Making Sense out of Leviticus #7

Today's reading: Leviticus 12-13.

Chapter 12, you will notice is very short. It simply explains the procedures for a woman after child birth in reference to the participation in communal life. I do not know why for the difference in days set as "unclean" for a male child and a female child. I suspect it has something to do with the health of the woman. Most of this type of regulation was for health purposes. It may not yet be know. But there will sooner or later be a health factor involved.

Notice that on the 8th day the male was to be circumcised. We know medically that is the best day for a newborn to have this done - safer, less bleeding etc... I find it interesting that this again is on the 8th day. We, in the New Covenant Church are an 8th day people. The resurrection of our Lord happened on the "8th day." Of course, the 8th day is also the 1st day. But watch the 8th day as you read through the Old Testament. It is important.

Chapter 13 is very lengthy. It is descriptive the skin diseases and how the priest (who was the physician  of the day) could tell if a person was contagious or not. This was the "clean" and "unclean" principle here. If they were clean, they could participate in communal life, if unclean, they had to live outside the camp. This was to keep those with contagious diseases from infecting the entire camp. It, again, was for the health of the group. We see this today, especially in third world countries, in leprosy camps. It is an attempt to confine the disease.

I do not know of a New Testament correlation. Some of these matters were for then and the health of a nation of 2-3 million people camping out together.

Tomorrow's reading: Leviticus 14-15.

See, we are able to do this. Just two or three chapters a day and we are on our way. Before long Leviticus will be behind us. See how awesome it is to read and allow the Lord to show us "stuff."