Does Genesis 1:29-31 leave any room for the existence of animal-based diets in the period between the Creation and the Fall?

Question

Genesis 1:29-31 (ESV):

29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Is there any room for the possibility that animal flesh was eaten during this period? Was veganism the norm in the Garden of Eden before the fall?

Answer 1

The list of food listed for human consumption in Gen 1 consisted entirely of plant based food. More specifically, to humans:

Gen 1:28 - Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.

For animals:

Gen 1:30 - And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Thus, there was a slight difference between human diets and animals diets: man's diet was seed bearing plants; animals were to eat great plants (there is a bit of overlap here but let's not get delayed with details).

It was only after the flood that animal flesh was permitted:

Gen 9:3 - Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Answer 2

Life in Genesis 1 seems simple.

29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Animals were not to be eaten by man or by other animals. And it was so. That's the normal practice.

Is there any room for the possibility that animal flesh was eaten during this period?

Any person or animal that did that would be abnormal behavior. I suppose that it was within man's power to do so.

28b Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

I doubt that Adam or Eve ate animal meat before the fall.

Answer 3

I am not a bilblical scholar, but believe this makes sense. I am a 20+ year ethical vegan.

References? The Bible tells us about what we are supposed to consume in early Genesis. The Bible also mentions the "giants", the offspring of the fallen angels. We are clearly told in Genesis that plant foods are "meat" for us.

Meat refers to solid foods, not animal flesh and blood. God created all, we are all Gods' children and God loves us all. It does not make sense to provide us with Gods' children so we can betray their trust, slit their throats while they suffer, and consume the dead. How did we consume flesh and blood in the first place?.

The watchers, the fallen angels, mated with human women against Gods' wishes. Their hybrid offspring, the Nephilim, had 6 fingers and 6 toes, were huge and had voracious appetites. Plants did not satisfy them so they ate non-human animals and human animals as well. They taught humans to do things God never wanted us to know; how to forge iron and make weapons of war, how to kill, make fire, slaughter, cook, and eat animals. Before they taught this to us we were all raw plant eaters and vegans. These awful habits and hybrid entities were the reason for the Great flood. These habits polluted humanity. But, not all hybrids were killed, many remained, and humanity has been eating a violent diet and destroying the world ever since. It is considered by some to be a luciferian diet of eating the dead. This video helps to explain this Biblical-vegan perspective further.

Answer 4

A legal maxim: "that which is not forbidden is allowed." But this begs many questions, for no moral commandments were given in Eden, yet no one would argue that murder or adultery was allowed [I hope]. In Jewish tradition there is much debate about which foods are allowed and which not. But Adam and Eve's diet is probably irrelevant for those of us who dwell outside the Gates of Eden.