Clean and Unclean - Leviticus 11

 

Leviticus 11 -Clean and Unclean

 

God draws a strict line between light and darkness, night, and day, black and white, right, and wrong, clean, and unclean.  God wants man to love the good and hate the evil. He draws the distinctions to drive man to the altar and the shed blood of Christ for cleansing and forgiveness.

The choice of edible animals, fish, and fowl follow the pattern of civilized man through the centuries to the present day.  That is no accident.  God made the distinction and there are certain animals you want and some you don’t want to eat.  Today we have no command concerning clean and unclean animals for food.  When Peter saw the sheet come down with all kinds of animals and birds in it, he didn’t want to eat when God told him to eat.  God then told him, “Don’t call unclean what God has called clean.” Acts 10:11-15. God makes the rules, and man must make the decisions according to God’s rules. 

For Israel, the distinction between the clean and unclean animals was part of God’s plan to keep them separate from all nations.  The Bible-studying believer, who puts into practice the teaching of the Word of God, identifies himself as a child of God by his work and his walk.

The list of animals that chew the cud, eliminated the carnivorous animals. The Israelite was forbidden to even have contact with the dead carcasses of these animals.  The fish must have fins and scales to be clean, Crawling creatures in the water were forbidden.  Fish played a prominent part in the diet of the nation. The lesson for us today is that we must make decisions about our conduct and our professions.  We must make decisions about whether we accept Christ or not, whether to walk in a way pleasing to God or not. A Christian cannot mingle with the world and play with sin without being contaminated.  God taught his people cleanliness in the preparation of food.  Every vessel was holy to God, and it was all to remain clean.

Dry seed that was to be sown could not be contaminated by contact with a carcass of the unclean. If the seed was wet, then its shell or armor had been penetrated and it was unclean.  We are told “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The acid test of any of God’s people is this, God says, “I am your Lord. I am holy.  Be ye holy.”

 

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Study from J. Vernon McGee commentary