March 3, 2020

Leviticus 12 focuses on the cleansing process for women who have given birth. After giving birth she was considered ceremonially unclean (verse 2), and this whole book of Leviticus is about taking things that are unclean and purifying ourselves so that we can have a renewed relationship with God. 

The first question that probably comes to mind is, “Why would childbirth make a woman unclean? Aren’t we told to be fruitful and multiply?” In Genesis 1:28 God gives humans the command to be fruitful and multiply. So it isn’t wrong or bad to give birth. In fact, God made us to reproduce, but we were all born into a sinful world and with a sin nature (Colossians 2:13). This process of purification of the mother reminds us of that. She is considered unclean because her offspring came into this world unclean. 

The second question is probably, “Why is the waiting period double when she has a girl?” That is a good question that I don’t have an answer for, but what I do know is that it does not mean that guys are cleaner than girls. It says in Galatians 3, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” So I can’t find an answer to why it is that way, other than that was the way God said it should be.

 At the end of this chapter, God once again shows his grace. He gives everyone a way to purify themselves no matter their wealth or social class. The first option for purification was a one year old lamb, but if you couldn’t afford it, he says to bring two turtle doves or two pigeons. We see this played out with Mary and Joseph in Luke 2: 21-24. Mary and Joseph were poor and could not afford a lamb, but because of God’s grace Mary was offered a way to become pure in the sight of the Lord. They had no clue that Jesus was actually the sacrificial Lamb that would be the ultimate sacrifice for the world.

By: Jacob Kerr — West Campus Pastoral Ministry Apprentice: Students & Worship