tells His people not to eat anything He calls “abominable.”
Deuteronomy 14:3 Meaning
What Does “Abominable” Mean?
The word abominable means something that is disgusting, detestable, or hateful. In the Bible, it is often used to describe things that God rejects because they are sinful, unclean, or dishonorable.
In this verse, the word refers to certain animals and foods that God had forbidden. These were considered unclean under the Law of Moses. Eating them was a violation of God’s holiness.
The word can also refer to practices that are morally wrong. For example, idolatry and sexual sin are sometimes called abominations in the Bible. But here, in Deuteronomy 14:3, the focus is on food laws.
Why Were Some Foods Abominable?
God gave the Israelites specific instructions about food. Certain animals were considered clean, and others were unclean. These rules are found in Leviticus 11 and repeated in Deuteronomy 14.
The clean animals were the ones the Israelites were allowed to eat. These included animals that had split hooves and chewed the cud (like cows and sheep), fish with fins and scales, and certain birds.
Unclean animals included pigs, camels, rabbits, shellfish, birds of prey, and animals that died naturally. These animals were “abominable” because God had declared them so.
But why did God make this distinction?
There are several possible reasons:
- Spiritual separation: God wanted His people to be different from the nations around them.
- Obedience: Following food laws taught the Israelites to obey God in daily life.
- Health: Some unclean animals carry more diseases and parasites.
- Symbolism: Clean and unclean animals often represented purity and impurity.
The main point is that God gave these laws to set His people apart. Eating “abominable” things was not just about diet—it was about loyalty to God.
“Thou shalt not eat”
This phrase is a direct command. God is not giving a suggestion. He is setting a rule. He tells His people to avoid anything He calls abominable.
This shows that God cares about every part of our lives—including what we eat, how we live, and how we honor Him.
This command also reminds us that obedience is important. Even in small things, God wants His people to follow His ways.
Deuteronomy 14:3 Application in Life
1. God Cares About Our Daily Choices
This verse shows that God is involved in the details of life. Food may seem like a small matter, but God gave Israel clear instructions about it.
Today, we may not follow Old Testament dietary laws, but the principle remains. God still wants us to honor Him in our everyday choices.
Whether it’s food, entertainment, words, or habits—God wants us to ask, “Does this please Him?”
1 Corinthians 10:31 says:
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
2. We Are Called to Be Holy
The Israelites were told not to eat unclean things because they were holy to the Lord. Deuteronomy 14:2 says:
“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God…”
As Christians, we are also called to be holy. Peter writes:
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15).
Being holy means being set apart. It means living in a way that reflects God’s character. It means avoiding what God calls sinful or unclean.
We may not follow the food laws today, but we still obey God’s moral laws. We still stay away from things that are spiritually unclean—like idolatry, sexual sin, greed, and hatred.
3. Christ Fulfilled the Law
It’s important to remember that we are under the New Covenant. Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses. That means we are not required to keep the Old Testament dietary rules.
In Mark 7:18–19, Jesus said:
“…Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him… Thus he declared all meats clean.” (paraphrased)
In Acts 10, Peter had a vision where God told him not to call any food unclean. This was a sign that the gospel was for all people—not just the Jews.
So today, Christians are free to eat all kinds of food. But we still honor God in how we eat. We avoid gluttony. We give thanks. We act with self-control.
4. Avoiding Spiritual Abominations
While food laws are no longer required, the idea of avoiding “abominable things” still applies in a spiritual sense.
Revelation 21:27 says:
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination…”
God still hates sin. He still calls some things abominable. As Christians, we must avoid these things.
That includes:
- Idolatry (putting anything before God)
- Sexual sin (adultery, fornication, homosexuality)
- Dishonesty and injustice
- Witchcraft and false religion
We must ask God to search our hearts. Are there things we allow in our lives that He calls abominable? If so, we must turn from them.
5. Obedience Shows Our Love for God
The Israelites showed their love for God by obeying His commands. We do the same.
Jesus said:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15
Obedience is not legalism. It’s love in action. It’s saying, “God, I trust You more than my own desires.” Whether it’s food, time, money, or relationships—we obey because we love Him.
6. Our Bodies Are a Temple
In the Old Testament, what Israel ate affected their holiness. In the New Testament, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 says:
“…ye are not your own… therefore glorify God in your body…”
That means we must care for our health. We must avoid things that harm our bodies—like drugs, drunkenness, and gluttony. These may not be abominable in the same sense as the Old Testament food laws, but they still dishonor God.
Let us treat our bodies with respect, because they belong to Him.
7. Discernment in What We Consume
While food may no longer be restricted, we still need to be careful about what we “consume” in other ways.
This includes what we watch, read, and listen to. Many things in the world today are spiritually harmful. We must ask, “Does this draw me closer to God or pull me away?”
Psalm 101:3 says:
“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…”
As children of God, we must fill our minds with what is pure and good (Philippians 4:8).
Conclusion
Deuteronomy 14:3 may be a short verse, but it carries a lasting message. God told His people not to eat any abominable thing. This was about more than food. It was about obedience, holiness, and loyalty to God.
For Christians today, the message still speaks. We may no longer follow the Old Testament dietary laws, but we are still called to be holy. We are still called to obey. We are still called to avoid anything that God calls abominable—whether in action, thought, or heart.
Let this verse remind us that God cares about the details of our lives. He wants us to live in a way that reflects His holiness. Let us honor Him with all that we do—from our eating and drinking to our worship and witness.
May we be a people who say, “Lord, I will not touch what is unclean. I belong to You. Make me holy, inside and out.”
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