This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
LEVITICUS
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.
Why do othodox Jews observe dietary laws? Because God instituted them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
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.
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.
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.
What can we learn from these dietary laws today?? The reasons God had
Perhaps the first reason was health. Let's just face it: some of the
Secondly, God gave them these laws because of religious reasons. For
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.
The purpose God has in this is to establish a reputation for these people.
There's just something unclean about eating snails or even crows.
I AM at liberty through Christ. But where my liberty offends you, my liberty ceases.
Keep in mind that the PURPOSE of all these dietary restrictions (for the Jew) is to
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.
God also taught sanctification and cleaning of vessels (verse 33).
Perhaps we should close this devotion with this thought:
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord..."
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.
CHAPTER 11
Do these dietary restrictions apply to Christians today? NO! (See Acts. 10:15,
Romans 4:14, COlossians 2:16, 1Timothy 4:3-4). If you eat right and exercise
will it keep you from dying? NO! But it WILL help you live a more
abundant life.
for these laws help us to understand better what God wants for us.
animals God said should be "unclean," are just plain bad for our health. Those
animals which generally are unclean "feeders" are unhealthy. ((Ie. the crow, the
buzzard, the rock badger (coney), the bat). Because they are unclean feeders, they
are more susceptible to disease; and, they are often carriers of disease.
Do you know the difference between bass, bream and catfish? Bass and bream have
both fins and scales, while catfish only have fins - no scales.
instance, the swine or pig was a common sacrificial animal in some religions.
Eating pig would identify Jews with unbelievers.
reasons. If they would observe these dietary laws, they would be viewed by the world
as different - and more healthy because of cleanliness. Soon, people would
realize part of their health was due to correct eating. For an example of this read
about Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:1-20).
And that reputation would soon be related to holiness or holy living. You've
heard that old saying that says "cleanliness is next to godliness." This is were it
came from. Sooooo - want some turtle soup? Escargo anyone?
What about TODAY? God addresses this in the New Testament. In Acts 10 there is the
statement about Peter's vision. Paul writes about this to the church in Corinth in
1Corinthians 8-10. For instance in 1Corinthians 8:8-13, Paul says,
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
As "cousin" J. Vernon McGee often says, "I can swing my fist anywhere I please, but when it meets
your face, my liberty ends!"
GLORIFY GOD (verse 44-45).
defilement for a time (verses 24, 26, 32). The person defiled by such was to wash his clothes
and not touch anyone (be "unclean) until the evening. WHY?
DISEASE! Spreading germs which congregate on dead bodies. When one touches a dead body today, he
can almost immediately wash with soap and bacteria or germs will be killed.
But back then, they had to have time for the bacteria or germs to die.
A clay dish will hold germs more than a metal dish. A wooden dish is even MORE apt to hold
germs. There is a difference between clean and unclean just as there is a difference between good
and evil. Perhaps the central though here is that obedience to God's law helps us differentiate
between what is RIGHT and what is unclean or EVIL.
(Hebrews 12:14)