January 28, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Leviticus? Here’s today’s reading:
Leviticus 11 (NIV)
Clean and Unclean Food
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2“Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: 3 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.……Continue Reading
This is a long and specific list of animals considered clean and unclean, suitable for consumption or not and how they should be handled. It just reinforces the idea that first, God cares about EVERY aspect of our lives from what we do to what we eat and second, that there is sacrifice to following God He has done all the heavy lifting but we are expected to set ourselves apart and not look and act like those who do not follow God and for the Israelites the way they ate very much set them apart from other peoples.
Leviticus 10-11
Leviticus 10
Leviticus chapters 11,12
Leviticus 11
Leviticus 11 God is quite specific with what could be eaten and not eaten from animals to insects, to fish and all living creatures in the water, what was clean and unclean in God’s eyes. This is example of what God considers what is good for people and what can hurt people physically and most importantly spiritually.
I can see not eating a pig. But. Rabbit? Agree with not eating ocean bottom eaters. Never was a fan. Can’t imagine leaving back then following all these laws. I’d forget over half of them. So glad Jesus has set us free from the law. It’s the Holy Spirit we are to obey. My burden is light. My yoke is easy. One we should always remember!!
I agree Mark, and yet following these laws, as with many others, does four things. First it was a constant reminder of God. Every facet of life would cause people to think, why are we doing this? Because God said so (particularly the God who led us out of Egypt). Second, it protected the people from unhealthy animals and the parasites and diseases that would come from eating them. Third, it shows that certain animals’ purpose on the earth is not for food. It is interesting if some of them that they are to detest are so because they represent evil or are harbingers of death or just public nuisances, part of the curse that sin brought. And the fourth reason is to make them holy, to make them distinct from other people. We are doing this because we are God’s people and God’s people are to be different…and in more important ways than what foods you eat or don’t eat.
Leviticus 11
What animals can and cannot be eaten. It’s interesting that in general (except the pig), we eat the animals that are considered clean and turn our nose up at the unclean. That being said, give me a lobster over a locust. So glad God showed Peter the sheet coming down, “take, Peter, kill and eat.”