Clean vs Unclean

Now let’s check back with our very terrible Levite that we were in the habit of meeting with earlier. Remember, it was a rather busy Levite with a rather official looking list. He ran from pillar to post, without ever thinking about how he had some cleaning to do. Last time we’d seen how important it was to wash your hands at least between some time to the next. Admittedly, it is very important to do for the sake of your health, if not for that of the next person who you’d happen to meet. The people it seems had the very same problem. Back in Levitical times, they referred to this state as being clean versus unclean. Back then, there were all sorts of laws regulating human behavior to be sure. Let’s make a rather short list of these together, if you will. If you won’t, that’s fine too but I really wish you’d see where we’re about now to go.

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

Leviticus 5:2-3

Let's see what it looks like in short form all listed right here. It falls into the categories of handling unclean things of this sort, whatever these may happen to be.

things

these are usually dirty clothes, belongings, sitting places

unclean animals

these mean anything that hasn't washed up yet

carcases

these can be man or animal or anything really which have died

man

Also anything that is ill or has been exposed to someone who is

We'll unpack more about the expansion of these categories in just a minute. There's a very startling reason given as to why seen at first.

But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Leviticus 7:20-21

Nor is the Lord simply lying in this. It's not just a matter as simple as you've sinned or being the very picky father that some would suppose. My, it seems the Lord wants none of his children to even dare breathe or move without fear of course. Like the serpent once said in the garden of old, 'is that really what the Lord God had said' or are you just simply paraphrasing whatever you'd rather have heard. There's real reasons behind it medically speaking and I can't find any better way to explain them as yet. When it comes to standards of health and human behavior though, there's no one better to know but the Lord. After all, he had created it, it seems. By that I don't mean the illness that soon would result, but it was for knowledge of this very sort that resulted in what he had said. Simply put, we live in a fallen world where everything tends towards disorder. Even the health isn't as good as it should. How does that saying turn out, you can't obtain the promises while sitting on the premises. Nor can you get them while running off with every stray breath of wind. Let's face it, all of these are common human behaviors as the Lord knows all too well. Then, there must be some way to address the issues presented in this with certain measures of sensitivity as to the health. Let's face it. If I just rattled off a long set of rules without explaining the reasons behind them, you'd feel some type of way about it, of that I'm sure. Then again, if I just got up and told you all about yourself, that wouldn't make you very happy either I guess. The Lord's way, as the old show once said, really is Father knows best. When you're dealing with something as precious as health, it really is best to do so with sensitivity and all the love in your heart I guess. What about when it comes to the traditions and patterns of man? That about covers it. What do you think? After all, the law was only given to help the people better understand a large and complicated set of principles. What man did though was to make them into a set of rules and traditions for following until these came all the way down to a group of elders discussing their handwashing with Jesus.

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Leviticus 10:10

This about sums up the spirit in which it was given quite as well as anything else possibly could.