Lord’s Library editors explore the dietary laws in Leviticus as an exercise in health consciousness but also to contrast how Christ’s blood atonement was a fulfillment of the law.
The dietary laws found in Leviticus are among the most detailed and well-known aspects of the Mosaic Law, often referred to as the Law of Moses. These laws, given by God to the nation of Israel through Moses, served multiple purposes: they distinguished Israel from other nations, promoted physical cleanliness, and ultimately pointed to deeper spiritual truths to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Leviticus 11 is the central chapter detailing the dietary laws. God commanded the children of Israel concerning the animals they were permitted to eat and those that were forbidden. The primary distinctions are between “clean” and “unclean” animals. Clean animals, which the Israelites could eat, were those that met specific criteria. For example, see Leviticus 11:3: “Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.”
This included animals such as cows, sheep, and goats. However, animals like the camel, the coney, and the swine, though they may meet one of the criteria, were declared unclean because they failed to meet all requirements. See Leviticus 11:4-7: “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. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.”
Dietary Laws in Leviticus
For creatures of the water, the distinction was also clear. See Leviticus 11:9-10: “These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:” This made permissible fish such as salmon or trout, but excluded shellfish and other seafood without fins and scales.
Among birds, the list of unclean fowl included the eagle, the vulture, and the raven, among others. See Leviticus 11:13-19: “And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.”
Flying insects that go upon all four were generally unclean, with the exception of locusts, beetles, and grasshoppers, which could be eaten. See Leviticus 11:20-22: “All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.”
Additionally, touching the carcasses of unclean animals or even contact with certain “creeping things” rendered a person ceremonially unclean. See Leviticus 11:24-28 and Leviticus 11:41-43:
- Leviticus 11:24-28: “And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.”
- Leviticus 11:41-43: “And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.”
The Lord ended this section with a reminder. See Leviticus 11:44-47: “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. 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.”
The dietary laws were not given for arbitrary reasons. They served as a sign of Israel’s separation unto God from all the rest. See Deuteronomy 14:2: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” These restrictions were meant to foster obedience, discipline, and a constant awareness of the holiness God required of them.
While some of these laws had secondary benefits regarding hygiene and health, their primary purpose was spiritual in nature. They taught Israel to make distinctions and to be mindful of God’s commandments in daily life.
Despite their importance, the dietary laws were always limited in what they could achieve. The law could regulate outward actions, but could not change the heart. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” See also Hebrews 7:19: “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
The physical distinctions of clean and unclean were types and shadows pointing to a deeper spiritual reality. The prophet Isaiah, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, wrote in Isaiah 42:21: “The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.”
Yet, even in the Old Testament, there are hints that ceremonial purity was insufficient. See saiah 1:11-13: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.”
The Gospel Fulfillment: Christ and the End of Dietary Distinctions
With the coming of Jesus Christ, the ceremonial aspects of the law, including dietary restrictions, were fulfilled and brought to an end. Jesus Himself taught that external observances could not purify the heart: “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man” (Mark 7:15). The Gospel of Mark adds: “This he said, making all meats clean” (Mark 7:19).
After Christ’s resurrection, the transition from law to grace is made even more explicit in the vision given to Peter: “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:13-15). This vision not only signified the abolition of dietary distinctions but also symbolized the inclusion of the Gentiles in salvation through faith.
Paul, in his epistles, further clarified the believer’s liberty in Christ: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday… Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17). And in Romans: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17).
Salvation by Grace through Faith in the Finished Work of Christ
The Gospel message is that salvation is not achieved through adherence to dietary laws or any works of the law, but through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ… for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16). And again, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
The sacrificial system, the clean and unclean animals, the rituals of Leviticus—all these pointed forward to Christ, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has fulfilled the law’s demands, reconciling believers to God: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
Paul’s message in Ephesians resounds with this grace: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is entirely by God’s grace, received through faith, apart from the works of the law, including dietary regulations.
Conclusion
The dietary laws of Leviticus served a significant role in the life of ancient Israel, setting them apart and teaching spiritual lessons about holiness and obedience. Yet, these laws were but a shadow of the reality found in Christ. In the Gospel, we see that true salvation comes not from outward observance but from inward faith in Jesus’ finished work. As believers, we are no longer under the bondage of the law but are called to walk in the liberty and holiness provided by grace through faith: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). Thus, whether we eat or drink, let us do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), rejoicing in the salvation freely given through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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