Healthy Living

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In “Are You on Heaven’s GPS?” (Marriage category), we presented various ways in which God Personally Speaks to us. We related the amazing series of events God orchestrated so that we would meet and marry. In this article, we’d like to share another way—a most delicious way—that God communicates with us.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or what you will drink….
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?”
Matthew 6:25-26 (NKJV)

• God speaks to us through the incredible foods He has created for us.

Through those creations, God is telling us that He loves us and cares deeply about our well-being. He wrapped up all of the vitamins and minerals we need in colorful and flavorful foods. Not only are the foods lovely to look at and delicious to eat, but scientists are discovering more and more that they can help prevent and assist in healing a variety of illnesses and medical conditions. It has been said that with a truly healthful diet there is no need for supplementation.

THE PASSOVER SEDER AND ITS SYMBOLISM

We will be discussing a recipe that is a staple of the Passover seder, the festive holiday celebration that recalls the exodus from Egypt. Seders are traditionally conducted in private homes and synagogues. All Jewish people are instructed to celebrate Passover. (Numbers 9:2, Leviticus 23:5, Deuteronomy 16:1-2, Exodus 12:42)

Passover is celebrated during the spring of the year and will be one of the feasts that will continue to be celebrated by all believers in the kingdom. As part of the ceremony, a seder plate contains various foods that symbolize different aspects of the life of Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), the life that the Israelites endured in Egypt, and the hope that believers have in the future.

Symbolism permeates the entire seder. As just one key example, matzo, the unleavened bread eaten during the Passover holiday, is pierced and striped. Biblical references related to piercing and stripes seem to presage the coming of Messiah Jesus. (Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 53:5) Likewise, Jesus Himself told His disciples to eat unleavened bread in remembrance of Him. (Luke 22:19)

It is important to note here that traditional Jews do not believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Messianic Jews do accept Him and understand the symbolism that we are discussing here. The most important symbol is that of the Passover lamb. God instructed the captive Israelites to sacrifice a male lamb without defect and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts of their homes. This was to prevent the wrath of God from striking those within the household when He passed through the land of Egypt to deliver the final plague and free the Israelites from bondage. (Exodus 12:23) One day, when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he said, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV)

We could go on and on presenting the symbolic meanings of the foods represented or eaten during the seder, but that’s a topic for another article. Right now, we are going to focus our attention on charoset (pronounced ha-row-set), a sweet mixture of apples, walnuts, wine or grape juice, and cinnamon and/or honey, one of the preparations displayed on the central seder plate. It symbolizes the brick and mortar the Israelites used to build many of Pharoah’s structures. Charoset is eaten during the seder ceremony and reminds the participants that no matter how difficult life can be, they can always find some sweetness in it.

And just as eating charoset during Passover is so good for the body, understanding the true meaning of the holiday is so good for the soul of believers! If you’ve never participated in a Messianic Passover seder, by all means avail yourself of the opportunity if it arises. You will delight in the sights, tastes, and smells of the foods and vicariously experience how Jesus and the disciples celebrated His last Passover on earth, also known as the Last Supper. (Luke 22:17, 18)

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS

Returning to our thought regarding the healing properties that God infused into foods, let’s take a very brief look at each of the ingredients that comprise charoset. Here are a few highlights of reported findings and what they suggest. The most difficult part of writing about the ingredients of charoset was deciding what to leave out! We strongly encourage you to do an Internet search to find out the nutritional values and to review the latest research and studies regarding the health benefits these foods may possess.

Apples

Apples are widely regarded as a “miracle” food. Research studies are being carried out to determine if apples can reduce the risk of stroke, diabetes, and dementia. Apples are also being evaluated to see if they can help prevent breast cancer. Because of their high fiber content, antioxidants, and flavonoids, apples may help control hypertension.


Walnuts

A member of the tree nut family and rich in Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, the walnut is regarded as beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Though caloric, walnuts are said to decrease LDL cholesterol. Also, due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, walnuts are being studied for possible anticancer and bone health support.

Cinnamon

In addition to its delightful smell and delicious taste, cinnamon has been reported to lower blood sugar in diabetics. Cinnamon is being looked at for helping treat Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. It helps combat bacterial and fungal infections.

Honey

Rich in nutrients, such as fructose, glucose, iron, and calcium, honey has been used to treat acid reflux. It has found use in healing wounds and burns and in desensitizing people against a number of seasonal allergies.

Wine/Grape Juice
The Bible teaches the following:
“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.”
(1 Timothy 5:23 NKJV)

Whereas everything else that we’ve written about regarding the ingredients of charoset is qualified as requiring further studies, etc., the Bible states that wine is good for a number of ailments. That is advice cast in stone!

Hippocrates, regarded as the father of western medicine, touted some of the benefits of wine. He referred to drinking wine to help prevent the pain of childbirth, to ease digestive problems (just like the Bible teaches), and for other uses.

Wine is being investigated as a possible cancer preventative, as well as an agent to slow down the aging process. It also is being looked at as a means of preventing certain diseases that can cause blindness.

Almost all these properties of wine are due in large part to wine’s content of resveratrol. Red wine appears to be the most beneficial, though white wine is being studied as well. Resveratrol is also present in grape skin and grape juice.


RECIPE

Ingredients:

Note: The quantities of the individual ingredients can be modified depending upon the number of servings you wish to prepare.

Apples - Start with three apples. You will definitely want seconds and thirds on your charoset!
(We like red delicious apples for their taste and texture. However, experimenting with different kinds of apples and even including a blend of different ones can be tasty and fun. We prefer organic apples so that we have the option of keeping the skin on them. The peel contains so much nutritional value.)

Walnuts - Use a cup of shelled walnuts. If the nuts have the skin that lines the shell, so much the better.

cinnamon and/or honey - To taste.

sweet red wine (grape wine is recommended) or grape juice as a substitute - A half-cup or so would do it. Please don’t drown the charoset.

Simple Steps to Follow:

(1) Chop apples and walnuts and place them in a mixing bowl.
(2) Add wine or grape juice and mix all ingredients together.
(3) Add cinnamon and/or honey to taste. Stir.
(4) Refrigerate mixture so that all of the ingredients blend together. Keeping it in the refrigerator overnight helps ripen the flavor.
(5) Serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

(1) Creative appetizer
(2) Elegant side dish for lunch or dinner
(3) Awesome dessert
(4) Nutritious snack
(5) Easy-to-prepare dish for church or synagogue potluck supper
(6) Crowd-pleasing treat for company

In addition to serving a delicious and wholesome dish, you now have a fascinating backstory to tell and incredible potential health benefits to share with others. Yes, charoset definitely is not just for Passover anymore. Its time has come for year round enjoyment.

We’ll conclude with a toast: To Jesus for creating such delicious and healthful foods! To charoset! To your good health!

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