February 13 – Reading 44

FEBRUARY 13 – Reading 44

by Chris Rainey | February 13

“WHAT DO YOU HAVE AN APPETITE FOR?”
(Leviticus 11:1 – 12:8)

As a child, my family’s menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. – Comedian Buddy Hackett

For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten. –  Leviticus 11:45-47

In the book of Exodus, God saved Israel from slavery and Egyptian oppression, and then took the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where they received the Ten Commandments and instructions on building the tabernacle, the symbol of God’s presence in their midst. In other words, God rescued them from being Pharaoh’s servant, and then He taught them how to live as His servants.

Many people get this part backwards. They often think they must reform their behavior first and become moral before God will accept them. But, in reality, God saves a person first, and then that person expresses their gratitude to God by living a moral life. The Bible calls living a moral life as being “holy” (vs. 45).  Several chapters in Leviticus teach the Israelites about holiness in everyday life and the need to “make a distinction between the clean and unclean.” Today’s reading includes the distinctions made around food.

One of the challenges to modern readers regarding the kosher food laws is that Leviticus 11 does not provide a clear reason for dividing animals into “clean” and “unclean” categories. The Israelites were simply expected to observe these laws. Are there health benefits to a kosher diet? Maybe. Do people write books extolling the virtues of a kosher diet? Yes. Did Daniel and his friends thrive on a kosher diet when compared to their Babylonian counterparts? Yes. But the stated reason here is that kosher food laws teach us to make a distinction between clean and unclean in the pursuit of holiness, and that should be reason enough in itself. 

I suspect if the Israelites could figure out whether or not they could eat lobster, a grasshopper, or a rock badger, this might help them govern some of their other appetites as well. What do you have an appetite for?

Application

• God wants to save you, and your response after that happens is to grow in holiness.
• New Testament passages such as Mark 7:19 and Acts 10 make it clear that the dietary restrictions of Leviticus 11 are no longer binding. Christians should focus on living a kosher (holy) life rather than a kosher diet.

Reflections

• Paul told the Ephesians to “try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (5:10). How does this relate to growing in holiness?

Closing Prayer

Lord, I bring my appetites and desires to you today. Some of my desires are pure; and others are impure. Thank you for helping me to make a distinction. I pray for the strength to be holy, as you are holy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.