Reading: Leviticus 11-13
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted,
yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean
to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase
shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you(Lev. 11:7-8).
There has been much speculation amongst biblical scholars
as to why the Lord implemented dietary restrictions for His
people. Some believe that God was looking out for their health
by forbidding them to eat animals that were carnivorous, scavengers,
or filter feeders because they could potentially be carriers
of parasites or diseases. Others believe that the Lord put the
restrictions in place to set His children apart from those around
them and give them a spiritual focus in all aspects of their lives.
Yet a third group believes it was most likely a combination of
the two. Whatever His underlying reason, all scholars agree
that these restrictions were designed to draw the people’s attention
to God, the Creator of all things. As Creator, it was His
prerogative to determine the usage for all His creation. When
He stated that an animal was unclean to you, that was as far
as He intended the conversation to go, and it rendered any further
explanation unnecessary. God was not making a definitive
statement on the nature of the beast; instead, He was outlining
His expectations for His people. 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. 11:45). How did God intend for His people to obtain
holiness? Simple. He expected them to keep their attention on
Him, heed His Word, and obey His commandments. Yet even
as God gave the Law, He knew that His people would not be
able to keep it. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might
(Deut. 6:5). If they had taken this commandment to heart, then
the nation of Israel would have prospered. In loving the Lord
with all of their being, they would have instinctively obeyed Him.
However, as the centuries passed, it became evident that the
Israelites had (intentionally or not) misunderstood what was
being asked of them. Instead of viewing God as the source
of holiness, they believed that righteousness was imparted through the rituals they undertook and that spiritual cleanliness
was linked solely to what they touched, ate, or drank. And He saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding
also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from
without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because
it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth
out into the draught, purging all meats (Mark 7:18-19)? The
Law was given to show us our need for a Savior. As Jesus
came in fulfillment of that Law, He deepened our understanding
of it. We now know that our spiritual cleanliness depends
not on outside influences, but on the state of our heart. For
from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness,
wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy,
pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within,
and defile the man (7:21-23). If we solely rely on our ability to
act righteously, then we are lost. Only with the precious blood
of Jesus can we be cleansed; only with the arrival of the Holy
Spirit will we be made whole. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God(I Cor. 10:31). Thought For Today:A person’s actions will forever be empty
and misguided if they do not let God direct them. Christ Revealed:Through the clean food of the believer (Lev. 11:1-47).
Our Lord is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), supplies living water (4:10,14),
and His Father’s will was His meat (food, nourishment) (4:34). Word Studies:11:3 clovenfooted = split hoofed, two distinct hoofs; 11:35
ranges = cooking furnaces; 11:44 sanctify = dedicate to serve the Lord;
13:4 shut up = isolate, set apart; 13:5 be at a stay = has not changed;
13:10 quick = inflamed, ulcer forming; 13:43 rising = swelling. Pray For Staff:Kevin Jennings • Country: St. Barthelemy (7,267) Caribbean
• Major Languages: French, English • Religious Freedom • Roman
Catholic; Protestant; Jehovah Witness • Prayer Suggestion: Pray and
rejoice in the Lord for all His spiritual blessings (Is. 61:10). Optional ReadingMark 8