Schoolmaster to Christ
LEVITICUS CHAPTER 11
Schoolmaster to Christ
LEVITICUS CHAPTER 11
Introduction to Chapter 11: Leviticus may be called "the priest's guidebook" – a term expressing its character. It contains principles to guide those who desire to live in the enjoyment of priestly nearness to God. Had Israel walked with Jehovah according to the grace in which He brought them out of the land of Egypt, they would have been to Him "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:6). However, this they failed to do. Instead, they put themselves at a distance, being placed under law and failing to keep it. So, Jehovah had to take up a certain tribe, and from that tribe a certain family, and from that family a certain man, and to him and to his house was granted the high privilege of drawing close to God as priests.
The privileges of such a position were immense; but it also carried heavy responsibilities, for instance the ever-recurring demand for the exercise of a discerning mind. "The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 2:7). The priest was not only to bear before the Lord the judgment of the congregation, but also to expound the ordinances of the Lord to the congregation. In other words, he was the ever-ready medium of communication between Jehovah and the assembly. The priest not only had to know the mind of God, but he also had to interpret His mind to the people. All this demanded constant watching, constant waiting, and constant hanging over the page of inspiration, that he might drink in to his very soul all of God's precepts, judgments, statutes, laws, commandments, and ordinances, so he could instruct the congregation regarding "those things which ought to be done."
There was no room left for the play of fancy, the working of imagination, the introduction of man's plausible inferences, or the cunning devices of human expediency. Everything was laid down with Divine precision and the commanding authority of a "thus saith the Lord." The minute and elaborate detail of sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies left nothing for man's brain to originate. He was not even permitted to decide on the kind of sacrifice offered on any given occasion; nor yet regarding the mode in which such sacrifice was to be presented. Jehovah took care of everything. Neither the congregation nor the priest had any authority whatsoever to decree, enact, or suggest so much as a single item throughout all the vast array of ordinances in the Mosaic economy. The Word of the Lord settled everything – man needed only to obey.
To an obedient heart, this was nothing short of an unspeakable mercy. It is impossible to overestimate the privilege of being permitted to partake of the oracles of God; daily finding there ample guidance pertaining to all the details of one's faith and service. All we need is a broken will, a mortified mind, and a single eye. God's guidebook is as full as we can possibly desire. We need no more – we want no more. To imagine that anything is left for man's wisdom to supply must be regarded as a flagrant insult offered to the sacred canon.1 Reading the Book of Leviticus, one is struck with God’s extraordinary painstaking to furnish His people with the minutest instruction on every point connected with His service and worship.
If ever there was a time when this lesson needs to be read to the church of our Lord2, it is now. In our age, the divine sufficiency of Holy Scripture is constantly questioned. In many cases this is openly and deliberately done; in others it is hinted, insinuated, implied, and inferred with less frankness. The Christian mariner is told, both directly and indirectly, that God's chart is insufficient for all the intricate details of his voyage; that such changes have taken place in the ocean of life since the old chart was made, that, in many cases, it is entirely deficient for the purposes of modern navigation. We are told that the currents, tides, coasts, strands, and shores of that ocean are different today from what they were centuries ago. Further, as a necessary consequence, the Christian mariner is told that he must have access to the aids supplied by modern navigation in order to make up for the deficiencies in the old chart.
With clearness and decision, every Christian should be able to meet this grievous dishonor done to inspiration – every line of which comes to us fresh from our Father's bosom through the inspirational pen of God the Holy Spirit3. We pray for God's help to meet it, whether it comes before us in the shape of a bold and blasphemous statement, an ignorant point of view, or a learned and plausible inference. No matter what garb it wears, it owes its origin to the enemy of Christ, the enemy of the Bible, the enemy of the soul. If the Word of God is not sufficient, then where are we? Or where shall we turn? If our Father's book is defective, then to whom shall we go for aid? God says that His book can "furnish us thoroughly to all good works" (2 Tim. 3:17). Man says, ‘No; the Bible is silent about many things we need to know.’ Who are we to believe – God or man? When someone questions the sufficiency of Holy Scripture, we conclude that either he is not a man of God, or else that for which he seeks a warrant is not a good work. This seems plain – with an eye focused on 2 Timothy 3:17, how could anyone think otherwise?
May all Christians steadfastly pray for a deeper sense of the fullness, majesty, and authority of the Word of God. May each of us seek a deep, bold, vigorous, influential, and abiding sense of the supreme authority of the divine canon, and of its completeness for every age, every clime, every position, and every department – personal, social, and ecclesiastical. Such a spiritual bracing up in our hearts will enable us to withstand every attempt of the enemy to depreciate the value of that inestimable treasure. May our hearts enter more into the spirit of those words of the Psalmist, "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth for ever" (Ps. 119:160).
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 11 (KJV)
The foregoing train of thought is awakened by the perusal of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Leviticus. Therein we find Jehovah entering in marvelous detail, into a description of beasts, birds, fishes, and reptiles, furnishing His people with various markings so they were to know what was clean and unclean. We have the summing up of the contents of this remarkable chapter in the two closing verses. "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; 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."
Two things were essential to render beasts clean: chewing the cud and a divided hoof. "Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven footed, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that shall ye eat." The two go together – either one alone would have been insufficient to constitute ceremonial cleanness. Though these two marks were sufficient to guide an Israelite regarding the cleanness or uncleanness of an animal, without any reference as to why such marks were given or what they meant, Christians are permitted to enquire into the spiritual truth wrapped up in these ceremonial enactments.
What are we to learn from those two features in a clean animal? The chewing of the cud expresses the natural process of "inwardly digesting" that which one eats; while the divided hoof sets forth the character of one's outward walk. As we know, in the Christian life there is an intimate connection between the two. The one who feeds on the green pastures of the Word of God, inwardly digesting what he takes in – the one who is able to combine calm meditation with prayerful study, will manifest that character of outward walk that praises Him who has graciously given us His Word to form our habits and govern our ways.
Sadly, many who read the Bible do not digest the Word. The two things are widely different. One may read chapter after chapter, book after book, and not digest a single line. We may read the Bible as part of a dull and profitless routine; but, through lack of the ruminating powers, i.e., the digestive organs, we derive no profit whatsoever. This should be carefully considered. The cattle that browse on the green may teach us a wholesome lesson. First, they diligently gather up the refreshing pasture, and then calmly lie down to chew the cud – striking and beautiful picture of a Christian feeding on and inwardly digesting the precious contents of inspiration. If we were more accustomed to taking ourselves to the Word as the pasture of our souls, we would be in a more vigorous and healthy condition. Let us beware of reading the Bible as a dead form – a cold duty – a piece of religious routine.
The same caution is needful regarding the public exposition of the Word. Let those who expound Scripture to others, first feed and digest the Word for themselves. Let them read and ruminate in private, not merely for others but for themselves. It is sad indeed for a man to continually be occupied in procuring food for others, when personally dying of starvation. Also, let those who work in the public ministry of the Word, see that they are not doing so mechanically by mere religious habit, but with an earnest desire to "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" what they hear. Then will both teachers and student be well-conditioned, the spiritual life nourished and sustained, and the true character of outward walk exhibited.
But, let us not forget that the chewing of the cud must never be separated from the divided hoof. If one who was only partially acquainted with the priest's guidebook – unpracticed in the divine ceremonial, happened to see an animal chewing the cud, he might hastily pronounce him clean. This would have been a serious error. A careful reference to the divine directory would show that he must also mark the animal's walk – that he must note the impression made by each movement – that he must look for the result of the divided hoof. "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 . . ." (vv. 4-6).
In like manner, the divided hoof was insufficient if not accompanied by the chewing of the cud. "The swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you" (v 7). In other words, the two things were inseparable in determining every clean animal. As to the spiritual application, it is of importance in a practical point of view. The inward life and the outward walk must go together. A man may profess to study and ruminate over the Word of God, loving and feeding on the pasture of the soul; but, if his footprints along the pathway of life are not what the Word requires, he is not clean. On the other hand, a man may seem to walk with pharisaic blamelessness; but if his walk is not the result of the hidden life, it is worse than worthless. It is the divine principle within that feeds on and digests the rich pasture of God's Word; however, if God’s Word does not dwell within, then the impression of the footstep will be of no avail. The value of each depends on its inseparable connection with the other.
Here, we are forcibly reminded of a solemn passage in which the apostle furnishes us with the two marks whereby we may know those who are of God. "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1 Jn. 3:10). Here we have the two grand characteristics of the eternal life, of which all true believers are possessed: "righteousness" and "love" – the outward and the inward. Both must be combined. Some in our age are for love; and some for righteousness. But in a divine way, neither can exist without the other. If that which is called love exist without practical righteousness, it will, in reality, be only a lax, soft, easy-going habit of mind, tolerating all manner of error and evil. And, if that which is called righteousness exist without love, it will be a stern, proud, pharisaic, self-sufficient temper of soul resting on the basis of personal reputation. But where the divine life is energetic, inward love will always be combined with genuine, practical righteousness. The two elements are essential in the formation of true Christian character. There must be love that expresses itself regarding the feeblest development of that which is of God; and, at the same time, holiness that shrinks with intense abhorrence from all that is of Satan.
Let us now give consideration to that which the Levitical ceremonial taught with respect to "all that are in the waters." Here again, we find the double mark. "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. 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" (vv. 9, 10).
Two things were necessary to render a fish ceremonially clean: "fins and scales" – obviously setting forth a certain fitness for the sphere and element in which the creature moved.
But, no doubt there was more than this. God has endowed those creatures that move in the waters with certain spiritual qualities that belong to the Christian life. A fish needs a "fin" to enable him to move through the waters, and "scales" to resist the action thereof. In like manner, the true believer needs spiritual capacity that enables him to move onward through this worldly scene, and at the same time, to resist its influence – to prevent it penetrating – to keep it out. These are precious qualities. The fin and the scale are filled with meaning; and full of practical instruction to the Christian. In ceremonial garb, they exhibit two things we specially need: spiritual energy to move onward through the element surrounding us, and the power to preserve us from its action. The one will not avail without the other. It is of no use to possess a capacity to go through the world, if we are not proofed against the world's influence; and though we may seem to be able to keep the world out, yet, if God has not the motive power, then we are defective. The "fins" would not do without the "scales," nor the "scales" without the "fins." Both were required to render a fish ceremonially clean; and, in order to be properly equipped, the Christian requires to be encased against the penetrating influence of an evil world; while at the same time furnished with a capacity to pass rapidly on.
The whole deportment of a Christian should declare him a pilgrim and stranger here. "Onward" must be his motto – always onward. Let his locality and circumstances be what they may, he is to have his eye fixed on a home beyond this perishing, passing world. By grace, a Christian is furnished with spiritual ability to go forward – to energetically penetrate through all, and carry out the earnest aspirations of his heaven-born spirit. And, while vigorously pushing his way onward – while "forcing his passage to the skies," he is to keep his inward man fenced round about, and fast closed up against, all external influences.
We pray for more of the onward bent, the upward tendency; for more holy fixedness of soul, and profound retirement from this vain world. We will have reason to bless the Lord for our meditations amid the ceremonial shadows of the Book of Leviticus, if we are led to long more intensely after those graces which, though dimly portrayed, are, nevertheless, manifestly needful.
From verse 13 to verse 24 of this chapter, we have the law with respect to birds. The carnivorous, i.e., those feeding on flesh, were unclean. The omnivorous, i.e., those eating anything, were unclean. All those furnished with power to soar into the heavens, but who nevertheless would grovel on the earth, were unclean. As to the latter class, there were some exceptional cases (vv. 21, 22); but the general rule, the fixed principle, the standing ordinance was as distinct as possible; "all fowls that creep, going upon all fours, shall be an abomination unto you" (v 20). All this is simple regarding its instruction to us. Those fowls that could feed on flesh; those that could swallow anything or everything; and all groveling fowls, were unclean to the Israel of God, because it was so pronounced by the God of Israel; nor can the spiritual mind have any difficulty in discerning the fitness of such an ordinance. Not only can we trace, in the habits of the above three classes of fowl, the ground of their being pronounced unclean; but we can also see in them the striking exhibition of that, in nature, which is to be strenuously guarded against by every Christian. He is called to refuse everything of a carnal nature. Further, he cannot feed promiscuously on everything that comes before him. He must "try the things that differ:" He must "take heed what he hears." He must exercise a discerning mind, a spiritual judgment, a heavenly taste. Finally, he must use his wings. He must rise on the pinions of faith, and find his place in the celestial sphere to which he belongs. In short, there must be nothing groveling, nothing promiscuous, nothing unclean, for the Christian.
As to "creeping things," the following was the general rule: "And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten" (v 41). How wonderful to think of the condescending grace of Jehovah. He could stoop to give directions about a crawling reptile. He would not leave His people at a loss regarding the most trivial affair. The priest's guidebook contained simple instructions pertaining to everything. God desired to keep His people free from the defilement consequent on touching, tasting, or handling anything that was unclean. They were not their own, so they were not to do as they pleased. They belonged to Jehovah; His name was called on them; they were identified with Him. In every case, His Word was to be their grand regulating standard. From it they were to learn the ceremonial status of beasts, birds, fishes, and creeping things. In such matters, they were not to think their own thoughts, exercise their own reasoning powers, or be guided by their own imaginations. God's Word was to be their sole directory. Other nations might eat what they pleased; but Israel enjoyed the high privilege of eating only that which pleased Jehovah.
Nor was the mere matter of eating anything unclean from which the people of God were so jealously guarded. Bare contact was forbidden.4 It was impossible for a member of the Israel of God to touch that which was unclean without contracting defilement. This principle is unfolded in both the law and the prophets.
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, ask ye now the priests concerning the law, saying, if one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean" (Hag. 2:11-13).
Jehovah desired that His people be holy in all things. They were not to eat or touch anything unclean. "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." Then, the powerful reason for all this careful separation followed.
"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. 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" (vv. 43-45).
The personal holiness of God's people – their separation from all manner of uncleanness, flows out of their relationship to Him. It is not on the principle of "stand by thyself, I am holier than thou;" but simply this, "God is holy." Therefore, all who are brought into association with Him must likewise be holy. It is worthy of God that His people should be holy. "Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, for ever." What else but holiness could become the house of Jehovah? If any one had asked an Israelite of old, "Why do you shrink from reptiles that crawl along the path?" He would have replied, “Jehovah is holy; and I belong to Him. He has said "Touch not." So it is today. If a Christian is asked why he walks apart from questionable things in which men of this world participate, his answer is simply, "My Father is holy." This is the true foundation of personal holiness. The more we contemplate the divine character, and enter into the power of our relationship to God in Christ by the energy of the Holy Spirit, the holier we must of necessity be. In other words, every Christian should progress in the apprehension, experience, and practical exhibition of that holiness. These things should not be confounded. All true believers are in the same condition of holiness or sanctification; but their practical measure may vary. This is easily understood. The condition arises out of our being brought close to God by the blood of the cross5; the practical measure will depend on staying close by the power of the Spirit. A child of God is not superior within himself – he has no greater degree of personal sanctity than is ordinarily possessed. In no wise is he better than his neighbors. In the judgment of every right-thinking person such pretensions are utterly contemptible. On the other hand, if in His exceeding grace God stoops down to our low estate, and in association with Christ lifts us into the holy elevation of His blessed presence, does He not have a right to prescribe what our character is to be? Who could think of calling into question a truth so obvious? Further, are we not bound to aim at the maintenance of character that He prescribes? Are we to be accused of presumption for so doing? Was an Israelite presumptuous by refusing to touch? No; it would have been presumption of the most daring and dangerous character to have done so. True, he might not have been able to make an uncircumcised stranger understand or appreciate the reason for his conduct; but this was not his province. Jehovah had said, "Touch not;" not because an Israelite was holier in himself than a stranger; but because Jehovah was holy and Israel belonged to Him. In order to discern what was clean and what was not, it needed the eye and heart of a circumcised disciple of the law of God. An alien knew no difference. Thus it must always be. It is only Wisdom's children that can justify her and approve her heavenly ways.
Before turning from Leviticus 11, we might find spiritual profit by comparing it with Acts 10:11-16. How strange it must have appeared to one who from his earliest days had been taught in the principles of the Mosaic ritual, to see a vessel descending from heaven, "wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air;" and not only to see such a vessel, but also to hear a voice saying, "Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." How wonderful. No examination of hoofs or habits. There was no need of this. The vessel and its contents had come from heaven. This was enough. The Jew might ensconce himself behind the narrow enclosures of the Jewish ritual, and exclaim, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean;" but, then, the tide of divine grace was majestically rising above all such enclosures, in order to embrace in its mighty compass "all manner" of objects, bearing them upward to heaven in the power and on the authority of those precious words, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." It mattered not what was in the vessel, if God had cleansed it. The Author who inspired the Book of Leviticus was planning to raise the thoughts of His servant above the barriers into the magnificence of heaven's grace. He would teach him that true cleanness – the cleanness demanded by heaven, was no longer to consist in chewing the cud, dividing the hoof, or any such ceremonial marks, but in being washed in the blood of the Lamb that cleanses from all sin, rendering the believer clean enough to tread the sapphire pavement of the heavenly courts.
This was a noble and divine lesson for a Jew to learn. In the presence of the light of Jesus Christ, the shadows of the old economy must pass away. The hand of sovereign grace has thrown open the door of the kingdom; but not to admit anything unclean. Such can not be. Nothing unclean can enter heaven. But then, a cloven hoof was no longer to be the criterion; but "what God hath cleansed." When God cleanses a man, he is clean. Peter was about to be sent to open the kingdom to Gentiles, as he had already opened it to the Jews; and his Jewish heart needed to be enlarged. He needed to rise above the dark shadows of a by-gone age, into the meridian light that was shining from an open heaven, in virtue of Jesus Christ – the completed sacrifice. Peter needed to get out of the narrow current of Jewish prejudices, to be borne on the bosom of that mighty tide of grace about to roll through the length and breadth of a lost world. He had to also learn that the standard by which true cleanness must be regulated was no longer carnal, ceremonial, and earthly, but spiritual, moral, and heavenly. Certainly, these were noble lessons for the apostle of the circumcision to learn on the housetop of Simon the tanner. They were eminently calculated to soften, expand, and elevate a mind that had been trained amid the contracting influences of the Jewish system. We praise the Lord for these precious lessons. We praise Him for the large and wealthy place in which He has graciously set us by the blood of the cross. We praise Him that we are no longer hemmed round about by "touch not this; taste not that; handle not the other thing;" but the Lord assures us that "every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:4, 5).
