Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:36-40

36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.

37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.

38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.

40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

Today’s verses continue on the rules we saw yesterday, explaining the corrupting effect of dead unclean animals. Larger sources of water would not all be corrupted. Presumably, there would be enough clean water that any untoward elements would dissipate to only trace levels. A dead carcass on a seed was fine, the plant was still shielded within, but if the seed had been watered already, and had begun the process of growing and sprouting, the actual plant was corrupted and now unclean.

The next verses talk about touching or eating a clean animal’s carcass. This obviously means an animal that died by natural means, not one that was slaughtered for the express purpose of eating. In these cases, any who touched the carcass would be unclean, but all he had to do was wash his clothes and he would be clean again the next day.

Logically, there had to be ways in which the transference of uncleanness would cease. If an unclean carcass made a vessel unclean, which made the person who touched that vessel unclean, which made anything that person touched unclean…obviously at some point everything would be unclean. And, well, now that we are aware of germs and viruses, there is some truth to that model. The fact is, we all carry unclean things in and on us, and none of us are pure, and none of us can become so. That is why sacrificial atonement remains necessary for us all.

But in our day-to-day lives, we do find that God has provided us a buffer that prevents infinite corruption. Yes, diseases pass through us, but they do eventually die out. Filth transfers from the ground to our hands to our food to our insides, but usually in small enough quantities that our body passes it through without issue. Or, if we do get ill, we almost always quickly recover. And speaking spiritually, every day there are evil influences that tempt us and our sins beget guilt, but we do move on and feel ourselves restored again on the next day. And where our sin is more serious, still with a period of washing and waiting, we are able to move forward again. God has built resilience and restitution into us, allowing us to bounce back from the constant uncleanness of the world.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:32-35

32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.

34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.

35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.

Today we hear how an unclean animal’s carcass touching an instrument would also make that instrument unclean. It does specify throughout these verses that this only applies to dead unclean animals, not living ones. So, there are degrees to the polluting effect of uncleanness.

Tools or clothes or sacks made unclean in this way only needed to be washed, left for a day, and then could be used again. But food or water or clay pottery that was contaminated were forever unclean and had to be discarded. Again, degrees to the pollution.

Looking at these examples from a modern, practical sense, we recognize that a dead body carries more disease than a living one. We understand how some things can be washed and reused, whereas others are better to purge entirely, particularly the food and drink that we would otherwise bring into our bodies. There are degrees of corruption and there are degrees of protection against them. The tools that we use, the clothes that we wear, our outer skin, and our inner organs, we protect each of these to increasing degrees because we become more susceptible to virus and infection the deeper the contamination reaches.

Looking at this through a spiritual lens, some unworthy behavior is more corrupt and destructive than others. A person deceived by the world, engaging in sin while still maintaining a sense of conscience is like a living unclean beast. A potential source of corruption, but not to the same degree as another person who has become entirely cynical and jaded, turned nihilistic by his sin.

And as with the Israelite’s cleanliness laws, we must protect ourselves from these sinful influences by progressive measures. Blasphemous language in our culture is a problem, but it is worse when it is projected through the television into our homes, and it is even worse again when it is coming out of our own mouths. And so on for all sins. Sin is pervasive enough that we cannot avoid all contact with it, but we can put in progressive checks and protections the closer it comes to our heart.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:24-28

24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.

25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

Next, we hear that if an animal was unclean for eating, then it was also unclean to touch its carcass. One could touch a living pig, but if he either tried to eat it or touch its corpse, he would be unclean.

The symbolism is clear here. We want nothing to do with the unclean things of the world, and the death that they cause, whether physical or spiritual. We do not take stolen money, we do not spread rumors, and we do not take joy at the suffering of others. If we are to have success in this world, let us have it honorably and honestly, and not take undue advantage or ill-gotten spoils.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 22:29-31

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

In these laws the people are reminded of their obligation to offer their firsts to the Lord. The first of their fruit, of their liquor, of their oxen and sheep. Even offering the firstborn of their sons as priests.

The general understanding among scholars as to why verse 30 says the firstborn cattle would remain with their mothers for a week is so that they could give their mothers relief by drawing the milk from the udder. It would also allow them to be stable, strong, and clean before being brought to the Lord.

Verse 31 is a quick aside that tells the people that they must not eat carrion. Late on we will hear more on the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic law, but the carcass of even a clean animal would not be fit for human consumption, only for the feeding of one’s dogs. This is, of course, a very practical law, one that would safeguard the Israelites from consuming spoiled or infected meat.