Passage
Leviticus 11:1-47 (ESV)
Fallen Babylon
Revelation 18:1-24
Key Verse: 18:4
Clean and Unclean Food
Date: May. 14, 2016
Daily Bread
Key Verse: 11:44a
First, to eat or not to eat (1-42). God gave the Israelites a fairly strict diet to follow regarding land animals, fish, birds and insects. Why were some animals unclean? Perhaps they were unsanitary, or they ate dead or bloody meat, or they were linked to pagan religions. Clean and unclean was defined by God, not personal preference or taste. Dead animals were unclean. Even touching them made a person unclean until evening. Christians are no longer bound to these dietary laws, since Jesus declared all foods clean (Mk 7:18-19).
Second, "Be holy, because I am holy" (43-47). God is holy. This is the main theme of Leviticus. "I am the Lord your God" is repeated many times from here on. God brought them out of Egypt to be their God. God wanted his people to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between what God regards as clean and unclean. God wants his people to consecrate themselves and be holy in all we do, because he is holy (1Pe 1:15-16).
Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for your gracious provision of food to eat. Thank you for calling us to live as your holy people.
One Word: Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because God is holy
