Leviticus 11

Leviticus 11:1

IV. THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN (Chaps. 1115)The next five chapters deal with matters of ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness. For the Jews there were acts that were not morally wrong but nevertheless barred them from participating in the rituals of Judaism. Those who became defiled were ritually unfit until they were cleansed. A holy people must be holy in every area of life. God used even food to illustrate the difference between what is clean and unclean. A. Clean and Unclean Foods (Chap. 11)11:1-8 A clean animal was one which had hooves that were completely cloven and which chewed the cud. The expression “whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves” seems to say the same thing in two different ways. But the words mean that the hoof must be completely divided. Clean animals were oxen, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, etc. Unclean animals were pigs, camels, rock badgers (hyraxes), rabbits, etc. The spiritual application is that Christians should meditate on the Word of God (chew the cud) and have a separated walk (the cloven hoof). But God was also protecting the health of His people by prohibiting meat that was likely to transmit disease in days when there was little or no refrigeration and the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry was unknown. 11:9-12 A clean fish was one that had both fins and scales. Fish such as mackerel, eels, and shellfish were unclean. Scales are often taken to picture the Christian’s armor, protecting him in a hostile world, while the fins typify the divine power which enables him to navigate through the world without being overcome by it. 11:13-19 Birds which preyed on other creatures were uncleane.g., eagles, hawks, vultures, bats. (Bats are not birds, but the Hebrew word translated birds is broader than the English word, meaning “flying thing.”) 11:20-23 Verses 20-23 deal with certain forms of flying insects. Only those which had jointed legs above their feet were cleannamely, locusts, destroying locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers. 11:24-28 Touching the carcass of any of the foregoing unclean creatures rendered a person unclean until evening. Special mention is made of animals which walk on . . . paws, such as cats, dogs, lions, tigers, bears, etc. 11:29-38 Other creeping animals are described nextthe mole, the mouse, the large lizard, . . . the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. A person touching their carcasses became unclean until evening. If the dead body of one of these creatures fell on any vessel, the utensil had to be washed in water, and it was unclean until evening, except that an earthen vessel had to be broken. Any edible food in the earthen vessel became unclean and could not be eaten. Two exceptions are givena spring of running water did not become unclean through contact with the body of one of these animals, nor did planting seed used for sowing, if it had not been soaked in water. 11:39, 40 Human contact with the carcass of a clean animal which had died (rather than being slaughtered) or eating such meat unintentionally made a person unclean until evening. His clothes had to be washed. 11:41-47 Verses 41-43 refer to worms, snakes, rodents, and insects. Anyone eating them became ritually unclean. In giving this law concerning clean and unclean creatures, God was teaching lessons concerning His holiness and the necessity for His people to be holy as well (vv. 44-47). In Mar_7:18-19, the Lord Jesus declared all foods to be ceremonially clean. And Paul taught that no food should be refused if it is received with thanksgiving (1Ti_4:1-5). However, even that would not include foods that are contaminated, culturally unacceptable, or digestively disagreeable to a person.