Today we looked at Leviticus 11-12. The text like many in Leviticus can seem strange, archaic, chauvanitic, legalistic, and downright odd. Is it those things? Well, sure, it is. But, the old saying is true: every point of view is a view from a point. From my point of reference all this bussiness about split hooves and keep new mothers locked away is both weird and horrible chauvanistic.
And yet, would that be what it looked like from thier viewpoint?
It's been pointed out that many of the food restrictions may have been a protection rather than an odd list of ristrictions just to make some rules.
Things in the water without fins tend to make humans sick when prepared poorly. Rabbits, are forbidden, but if a person bases their diet on rabbits they will die. Rabbits are missing some key protien or something...I can't remember...google it. :)
Perhaps, the food restroctions are designed to protect the people, from God's viewpoint.
But, what about the horrible restrictions agaist the new mothers!?
Well, yes, if these procedures were put in place today it would be a removal of rights, it would be horribly chuavanistic, it would be downright wrong...at least from my point of view.
And yet... they didn't see things the way we do. They were patriarchal, it was a man's world, I don't like that, it rubs me the wrong way, but it was the reality in their culture and for most of human culture until modern times. So, when I view this from thier point of view I can easily see this as an increased grace given to new mothers. In this new (Out of Egypt, Free for the First Time) plan from God, the husbands, fathers, and brothers were not able to say, "Woman! You had that baby 24 hours ago git out their and slaughter that sheep, milk the cow, and make me a mutton pot pie! And shut that baby up before ya go!"
Perhaps, the mothers were given that time to bond with the child, to heal from the birth, to rest and recouperate in a male driven society that wouldn't be quick to grasp that need? That all sounds like grace, at least from one point of view. What do you think?
Keep reading