The Need For a Standard

Leviticus 11:1–28
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In this chapter we face the need for a standard, a measuring stick by which we can distinguish between things which are harmful and those which are harmless, between right and wrong and good and evil. That is not easy to do, as you well know. This section reveals the realism of Scripture. How realistically it deals with life! God was so involved with his people that he was concerned about every minute detail of their lives, even down to what they ate.

The Lord told Moses and Aaron (v. 1) to say to the community of Israel(v. 2): You may eat any animal that has divided hoofs and chews the cud(v. 3). but you must not eat animals such as camels and rock badgers.  And you must not eat pigs; they have divided hoofs, but don’t chew the cud. All of these animals are unclean, and you are forbidden even to touch their dead bodies (vv. 4-8). You may eat anything that lives in water and has fins and scales but not for you to eat anything else that lives in water, and you must not even touch their dead bodies (vv. 9-12). Eagles, vultures, buzzards, crows, ostriches, hawks, sea gulls, owls, pelicans, storks, and bats are also disgusting, and you are forbidden to eat any of them (vv. 13-19).

The only winged insects you may eat are locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets. All other winged insects that crawl are too disgusting for you to eat (vv. 20-23). Don’t even touch the dead bodies of animals that have divided hoofs but don’t chew the cud. And don’t touch the dead bodies of animals that have paws. If you do, you must wash your clothes, but you are still uncleanuntil evening (vv. 24-28).

Application

I desire to always maintain standards in my life that will keep me close to the Lord and in His Word.