Skip to main content

Tag: Leviticus

Life is in the blood

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Leviticus, What’s new?.

What is the significance that life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:14)?

Thousands of years before scientists understood the complex and extraordinary life-sustaining properties of blood, the Bible informed that “the life of every creature is in its blood” (Leviticus 17:14, NLT). In ancient Israel, blood was not only a metaphor or symbol for life; it was equivalent to life itself. In most occurrences where blood was shed in Scripture, it meant that life had ended. To remove the blood is to terminate life.

In Leviticus chapter 17, God gives instructions regarding sacrifices and offerings, particularly on the proper slaughtering of animals. The people of Israel were to bring each animal to the tabernacle entrance for the priest to offer. The blood of the animal was never to be treated as common food; it belonged to God, who is the giver of life (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4; Psalm 139:13). Thus, the blood of animals had to be drained and offered to God on the altar.

Blood was God’s ordained means of effecting atonement: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11). Atonement for sin was achieved by sacrificing an animal’s life in substitution for one’s own life. The shedding of blood was the most critical element—it was the blood of the guiltless substitute offered on the altar that served as payment for the people’s sins (Leviticus 16:15).

Through God’s ordained system of sacrifice in the Old Testament, the Lord laid the groundwork for a message that would not be fully grasped until later: “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship” (Hebrews 10:1, NLT).

The full meaning of “the life is in the blood” would only be revealed in Jesus Christ: “That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer’” (Hebrews 10:5, NLT). It has always been God’s will for humans to be made right with God by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time (Hebrews 10:10). In the Old Testament, the priests offered animals’ blood over and over again, but this repeated shedding of blood never permanently removed the curse of sin (Hebrews 10:11).

When Jesus came and offered up His life—pouring out His blood on the cross—the perfect sacrifice had finally been made: “Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins” (Hebrews 9:14, NLT).

All those from times past, present, and future who put their faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, are made right with God: “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (Romans 3:25–26, NLT). The apostle John saw a future multitude of believers in heaven who “have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.” They have been purified from sin and “clothed in white” (Revelation 7:13–14).

Because of the Old Testament system, Christ’s followers could comprehend what He was doing when He shed His blood on the cross. And today we can better see what His sacrifice means. Just as physical life is in the blood of animals, eternal life is in the blood of Jesus Christ. Physically, our existence depends on blood to sustain life, and, spiritually, our lives depend on the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:10; 1 John 1:7; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:22). Through those ancient sacrifices repeatedly offered in the Old Testament, we are led to appreciate that death—the shedding of blood—has always been the cost of securing eternal life for sinful humans.

Believers are cleansed, forgiven, and made right with God by the blood of the Lamb, God’s guiltless substitute. The life that Christ emptied of its blood now pumps everlasting life into our veins. Oh, how astounding it is that God would shed His own blood to pay the penalty for our sins!

Clean and unclean animals

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Leviticus, What’s new?.

What are the animals considered clean and unclean in the Old Testament?

The first reference to clean and unclean animals appears in the account of the flood (Genesis 7:1—8:22) when God instructs Noah to take on the ark seven pairs of every type of clean animal and one pair of each kind of unclean animal. In Leviticus 11:1–47 (see also Leviticus 22:4–5; Deuteronomy 14:1–21), God establishes a distinct set of laws for the people of Israel concerning clean and unclean animals, primarily for dietary and ceremonial guidance. Only clean animals were approved for eating as food (Leviticus 20:25–26), for dedicating to the Lord (Exodus 13:1–2), and for offering in Israel’s sacrificial system (Leviticus 1:1–2; 27:9–13).

Land animals (Leviticus 11:1–8; 26–30; Deuteronomy 14:6–8) that had completely split or “cleft” hooves and chewed the cud were considered clean and suitable for eating. Any land animals that did not meet this rule were unclean and unsuitable for eating. If an animal only met one stipulation of the requirement, it was considered unclean. For example, “the camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof” and was ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:4).

Aquatic animals such as fish had to have both fins and scales to be deemed clean and used for food. All types of shellfish were classified as unclean and not suitable for eating (Leviticus 11:9–12).

Birds or “winged” animals (Leviticus 11:13–19; Deuteronomy 14:11–20) were part of the Israelite diet. Birds of prey and scavengers prone to carry and transmit diseases were unclean. Winged insects that creep along the ground were unclean and forbidden to eat (Leviticus 11:20, 23); however, those that had jointed legs to jump were considered clean and permitted for food (Leviticus 11:21–22).

Examples of clean animals listed in the Old Testament:

  • Land animals – cattle, sheep, goats, ox, deer, gazelle, addax, and antelope
  • Aquatic animals – fish with fins and scales
  • Birds – doves, pigeons, fowl, and most flying birds
  • Insects – locusts, crickets, grasshoppers

Examples of unclean animals specified in the Bible:

  • Land animals – camels, pigs, hyrax, rabbits, mole rats, weasels, mice, ferrets, and other small animals that scurry along the ground
  • Aquatic animals – crab, shrimp, oysters, lobster, catfish, whales, and sharks
  • Birds – birds of prey, ostriches, vultures, kites, falcons, ravens, owls, seagulls, pelicans, swans, hawks, cormorants, storks, herons, and bats
  • Insects – winged insects that walk on the ground
  • All Reptiles – snakes, lizards, geckos, chameleons, tortoises, alligators, and crocodiles; also, snails and other creatures that slither along on their bellies and animals with many feet

Touching a dead animal, regardless of the creature’s living classification as clean or unclean, made a person ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:24–25; 31–47). Exodus 23:19, 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:2 prohibit God’s people from boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. The rule was likely established because of a Canaanite practice of cooking a kid goat in its mother’s milk as part of a magic ritual. This dietary law formed the basis for many of the Jewish kosher laws developed later.

Much scholarly debate has gone into the question of why God declared some animals clean and others unclean. Some believe it was to avoid pagan practices and set Israel apart as holy in matters of food and worship. Others emphasize the health and hygiene benefits of these regulations. All of these concerns were likely in God’s heart when He established the laws regarding clean and unclean animals. If the Hebrew people followed the Lord’s guidelines, they could anticipate blessings of good physical health while promoting holiness and spiritual well-being within the community of believers.

Redemption price

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Leviticus, What’s new?.

Why was the redemption price for men and women different in Leviticus 27:3–8?

In Leviticus 27, God gave instructions regarding vows made on behalf of various people in dedication to the Lord. When a vow was made, a “redemption price” was paid—and the amount of the offering varied based on the age and gender of the person being dedicated. The redemption price for men and women was different, as shown in the following list:

Males 60 and over: 15 shekels
Females 60 and over: 10 shekels
Males ages 20–60: 50 shekels
Females ages 20–60: 30 shekels
Males ages 5–20: 20 shekels
Females ages 5–20: 10 shekels
Males ages 0–5: 5 shekels
Females ages 0–5: 3 shekels

A shekel is believed to be the value of a worker for an entire month, so even one shekel was a large amount for the average person. For those too poor to pay the set redemption price, the priest would determine an appropriate amount (Leviticus 27:8).

Males were more expensive to dedicate than females, and males 20–60 years of age required the highest redemption price. The difference in redemption price appears to be based on a person’s ability to work in an agricultural society and on how many years that person could work. A man aged 20–60 was seen as a worker who could perform the best labor, therefore resulting in the highest redemption price. Those over 60 and under 20 could do some work, but not as much, traditionally. Those 5 years old and under required the lowest price, as they would have been unable to work much or at all.

It is important to note that the Bible begins with the creation of male and female in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 states, “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” The law of Leviticus 27 recognized that the burden of manual labor fell primarily on the male—and only during the years of his strength. The redemption price had nothing to do with the inherent worth of men and women; it had everything to do with the practicality of production in an agrarian society.

Unclean longer daughter

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Leviticus, What’s new?.

In Leviticus chapter 12, why is a woman unclean longer if she gives birth to a daughter than if she gives birth to a son?

Leviticus chapter 12 often strikes modern readers as odd or even sexist. The Law specified that a woman who gave birth to a son would be ceremonially unclean for 7 days, while a woman who gave birth to a daughter would be unclean for 14 days. Why would God require a woman to wait twice as long to be ceremonially clean after having a daughter than after having a son?

The best understanding to account for this difference is found in the Jewish perspective regarding holiness. First, ritual purity is of great importance in the Jewish tradition. A woman traditionally remained impure for seven days following her monthly menstruation cycle. Impurity in this context is not intended to imply sinfulness or inferiority; rather, it emphasizes the tremendous importance of holiness within a woman’s body and the power to create a new life through union with her husband.

At childbirth, this same tradition continues to operate. In Leviticus 12, if a woman has a son, she is unclean for 7 days and her son is circumcised on the eighth day, following God’s covenant with Abraham. The woman must then wait 33 days to be purified from her bleeding for a total of 40 days (Leviticus 12:4).

When a woman gives birth to a daughter, two differences are noted. First, instead of being unclean for 7 days, she is unclean for 14 days, or twice as long. Second, instead of waiting 33 days until being purified, she must wait 66 days, again twice as long, for a total of 80 days (Leviticus 12:5). According to Jewish tradition, this period is twice as long to account for the purity of both the mother and the daughter. Therefore, the time period is twice as long as when a mother gives birth to a son.

Physically, there is no reason a woman should be unclean for longer or require longer to recover after giving birth to a daughter. Some have suggested more time was given for a mother to bond with a daughter or to provide protection for her, but this idea is not found in the passage.

There is also a tradition that the period of cleansing was shorter after the birth of a boy out of hope that the boy would be the Messiah. While this is an interesting theory, the hope that a male child would be the Messiah is nowhere mentioned or even hinted at in Leviticus chapter 12.

The most likely explanation is that the different lengths of time a mother was considered “unclean” involve something spiritual or possibly to remind Israel of Eve’s sin. We know that men and women were both created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27), but sin affected the role of each (Genesis 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:11–15). It is the Lord alone who fulfilled the Law and takes away the curse (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 3:13).

Purification After Childbirth

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Leviticus, What’s new?.

Leviticus 12:1-5

12 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. 5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

Book of Leviticus

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in What’s new?.

The Third Book of Moses, Called LEVITICUS

It explains how they are to be his holy people and to worship him in a holy manner. Holiness in this sense means to be separated from sin and to be set apart.