SCRIPTURE: LEVITICUS 11
BIBLE VERSE:
“You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’” (Leviticus11:47)
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD (vs. 1-47)
Animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud can be eaten.
Animals that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof cannot be eaten:
- Camels – chew the cud but does not have a split hoof
- Coney – chew the cud but does not have a split hoof
- Rabbit – chew the cud but does not have a split hoof
- Pig – it has a split hoof but it does not chew the cud.
All creatures living in the water that have fins and scales can be eaten. Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable.
DETESTABLE BIRDS:
- eagle
- vulture
- black vulture
- red kite
- any kind of black kite
- any kind of raven
- horned owl
- screech owl
- gull
- any kind of hawk
- little owl
- cormorant
- great owl
- white owl
- desert owl
- osprey
- stork
- any kind of heron
- hoopoe
- bat
Flying insects that walk in all forms are to be detestable to you. Exception is winged creature that walk on all forms but they have jointed legs for hopping in the ground. Among them are: Locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
ALL carcasses are considered unclean.
Animals that move on the ground that are unclean are: weasel, rat, great lizard, gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon.
Do not touch any animals when they are dead because you will become unclean.
Every creature that moves about on the ground is detestable and not to be eaten. Consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.
THOUGHTS:
God wants the people to distinguish “clean’ from “unclean” in areas of food. God wants His nation to be separated from anything that is unclean. Believers today must have discernment and avoid anything that is unclean.
3 reasons why God considers “purity” very important:
- God is a holy God – God wants us to be holy because He is holy.
- God redeemed us – Since God is a Passover Lamb who sacrificed Himself for us, we ought to live holy lives to please Him.
- God wants His people to be different – Christians are special people “all one in Christ Jesus”. He wants us to separate ourselves completely from all sin, world’s wickedness and tempting situations.