Leviticus 11-13

February 3

Leviticus 11-13

Some of the food regulations may seem odd to us. They set Israel apart from other people and they gave an object lesson in the holiness of God. If an animal has a split hoof and chews cud you can eat it. If it chews the cud, like a rabbit or a camel, you cannot eat it. If it has a split hoof and does not chew the cud, like a pig, you cannot eat it. The norm is for animals that have split hooves to also chew cud. Any animal that does not fit the norm was not to be eaten.

Normal fish have scales. Animals of the sea that do not have fins; oysters, clams, crabs, etc. were not normal, so they were not to be eaten. Insects that swarm you do not eat they appear chaotic. God is holy and perfect. Anything that is not normal or perfect was not to be eaten. These laws set Israel apart.

Jesus said what goes into the stomach does not matter, what comes out of the mouth is what matters. Peter had a vision in which God told him everything was ok to eat. The dietary laws were removed in the New Testament.

Leviticus deals with various sources of uncleanness; uncleanness from childbirth, from disease, from houses. We get a picture of a world filled with uncleanness while the people of God attempt to live the lives God calls us to live. Some of the uncleanness comes as a result of our actions, some just comes upon us.

There are rituals, requirements, and sacrifices to be made to restore our relationship to God. The laws revealed are for Israel to follow as an object lesson for them and for others to get a glimpse of the holiness of God. The laws that distinguished Israel from the other nations were set aside in the New Testament times, but the moral principles that applied to all men remained.

God is holy and He calls us to be holy as well. "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”" (1 Peter 1:15-16, NIV) We live holy lives not by eating certain foods or making sacrifices based on circumstances, but by allowing God to lead us and direct our lives. We are holy when we put our wants and desires aside and live for God. We are holy because God makes us holy when He fills us with His Spirit.

"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”" (Luke 11:13, NIV) Have you asked?