Leviticus
chapter 11 provides a listing of the clean and unclean animals.
Until now the laws were directed toward the priests, but these laws
are for all the people. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say
to the Israelites… you may eat any animal that has a split hoof
completely divided and chews the cud“.
Of the unclean animals, He says, “You
must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses- they are unclean to
you“.
Interestingly, God is not making up new rules for His people, Noah
knew about clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7:2); He is clarifying
them. Later God explains, “I
am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves to be holy because I am
holy“.
These laws are given primarily to keep God’s people distinct from
the other nations and teach them obedience to God. God also lists
the clean fish, “any
that have fins and scales“,
the birds and the insects that are clean. We are also told, “Whoever
touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening“.
This ceremonial uncleanness was not the same as being in a state of
sin and no sacrifice was required. Later we are told even pots and
dishes and ovens that come in contact with unclean things were to be
destroyed. This distinction of clean and unclean and sanitary
disposal was largely responsible for the Jewish community being
relatively unaffected by the bubonic plague, and sadly blamed for
masterminding it.
The
early church debated whether a believer must first become a Jew
before he could accept Christ. In Acts chapter 10, God gives Peter a
wonderful vision of a picnic blanket being lowered from heaven with
“all
kinds of four footed animals and crawling creatures and birds of the
air“.
Peter hears a voice from heaven, “Arise
Peter, kill and eat“.
He is, of course, reluctant because they are unclean. “By
no means Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy or unclean“.
And God lovingly explains, “What
God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy“.
Through this symbol, God prepares Peter to preach the gospel to the
Gentiles for the first time. Peter explains, “God
has shown me that I am not to call any man unclean“.
And after sharing the gospel of Jesus, all of the Jews attending
“were
amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon
the Gentiles also“.
In Mark 7:18 Jesus explains, “whatever
goes into a man from the outside does not defile him“.
And 1 Corinthians 8:8 continues, “Food
will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not
eat, nor the better if we do eat“.
Finally 1 Corinthians 10:31 concludes, “Whether
then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it to the glory of God“.
Like
the new nation of Israel, new believers need an understanding of
God’s standard for righteousness. Many of us had an unclean
lifestyle which required us to be separated from old habits and
relationships. We needed to be not just forgiven, but set apart to
God until we grew in our understanding of His grace. We must not
only avoid the sinful act, but guard ourselves from even going near
the temptation. While we enjoy our Christian liberty, we must be
careful, 1 Corinthians 10:23 cautions, “All
things are lawful, but not all things are profitable“.
If we are to be used by God to reach those around us, we must
demonstrate God’s instruction to the Israelites, “I
am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt to be your God; therefore
be holy because I am Holy“.