I once read somewhere that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were vegetarians, and that at the end of this world – in heaven – we will all be vegetarians again. It does appear to be true according to Genesis 1:28-29 that God’s original plan was for humans to eat green plants and fruit.

After the flood (Genesis 9:3) God said that animals were also suitable for food. For the rest of the Bible, eating meat is not only shown in a positive light, but it is often commanded. There are quite a few Biblical passages about Jesus eating meat.

One verse in Revelation mentions eating fruit in heaven, but it doesn’t say fruit will be the only thing that is eaten.

My Bible study this summer and fall has me reading in the prophetic books. Today I found this passage in Ezekiel. The passage speaks a time in the future when God dwells among His people in a newly created, perfect world. At that time it says trees will provide fruit for food and leaves for medicine. So does this mean we are going to be fruitarians in the millennium or in heaven? Not necessarily so - because the passage also mentions fishermen. If there are fishermen, people will be eating fish. And if salt is left for flavoring, then people must be doing some cooking, because there is certainly no need to salt fruit.

There will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim. These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for medicine.” Ezekiel 47:9-12

We certainly do not live in that perfect world today. It is obvious to me that human effort will never create a perfect world. Only God can do that, and he will in His time. The Bible teaches that our bodies in heaven will not be the same as they are today, and if God creates my new body to be satisfied with just fruit, I’ll be fine with that.

In the meantime, if someone tries to tell you that the Bible says you ought to be a vegetarian or a fruitarian today, tell them to read the whole Bible, not just isolated passages that support their views.