Clean And Unclean Food
February 18, 2022
Commentary
Moles, rats, mice, and all kinds of lizards are unclean (vv. 29-30). Anyone who touches their dead bodies or anything touched by their dead bodies becomes unclean until evening (v. 31). If something made of wood, cloth, or leather touches one of their dead bodies, it must be washed, but it is still unclean until evening (v. 32). If any of these animals is found dead in a clay pot, the pot must be broken to pieces, and everything in it becomes unclean (v. 33). If you pour water from this pot on any food, that food becomes unclean, and anything drinkable in the pot becomes unclean (v. 34).
If the dead body of one of these animals touches anything, including ovens and stoves, that thing becomes unclean and must be destroyed (v. 35). A spring or a cistern where one of these dead animals is found is still clean, but anyone who touches the animal becomes unclean (v. 36). If the dead body of one of these animals is found lying on seeds that have been set aside for planting, the seeds remain clean (v. 37). But seeds that are soaking in water become unclean, if the dead animal is found in the water (v. 38). If an animal that may be eaten happens to die, and you touch it, you become unclean until evening (v. 39). If you eat any of its meat or carry its body away, you must wash your clothes, but you are still unclean until evening (v. 40).
Don’t eat any of those disgusting little creatures that crawl or walk close to the ground (vv. 41-42). If you eat any of them, you will become just as disgusting and unclean as they are (v. 43). I am the Lord your God, and you must dedicate yourselves to me and be holy, just as I am holy (v. 44). Don’t become disgusting by eating any of these unclean creatures. I brought you out of Egypt so that I could be your God (v. 45). Now you must become holy, because I am holy! I have given these laws so that you will know what animals, birds, and fish are clean and may be eaten, and which ones are unclean and may not be eaten (vv. 46-47).
Application
The dietary laws were given for touching and eating clean and unclean foods. It is still very disgusting to see anyone touching or eating many of the creatures listed above. God wants me to be holy for His sake.
Leviticus 11:29– 47 (NET)
29 “‘Now this is what is unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the land: the rat, the mouse, the large lizard of any kind, 30 the Mediterranean gecko, the spotted lizard, the wall gecko, the skink, and the chameleon. 31 These are the ones that are unclean to you among all the swarming things. Anyone who touches these creatures when they die will be unclean until evening. 32 Also, anything they fall on when they die will become unclean—any wood vessel or garment or article of leather or sackcloth. Any such vessel with which work is done must be immersed in water and will be unclean until the evening. Then it will become clean. 33 As for any clay vessel they fall into, everything in it will become unclean and you must break it. 34 Any food that may be eaten which becomes soaked with water will become unclean. Anything drinkable in any such vessel will become unclean. 35 Anything their carcass may fall on will become unclean. An oven or small stove must be smashed to pieces; they are unclean, and they will stay unclean to you. 36 However, a spring or a cistern which collects water will be clean, but one who touches the creature’s carcass will be unclean. 37 Now, if such a carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean, 38 but if water is put on the seed and such a carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
39 “‘Now if an animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass will be unclean until the evening. 40 One who eats from its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening, and whoever carries its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. 41 Every swarming thing that swarms on the land is detestable; it must not be eaten. 42 You must not eat anything that crawls on its belly or anything that walks on all fours or on any number of legs of all the swarming things that swarm on the land, because they are detestable. 43 Do not make yourselves detestable by any of the swarming things. You must not defile yourselves by them and become unclean by them, 44 for I am the Lord your God and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground, 45 for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be holy because I am holy. 46 This is the law of the land animals, the birds, all the living creatures that move in the water, and all the creatures that swarm on the land, 47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the living creatures that may be eaten and the living creatures that must not be eaten.’”
Illustration: Moody With Pride Their is no Room for God
D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit can fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.” (Pat Cook – Sermon Central)