RACAD: THOUGHTS ON LEVITICUS 11
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten [Leviticus 11:46-47]
For over 40 verses, the LORD detailed to Moses specific dietary guidance.
We may wish to say that it doesn’t apply anymore for us living under the New Testament.
But we get to see that we never heard of any sickness throughout their 40 years wilderness experience. This is because they judiciously followed the instructions of the LORD.
In Ex15:26, the LORD clearly stated and said, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy GOD, and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight, and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, and keep all HIS statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
And part of those commandments is the dietary guidelines.
Whenever GOD pronounces a blessing, there is also something HE expects us to do in order to activate that blessing in our lives. HE has just said HE is the LORD that healeth them but that will only be with their compliance to HIS instructions on dietary choices and habits. We should be careful not to take GOD’s words out of context. It will lead to frustrations as we will not experience the power therein.
We are under the new covenant where our healing is assured by the stripes of JESUS. However reality reveals that many of us are still sickly. Is it that the stripes of JESUS is no longer effective? No I would like to believe that If we abide by these dietary laws, HE who said none of these diseases shall come near us, HE who said by the stripes off JESUS we were healed will activate the blessings of healing upon us.
It is equally noteworthy to point out instances where believers, notable men and women of GOD who have had serious life threatening medical health isssues, changed their diets to abide by this old covenant dietary guidelines. Coupled with their medication and prayers, that which seemed medically challenging turned around and they were revived.
My take in this? GOD is concerned about every aspect of our lives, even what we eat. HE is the creator of all things and knows what food is good for us. Note that in the beginning, in man’s sinless state, GOD actually prescribed just veggies for our consumption. Then sin came and man started to do his own things, including eating meat.
But where men insisted they must have meat, GOD took time to help them distinguish between the healthy, clean and the unhealthy and unclean that they may live long and healthy lives.
In Acts10:11-15, Peter’s vision of unclean animals and birds and the voice telling him not to call unclean what the LORD has cleansed has absolutely nothing to do with this dietary guidelines.
In the new covenant dispensation, though eating these “unclean animals” is no longer breaking any law, but they still do have health implications.
May the LORD open our eyes to see the need to lay hold of these dietary guidelines and apply them in our eating choices so that we can be healthy.
As shared by Sis Wendy Uwajeh