RPG Adults
DIETARY LAWS ENFORCED!
THURSDAY, MAY 9
Leviticus 11
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
“…whosoever doth touch them,
when they be dead, shall be
unclean until the even.”
DIETARY LAWS ENFORCED!
This must have been a shock to the people of Israel. They never had any dietary laws when they lived in Egypt for the past 400 plus years. They ate whatever they wanted and whatever was available to them as slaves. Now they were told by God what they were supposed and not supposed to eat. What is the teaching and spiritual blessing behind this doctrine?
In Old Testament times, covenants were concluded by eating a meal together. This was the case with Laban and Jacob when they made a parity covenant in Genesis 31:43-55. One significance of the animal sacrifices was that it signalled the conclusion and certainty of a covenant. This was the case between the LORD and Abraham in Genesis 15. Abram (before his name was changed to Abraham by God in Genesis 17) was fearful that his presence in Canaan might be a mistake. He needed the LORD to give him some form of assurance that this was exactly where He wanted Abram to be. Abram had been waiting for a son, and his wife Sarai was still childless. The LORD made a covenant with Abram by the consummation of the clean animals that He told Abram to prepare. After this, Abram understood the certainty of God’s calling and covenant with him.
With the dietary laws and the eating of a meal together when making a covenant, the people of God were prevented from making covenants with the Gentiles around them. Thus, Israel would be kept pure. This is biblical separation in livelihood. Israel was not allowed to marry unbelievers. Israel was not permitted to enter into any business partnership with Gentile businessmen. This applied to any political or military alliances with Gentile nations. Since they eat every day, this would also be a daily reminder of their spirituality in contrast to the spiritual deadness of the Gentiles.
Believers today need to be reminded of their spirituality so that they will avoid any form of compromises in marriage and business partnership.
MEMORISATION: Leviticus 11:8
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, for helping me to practise biblical separation to keep myself holy for Christ’s sake. Amen.