Leviticus 11
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Leviticus 11:44-47, I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.
In chapter 11, we are beginning the discussion of clean vs. unclean. This chapter deals specifically with food. Why were some animals considered clean and others unclean? Some scholars think keeping people healthy was part of the requirement. Certain animals are known for carrying disease that can be transmitted to humans. Touching dead animal carcasses can also lead to disease. But that reasoning doesn't hold true for all unclean animals. It could also be that God was creating a distinct people who were different from the surrounding cultures. The food laws were one of the ways, a constant reminder, of how Israel was different. These laws were a part of regular life. We typically eat three meals a day, so the Israelites had three reminders every day that they were God's unique, chosen people. God wanted to create a holy, set apart, people. The food laws were one small part of that.
One of the questions that is often asked is whether we as Christians should follow the strict food laws that the Jews follow? While a small minority may disagree with me, the answer is no. Jesus taught that ritual was far less important than what was in the heart. Check out Mark 7:14-23. Furthermore, Jesus ministered to people outside the Jewish nation. He dined with those the rest of society rejected as unclean. Paul also reached beyond the Jewish peoples, preaching the Gospel to Gentiles who said yes to Jesus in large numbers and received the Holy Spirit.
Most of us who are reading this now fall firmly into the category of Gentile. We benefitted from the spread of the Gospel to places far beyond Israel. You may remember that when the early church first started preaching to Gentiles, there was a big disagreement. Do these new believers need to become Jews before they can call themselves Christ-followers? The answer was no. They can accept Jesus Christ in their own right, in their own context. So go ahead, you can eat that pulled pork for dinner. :)
Let's pray...Holy God, how grateful we are that you have accepted us into your fold. Most of us are not from your chosen people, the Jews. Yet, you have chosen us, adopted us, loved us, and saved us. Thank you, Jesus. In Your Name, Amen.