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Monday 8/22/22

Child Bearing

📺️ Leviticus 12 🔊

¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

 ²Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

 ³And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

 ⁴And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

 ⁵But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

 ⁶And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

 ⁷Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

 ⁸And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Moses

Date Penned: (1445-1444 BC)

Overview: A Handbook for the Priests and Levites (c 1-27)

Theme: Worshipping a Holy God (c 1-17)

Message: Purification After Childbirth  (v 1-6)

Leviticus 12 Commentary

(12:1-4) Women and Childbirth - Why was a woman considered "unclean" after the wonderful miracle of birth? It was due to the bodily emissions and secretions occurring during and after childbirth. These were considered unclean and made the woman unprepared to enter the pure surroundings of the tabernacle. Her temporary status also highlighted her role as a new mother and relieved her of certain duties, which probably would have made the early days with a new baby easier.

(12:5-6) Unclean Not Sinful - Unclean did not mean sinful or dirty. God created us male and female, and he commanded us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:27-28). He did not change his mind and say that sex and procreation were now somehow evil. Instead, he made a distinction between his worship and the popular worship of fertility gods and goddesses. Canaanite religions incorporated prostitution and immoral rites as the people begged their gods to make their crops, herds, and families increase. By contrast, Israel's religion avoided all sexual connotations. By keeping worship and sex entirely separate, God helped the Israelites avoid confusion with pagan rites. The Israelites worshiped God as their loving creator and provider, and they thanked him for bountiful crops, marital love, and safe childbirth.

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of Leviticus with Chapter 12 and in today's text we see a continued look at Levitical law as God reveals his Holiness through this book. Today we continue in that theme of being clean when it comes to child bearing. The distinction is made as the worship of pagan religions included sinful acts in their pagan worship including prostitution. In making application we see that there is a proper way of child bearing which includes marriage and family. Today the world makes their own rules on children and marriage just as the pagans did but God has a plan and process to meet this God given desire of mankind. How about you? Do you see God's way when it comes to children and marriage? Let us learn from today's text which reminds us of a Holy plan for marriage and child bearing.