Leviticus 11

29–38 In these verses, animals that move about on the ground are discussed; these include reptiles and rodents. All of them were to be considered unclean, and especially their carcasses. Rodents, in particular, were carriers of disease; they have been the cause of plagues throughout history.

39–40 Even the carcasses of “clean” animals that died naturally would defile those who touched them. Those who were “defiled” needed to wash, and at the end of the day they would be “clean” again.

41–43 Here a repeated warning is given concerning creatures that move about on the ground (see verses 29–38 and comment).

44–45 These verses summarize the whole point of these laws concerning cleanness; indeed, they summarize the point of all the laws in the Old Testament: ... be holy, because I am holy. These laws were not ends in themselves; they were designed to teach the Israelites to consecrate themselves to God in every aspect of their lives (see Exodus 29:1–9 and comment). It wasn’t only the appointed priests who needed to be consecrated; every Israelite needed to be consecrated, because God intended Israel to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6).

Thus, every time the Israelites sat down to a meal, they were reminded by these food laws that they were a distinct people, chosen by God to reflect His holiness among the nations. Likewise, in family life, in social life and in agricultural life, the various laws about cleanness and uncleanness constantly reminded the Israelites of their status as God’s treasured possession (Exodus 19:5).

Are Christians today required to obey the food laws presented in this chapter? The simple answer is “No.” Jesus canceled the Old Testament food laws (Mark 7:1819). Jesus taught that only the moral distinction between clean and unclean was important; it is moral cleanness, not ritual cleanness, that God is looking for (Mark 7:15,21–23). The laws of ritual cleanness were meant to remind the Israelites of their need for moral cleanness. Christians, however, do not need these laws to remind them; they have the Holy Spirit to remind them (John 14:26).

There is another reason why Christians are not required to obey these food laws. These laws were intended to set Israel apart from other nations, to protect its distinctiveness, its identity. God did not want the Israelites to mix intimately with the people of other nations; He knew that if they did, their distinctiveness and holiness would be compromised. But Christians today are different, in part because we have the Holy Spirit and also because we have been commissioned to go to the nations and welcome them into our fellowship—not on the basis of what food they eat but on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts Chapter 10). The barrier separating JEW from GENTILE has been removed; we now are all one people, united by our faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26–28; Ephesians 2:11–22).

Another question is: Are there times when a Christian should observe some of these food laws or other laws concerning cleanness? Yes, there are times, and they are discussed in Romans Chapter 14 and 1 Corinthians Chapter 8. Briefly, if failing to abide by a particular Old Testament law grieves our neighbor, then we should abide by that law—even though we are not bound by it. We may be free from the laws of cleanness, but we are not free from the law of love (Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31).

A final question is this: Is there something that Christians need to learn from these laws on cleanness?Yes,there is: Christians need to be as “distinct” as the ancient Israelites were—not ritually but morally. We need to be as concerned with our moral behavior as the Israelites were with their ritual behavior. We need to be just as concerned with honoring and obeying God as the ancient Israelites were supposed to be. God is vitally concerned with everything we do and think. The laws of Leviticus certainly teach us that!

There is a second thing Christians can learn from these laws. Although the term “uncleanness” in the Old Testament is used primarily in a ceremonial sense, it does symbolize the pollution of sin. We need to look upon sin in the same way the Israelites looked upon a carcass: we must strive to avoid it. But if we “touch” it, we must “wash” ourselves the same day by confessing the sin and turning from it. Even the slightest “touch of sin” will defile us; and if we don’t confess it, the “touches” will become more and more frequent and we will end up embracing the sin and no longer caring. But you, man of God, flee from all this (evil), and pursue righteousness. . . (1 Timothy 6:11). We must flee from sin. Satan will whisper to us that one little “touch” won’t matter; but that’s like the fish saying, “One little bite of the bait won’t matter.” Flee the evil desires of youth (2 Timothy 2:22), and be holy—because I am holy.

Christians today, just like the ancient Israelites, have three reasons to remain “clean”—morally pure and holy. First, God is holy, and we must be like Him (Matthew 5:48; 1 Peter 1:15–16). Second, God has redeemed us. God redeemed the Israelites by bringing them up out of Egypt (verse 45); Christ, our PASSOVER Lamb, has redeemed us by dying in our place. The least we can do is to show our gratitude by obeying Christ’s commands, by remaining pure and holy. And third, God wants us to be distinct, to be “set apart” from the ungodly world around us. As with the Israelites, God wants us to be His witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). We cannot be His witnesses if we have compromised with the evil in the world. We cannot be His witnesses if we have ceased to know the moral difference between “clean” and “unclean.”

46–47 These verses give a final summary of the chapter.