A Work in Progress….

Leviticus 13:1-2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons b who is a priest. 

There’s a lot going on in commentary about today’s verses: A call for “The State” to be able inspect and examine (with a caution to use care that no wrong be done to any individual), a call for priests to also be public health officers (hence the care with any who potentially has leprosy), and an analogy between leprosy and sin chief among them.

Leviticus 13:3 The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean. 

But what I can’t get past is the fact that the God whom I believe in would not hold up a person, especially a sick person, for ridicule: “See this person with leprosy? Leprosy is like sin. It will eat away at your life until nothing is left.” Quickly, in this analogy, the PERSON is forgotten. The focus is on the disease and the analogy. But my God, a God of deep love and compassion, is all about the PEOPLE. 

Leviticus 13:4 If the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days. 

Precious Savior, I am often surprised at what gets my hackles up as I read Your word. Thank You for helping me see what I truly believe about Your character based on how I react to scripture. Thank You that You are a God of deep love and compassion, a God who focuses on people first and foremost. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 13:5 On the seventh day the priest is to examine them, and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 12:5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

Of the increased time of impurity for the birth of a female child, commentary says “that the time of impurity is for the symbolic responsibility of bringing other sinners into the world. When giving birth to a female, a mother brings a sinner into the world who will bring still other sinners into the world.”

Leviticus 12:6 “ ‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 

I’m not sure I would consider myself much of a feminist, but commentary about today’s verses truly gets my hackles up. Where, I ask you, is the father in all of this? The God that I love and believe in does not value one gender over another, one race over another. He loves all–deeply, fiercely, completely.

Leviticus 12:7 He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.“ ‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. ”

Precious Savior, Today I am struggling with gender roles in the Bible. I know I have to remember the cultural history of this time period to fully understand the why here, but help me and all who read Your word not to default to outdated gender roles. Help us to love others, all others, as You love–deeply, fiercely, completely. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ 

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 12:1 The Lord said to Moses, 

Today has me breathing deeply to try to move past the misogynistic rhetoric in both the Bible and the commentary. There’s talk of women as the vessels who bring sin into the world (referring to babies) with zero mention of the men who helped create that life. Grrrrrr.

Leviticus 12:2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 

But there is also mention of those 40 days after birth while waiting for purification as a time for mother and baby to bond, as a break from the many, many maternal daily obligations of the time, a time to just be a new mother and love on this new life. I can get behind that.

Leviticus 12:3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 

Precious Savior, Sometimes it is difficult to read Your word with my modern sensibilities. Even when I struggle, help me to gain knowledge and insight into You as I read, study, and ponder. Draw me closer to You. Always. Amen. 

Leviticus 12:4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:44 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. 

This is the same God who wiped out everyone but Noah and his family because of their corruption back in Genesis. Perhaps I am reading into it, but I can almost hear “Please don’t make me wipe out the whole world again” in the tone.  

Leviticus 11:45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

I’m not saying God is begging, that doesn’t fit what I know of His character, but He created us. We are His beloved children. I can’t imagine how it hurt His heart to think the only option was total destruction. Perhaps all these rules (so many rules) are designed to be like guardrails or gutterguards (in bowling) for us, to keep us “between the lines” of His will. 

Leviticus 11:46 “ ‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. 

Precious Savior, I’m not sure where these ponderings came from nor if they are accurate, but as I strive to make sense of so very many rules, regulations, and specifications, thank You for these musings and ponderings. Use them to draw me closer to You. Amen.

Leviticus 11:47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’ ”

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:39 “ ‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. 

These rules in Leviticus put me in mind of the first days of a new school year, establishing rules so that 25-30 students can function well together with one teacher and limited time and resources. Especially in the beginning, you have to come across as a bit strict to be sure that everyone understands the importance of following the rules so that the group can function well. 

Leviticus 11:40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

I wonder if these rules in Leviticus which bring me such anxiety because it feels like Moses is saying, “If you step out of line at all, God’s going to be done with you” (which, to be fair, is not exactly what he’s saying) are similar to the beginning of a new school year–”Yes, it’s a lot of rules, but if we are all to get along as needed, we all need to be on board and do our best.” I think it’s possible.

Leviticus 11:41-42 “ ‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. 

Precious Savior, You know that I have been struggling with all the rules in Leviticus. Thank You this morning for allowing me to see these rules in a different light, in a way that I can better understand the potential rationale. Thank You for meeting me here and drawing me closer. Amen.

Leviticus 11:43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:35 Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean.

Again today, when I pay attention to what is going on within my body as I read this scripture, there is A LOT of anxiety and stress. There are a lot of rules, which means there are many, many, many opportunities to mess up.

Leviticus 11:36 A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. 

I don’t remember a lot of the religion of my youth, but I do remember feeling like I could not ask questions about the Bible because one did not question God. I think I also remember this hum of anxiety from being afraid that I would break the rules.

Leviticus 11:37 If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. 

Precious Savior, I am beyond grateful that I now know You as a deeply, fiercely, completely loving God. You welcome my questions and fears. You are big enough for my anger and uncertainty. You love me exactly as I am. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:38 But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you. 

Have a blessed day.

Leviticus 11:13-19 “ ‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, a the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.

I have found it really telling with this read through the Bible to pay attention to what is going on in my body as I read scripture. Today’s section has me anxious and filled with stress. 

Leviticus 11:20-23 “ ‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you. There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

As best I can tell, the anxiety comes from all the rules and the threat of what happens if they are broken: “You will make yourselves unclean….” (v24), meaning there will be distance between me and God. Not good. 

Leviticus 11:24 “ ‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the awareness of what is happening within me as I read Your word. Thank You that I can sometimes unpack and understand those reactions. When I can’t, help me to make some kind of peace and draw closer to You regardless. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

Have a blessed day. 

Leviticus 11:9 “ ‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 

Sometimes I feel like we have lost sight of the bigger picture, the “Love God, Love others” picture, the “Jesus died for our sins” picture. Loving God is not about being perfect. A side effect of our human condition is that perfection is not even an option. And yet, God loves us unconditionally and eternally anyway.

Leviticus 11:10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean. 

That’s not to say there should be no rules or guidelines. They are necessary. Only, when we get so tangled up in following the rules that we are no longer following Jesus, we have a serious problem. When we get so incensed about a dietary gaff that we no longer care where our heart is, we have lost our way.

Leviticus 11:11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. 

Precious Savior, You know we are not perfect. Thank You that You sent Your Son to die for our sins because You knew we could never balance those scales ourselves. Help us to remember that You call us to love You and love others, to be Your hands and feet and heart in this world, to love everyone and let You sort them out later, to love and not to judge. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 11:12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.

Have a blessed day.