Daily Devotional, Year 3 – July 29 (What’s An Aristaphagist!? Part 2: “Eat For Strength!”)
By admin On February 16th, 2021.
Daily Devotional, Year 3 – July 29
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What’s An Aristaphagist!?
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Part 2:
“Eat For Strength!”
To read part 1, go here…What’s An Aristaphagist!?
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“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child,
and thy princes eat in the morning!
Blessed art thou, O land,
when thy King is the Son of Nobles,
and thy princes eat in due season,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!”
Ecclesiastes 10:16, 17
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If someone asked you to describe the Christian Race, in just three words, what would you answer?
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Listen again to this above passage from Ecclesiastes…“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” Ecclesiastes 10:16, 17
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If we simply took the three words, “eat…for strength” from this above passage, we might find those very “three words” we’re searching for, to describe the Christian race.
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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BE AN ARISTAPHAGIST (Choose the very best)
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It was that pioneer of natural hygiene, Herbert Shelton, who coined the word, “aristaphagist”. It is composed of two Latin words which mean to “choose what is best”.
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Of course, Herbert Shelton was perhaps the greatest health reformer in the twentieth century, and quite possibly, of all time. So he applied the term in regards to diet as well as ALL aspects of living a healthful lifestyle.
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Herbert M. Shelton – Wikipedia – Non-Free-media-rationale
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“I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES”
Matthew 13:35
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Now there are those who attempt to understand the Bible as though it is simply
the work of mere mortal men.
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And so, when they read such passages as this one from Ecclesiastes 10:17, many cannot, or will not see the heavenly message!
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In other words, they only see this as a message concerning earthly kings and worldly princes and what they feast on for breakfast.
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Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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“HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE IF I TELL YE OF HEAVENLY THINGS?”
John 3:12
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But of course, the Bible is a spiritual book, and must be understood
spiritually…“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,” 1st Corinthians 2:13-15
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This above passage from Paul’s epistle is one of the key passages of Scripture, and should not be lightly regarded! It speaks of the necessity of spiritual discernment, via the power of the Holy Spirit. It reveals that salvational truths must be received by God’s Spirit, which world-loving parishioners cannot discern, nor even desire to!
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“A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD”
1st Peter 2:9
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In other words, when we read of princes and kings, 
there is a good chance this is actually speaking of Christ, the Godhead, and those who have been chosen to be a “royal priesthood”. (1st Peter 2:9)
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And when the Bible speaks of “eating”, there is a very good chance it is speaking of our daily bread in the heavenly realm.
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Yes, the Word of God is our “bread from Heaven”, and the “strong meat” of the Word. (see John 6:31 & Hebrews 5:14)
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“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE”
John 6:35
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And so, as we examine this exhortation from Ecclesiastes it begins to take on a much greater interpretation.
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And those who are the sons of nobles (Christ and His Church), will strive to eat (God’s Word) for strength and not for drunkenness (spiritual drunkenness from pursuing earthly pleasures & ambitious pursuits).
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“IF I HAVE TOLD YOU OF EARTHLY THINGS…”
John 3:12
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Oh yes, this passage from Ecclesiastes can likewise be understood to be an exhortation to eat healthfully.
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After all, Christ’s earthly sojourn was a life of simplicity and temperance.
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Christ’s life was filled with fresh air, sunshine, physical exercise, a temperate diet, etc…
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Christ was the very essence of physical strength and health and temperance!
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The Exhortation to the Apostles 1886-94 – by James Tissot – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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“A MAN OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASETH STRENGTH!”
Proverbs 24:5
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But Christ’s life was also a life of spiritual health. His unceasing prayers, His constant meditation of the Scriptures, His shunning all ungodly influences and being “separate from sinners”, together made for a holy life of spiritual vigor! (See Hebrews 7:26 re: “separate from sinners”)
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And Christ is calling both you and me to “take up your cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
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And to eat for strength, both literally and spiritually, is what taking up our “cross daily” is all about!
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ABOVE PICTURE – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd – www.signsofheaven.org
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JUNK FOOD?
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Now this passage from Ecclesiastes has a negative aspect to it as well. In other words, it 
speaks of those whose king is a child, and whose princes feast in the morning… “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!” Ecclesiastes 10:16
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Now in the physical realm, the meaning to this is rather obvious. This is speaking of those whose king is not the King of all Creation. No, this is speaking of an earthly, foolish king.
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And there are many Christians who greatly ignore the laws of health, and devour any and every type of junk food according to their whim! But they are greatly in error in this regard!
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SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD
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But there is a spiritual aspect to this verse which transcends literal junk food. Many Christians waste countless hours pursuing the vain pleasures and proud, ambitious pursuits of this selfish world, all to the bankruptcy of their soul!
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All such are unknowingly serving self, instead of Christ! They are ruling and reigning on the throne of their own lustful heart, instead of Christ!
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We are behaving somewhat like those naughty little children in that children’s tale, Pinocchio. Our devotion to Christ has been diminished through our love of this selfish world with all its vain pleasures and pursuits!
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“EAT YE THAT WHICH IS GOOD!”
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We have ignored this following encouragement by Isaiah, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? …hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness…Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;” Isaiah 55:2, 3 (condensed for brevity)
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God here, makes His plea through Isaiah to eat of the heavenly manna of God’s Word, and the blood-red wine of Christ’s atonement.
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James Tissot – The Gathering of the Manna – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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“GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY!”
Proverbs 25:25
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Well, there is some extremely Good News!
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Yes, the Lord has graciously left the door of Salvation slightly ajar, in hopes that there will be an exodus among His professed followers, onward and upward and heavenward, away from the vain and unprofitable pursuits of this doomed, selfish world!
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And those who do wake up to their peril and take appropriate action, may be able to say with Jeremiah and Job, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:”…”I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Jeremiah 15:16 & Job 23:12
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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TO READ PART 3, CLICK HERE…
June 15 (What’s An Aristaphagist!? Part 3: “What Did Jesus Eat?”)
Fruit Cocktail – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Strengthen me with your soul-saving manna and wine of Salvation, that I may become like Jesus in every way…
Prayer-for-USA-Wikimedia–300×192
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…February 22 (Flee To The Mountains, Part 14: “How To Be Like John the Baptist: Diet”), Or you may also read...October 11th (“Literally in Trouble: The Johnny Appleseed Delusion”)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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THE WINTER CONSTELLATIONS
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“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman….and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon….And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon….And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness….And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Rev. 21:1-3, 14, 15
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This Woman of Revelation 12 is definitely fleeing to the mountains . As you can see in this sketch , The Dragon of Revelation 12 is spewing out his water of falsehoods: false gospels, false ideologies, various temptations, false brethren who will embrace her with the poisonous wine of the The Great Harlot of Babylon. These are what comprise this wave of water coming forth from the Dragon’s mouth. (see “Flood Waters of Satan”)
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 3, Sensual Music)”
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TOMORROW:
July 30 (The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, Part 9: “Rapture-Ready, or Earthly-Entangled?”)
ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – a party tonight – signsofheaven.org
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 
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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS STUDY #208 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain
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