Clean Priesthood
Leviticus Lesson 7 – Chapters 11-15
I. Introduction
A. Dr. Semmelwies’ Discovery
1. An epidemic of “Childbed Fever”
a) In the middle of the 19th century one out of every six mothers died in childbirth.
b) In those days, even in the best of hospitals, a doctor’s daily routine started in the morgue.
c) From the morgue and autopsies, the doctor made his way to check on expectant mothers.
d) Then to the delivery room to deliver newborns.
e) All took place without a good hand washing.
2. A Great Discovery
a) Dr. Semmelwies concluded that the outbreak of “childbed fever” was due to a lack of cleanliness on behalf of the doctors.
b) Dr. Semmelwies started a routine of thorough hand washing in a chlorine solution.
c) Over an eleven year, he delivered over 8,500 babies and lost only 184 – About one in 50
d) In spite of his overwhelming evidence, the medical community ignored him and labeled him a lunatic.
3. A Sad End
a) Dr. Semmelwies died at the age of 47, labeled as a madman.
b) His theory was discarded and his researched was squelched in the medical community.
c) In the meanwhile thousands of women died each year in childbirth.
B. The Importance of Cleansing
1. In the Physical Realm
a) Matter of life or death
b) Health or sickness
2. In the Spiritual Realm
a) Matter of life or death
b) Abundant life or just life
C. God’s Cleansing in Leviticus – Chapters 11-15
1. Reasons for the Laws on Cleansing
a) Sanitation – For the physical well-being of Israel
b) Separation – To distinguish God’s people from other Nations
c) Sanctification – To draw God people close to Him
d) Succession – To have a pure lineage for the Messiah
2. Realm of the Laws
a) Ceremonial – To remind the nation to be pure and put God first.
b) Communal – To protect the nation from itself
3. Tonight – Four Principles for a Clean Nation
II. Four Principles of a Clean Nation
A. Be Mindful of What Comes Into the Body – Chapter 11
1. Chapter 11 – Clean and Unclean Animals
a) Most of the animal that are listed were either considered deity in Egypt or Canaan or were sacrificed to pagan deities.
b) Many of the animals listed carried within them inherent diseases, unless they were handled and prepared properly.
2. Four Classes of Animals Listed
a) Animals that walked upon the earth
a. Considered normal and natural food for man and widely available.
b. The clean met two qualifications – Chewed the cud and divided hoof.
c. One writer likened these qualifications to us today to us meditating (regurgitating) and discerning (split hoof).
b) Animals of the sea
a. Again we notice two main qualifications for the creatures – Both fins and scales were to be present.
b. Fins give fish the ability to progress in the water and scales protect the fish from outside attacks.
c. It is suggested that the sea represents the whole of humanity – Isaiah 57:20, Revelation 20:13
d. This would teach that we are to progress in the word and seek the protection from the word.
c) Animals of the air or the heavens
a. The birds listed as unclean were carnivorous or scavengers.
b. The wined insects were forbidden except for creatures like locust and crickets.
c. In observing these laws, man is to avoid that which carnal (Romans 8:6-7) and to appreciate the balance of being in the world and not over the world (jumping insects).
d) Animals that creep or crawl on the earth
a. This has ties to the curse of the serpent in the Garden – Genesis 3:14
b. Therefore Israel is to avoid all things with a tie to Satan.
3. The Application for Us
a) We must watch what we ingest – Spiritually and Physically
b) We need to keep our bodies healthy and rested that we might better serve God.
c) We must watch our social diets that influence us – Proverbs 4:23
d) We will become what we ingest – Proverbs 23:7
e) When we become defiled we must be washed by the word and by the blood of Christ – Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3, 1 John 1:7
f) The reason for the cleansing was to allow the Israelites to come into the presence of God.
g) Our spiritual cleansing accomplishes the same thing.
B. Be Mindful of New Births in the Body – Leviticus 12
1. These laws deal with the rituals involving childbirth.
a) What this chapter does not teach.
a. That sexual relations (within marriage) that lead to childbirth are dirty or defiling – Genesis 1:28, 1:31, 2:24
b. There is something inherently sinful in children – Matthew 18:14, 19:13-15
c. There sin on behalf of the mother for bearing a child – Psalm 127:3-5, Proverbs 17:6, 1 Timothy 2:15
b) What this chapter does teach.
a. Blood accompanies childbirth and there is life and death in the blood.
b. The shedding of blood, even in an event such as childbirth made one ceremonially unclean.
c. The reason for the differences in purification periods for males and females is unclear expect for circumcision (8th Day).
d. The body needs time to recover after giving birth.
e. Two offering were required as part of the purification process – The burnt offering (Representing commitment to God) and the Sin Offering for Unintentional sins (Representing the Acknowledgement of Sin and God’s ability to take it away).
2. The Application of the Chapter
a) Two Key Lessons – One for the new birth and one for the one in labor.
b) The child must be consecrated and given to God.
a. Not necessarily as Hannah did with Samuel – 1 Samuel 1:11
b. Not by a physical mark such as circumcision – Genesis 17:10-14
c. But by a commitment of the parents to obey God and to teach their children the ways of God – Ephesians 6:4
c) The Laborer must be clean and well rested.
a. Those that labor in the kingdom are to remain pure – James 1:27
b. However they must take time to refresh and renew their bodies and minds.
c. That they might help those that are new in the faith.
C. Be Mindful of What Touches the Body – Leviticus 13-14
1. These chapters deal with leprosy.
a) The Hebrew word translated leprosy includes all kinds of skin diseases including mildews and fungi.
b) Part of the laws deal with physical health and part deal with ceremonial defilement.
c) We will not discuss every nuance of these chapters.
2. The Purpose of the Leprosy Laws
a) Prevention and detection – 13:1-46
b) Protection from the disease – 13:47-59, 14:33-57
c) Procedures for cleansing after the disease – 14:1-32
3. The Application of the Laws
a) Diseases are likened to sin in Scripture – Isaiah 1:5-6, Jeremiah 30:12
b) The disease of sin is more than skin deep – 13:3-4, 25, 30-32
a. Simply removing the out sins of the flesh are not enough.
b. Jesus taught that we must cleanse the inside – Matthew 15:18-20
c) The disease of sin can rapidly spread – 13:5-8, 27-28, 51-57
a. Desire and temptation grows into sin – James 1:15
b. When not dealt with can corrupt many – Genesis 6:5
d) The disease of sin defiles – 13:44-46
a. It makes individuals unfit for service – Isaiah 64:6
b. It is a reproach to nations – Proverbs 14:34
c. It destroys relationships – 1 Corinthians 15:33
e) The disease of sin isolates – 13:46
a. It separates us from God – Isaiah 59:1-2
b. It separates us from the righteous – Matthew 25:33
D. Be Mindful of What Comes Out of the Body – Chapter 15
1. This chapter deals with bodily discharges.
a) Those that come about as a natural part of life – Menstrual cycle for women, seminal discharges from sexual activity
b) Those are considered unnatural from diseases or disorders – Runny nose, to oozing sores, prolonged hemorrhaging
c) The chapter breaks down this way.
a. Unnatural discharges for men (1-15) – Diseases
b. Natural discharges for men (16-18) – Sexuality
c. Natural discharges for females (19-24) – Monthly period
d. Unnatural discharges for females (25-33) – Diseases
2. The Purpose of the Laws
a) Health – Disinfecting the body and the house from disease.
b) Hygiene – Keeping the body clean (even with natural discharges)
c) Holiness – A reminder that God’s people were to be holy and holiness demanded a division of the common from the divine.
3. The Application of These Laws
a) What comes forth from the deeds of the body identifies us.
b) We are to profess godliness with our words and deeds – 1 Timothy 2:8-9
c) Nothing corrupt is to come from our mouth – Ephesians 4:29
d) We are to put do death the old man of sin and his deeds – Romans 6:6
e) What come our defiles a man – Matthew 15:18-20
f) There is an admonition to keep holy things holy – Matthew 7:6
III. Conclusion
A. Leviticus 11-15 – Ceremonial Cleanliness
1. God is not making moral pronouncements against Israel.
a) These laws were put in place to protect Israel from sickness.
b) To promote the idea of purity
c) To separate them from other nations.
2. These Laws were written for the Jews for a specific period of time.
a) Therefore they are no longer binding – Colossians 2:14
b) However many of their principles are true today.
c) They certainly have spiritual application for us.
3. They teach us to be mindful of…
a) What we put into our bodies and minds.
b) Laboring in the kingdom.
c) What and who we associate with.
d) What come forth from our bodies.
B. Invitation
