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Pork, Demons, Pearls & Prodigals—What Do They All Have in Common? PIGS. Here’s What God Says…
- BeTheFire
- Jun 30
- 10 min read
Pigs are one of the most controversial creatures in both ancient and modern thought. In some cultures, they’re considered unclean and completely avoided. Many religious groups—especially Jews and Muslims—won’t touch pork to this day. Interestingly, modern doctors and health experts have warned against pork consumption, citing concerns about parasites, inflammation, and how pigs digest toxins. And yet, mankind is still obsessed with bacon, pork chops, and pulled pork sandwiches.
Even more compelling—science tells us that pigs are one of the closest animals to humans in DNA structure, so much so that their organs are being used in transplants. But perhaps most disturbing is the fact that when Jesus cast a legion (6,000) of demons out of two men, those demons specifically begged to be sent into a herd of pigs—as if the swine were naturally compatible vessels for what was unholy.
So what does God’s Word actually say about pigs? What do they symbolize? Why were they considered unclean under the Law of Moses, and why do they appear in so many of Jesus’ teachings and prophetic warnings? In a world where science, diet culture, and spiritual warfare all intersect around this animal, it’s time to examine what the Bible reveals about the pig—its purpose, its symbolism, and the deep spiritual truths hidden in its presence.
Jesus Sends Demons into Pigs
In one of the most vivid spiritual confrontations recorded in the Gospels, Jesus encounters two men possessed by demons in the region of the Gadarenes. These men lived among the tombs—wild, violent, and tormented—so dangerous that no one dared pass that way. When Jesus commands the demons to leave, they beg Him for permission to enter a nearby herd of pigs. He allows it, and the demons enter the swine, which immediately rush down a steep bank and drown in the sea.
“And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”“And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?”“And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.”“So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.”“And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters....Matthew 8:28–34
The pigs become a physical vessel, exposing the destructive force of demonic possession. Their violent end reveals what the demons intended for the men all along: total destruction. In this scene, pigs—already considered unclean under Jewish law—symbolize impurity and spiritual filth. But even more, their fate serves as a visible demonstration of the chaos and death that follows when unclean spirits are at work. Jesus’ authority, however, is absolute—even over thousands of demons.
The Prodigal Son Feeding Swine
In Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, a young man demands his inheritance and squanders it in reckless living. When famine strikes, he becomes so desperate that he takes a job feeding pigs—a profession utterly disgraceful for a Jew. Worse still, he finds himself longing to eat the pigs’ food. This low point becomes symbolic of spiritual poverty and disgrace. Yet it is here, in the filth and humiliation, that the young man comes to his senses and begins his journey home. The pig pen becomes the place of awakening. The pigs here symbolize unclean separation from righteousness—but also the backdrop where repentance is birthed.
“...A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.” So he distributed the assets to them.’” “Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.” “After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.” “He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything.” “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.”’ Luke 15:11–32
The last line in this passage is a clear step toward repenting to our Heavenly Father: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.” It's not just a moment of regret—it’s the turning of the heart. What follows is even more powerful. As the son rises and returns, the father runs out to meet him, embraces him, and restores him. He puts a robe on his shoulders, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet—then throws a feast to celebrate his return. The image is unmistakable: even when we’ve ended up in filth, as far from holiness as feeding pigs, the Father watches and waits, ready to fully restore those who turn back in humility.
Law of Moses – Pigs Are Unclean Animals
In Deuteronomy 14:8, God commands Israel not to eat or even touch the carcass of a pig, stating,
“The pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.”
This classification was part of the Mosaic dietary laws that separated clean from unclean animals. While some animals were approved for consumption based on physical criteria—like chewing the cud and having a split hoof—the pig only met one requirement externally. It failed the inward test. That contrast carried a spiritual message: something could look acceptable on the outside yet still be considered unclean by God. Over time, pigs came to symbolize deeper themes of spiritual filth, rebellion, and defilement.
However, in the New Testament, a shift occurs. Jesus declared in Mark 7:18–19 that it is not what enters a person from the outside that defiles them, but what comes from the heart.
“He said to them, ‘Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated’ (thus he declared all foods clean).” Mark 7:18-19
Jesus challenges the religious leaders' obsession with external purity—specifically dietary laws. He reveals that defilement doesn’t come from what enters the body but from what flows out of the heart. It marks a turning point in understanding the Law—not abolishing it, but fulfilling its purpose: to lead people toward inward holiness, not just external rituals.
Later, in Acts 10, Peter receives a vision from God involving unclean animals, including likely swine, and is told,
“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
While the Old Testament law emphasized external distinction, the New Covenant focuses on the internal condition of the heart. Still, the symbolic meaning of the pig as a picture of spiritual impurity remains consistent in many teachings. Even though the dietary restriction is lifted under grace, the pig continues to represent the kind of unclean spirit or behavior that God desires to cleanse us from—not through diet, but through transformation.
Do Not Cast Pearls Before Swine
Jesus offers this striking command:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
Jesus uses strong imagery here to urge discernment. Pigs and dogs—both considered unclean animals in Jewish culture—symbolize people who are hostile, hardened, or spiritually unreceptive. The “pearls” represent precious truths, sacred wisdom, or revelation from God. Jesus warns that offering holy things to those who mock or reject them can not only result in them being dishonored, but may also provoke backlash or attack. It’s not a call to withhold the gospel, but a call to wisely steward what is sacred.
Jesus’ wisdom teaches discernment—
some truth is too precious to be wasted on the willfully profane.
A Sow That Returns to Her Mire
Peter warns of those who, after briefly turning from sin, return to their old ways. He compares them to a sow that was washed but goes back to wallowing in the mud. This proverb illustrates a heart that remains unchanged, even if the outward behavior temporarily improves. The pig, by nature, returns to filth—just as the unregenerate person returns to sin. It's a sober image of superficial repentance.
“It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, ‘a washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.’” 2 Peter 2:22 (CSB)
Peter uses this vivid image to describe those who have temporarily escaped corruption but then return to it—revealing that their hearts were never truly changed. The pig, even after being washed, instinctively goes back to filth. Likewise, someone may appear to clean up their behavior for a time, but without true repentance and transformation, they return to their former ways. This ties perfectly into the broader symbolism of pigs in scripture: a return to unclean living, a refusal to be changed, and a warning about surface-level religion without genuine heart renewal.
Isaiah’s Condemnation of Unholy Worship
These two passages reveal God’s strong condemnation of a people who claim to be holy while engaging in idolatrous and defiled practices—including eating swine's flesh. In Isaiah 65, God describes a rebellious people who provoke Him by offering sacrifices in forbidden ways, sitting among graves (linked to necromancy and death), and consuming what He had declared unclean—pigs and polluted broth. Even worse, they claim to be “too holy” for others, displaying spiritual arrogance wrapped in impurity.
“I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me. I said: ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that did not call on my name.I spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in the wrong path, following their own thoughts.These people continually anger me to my face, sacrificing in gardens, burning incense on bricks,sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs, and putting polluted broth in their bowls.They say, ‘Keep to yourself, don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’ These practices are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.” Isaiah 65:1–5 (CSB)
Isaiah 66:17 brings the warning full circle. In an end-times context, those who pretend purification while continuing to partake in abominable rituals—including the eating of pigs—will be cut off in judgment. These verses connect pig-eating not only to defilement but also to false holiness and rebellion against God’s commands.
“Those who dedicate and purify themselves to enter the groves following their leader, eating meat from pigs, vermin, and rats, will perish together.” This is the LORD’s declaration. Isaiah 66:17 (CSB)
Together, these prophecies reveal that pigs are more than unclean animals—they are prophetic symbols of spiritual defilement, marking the moment when people blur the line between holiness and idolatry, exchanging God’s truth for profane, demonic worship.
Symbolism of Pigs in Scripture
Throughout the Bible, pigs represent far more than an unclean food. They embody spiritual uncleanliness, rebellion, and the natural return to filth in the absence of true transformation. Pigs appear as a symbol of judgment, a warning of descent into bondage, and a metaphor for foolishness—rejecting what is holy in exchange for what defiles. Yet in the prodigal son’s story, the presence of pigs becomes the very setting for grace, proving that even the lowest place—filthy, humiliating, and broken—can be the birthplace of redemption when the heart turns back to the Father.
These deep symbolic meanings should also sharpen your spiritual discernment when it comes to dream interpretation. If you ever dream of pigs, consider whether the Lord is revealing a hidden defilement, rebellion, or even a call to repent from something that has taken root in the heart. Dreams are rarely random; the Word of God gives us symbolic keys to interpret what He’s trying to show us in the spirit.
Though we are no longer bound by the Old Testament food laws—and Scripture tells us we are free to eat anything unless it causes a brother to stumble (Romans 14:20–21; 1 Corinthians 10:23–33)—that freedom does not excuse foolishness. It is wise, especially in today’s world, to look more closely at what we eat and how it's produced. Our food system is increasingly industrialized, manipulated, and profit-driven. The same governments that regulate food often profit from what they allow—and countless videos and studies show that pork can harbor parasites and worms, especially when undercooked.
However, it’s not just pork; many meats and fish can carry contamination due to poor practices, farming conditions, and lack of oversight. This is why prayer over your food matters. The Bible encourages us to bless and sanctify what we eat with thanksgiving and the Word of God (1 Timothy 4:4–5). Pray first. Ask the Holy Spirit for discernment. Let your choices be made in faith, not fear, and be willing to surrender anything that may defile the temple He entrusted to you. Holiness, even in food, isn’t about legalism—it’s about alignment.
In the end, the pig may serve as both a warning and an invitation: a warning of what happens when we return to what God has freed us from, and an invitation to receive grace in the low places, where humility meets the mercy of the Father who runs to restore.
Copyright © 2025 Amanda Allen, Kingdom Revelations. All rights reserved.
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