The Book of Leviticus: Practical Aspects of the Law

Transcription

1 The Book of Leviticus: Practical Aspects of the Law Bro. Frank Shallieu (1985 Study and Discourses)

2 The following notes on the Practical Aspects of the Law from the Book of Leviticus were compiled from a Bible study led by Bro. Frank Shallieu in Discourses on chapters 6, 8-10, and 16 are also included. They should be utilized with the following understanding: 1. Each paragraph preceded by Comment or Q (an abbreviation for Question ) was introduced by someone other than Bro. Frank. 2. The original study did not follow a prepared text but was extemporaneous in nature. 3. Although the transcriber tried to faithfully, with the Lord s help, set forth the thoughts that were presented in the study, the notes are not a verbatim rendering and, therefore, should be considered in that context. 4. Finally, Bro. Frank did not review the notes for possible errors that may have inadvertently entered the text. With this disclaimer in mind, may the notes be a blessing as a useful study guide.

3 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS: PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE LAW (Study led by Bro. Frank Shallieu in 1985) Leviticus Chapter 11 Lev. 11:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Lev. 11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Lev. 11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Lev. 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. Lev. 11:5 And the coney [rock badger, RSV], because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. Lev. 11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. Lev. 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Lev. 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. What spiritual benefit is there in a study of this kind? Almost all Bible commentators would say the main purpose in distinguishing between clean and unclean animals is health, sanitation, and cleanliness that there are certain dangers in eating unclean animals. However, the aspects of the practical Law, while having a literal value, also have a higher spiritual value. For instance, the Apostle Paul indicated that the various laws are types when he gave a spiritual connotation to Deuteronomy 25:4 with regard to elders: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. In 1 Timothy 5:17,18, Paul said, Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. The first eight verses pertain to beasts of the field, that is, to more or less domesticated animals that are commonly seen around the homestead. There are two categories of beasts of the field: clean and unclean. To be clean, the animal has to meet two requirements: (1) dividing the hoof and (2) chewing the cud. With the unclean animals, one of these two characteristics is missing. For example, although the badger chews the cud, it does not have a divided hoof, and therefore, it is unclean. And swine are unclean animals because they do not chew the cud, even though they have a divided hoof. What is the spiritual significance of dividing the hoof? A divided hoof indicates rightly dividing the Word of truth. The usual problem in not rightly dividing the Word of truth is the application of Scriptures to the wrong age. For example, Millennial Age Scriptures should not be applied to the Gospel Age, and vice versa. Papacy has erred by having a hierarchy with a

4 2 pope, priests, etc., in the present age. Moreover, the pope has assumed titles and prerogatives that Christ will have in the Kingdom Age. What is the spiritual significance of chewing the cud? The cow illustrates the meaning. A cow collects grass with its tongue and then partially chews the grass and swallows it into a first stomach, which serves as a storage bin. From that first stomach, the food, or cud, is brought up into the mouth to be chewed again. In other words, the cow usually lies down and regurgitates the cud, with saliva and enzymes, up into its mouth for a second chewing. During the second chewing, which takes a while, the food is chewed well, being ground very fine; then it is swallowed into the second stomach and is finally assimilated into the bloodstream. The first stomach is illustrated in humans and in the Word of God. The Bereans received the Word; that is, they willingly heard what the Apostle Paul said. First, they collected the information, and then, later, they searched the Scriptures daily to see if the things Paul said were in harmony with Scripture even though he was an apostle. The first point is that the Bereans collected the material, for if they had had a prejudiced mind, they would not have received the information. Next, they regurgitated that which was previously received with an open, honest, and humble mind. In the second chewing, they ruminated and masticated the food, and in proportion as the information squared with the Word of God, they swallowed it the second time. A Scripture pertaining to the reception of truth is that we are to prove all things; [and] hold fast that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21). The part that is good should get into the bloodstream so that we will grow strong, spiritually speaking. Thus these Scriptures in Leviticus are discussing general principles, and in the next age, it will be seen that the various animals portray characteristics in the human family characteristics that are good, bad, and very bad depending on what creature is being discussed. Not only will the lessons benefit mankind in the Kingdom, but they will be eternal lessons for all future ages. Mankind will not be bored in the ages to come. Wonderful things are in reservation for the human race, let alone in the spirit realm. In these two categories, chewing the cud pertains to the mouth, and dividing the hoof pertains to the feet. Of what value is the foot in walking if it is not cloven-footed? What good is chewing unless it is a chewing of the cud in conjunction with the parting of the hoof? We are trying to predicate principles before going into detail. The description unclean does not mean an animal is to be considered obnoxious every time it is mentioned, for sometimes an unclean animal was used by God or Jesus as having good qualities. In such cases, we are to forget the unclean status. For example, we are told to emulate the serpent: Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16). The lion fits the unclean category, yet we are to be bold as a lion (Prov. 28:1). In other words, when we think of clean and unclean animals, we must do so strictly in conformity with the setting of this chapter as clean and unclean food. Another example is the eagle, which, although unclean as food, represents wisdom. The Lord s people are likened to eagles: For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together (Matt. 24:28). This text is not talking about food but about a cardinal attribute that is worthy of emulation. Consider swine, which are unclean because they divide the hoof and are cloven-footed but do not chew the cud. What is the spiritual lesson? The New Testament tells of the bad quality of swine in connection with some who were formerly Christians. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire (2 Pet. 2:22). Some Christians, after being delivered from the mire, after coming to and accepting Christ and being cleansed, have a relapse and go back into the mud and the mire. This class are likened to swine because their returning to and

5 3 wallowing in the mud shows that they did not really assimilate the truth they did not chew it so that it became a part of their nature. A person s nature prior to becoming a Christian is that of swine, but the individual is supposed to become a new creature, a new development. Thus, from one standpoint, all the world are, to some extent, swinish. Before coming to Christ, we ourselves were in that category, of which Paul speaks: There is none righteous [clean], no, not one (Rom. 3:10). All are born and shapen in iniquity (Psa. 51:5), but when we are called out to the Lamb, to the Lord, we are to have a change of character and nature. Former characteristics are to be shunned, but since we had these undesirable traits in the past, we continue to struggle along these lines. Thus swine do not really change their nature; the conversion is superficial. Now we will consider the culinary standpoint. Pork is unclean and can cause trichinosis. From the unclean hare can come the rabbit s disease, which can get into the muscles and cause problems. The camel, too, is unclean. All of these meats, when properly cooked, are safe to eat. Hence care has to be exercised in eating unclean meat, whereas, at least in olden times, that was not true of clean meat. As Christians, we are to make a distinction between the clean and the unclean, for we should have nothing to do with the unclean. Leviticus 11:46,47 reads, This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten. Notice that we are to make a difference between the unclean and the clean. In summary, verses 1-8 are discussing the use of beasts of the field as food. With all of the different characteristics, what is the lesson for Christians? Spiritually speaking, we are what we eat, for what we feed on will affect our character. If we dwell on what is lovely, true, of good report, etc., the thoughts will have a cleansing effect upon us. What we meditate on in moments of leisure will affect our character development to a greater or lesser extent. The distinction between the clean and the unclean animals means that the Christian is to distinguish between that which is good and that which is not. There is some of the divine image in all mankind, although, of course, the more corrupt an individual is, the harder it is to see any good in him. However, normally speaking, the average person has some commendable traits. In effect, it is like saying that what is good in man is worthy of emulation and what is not good (carnal-mindedness, maliciousness, etc.) is not to be fed upon. With this introduction, we can begin to see what the discriminations and distinctions are between the various animals. One of the possessed Gadarene men was called Legion because thousands of fallen spirits were in him (Mark 5:1-17). Just as all kinds of information can be crammed into a computer and the information does things, so the fallen angels can miniaturize themselves, even down to the size of microchips. Each microchip has a memory, a system a whole world in itself. That is why computers can analyze and solve millions of problems in seconds. When Jesus cast out the demons, they went into a herd of swine and drove the swine in madness down into the sea so that the people, in losing their livelihood, would get infuriated with Jesus and perhaps even stone him. The fallen spirits pretended they did not want to go out into the void and pleaded for permission to go into the swine. (They did not want to lose a medium.) Jesus permitted them to enter the swine, knowing full well what they intended to do. Q: Were the swine possessed because they were unclean animals? A: Not necessarily. The serpent was possessed in the Garden of Eden, and it was unclean. Balaam s donkey, or ass, was possessed, and it was clean. The laws were given to natural Israel. The New Testament mentions unclean animals in connection with Peter s vision of the sheet full of unclean animals being let down from heaven (Acts 10:1-16). When Peter was told to arise and eat, he replied that all his life he had been

6 4 making a distinction and had not eaten anything unclean. To one who is conscience-stricken, this vision would be a nightmare. In this incident, the unclean animals had a symbolic connotation, for the Christian is not prohibited from eating unclean animals. Lev. 11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. Lev. 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: Lev. 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Lev. 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. Verses 9-12 pertain to clean and unclean marine or aquatic life. Fish are being categorized as to which are clean and which are unclean, and the characteristics apply to both freshwater and saltwater fish. To be clean, fish had to have both scales and fins. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses is a thing established. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established (Deut. 19:15). A Christian must be rounded out and balanced in order to be mature and to attain the highest category, that is, a place in the divine family. Accordingly, the fins are for locomotion and steering (direction). Motion and thrust are involved for propulsion. With fins controlling the speed and direction, they correspond to the feet, the divided hooves, in the first category. Scales provide protection and armor, and they correspond to the chewing of the cud. Comment: The Apostle Paul said, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:11). The armor is comprehensive: righteousness, truth, peace, faith, principles, etc. Reply: Putting on the whole armour is not just a simple statement. Various component parts are comprehended in this protective armor, and the comprehensive armor corresponds to the multiple scales. Scales cover the body of the clean fish. In verse 9, waters are a small lake or pond. Seas are oceans and larger bodies of water (including freshwater). Hence both freshwater and saltwater fish are included. Rivers are self-explanatory. Twice (verses 10 and 11) the unclean fish are said to be an abomination unto you. This emotional repetition is for emphasis. Q: Would the fish without both fins and scales be considered scavengers? A: Usually they are scavengers of some kind. Actually, today we eat many of these unclean fish, for example, catfish and eels. Regarding spiritual lessons, take the pig, for example. According to Leviticus, the pig is unclean, but we must deduce spiritual reasons. The New Testament tells us that the Christian who backslides is like a pig wallowing in the mud and the mire an unclean condition. However, as

7 5 we proceed in Leviticus and enter into the lower echelon of animal life, some of the natural characteristics will become even more obnoxious. Comment: The Lord uses animals as the teacher uses a blackboard: for instructional purposes. Reply: One obvious lesson is that what is unholy should be distasteful to the Christian. Lev. 11:13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, Lev. 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Lev. 11:15 Every raven after his kind; Lev. 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, Lev. 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, Lev. 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, Lev. 11:19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. Of the above-listed unclean fowl, two general characteristics are as follows: 1. They are birds of prey, that is, carnivorous (flesh-eating) birds. 2. They are birds of the night (they operate in darkness). Examples are bats and owls. The fowl are another categorization, but similar principles are taught. Birds of prey habitually use and destroy others for their own advantage and aggrandizement. Spiritually, this trait pictures selfishness, for birds of prey hunt and feed on others. The pigeon and the dove are examples of clean birds. Incidentally, even though the eagle is unclean for food, the Lord s people are to be like eagles from the favorable standpoint of having good spiritual eyesight and a hunger for truth. Birds of darkness, birds of the night, refer to individuals who carouse at night. Being selfish, they eventually step on and crush one another and others. Such night activity is under the influence of the prince of darkness, the Adversary (Eph. 6:12; Col. 1:13; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). Satanic cults generally operate clandestinely at night. Lev. 11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. Lev. 11:21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Lev. 11:22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. Lev. 11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. Verses still pertain to the category of flying things ( fowls ), but instead of being mostly

8 6 in the air, these flying things (insects) are frequently found creeping on the ground. To be clean, they must have four feet but with an important distinction. The four feet are two pairs of legs. One pair of legs has to be higher than the other, so that the insects are not always creeping on the ground but can leap. (To be always creeping on the ground is dangerous, spiritually speaking, because contact with the earth brings contamination.) Legs enable flying things to jump or leap withal that is, to propel themselves up in the air, to thrust themselves up from the earth and then fly. This characteristic suggests an effort not to grovel in earthly things but to have a desire for higher things. This capability of jumping up higher is what makes flying things clean. Although not part of the American diet, locusts, beetles, and grasshoppers are clean and nutritious, having plenty of protein value. John the Baptist ate locusts dipped in honey, so he had the sweetness plus the nutritional value. Forty years ago in many countries, strings of locusts could be seen hanging in markets for sale as food. Many varieties of locusts, beetles, and grasshoppers can jump and fly; hence they are clean. For its size, the body of the grasshopper is heavy and shaped like a tank, so its legs are used to jump as high as possible, for its wings can sustain flight for only a short time. Nevertheless, that effort to jump and fly is appreciated, spiritually speaking. Being born in sin and shaped in iniquity, Christians show the Lord their desire to please Him and do His will by trying to avoid sin. The Lord knows we cannot obey perfectly, but He appreciates the effort. Under the robe of Christ s righteousness, our sincere efforts are credited as doing the will of God. Lev. 11:24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. Lev. 11:25 And whosoever beareth aught of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. Verses 24 and 25 are discussing flying things that have four feet but cannot jump, so they are unclean. Touching or bearing the carcass of such made one unclean. If one of these unclean flying insects landed on an Israelite, he was not unclean, for to be unclean, the person had to have contact with a dead unclean insect. These literal laws for the nation of Israel have spiritual lessons for us. Q: Why was one unclean until the even? A: One who was unclean could not go into the Tabernacle service but had to wait until the next morning (there were no evening services). The sun coming up over the horizon marks the practical beginning of a new day, and spiritually, that would be the Kingdom. Until then mankind is unclean. Because of Jesus sacrifice on Calvary, people in the Kingdom will be forgiven for sins committed in the present life through Adamic weaknesses, and thus they will start with a new slate. Any stripes, or punishments, they receive will be proportionate to the degree or extent of willfulness, which would not be Adamic weakness. Q: Do verses 24 and 25 show degrees of contamination? A: Yes. If a carcass simply touched one s skin, the skin had to be washed. However, if the carcass touched one s clothes, then the garment had to be washed. Wherever the carcass touched, and to the degree it touched, washing was required. A person was technically unclean regardless of the degree of contact, but the degree of contact determined the extent of washing. As the Apostle Paul said, if a person under the Law broke one of the commandments, he was guilty of all of them. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he

9 is guilty of all (James 2:10). 7 Therefore, from a technical standpoint, there was no difference. Contact with the carcass made one unclean. However, from the practical standpoint, there was a difference in the degree of washing required that is, in the degree of sin in the spiritual picture. Lev. 11:26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. Q: The Revised Standard reads, Every animal which parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean. Isn t a parted hoof a cloven foot? A: There is a difference, but in principle they are the same. A divided hoof is a cloven foot, but a cloven foot is not necessarily a divided hoof. Also, there are different types of a cloven or split foot. For example, a chicken is clean because it chews the cud and has cloven feet (but not a divided hoof). Comment: A clean animal could have either a cloven foot or a divided hoof. Reply: Yes. Q: Then why does verse 26 say that an animal is unclean if it divides the hoof but is not clovenfooted? A: The animal is unclean because it does not chew the cud. In other words, some clean animals are cloven-footed but do not part the hoof in the normal sense. Lev. 11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. We have already considered clean and unclean beasts, marine life, fowl (birds) of the air, and insects. Now we will start another category of unclean beasts: animals that walk on four paws, that is, the cat family (tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, etc.). Why is the cat family, which walks on paws, singled out as being obnoxious in the Lord s sight, spiritually speaking? Cats are sneaky, stealthy, and usually carnivorous (they devour flesh). By stealth, they creep up on the prey and then pounce on the victim. In the world, what type of person is comparable to these unfavorable characteristics? We will consider some other categories before answering this question. Lev. 11:28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you. This same penalty was attached to handling the carcass in other categories. The carcass is a dead animal. (When a human dies, the remains are called a corpse.) In order for one to get rid of the defilement resulting from touching a carcass, washing the clothes and a waiting period (until even ) were the requirements. Washing pictures repentance. Although this lesson was for natural Israel, God s dealing with spiritual Israel is pictured, showing what Christians should and should not do. What is even for the Christian? (1) Individually speaking, even is the end of each day when the Christian prays and asks for forgiveness for transgressions, omissions, etc. The Christian must wash daily with prayer. (2) Collectively speaking, even is the end of the Gospel Age.

10 8 Then the entire Church will be presented to Christ as washed and redeemed and as a chaste virgin in marriage. Lev. 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, Lev. 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. A common characteristic of the animals in this unclean category is that they all creep. The weasel, lizard, turtle, mouse, salamander, etc., are quite diverse from each other in some respects (for example, some have fur and some do not), but they all creep. These animals creep in a different fashion than the walking cats in the last category. Each creeping category portrays a different type of person. The animals in this category all have the common characteristic of creeping, yet each has a distinctive difference. The weasel is elongated and eats rodents an obnoxious diet. A mouse would be disgusting to eat. The turtle eats insects. All the animals in this category are of a low grade and eat obnoxious, unclean things, psychologically speaking. The ferret is like a mole in that it lives underground close to the surface. We use the expression to ferret out a matter, meaning to dig into it. A chameleon changes color. Spiritually, this kind of person would be an opportunist and a hypocrite. The chameleon s purpose in changing color is camouflage so that it can hide in the background. A person with this unfavorable characteristic has a double character and does not want to reveal his true self. The snail hides in a shell. All of these animals stick close to the ground and either live in the ground or in a shell thus they hide and are secretive. When revealed or exposed, they are unpleasant to behold. Lev. 11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. The Lord was saying, The animals that were just discussed (verses 29 and 30) are unclean to you, and they are among all those that creep. In other words, there may be a dozen different categories, but not all types of creeping things are unclean only a sampling of a particular type of thing that creeps. Whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. This detail about being dead is helpful in clarifying earlier illustrations that used the word carcase. Lev. 11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed. Lev. 11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it. Lev. 11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. Lev. 11:35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.

11 9 Verses refer to the carcasses of everything mentioned so far in this chapter as being unclean. The Lord started out with the ABC s of how to distinguish between what is clean and what is unclean, beginning with the beasts of the field. Our vocabulary develops as we proceed: land animal, fish, fowl, insect, cat, creeping things. If a carcass fell into a dry vessel (wood, skin, clay, cloth, metal), the vessel was treated differently depending on certain circumstances. In the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelite women used raiment to carry unleavened dough; that is, they put the dough in their skirts, which were folded up or looped and then slung over their shoulders. Note: Metal vessels are not specifically mentioned here, but they would be included. Also, skin could be a wineskin. If a carcass fell into any vessel in which work is done, it must be put into water [that is, washed], and it shall be unclean until the even. This is startling. Earlier the person became unclean when he ate or touched something unclean. The human was the victim in need of cleansing. Now we come to inanimate objects: cooking utensils. This lesson of cleanness and uncleanness would have gone deep into the consciousness of the Israelites. Wood, raiment, skin, etc., vessels that became unclean through contact with a dead animal could be washed to a certain extent, but earthen or unglazed porous clay vessels, which could not be thoroughly washed, were to be broken. In other words, those vessels that could be cleansed were washed. Those that could not be washed and conveniently reused because of the nature of their substance were destroyed. Spiritually, the vessel is the human body. Not only do we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7), but there are vessels unto honour, and some to dishonour (2 Tim. 2:20). Leviticus 11 pertains to defilement in connection with unclean animals. A brass pot could be scoured and, therefore, thoroughly cleaned. A highly glazed dish could also be thoroughly washed but not porous materials. The forceful lesson to the Israelite was the defiling nature of death. Whatever vessels could not be cleansed were destroyed. Verse 34 treats another but related subject. If a vessel contained water or liquid (for example, soup) and a carcass touched the vessel, the contents became unclean. (An exception will be noted in due time.) The vessel had to be treated the same way as when it was empty, but in addition, the contents had to be discarded. Spiritually, the liquid (or food) would be doctrine. Since the vessel represents an individual, the unclean liquid pictures the individual who is contaminated by erroneous doctrine. With the vessel that was used to dispense food to others, if the water in the vessel was contaminated, the individuals receiving it also became contaminated. What is the spiritual lesson? Under certain circumstances, both the individual and his doctrine or thinking are to be avoided by Christians who are aware of the distinction between clean and unclean doctrines. In fact, Hebrews 5:14 tells us that those who have their senses exercised can discern between good and evil. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Christians cannot discern between good and evil except on an obvious level. As one develops, he absorbs God s thinking and can discern finer details. Verse 35 states that an oven, stove, or cooking range became unclean if it was touched by the carcass of an unclean animal. Why? Because the oven, stove, or range, was used to handle and prepare food. Therefore, it had to be broken down. Of course the type of cooking range the Israelites used was improvised out of stones and/or a mound of earth, and thus just had to be kicked down and leveled. If a metal stove was unclean, it had to be scoured, but the ground, stones, and bricks were too porous to be scoured. The lesson is that evil communications corrupt good manners [conduct] (1 Cor. 15:33). Bad company can defile a Christian, so he

12 10 should make straight paths for his feet and avoid unclean conditions as far as possible. Lev. 11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. A fountain is a spring. When an unclean carcass fell into a spring or a pit in which there was plenty of water, the spring or pit remained clean. This was an exception because of the plenitude of water. Since a fountain comes from the depths of the earth, anything that touched it did not reach the source but only the gushing water at the surface. The continual flow of fresh water prevented pollution. In a larger sense, if an unclean carcass fell in the ocean, the ocean did not become unclean because it is a huge quantity of water. A pit can be several things, for example, a well or a cistern. A well usually goes down to a spring. (A fountain generally comes to the surface of the earth of its own volition, whereas a spring is underground, so a well or hole must be dug to get down to this source of running water.) If an unclean carcass made a well unclean, no one could use that water supply all day long. Whatever fell into a fountain, or spring, was removed right away. In summary, an allowance was made for a large body of water. Lev. 11:37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean. In a sense, a pit is a natural vessel, a vessel of nature. Vessels of cloth, skin, clay, wood, etc., were considered earlier. A vessel could also contain dry measures, such as seed. If an unclean carcass touched seed, the vessel itself might be unclean but not its dry (seed) contents. Verse 38 talks of another circumstance. Lev. 11:38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you. If an unclean carcass touched seed that was moist or had water on it, the seed was unclean. Therefore, dry seed was clean, but moist or wet seed was unclean when touched by an unclean carcass. Why the difference? When seed is moistened, it sprouts. When seed is planted, not only is it moistened, but it is covered with a certain depth of soil. Before being planted, however, the seed could have existed in a dormant state for, say, 50 years. Jesus gave the clue in the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. There the seed was the Word of God, which would be equated here in Leviticus to dry seed. Nothing can desecrate the holy words of the Bible. Dry seed represents a dormant life with great potential. In order to bear fruit, the seed (the Christian) must die. It must be planted and moistened with the water of truth before it can bring forth fruit. If we consecrate, our life blossoms the seed grows. Paul said, I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). It is the Father s desire that the Christian bear much fruit in both the present and the next life. Revelation 22:2 shows that leaves from the trees of righteousness (the Church) will heal the nations; this food will revitalize the world. Therefore, not only does the seed (the Christian) have to die, but in resurrection power, it will bring forth tenfold. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. One seed, planted in death, yields many seeds. We see this startling phenomenon in nature, and the spiritual parallel is marvelous too.

13 11 Lev. 11:39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even. Lev. 11:40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. Every seven years the Lord divided the Levites so that some were on Mount Ebal and some were on Mount Gerizim. One group read the cursings, and the other read the blessings, while the people sat in the grassy valley below and listened in this stadium-like atmosphere. The Lord s blessings for obedience and the cursings for disobedience were chanted. Some of the Old Testament, such as the Psalms, was designed for the people to respond. Here in Leviticus 11, for example, it seems reasonable to say that the people chanted verse 40, which is a repetitive phrase, to indicate they understood and agreed with the principle God was inculcating about the distinction between clean and unclean food. Other repetitive phrases in Leviticus would likewise be chanted. Lev. 11:41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. A summation, verse 41 refers to all previously mentioned unclean creeping things, insect or animal. All such creeping things are an abomination. Verse 42 starts again with an addendum about unclean things that creep on the earth. Lev. 11:42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. Here is another category of unclean creeping things: those that go upon (1) the belly, (2) all four feet, and (3) more than four feet. (The worm and the snake are examples of unclean things that goeth upon the belly. ) All of these creep on the earth; that is, they stay close to the earth. Spiritually speaking, for the Christian, the earth pictures the world, worldliness. The Christian must rise above the earth and no longer grovel in it. He should breathe cleaner air and live in a higher atmosphere. Lev. 11:43 Ye shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. Lev. 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Lev. 11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Lev. 11:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: Lev. 11:47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

14 12 Verses 46 and 47 are a concluding statement, a summary of the chapter. In other words, This is my will concerning you, saith the Lord God. Review Lessons 1. The cat family (verse 27) characteristics are creeping on paws, stealth, and usually being carnivorous (destructive). Some people have violent premeditated intent (rape, murder, etc.), as opposed to a thief who just wants to steal and sneak away. These people are destructive by nature, for they intend harm. The Christian should not be friends with this type of person lest the trait rub off to a greater or lesser extent. Habitual faultfinders are cats. (A case where a serious wrong should be exposed is an exception, for to be silent under that circumstance would be to encourage the wrong.) A wolf in sheep s clothing is also a cat. The wolf tries to destroy by singling out the young, the old, and the sick and killing them. A wolf is known by its characteristics, not by its appearance, for it is clothed like a sheep. It is strange but true that sometimes people with the most genteel exterior are the most vicious. 2. The weasel, ferret, etc., category (verses 29 and 30) represents other undesirable traits. A weasel is a worldly person who feeds and dwells upon dirty things. The Christian should not be friends with such, even at work, for evil communications corrupt good conduct. The weasel s diet habitually consists of innuendoes, dirty jokes, cursing, and swearing. Also, sometimes a weasel is a nitpicker always looking for little flaws and idiosyncrasies in others (such as fat legs) to ridicule. Another example would be to poke fun at a blind man and put a stumbling block in front of him. This trait shows a smallness of mind and a meanness of spirit. 3. Creeping on the belly (verse 42) pertains to the passions of eating and drinking. Gluttons live to eat, and gourmet food is their life. Some even force themselves to vomit after eating so that they can continue eating. Leviticus 11 informs the Christian what kinds of people he should not associate with. 4. Vessels that could not be thoroughly cleansed (verse 33) were to be broken, for example, earthen vessels. What is the principle for the Christian? If our hand or foot offends us, we are to figuratively cut it off, that is, radically and abruptly treat the fault or sin lest it keep us from attaining the prize. This can mean curtailing our liberty in a particular area because of a weakness. The incorrigible sinner gets the sin into his very pores and thus cannot be cleansed. He cannot rid himself of it because the sin is part of his very being; it is a way of life. The result is Second Death. There are some weaknesses that we might have for the rest of our lives, but if we constantly and daily fight against a weakness, the Lord will forgive us and impute Jesus righteousness to cover it. The new creature does not practice sin (1 John 3:6,9). John also said that if any man says he does not sin, he is a liar and he makes God a liar (1 John 1:10). That is because we are not perfect but have faults. However, there is a difference between occasional stumbling, followed by repentance and seeking forgiveness, and the practice of and immersion into sin. Leviticus Chapter 12 Lev. 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Lev. 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. Lev. 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

15 Lev. 12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. Lev. 12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. 13 Lev. 12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: Lev. 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. Lev. 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean. Chapter 12 pertains to the birth of a child under the Law and the different time periods of uncleanness and purification for a male versus a female baby. As we will see, there is a spiritual connotation. Note: The Revised Standard Version is much clearer. Bible commentaries for this chapter usually follow one line of reasoning, but this reasoning does not answer all of the factors, some of which are set forth below: Male child: Unclean for 7 days 33 days of cleansing Female child: Unclean for 14 days 66 days of cleansing It is as though the birth of a female child receives a double penalty. The usual explanation of Bible commentaries is that since (1) the woman first ate the forbidden fruit and then (2) she enticed Adam to eat, she committed two wrongs. But there is a problem with this explanation, as follows. Paul said that Adam got the direct penalty because sin entered the world through him. Although Eve did sin first, the death penalty was the result of one man s transgression. Death reigned... after... Adam s transgression (Rom. 5:14). In the day that thou [Adam] eatest thereof dying thou shalt die (Gen. 2:17, see KJV margin). The human race received the death penalty through Adam s disobedience. Since Eve was part of Adam (she was brought forth out of him), both Adam s children and his wife incurred the death penalty as a result of his transgression. The woman was deceived but not Adam (1 Tim. 2:14). Adam knew he was disobeying, whereas Eve listened to the logic of the serpent, which was wiser than all the other beasts of the field (Gen. 3:1). When she noticed that the serpent did not die after eating of the tree, it appeared that God was withholding information and that, therefore, she and Adam would benefit from partaking of the forbidden fruit. However, the prohibition against eating the fruit of that tree was simply a test of obedience: Of all the trees of the garden you may freely eat, but not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16,17 paraphrase). Paul showed that because sin entered the world through Adam, the corresponding (or offsetting) price had to be a man. Down through history, as well as with women s rights, a

16 14 woman has sometimes felt that she brought forth the children, that man is of the woman. That is true from one standpoint, but Paul reasoned the other way that the woman was of the man because the first woman came from Adam; that is, Eve was made from Adam s rib. This drama has a spiritual connotation. Notice that Leviticus 12 more or less concludes with the woman having to make a burnt offering and a sin offering. These offerings were for the woman, not the child. The woman is a large factor in the practical Law because she does the childbearing. How long was she unclean? In the case of a male child, she was unclean for seven days and then she was unclean for 33 additional days. However, if we say that she was unclean for a total of 40 days, the answer is yes and no, for there was a moment in that time period when she was not unclean. At the end of the seven days (that is, on the eighth day), she took the male child to the priest to be circumcised. For this momentary pause of the circumcision rite, she was clean, but as soon as the circumcision rite was over, she lapsed back into uncleanness for the 33-day purification period. When the 33 days (that is, a total of 40 days) expired, she had to offer a burnt offering and a sin offering. Why is the account stated this way? Commentators have overlooked the perplexing question of the interim pause, wherein on the eighth day the child was presented to the priest to be circumcised, seven days having elapsed. After the eighth day, the woman was unclean until the expiration of an overall 40-day period for a male child and an overall 80-day period for a female child. Q: With the female baby, was there also a pause, an interim period of cleanness, or was the uncleanness continuous for 14 days followed by 66 days? A: The account does not say, but the spiritual application will give the explanation. With regard to a spiritual application of the Law, sometimes the fulfillment of a type, or picture, must be an exact duplicate; that is, the type, or picture, is simply repeated the same way later. Other pictures are done quite differently as type and antitype. Sometimes the antitype applies to the world, and sometimes it applies to Jesus and the Church. Here in Leviticus 12, the woman is the central figure. Whom does she represent? In Scripture a woman can picture the true virgin Church, the false harlot Church, a covenant, natural Israel, or Eve. In the Garden of Eden, a promise was made that a seed of woman would be the Messiah. In other words, the Messiah would be born of a woman (Gen. 3:15). What or whom does the woman in Leviticus 12 picture? The trespass offering was made for the woman, yet there were two other personalities (the male child and the female child), and all three must be harmonized. The representations are as follows: Personality Representation Male child Jesus Female child The Church Mother Eve The mother (the woman) could not be the Sarah Covenant because she needed cleansing with a sin offering. (The Sarah Covenant was of God and would not require cleansing.) But what is common to both Jesus and the Church? They descended not only from Adam but also from Eve. Adam was more important as the life-giver, but Eve is the mother of all the living. When Eve brought forth children, it was after the transgression. Hence she was under the death

17 15 sentence when her children were born, so all her children were born of an imperfect woman. The Pastor showed that perfect Jesus could be born of imperfect Eve because the Heavenly Father was the Life-giver. (The mother merely nurtures or feeds the fetus, whereas the father is the life-giver.) God was the Father of Jesus, and Mary (a virgin) was his mother. The angel said that what was conceived in her was of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God used His Holy Spirit, or power, to transfer the life of the Logos into her womb. Human beings grow from a microscopic seed into manhood or womanhood. With the Logos, the process was reversed, for he was reduced and implanted in Mary s womb. The genetic code that is in every cell of a human being triggers the growth of fingernails, hair, eyes, bones, etc. The Great Creator has the power to reverse this process. In fact, it was an easy matter for Him to reduce and transfer the Logos like pushing the reverse button on a tape recorder. Incidentally, the Logos did not die at that time; his life was simply transferred. Only on the Cross did he die. Thus Jesus came forth as a male child from the womb of Mary, an imperfect woman. The question Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? was asked from the standpoint of the man. Rephrased to catch the thought, the question is, Can a perfect being be produced by an unclean or imperfect father? The answer is NO! A clean thing cannot come out of an unclean father, but it can come out of an unclean mother. Since the Heavenly Father was perfect, the child born of His power and an unclean mother was perfect. Comment: Since angels have reduced their size to appear on earth as human beings and also to possess human beings, it should not surprise us to learn that the Father could reduce and transfer the Logos. Reply: Thousands of fallen angels, reduced to the size of cells, occupied the man called Legion (Luke 8:30). Thus angels can be microscopic or enormous, and there are many illustrations in Scripture. In Leviticus 12, then, the woman represents Eve. From Eve, from the seed of woman, came Jesus. Jesus was of the woman but not by the woman, for the life-giving rights came from the Heavenly Father. The same is true of the Church we are children not only of Adam but also of Eve. Hence both the male child and the female child are born of the same woman. The eighth day is the age beyond the Millennium. The last or Seventh Creative Day is a 7,000-year period, and it began after the creation of Adam and his fall. In other words, God ended His creative work after the creation of Adam and Eve. When He rested at the end of the Sixth Creative Day, the Genesis account says that He saw His work and pronounced it very good (Gen. 1:31). Then He rested on the Seventh Creative Day; that is, after having previously created Adam and Eve. Each Creative Day began with an evening and ended with a morning. The last or Seventh Creative Day has not yet ended. At the end of the Millennium, when Jesus hands the Kingdom over to the Father, those of mankind who go into the ages of ages will be like the angels and not die anymore (Luke 20:34-36). They will be a perfect and tried race. At that time, God will be all in all, for no sinners will remain (1 Cor. 15:28). Therefore, the eighth day will be a fresh start, a new beginning, a period of renewal. What are other pictures in Scripture of an eighth day being a new start? When the Church is complete and the Kingdom is inaugurated, the seven periods of the Gospel Age will have ended, and it will be an eighth day for the Church. The Little Flock will then be starting a new life in a new realm, the spirit realm. This eighth day is also pictured in Leviticus 8 and 9, for the seven days of the consecration of the priesthood were followed by an eighth day. The priests ate unleavened bread in baskets for seven days (the Gospel Age) before they could serve