Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:41-47

41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.

42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:

47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

It is interesting that anything that moves on the belly (worms or snakes), or anything with a multitude of legs (centipedes and spider), or anything that creeps on all four (rats and lizards) are pronounced unclean, and also these are the sorts of creatures that naturally cause us the most anxious when we encounter them. Things that move in weird ways discomfort us. So, too, we sometimes see people orienting themselves around identities that God has forbidden, and these are often unnerving and uncomfortable to us as well. A man with prosthetic breasts and a falsetto voice is naturally unnerving, the same as one whose face is covered in tattoos using aggressive language. God’s laws of cleanliness tell us to trust our instincts, that our intuition is there for a reason, and we should listen to it.

In verse 44 God calls us to “sanctify ourselves” and “be holy.” Yes, we live in the world, and are unavoidably tarnished by it, but we are still to strive to be different and set apart. We should stand out as those consecrated to something higher. That upward reaching is the overarching symbol in all of the laws of clean and unclean animals. All of these symbols show that we should be striving for the supreme, the transcendent, the very best that we can be. Not that it will ever make us divine on its own, but it will orient us so that we may be caught by divinity as it passes us by.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:21-23

21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;

22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.

23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

We finally come to the last major category of animal cleanliness, which has to do with the insects. Perhaps not surprisingly, almost the entirety of the insect kingdom is forbidden. The only specimens that are permissible are those with raised legs that can leap or fly. Specifically, it describes locusts, beetles, and grasshoppers.

Perhaps the symbolism here is that only the low creatures that aspire to reach higher could be accepted, just as we are lower than God, but we strive for godliness. This is a beautiful symbol of discipleship. We are not perfect, and we are not going to be so in this life. But still, we leap for it. Not to fool ourselves into thinking we are something that we aren’t, but because it is in the striving and falling short and striving yet again that the best comes out of us. Man’s ambition should always be at least a bit beyond his grasp.

This concludes the main sections of animal cleanliness. In the following verses God describes various other unclean elements and specific animals to be avoided, but the main animal category symbolism is complete. It is a fascinating part of God’s pattern that we are above the animals, yet we can look to them for our own edification. God has provided examples both of good and bad among them and even given us hints for how to recognize each.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:13-20

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;

15 Every raven after his kind;

16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,

19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

We have heard the laws of cleanliness for beasts and fish, today we hear them for the birds. For this we are not given a clear defining principle, though, most of this is simply a long list of birds which cannot be eaten.

Looking at the list, however, a pattern does emerge. When we look at hawks, eagles, and osprey, we see that birds of prey are being forbidden. This maintains the pattern seen previously, where other predator animals were also forbidden. God’s people are not to be ravenous or murderous, only standing against the Lord’s foes when commanded, and otherwise establishing peace with all.

We also see forbidden the scavenger birds, such as the vulture and the raven. God’s people are not meant to be opportunists taking advantage of others’ misfortune. We are to prosper by honest labor.

Finally, we also see the dark and the strange flying creatures forbidden. Nocturnal animals like owls and bats must not be eaten. So, too, we must not deal in the dark, make alliances with the shadows, or serve the prince of darkness.

Again, we see the pattern continuing of the laws having a clear symbolism for what God’s people should be, and what they should not be. In our next post we will hear the instructions for the last category: insects.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:9-12

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Yesterday we considered the symbolism of clean and unclean land animals, and how the clean animals represented qualities of righteous and faithful followers of God. But it was not only land animals that had rules of cleanliness. Today we hear the rules for which animals of the sea could be eaten, and which could not.

As with the land animals, there are two important criteria. To be a clean sea creature, it must have scales and fins. This obviously matches up with what typically comes to mind when we say “fish.” Salmon, trout, swordfish, carp, these would all be included. It would not include things like clams, octopuses, or lobsters.

Part of the symbolism of clean sea creatures has to do with the context that they live in. The water is not where man lives, it is not fit for him to dwell there, only to make brief visits to it. It is mysterious and its depths are hidden. The sea could be seen as an analogy for the world, something distinct and different from the heavenly spirit that lives in all of us. Something that we all interact with, but only on a temporary basis, until we return to our eternal home up above.

Given that context, the presence of fins would suggest purposeful, directed, and constant movement. Be in the world to achieve what you need to achieve and then move on, not stopping and becoming attached to it. Not crawling along its darker depths. The scales can represent a boundary or a protection. A wall that keeps the foreign world out. A wall that keeps us shaped the way God made us, not amorphous or filled with the surrounding atmosphere like a jelly fish.

Thus, even with the sea creatures, the rules of cleanliness and uncleanliness once again serve as a symbolic reminder of the qualities that we must strive for to maintain a healthy separation from the world and consecrated to the Lord.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 11:1-8

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

In this chapter we start to hear the details for which animals would be clean or unclean to ancient Israel. We already saw back in the story of Noah that animal cleanliness was related to which ones could be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord, and today we see that it also determined which animals the people could eat. That is what most people know of these laws as, a dietary restriction, and even Orthodox Jews today are careful to observe these restrictions.

Many have pointed out that having unclean meat is a symbol for the unclean life. Just as the ancient Israelites were to avoid certain flesh, we are meant to avoid certain inappropriate influences, cultures, and trends. We must be careful to not contaminate our spirits with things that erode and confuse them.

But how do the parameters for clean and unclean beasts factor into that symbol? What is it about cloven hooves and chewing cud that reminds one of following a clean lifestyle? Let’s take a closer look.

First, let us consider the cloven hoof. This means that any animal with a paw was forbidden, which would include most predators, such as wolves and lions. Also, anything with a solid hoof, such as a horse was also out. Cloven feet are well suited to uneven terrain, able to flex in the middle between different elevations. They might represent being able to both live in the world and in the covenant, being able to navigate the challenges of making moral decisions.

Chewing the cud means chewing and swallowing food, partially digesting it in the stomach, then regurgitating it and chewing again to break it down further. Though an unseemly eating practice, this can be seen as constantly returning to and reflecting on the principles of the gospel. We take God’s word in once, digest it as best we can at the time, but then pondering on it again to gain even more insights. It can also represent being discerning, not accepting everything that is presented to us, but being able to bring back up anything that feels wrong so that we do not integrate corrupted ideas.

These are powerful symbols when taking individually, but when we combine them together and look at the class of animals that fit these criteria, there is even more to learn. Animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves include the most docile herd animals, the most easily domesticated, and the most familiar to our species. It includes the cow, the sheep, and the goat. Carnivorous predators and stranger beasts are excluded. We see in these animals a sign that we should also herd together in our churches, that we should work together for the good of the whole, that we should follow a good shepherd, and that we should submit to our master.

When one first reads the laws of clean and unclean beasts it might seem antiquated and strange, but upon closer inspection we saw that the symbolism and lessons embedded in these laws were truly inspired.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 8:22-24, 30

22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

24 And he brought Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

Today we move from the burnt offering to the consecration offering, the one that brings Aaron and his sons into oneness and unity with God. I included for this section all of the verses that have to do with the blood of the sacrifice, and how it was smeared upon the ear, thumb, and large toe of each priest, and then mixed with oil and sprinkled on their garments. When we previously heard about this ritual, I didn’t have much to say about the placement of the blood on the parts of the body. When I started my study of Leviticus and put together my table of sacrifice symbolism, I reconsidered the gesture and saw it as a symbol of receiving God’s word (ear), work (thumb), and path (toe).

I still think that is a good interpretation. In addition, I thought about it a bit more today, and specifically about the final result after all the applications of blood to the priest. By the end of the ritual, the priest must have been a shocking sight! Finger, toe, and ear dipped in blood, and flecks of blood all across his clothing. In this I see a symbol for the priestly duty being messy work. We have heard much of his cleansing and his purification, but it is all so that he can go into the sin, the drama, and the dirty details of the sinner who brings his offering to the Lord. The priest is not to be a distant observer to the common Israelite’s repentance process, he is to be a roll-up-your-sleeves and get right into it participant. It is the same with Jehovah, who came into the darkest part of the world, was covered in blood, and bore all the messy stains of humanity. Christ, himself, was clean, but he was covered in our filth.

This is the sobering and sacred reality of being a part of the Lord’s work. God works with the sinners, with the awkward, and with the wounded. So must we as well. While we look to maintain our inner cleanliness, we do get ourselves involved in other’s dirtiness so we can help them work through their sins and problems and bring them somewhere better.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 7:19-21

19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.

20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

These verses emphasize the separation that there must be between unclean and clean. If part of an offering touches that which is unclean it is now also unclean and must be burned with the unclean parts. Given that different parts of the same animal were clean and unclean, one could easily see how this might happen on a fairly regular basis.

It is also made clear that sometimes people go through unclean periods. These will be spelled out more later, but symbolically it is observably true that we all go through times of guilt and shame, times where we have done things that we know we shouldn’t have, times where we feel out-of-place among the innocent and pure. Verses 20 and 21 make it clear that if we then did mingle ourselves with the pure, that would be living in a spiritually disingenuous way, and that is actually worse than the original uncleanness.

This brings up a theme that I have been noticing during this study of Leviticus. We are so often told that the Old Testament and the Mosaic Law are strict and demanding and cruel, oppressive laws that we are much better off to be rid of. But that isn’t what I’ve seen at all. What I’ve seen is a law that understands and accepts the fact that its people will sin, and which asks them to just be honest when they are in that condition, and to excuse themselves in those moments without shame. So long as an Israelite was honest about his failures, the law was perfectly willing to work with him, to allow him time to become clean and whole again.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 19:14-15

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

Moses relates God’s instructions for the Israelites to prepare themselves to witness His presence and hear His voice. Specifically we are told that they are to wash their clothes, and to refrain from any sexual activity.

There has, of course, been a history of sexual shame in certain sects of Christianity. Not just immoral acts of sexuality outside of the marriage covenant, but even suggesting that every child is born in sin because of the act that brought them into existence. However, it is worth noting that this passage is not at all evidence that any such view is appropriate.

Let us consider the other imperative given to the Israelites: that they wash their clothes. Certainly we can all appreciate how nice and fresh it feels to be clean, and how we want to present our best to those we respect and admire, yet would we say that we are sinful if we come home dirty from a long day of manual labor? Certainly not. Could we not have the same nuanced view towards sexuality within the marriage covenant?

Also, the command for husbands and wives to keep their distance calls to mind the practice of fasting, whereby we forego food and/or drink for a period of time. No one thinks that we are sinful because we have to eat food, but we appreciate that a period of self-denial can help to cultivate the spirit within. Could it not be the same with sexuality within the marriage covenant?

Therefore it is logical to assume that the instruction given to the Israelites for temporary sexual abstinence between husbands and wives was one of preparing themselves spiritually, an act of self-denial that would focus their energy inwards. That is not at all the same as saying that any sexual activity, even in a committed marriage between a man and a woman, is sinful.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 41:14-16

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Joseph is brought before the Pharaoh, though not before he is able to clean himself up and be made presentable. This, of course, is symbolic of the changing tides about to come into Joseph’s life. A fresh face and clean clothes are emblems of a life made new. Things will never be the same again for this young Hebrew.

I am impressed at Joseph’s immediate humility when he meets with Pharaoh. The first words out of his mouth are to correct the notion that he, himself, has any power to interpret dreams. What an opportunity it would be to claim all praise and glory for himself, to elevate himself over all these other soothsayers who failed.

But if Joseph were to seek his own glory, then would God have been willing to provide him the interpretation of the dream? Joseph keeps himself worthy by acknowledging the true source of power: God Himself. Thus, Joseph rightly places himself in the role of faithful servant, and that is exactly the role the Pharaoh needs him to assume for this interpretation to work.