We are currently in the middle of a mass of “Laws of Purity,” each prescribed (commanded) by God for the Israelites’ lives.

These are strategically positioned between two references (the only two in Leviticus) of the presumptuous/rebellious sins of Aaron’s two sons (Nadab and Abihu) … specifically chapter 10:1-20 and again in chapter 16:1-2. They defiled the Tabernacle. Now God is emphasizing that all who come to the Tabernacle MUST BE pure/clean! Lest that sacred Place somehow be defiled yet again!

In that line of thought … today we notice Leviticus chapter 12, though I seriously thought about “skipping” it. It is hard to explain!

It concerns the bodily discharges a woman experiences when she gives birth. (By the way, this is the shortest chapter in the whole Book of Leviticus, with only 8 verses.)

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.” Leviticus 12:1-4

Women lose blood at childbirth. Blood that is so “special” to God. (“For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” Leviticus 17:11) This loss of blood (which specifically occurs at childbirth but can also continue seeping for days afterward) is the opposite of the “life” principle. It is the “loss of life” principle. God is LIFE! Sin brings death! Hence (at least this is one reason often given) … the new Mother needs purification!

Furthermore, Psalm 51:5 links childbirth (even the little newborn one) to sin, original sin! “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me,” David confesses, writes under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Hints of sin, a baby child (a little sinner, via Adam’s and Eve’s sin passed down to us all) at the time of birth even! (Though those little folks are “innocent” in God’s Eyes as far as eternity is concerned, until they reach an age of accountability, of understanding right from wrong. An age where they can accept Jesus as Saviour.)

So … there’s another possible reason for the Mother needing to be cleansed from her impurity. (Though those bloody discharges are likely the main reason, granted.)

Anyway, she is unclean (cannot go to the Tabernacle, for example) until two things happen. He child’s circumcision (we’re talking boys here) on the eighth (8th) day of his life. (A “picture” of the “putting off” of sinful flesh, thus “purification.”) Then for 33 more days (bringing the total up to 40 days or thereabouts) she is impure!

Then … she can go to the Tabernacle, present blood sacrifice, and be clean, pure once again! (Why does the man not have to do these things, when he becomes a Father? He shed no blood, maybe that’s the reason. He did not sin first, Eve did. Maybe that’s the reason. By the way, there were purity laws concerning any discharges from a man’s body, too.) In 1st Timothy 2:14 Paul reminds us: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

Purity Laws!

All designed to help people stay in fellowship/communion with God!

Then the chapter continues … with laws for the birth of a girl child! And waiting times for purification twice as long as that of a newborn son! (Not due to a patriarchal culture, I think. But to the fact of Eve’s sin again, likely. A little girl who will some day have children of her own, (Genesis 3:16, God to Eve: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” The curse of that terrible sin!)

But again .. either way … verse 6 … “And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest.” SHE GETS TO BRING THIS OFFERING! A woman worshipping God at the Door of the Tabernacle! Quite an honor! Presenting “blood” (a picture of life, the life of that innocent lamb) at that wide open Door … before an Almighty God!

And, regardless of the “wait times” … the very same blood sacrifices apply to either boys or girls … no difference now.

All ground is level at the foot of the Cross! And the (brass) altar where she was standing is a Symbol of just that, the Cross of Calvary!

Another touching fact … if the Mother was “poor,” and she could not afford to bring a “lamb” … she could substitute with “doves” or “pigeons.” Much less expensive sacrifices! “Whosoever will may come!” 

(By the way … Mary and Joseph were that poor when they brought baby Jesus to the Temple, when He was forty days old!)

God is so very Holy! (Angels in Heaven right now are crying loudly … “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts.” According to Isaiah 6:3 anyway. That’s why the old Preachers used to call our God “thrice holy!”)

He thus demands purity in our lives, too.

We today do not religiously circumcise our babies … not offer literal blood sacrificed down at our Churches … but we DO seek to live clean lives unto the glory of God!

They sought to be ritually pure. We seek to be morally pure.

Maybe I should NOT have written on this chapter, after all!

God’s Laws … always … were designed to put us into the place of enjoying His Company, His Presence, His Delight!

And for that fact, we should all be grateful!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

I have been trying to discern the best way of (at least generally) explaining the chapters of Leviticus (for right now, chapters 11-15) that are so loaded with minute, precise laws and regulations pertaining to the “clean” and “unclean” dichotomy God so demands. Due to His Very nature, I might add, His Perfect Nature, Essence!

Maybe this “word picture” will help explain. All these stipulations (five Leviticus chapters) center around the “LIFE/death” contrast. God is Life! (Everlastingly and Abundantly) And conversely, sin is/brings death!

Picture Israel’s history of old. Her God-prescribed method of worship. The Tabernacle, from the front gate all the way to the Holy of Holies … must be considered as the place of God’s Residence/Abode on earth. Therein dwells life, Life. Thus the priest officiating within it confines must be pure, holy, alive (even whole, healthy) it seems!

And the further away from that Tabernacle one travels/goes/drifts … the closer he gets to death, the absence of the Presence of God. Impurity, uncleanness, and as I said, subsequent death. (Think of the wild, howling “wilderness” … as far from the Tabernacle as you can get. Death, loneliness, rejection!)

So … Israel (Leviticus chapter 11, for today our example) can only eat foods that represent life! So that the Jews can approach God in a clean, whole manner. Sheep, again merely as one example, are vegetarians. (Not a single plant was forbidden Israel to eat, or called unlcean!) Thus, they (the little lambs) were allowed as a “legal” food for the people of Israel. They not in any way being symbols of death/uncleanness! But a host of other animals (especially those who eat carrion, filth, blood) are not “legal” foods! Because they, in contradistinction, represent death, “eat death,” truth be told!

Even fish that were irregular (having no scales, for example) were forbidden … because they were not normal, not reeking of life but (perhaps) something less! And shrimp (eating the “filth” on the bottom of the sea) … a diet hinting at death for sure … forbidden!

Or if you want to delve further into chapters 11-15, the loss of bodily fluids (menstruation, childbirth, sexual intercourse) was considered to make one unclean, because of the loss of LIFE LIQUIDS involved!

That Priest (mentioned earlier in today’s Lesson) working inside the Tabernacle had to be so clean, whole, that even if he had a “flat nose” or was “blind” or “lame” … was disqualified from serving God! “No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.” Leviticus 21:18

The issue here? Life qualities versus abnormalities, versusdeath qualities!

Even the tons of blood shed at the door of the Tabernacle … symbolized LIFE every bit as much as death! (“For the LIFE of the flesh is in the BLOOD.” Leviticus 17:11)

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

But perhaps this view will not prove to be an oversimplification of the Laws of Leviticus 11-15, but one way of seeing the overall picture.

God told Israel long ago … “See, I have set before thee this day LIFE and good, and DEATH and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest LIVE and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, blessing and cursing: therefore choose LIFE, that both thou and thy seed may LIVE: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy LIFE, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:15-20

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

We are on the cusp of a fairly long Block of Scripture, teaching Israel to live “clean” lives unto the Lord.

Specifically … Leviticus chapters 11-15, consisting of a total of 204 verses! (Just think, the whole Book of Colossians only contains 95 verses!)

These “laws,” given immediately after Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu “pollute” the Tabernacle … also immediately precede the great Day of Atonement legislation! They sure “fit” their context!

And though the stipulations are long and varied … looks to me like they ALL (in one way or another) are given to teach Israel how to live clean lives in the sight of God. According to God’s standard, not man’s, of course. They all, in fact, affect a man’s/woman’s body or where that body goes!

Even chapter 11, for example, the “food laws” … deal with what enters into man’s body, what he eats! Within … abdominal and intestinal!

And chapter 12, what comes out of a woman’s body!

And chapter 13, what kinds of rashes (on the surface of a person’s skin) can render him unclean.

And chapter 14, keeping one’s house in order, clean and undefiled! (Where one lives, resides!)

And chapter 15, back to various bodily fluids, discharges, both for men and women!

And these specific laws reveal general principles for being consecrated unto God!

Wow!

God means for His people Israel to be clean!

Is it then illogical to think that God today, in our dispensation of time, would ask for less? Would casually allow sins to rule in our lives, certainly offending the indwelling Holy Spirit?

God still cares!

Wow!

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Two verses later … “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7 and 9, King James Version.

Holy … unto the Lord.

Leviticus 20:7 … and we’re headed that way, toward that amazing (and inspired) chapter … “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s two disobedient (presumptuous) sons … priests who died in the Tabernacle offering (unacceptable) “strange fire” unto the Lord … the Book of Leviticus delves into a “ton” of rules and regulations concerning “purity!”

Likely and specifically … because their (Nadab’s and Abihu’s) sin had defiled the whole Sanctuary! An affront to Almighty God!

In fact, after Leviticus chapter 10 (where their flagrant sin occurs) … these men are not mentioned again until Leviticus chapter 16 … the “Day of Atonement” Chapter!

Wow!

The Day the entire Nation of Israel is (via bloodshed) “forgiven” their sins! (Or at least their sins are “covered” from the Eyes of God.) Now commanded to become an annual practice/ritual/command from God, this “Day of Atonement.”

In fact, as I just said but need to repeat … the first time Nadab and Abihu are mentioned after Leviticus chapter 10 (the day of their infraction, rebellion) … is in Leviticus 16 (the “Day of Atonement” Instructions Chapter).

Regulations on how to cleanse both the people … and the Sanctuary (where Nadab and Abihu died, defiling the whole Place).

In between that egregious sin (chapter 10) and the cleansing of the Tabernacle/People (chapter 16) … are positioned five chapters of (guess what) PURITY REGULATIONS!

How to live holy lives before Almighty God!

The sin of chapter 10 (again, Nadab and Abihu) necessitated the following six chapters of Leviticus … culminating in the Day of Atonement, chapter 16 itself.

What beautiful (reasonable) order/logic in Leviticus!

Here’s how Chapter 16 (the theological “center” of both the Book of Leviticus and of the whole Pentateuch) begins … “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; and the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and …” Leviticus 16:1-4a, with lots more detail yet to come!

Purity, holiness … necessary in God’s Eyes!

“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

In the New Testament, this same principle still prevails, at least in this sense, to this degree … “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

.

I learned earlier today, studying for this morning’s Lesson, that the proper approach to God outlined in Leviticus 9 was “turned on its head” by an improper approach to God depicted in Leviticus 10.

What Nadab and Abihu did in Leviticus chapter 10 is the very “reverse, opposite” of what Aaron was instructed to do (what was done to Aaron) in Leviticus chapter 9.

Let me show you three ways at least …

First … constantly in chapters 8 and 9 we are reminded “and God commanded” such and such to be done. Leviticus 9:7 … “as the Lord commanded.” BUT in the Nadab and Abihu incident, they did “before the LORD, which he commanded them not.” Leviticus 10:1

What a stark contrast!

Second … in the proper anointing of Aaron, at the conclusion of the ritual … “There came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat.” The Fire of God’s Presence, accepting the whole burnt offering made unto Him! (The quote is taken from Leviticus 9:24, King James Version.) BUT when Aaron’s two rebellious sons offered their “strange” version of approach to God … “There went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Quite a different result, Leviticus 10:2.

Third … when the right way to God was followed, joy resulted. “When all the people saw (God’s Visible Approval), they shouted, and fell on their faces.” Loud praise, Leviticus 9:24 again. BUT when Nadab and Abihu sinned (disobeyed) and died … “And Aaron held his peace.” Leviticus 10:3, word for word!

And one could even add number four … when done rightly (the priesthood) God is obviously glorified! BUT when done wrongly … God is not glorified! He is angered!

Man’s approach to God, man in communion with God … the whole idea of the Book of Leviticus … is dramatically contrasted within a few divinely inspired Paragraphs … Leviticus chapters 9 (the right way) and 10 (the wrong way)!

Jesus later said, rightly … “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6, Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

More about this tomorrow morning, the Lord willing.

.