Staying clean is a very important practice most modern societies implement. Medical professionals use hygiene techniques more than most people. They understand how unseen germs can infect and kill people. Therefore it’s important that washing the body, specifically the hands, is a necessary practice. Most of us grow up knowing that certain hygiene norms keep us from getting sick but the Bible takes the concept of clean to a whole new level. In fact some believe that the Bible is the first documentation of effective hygiene practices. The Bible emphasizes hygiene as a simple type of sin. It involves illnesses, bodily fluids, and diet. All of which can put you in a state of clean or uncleanness.
Holy And Unholy
Leviticus 10: 10 “ And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.”
The concept of clean and unclean is complementary to the concept of holy and unholy as the scripture above points out to us. However, modern people only understand uncleanness only affecting our health. However the Bible makes it clear that being clean is one in the same as being holy. Now there are different types of filth and clean that the Biblical text discusses. Being unclean is also like being unholy and an involuntary sinner. That’s why it is a command that we put the difference between clean and unclean.
The Bible is relatively a chronological document even on this topic. In the book of Leviticus, the Isrealites were taught the difference between clean and unclean, holy and unholy by knowing what to eat first. The dietary law found in the book of Leviticus 11 came first before the other “clean laws”. In this chapter we learn what is edible and what is not according to a high holy diet. This diet is separated by the terms “clean” being edible or holy, and “unclean” being inedible or unholy.
There are listed animals from every type that are either clean or unclean.
Leviticus 11: 2-7
2. “Speak unto the children of Isreal, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divided not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof, he is unclean unto you.
7. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch, they are unclean to you.”
As it’s written, there is a band on eating camels, coney’s, hare’s and swine. In this subgroup of land mammals, they have to both chew the cud AND be clovenfooted AND divideth the hoof. If the animal does not do and has all three of these characteristics then it is inedible and unholy.
Clean Fish:
The list doesn’t stop there, it continues to separate clean and unclean sea animals. Leviticus 11:9-11 explains that fish and all water thriving animals that have both fins and scales are edible, healthy, holy, and clean to eat. This rule excludes some of the sea animals people eat today like shellfish, reptiles and squids.
The Unclean Birds
Among the fowls of the air the eagle, ossifrage and spray. The vulture, the kitte, ravens, owls, nighthawk, cuckow, cormorant, swan, pelican, stork, heron, lapwing, bats and four legged birds are unclean. Leviticus 11:13-20. This includes, birds that are carnivores or have webbed feet are dangerous for us to eat.
That leads us to know and understand that pigeons, doves, turkey and chicken are clean bird to eat. No one usually gets sick from eating types of clean birds unless the animals themselves was infected or not cleaned properly before preparing to eat.
The Clean insects
Not many people like eating insects but for those who have no other choice here is a divine list of edible creepy crawlies for humans. The text describes insects that: fly, go on all four legs and leap, such as the locust, bald locust, beetles and grasshoppers. Then every other flying creeping thing is an ”abomination” unto humans.
The chapter finishes with a complete discuss of these unclean animals carcass around humans. The Most High God deems their decaying bodies unholy, unhealthy and a pollution to us. Then there is mention of other animals that are unclean for humans: animals with paws, weasels, mousses, and tortoises, ferrets, chameleons, lizards, snails, and moles. Notwithstanding, all animals listed as unclean are even abominable to anything their dead bodies may touch.
Therefore all manor of unclean beasts touched or eaten will make humans unclean to The Highest God. This is the first understanding of the difference between clean and unclean; holy and unholy. We now know that eating clean or holy animals will make us holy and closer to The highest God.
New Testament View.
This dietary law still pertains to New Testament followers. Remember that Christ said in Matthew 5 that he did not come to destroy but to fulfill the law of Moses. The dietary law stayed the same as it transitioned into the New Testament. However, many people get caught up on the scripture of Peters vision before he met the gentile man.
Acts 10 Peter has a vision on of unclean beast laid out for him too eat and he said that he would not eat any of uncleanness. Funny is that The Highest God insist that he eat and then says that he maketh it clean. This was done not to tell peter to eat unclean animals but a foreshadowing and metaphor of a situation to come. Gentiles were previously thought as unclean to The Highest God, but now they are welcome into the covenant. What was unclean was now made clean by The Highest God.
Some people don’t understand that concept. Humans can be made clean from their unclean state to repentance and purging. Unclean animals are made to be unclean for the benefit of the world but they cannot be made clean as holy food for humans. Romans 14: 14 “I know and am persuaded by the Lord Christ, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”
Conclusion
Remember also that no one can enter into The Highest Gods temple in an unclean state. Or else one dies. In the New Testament The Highest Gods temple transforms into a spiritual place from its former physical place. Now the lords temple is our bodies after baptism. Therefore nothing unclean such as any unclean foods can enter into a persons spiritual body (temple) or else they die (spiritually).
2 Corinthians 6: 17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, sayith the lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and in will receive you”.
Ephesians 5: 5 “For this ye know, nor whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolator, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and if God.”