Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 11:34 - 12:8
Some 7-year-old children were playing on the playground and had foot races to determine who was the fastest runner. They lined up on one side of the playground, someone yelled, “Go!” and then they all ran to the other side. Then they did it again to race back to the original side. There was one girl who was particularly fast and outran everyone, including all the boys. The boys were quite distraught about this and insisted they repeat the race several times. They did so; however, this one girl easily won every race. No boy could keep up with her. The girls started teasing the boys, saying that girls are just as fast as boys.
Two teachers were watching this drama unfold and were quite amused by it. Eventually the teasing died down, and the older teacher said to the younger teacher, “The girls had better enjoy their advantage while it lasts. By the time they are in high school, none of those girls will come close to winning a race like that.”
The younger teacher said, “What do you mean?”
The older teacher said, “Once puberty kicks in, the boys will be much faster than the girls.”
The younger teacher said, “That is not true. Boys and girls are the same. That girl will always be able to beat the boys.”
The mentality of the younger teacher is quite common today. There are many people who deny that there are any differences between males and females. The Bible does not specifically state whether girls or boys are faster runners, but as we will see in today’s passage, the Bible is clear that boys and girls are different and need to be treated differently.
The 11th chapter of Leviticus defines clean and unclean food. There are specific criteria the Israelites needed to look at to determine which animals they could touch and eat, and which needed to be avoided. Verse 34 is part of a section about swarming things such as mice, lizards, and geckos.
Lev. 11:34 Any of the food which may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any liquid which may be drunk in every vessel shall become unclean.
Lev. 11:35 Everything, moreover, on which part of their carcass may fall becomes unclean; an oven or a stove shall be smashed; they are unclean and shall continue as unclean to you.
Lev. 11:36 Nevertheless a spring or a cistern collecting water shall be clean, though the one who touches their carcass shall be unclean.
Lev. 11:37 And if a part of their carcass falls on any seed for sowing which is to be sown, it is clean.
Lev. 11:38 Though if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
Lev. 11:39 ¶ ‘Also if one of the animals dies which you have for food, the one who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening.
Lev. 11:40 He too, who eats some of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening, and the one who picks up its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
This passage illustrates the impossibility of being perfect. The rules were so nuanced and complex, it was very hard to remember them, much less obey them without ever making a mistake.
Lev. 11:41 ¶ ‘Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable; it shall not be eaten.
Lev. 11:42 Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable.
Lev. 11:43 Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.
Lev. 11:44 For I am Yahweh your God. Therefore, set yourselves apart as holy and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that move on the earth.
Lev. 11:45 For I am Yahweh who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
Since Yahweh is holy, the Israelites needed to be holy. This command is repeated in the New Testament and applies to us. We need to be holy (see 1 Peter 1:15).
Lev. 11:46 ¶ This is the law regarding the animal and the bird and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth,
Lev. 11:47 to separate between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.
Lev. 12:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev. 12:2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: ¶ ‘When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean.
Notice the word “male” and the number “seven”.
Lev. 12:3 Now on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Lev. 12:4 Then she shall remain in the blood of her cleansing for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing; and she shall not enter the sanctuary until the days of her cleansing are fulfilled.
Notice the number “thirty-three”.
Lev. 12:5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her cleansing for sixty-six days.
Now notice the word “female” and the numbers “two” and “sixty-six”. The length of the uncleanness after bearing a female child was twice as long as when a woman bore a male child. The obvious question is why.
The Bible does not answer that question. One theory is that since a female child had the potential for future menstruation and childbirth, the mother had to serve an unclean period for two people, not just one. Another theory is that the extra time protected the mother from rushing into another pregnancy and allowed her to spend more time bonding with a female child. Regardless of the reason, what is clear is that boys and girls were treated differently.
This is something we see throughout the Bible. The New Testament has different rules for men and women. Only men can speak in church and serve as church leaders. Wives need to submit to their husbands. Men need to pray with their heads uncovered while women need to pray with their heads covered.
Many people in modern society want men and women to be equal and the same. However, that is not biblical. The Bible makes it clear that men and women are different and have different roles and rules.
Lev. 12:6 ¶ ‘When the days of her cleansing are fulfilled, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
Lev. 12:7 Then he shall bring it near before Yahweh and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female.
Take note of the phrase “whether a male or a female”. While the length of impurity was different, the cleansing process was the same.
Lev. 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Modern society is trying to pretend that men and women are the same. Many people even deny that there are any biological differences between male and female. Despite the obvious fact that male and female bodies are different, the Bible is also clear that men and women have different roles and rules.
This does not mean women are inferior or less valuable. It simply means men and women find value and purpose in different ways.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”