This chapter describes the dietary laws given by YHWH to the Israelites. I can't say that I really understand the "why" of God for choosing some animals as being clean and others as unclean. I have read many different explanations, but God really does not give the reason He had for His choices.
Also, this chapter explains YHWH's directives concerning being ceremonially unclean from the uncleanness of animals.
From what I can derive from this chapter, God did want His people to be set apart from the other peoples around them. He wanted them to follow dietary laws that would make it difficult for them to have much participation with other peoples. We, too, are to decisively forgo debasing activities with unbelievers to preserve our witness for Jesus.
I also think that God wanted His people to be obedient to Him without having a clear explanation of "why" from Him. We also, are to be obedient to the lead of the Holy Spirit without that "why" answered.
I also think that these laws must have been for preserving health and avoiding diseases that can pass from animal to man, especially parasitic infections, many being deadly. We, too, are to be feasting on the Word, which brings us health and life. WE can avoid what we hear, see, and do that we know to be evil or depict evil, or pull us away from having the Lord foremost in our minds and hearts.
And lastly, God wanted Israel to be a "peculiar people", not ordinary or blending in with the crowd. These directives would definitely accomplish this for the Israelites. It still does today for observant Jews. As Christians, are we willing to be considered "peculiar" by the world? Are we willing to look decidedly different from unbelievers. Think even about how some believers feel around separatist believers that dress alike such as: Amish, Hutterites, etc. It is easy to be a bit unnerved around this outward display of being "out of the mainstream" even in Christian circles.
This chapter describes the dietary laws given by YHWH to the Israelites. I can't say that I really understand the "why" of God for choosing some animals as being clean and others as unclean. I have read many different explanations, but God really does not give the reason He had for His choices.
Also, this chapter explains YHWH's directives concerning being ceremonially unclean from the uncleanness of animals.
From what I can derive from this chapter, God did want His people to be set apart from the other peoples around them. He wanted them to follow dietary laws that would make it difficult for them to have much participation with other peoples. We, too, are to decisively forgo debasing activities with unbelievers to preserve our witness for Jesus.
I also think that God wanted His people to be obedient to Him without having a clear explanation of "why" from Him. We also, are to be obedient to the lead of the Holy Spirit without that "why" answered.
I also think that these laws must have been for preserving health and avoiding diseases that can pass from animal to man, especially parasitic infections, many being deadly. We, too, are to be feasting on the Word, which brings us health and life. WE can avoid what we hear, see, and do that we know to be evil or depict evil, or pull us away from having the Lord foremost in our minds and hearts.
And lastly, God wanted Israel to be a "peculiar people", not ordinary or blending in with the crowd. These directives would definitely accomplish this for the Israelites. It still does today for observant Jews. As Christians, are we willing to be considered "peculiar" by the world? Are we willing to look decidedly different from unbelievers. Think even about how some believers feel around separatist believers that dress alike such as: Amish, Hutterites, etc. It is easy to be a bit unnerved around this outward display of being "out of the mainstream" even in Christian circles.
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