Avoiding Defilement: Leviticus 11:20-12:5

From: Hands Full Of Christ: Bible Talks On Leviticus

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo

Leviticus 11:20‑12:5 • 4 min. read • grade level: 8

In a general way, we notice from our chapter that all flying things which were adaptable to both the earth and the sky were unclean, but there were some, such as the grasshopper, whose legs lifted them above the earth which were clean. God wants His people for Himself, and although we all have to live in the world and mingle with it to a certain extent, we need spiritual “legs” to lift us above it, so that we do not allow ourselves to get into too close contact with this defiling scene. Let us rather, like the grasshopper, be ready to leap or fly above it when free. This we see in the disciples, of whom we read in Acts 4:23²³And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. (Acts 4:23), “Being let go, they went to their own company.”

Creeping Things

Next we come to the instructions about creeping things. Any creeping things which crept upon the earth or crawled upon it were unclean. They lived in close contact with the earth and had no means of rising above it. Then, too, many of them, such as the mouse and the ferret, are sly things living very largely in the dark. They are like men who “loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)). May we, who belong to the family of God, learn in all these instructions that, while we are in the world, we are not of it (John 17:15-16¹⁵I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:15‑16)), and seek grace to walk here as heavenly men.

Faithfulness to God

We notice in all this that nothing was left to the wisdom or personal opinion of the Israelite. He was to obey because God had spoken a principle of all importance in the things of God. Then, too, not only was an Israelite made unclean by eating of these things but even by touching their carcasses. In this we learn that not only do our own personal sins defile, but even contact with evil defiles us. In some cases it was necessary for the offender to wash his clothes, for if one cannot remain where he is and be faithful to God, then he must change his associations of life. This is what is typified in washing the clothes. It is applying the Word of God to what is nearest and, perhaps, dearest to us in life. Then, too, any vessels which could not be cleansed had to be broken, when defiled, and this would show us that no matter what it costs us to be faithful to the Lord we should not draw back. Faithfulness to the Lord comes first — personal considerations should always be secondary. Since the Lord is holy, those who are called into association with Him must be holy too.

Shapen in Iniquity

After telling us what meats were clean and what were unclean, we now learn that even the birth of a child made the mother unclean. Even that which is right in its place, and which would have caused great joy apart from the fall, is now mingled with that which reminds us of sin. If it was the birth of a son, the mother was unclean for seven days; if a daughter, for fourteen days. Eve was deceived in the garden, and therefore, “the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2: 14), (though Adam was of course guilty too). Therefore the birth of a daughter caused uncleanness for a longer period, for “God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15¹⁵That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. (Ecclesiastes 3:15)). Surely we are reminded here that everything which is the result of the activity of man in his natural state is unclean, for like David of old, we were “shapen in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5⁵Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)). There is nothing for us to boast about as we read this chapter. There is only one who was born holy, the blessed Son of God (Luke 1:35³⁵And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)).

For Further Meditation

1. Why were grasshoppers considered clean insects?

2. It’s pretty difficult to say “no” to a loved one that wants us to do something such as “gossip” that is contrary to God’s Word. We know the importance of faithfulness to God but fear the rejection of others. How does the Lord strengthen His own to be lovingly faithful in these circumstances?

3. J. G. Bellett often seemed to meditate on the Lord as one who was always faithful in standing apart from anything that would have defiled Him. One of his short books that is a real help in this area is Living Wholly for God. You’ll no doubt find it a real challenge and help to your soul.

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