Moses: Man of Law

Exodus 2:1
¹ Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, ² and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. ³ But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket^[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. ⁴ His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.


Although Moses would not fall in the direct lineage of Jesus, my focus in this post is to illustrate God's Law in the Old Testament.  For as much as Jesus represents Grace in the New Testament, so does Moses represent Law in the Old Testament. 


I want to spend some time discussing Leviticus 11-15.  There are a lot of 'dos' and 'do nots' in these chapters and if we look at these as a whole and not as individual verses I think we see God protecting His children, not just handing down rules.  As a parent, I can see this book as teachings from God to keep His children healthy by showing them what to avoid and how to stay 'clean'.  From a Lioness protecting her cubs in the jungle to a human mother protecting her small children, we spend our offspring's young lives showing them how to survive and thrive.  We show our children what foods are healthy and safe; which berries we can eat, why we need to drink water, why we need vegetables and protein.  We teach our children how to stay healthy; we teach them to wash their hands, to brush their teeth, to get enough rest.  Leviticus is God's little instruction manual for His children.  


I think that it is important to spend some time discussing this book of the Bible, because it shows God's love for us and his desire to watch His children thrive in this world He created.  In Leviticus Chapter 11, God gives explanation of clean and unclean food.  God knows the intention of every animal he made on Earth.  This chapter explains which animals are safe to be consumed by this generation and even further, what one must do if they have come into contact with the blood of an unclean animal.  In Leviticus Chapter 12 -15, God explains hygiene and the importance of cleanliness.  Cleanliness of one's body and of their clothes.  These two chapters are some of the first mentions of what could be a predecessor for medicine.  God does not speak of doctors in this book, but of priests.  


Leviticus 15
 ³¹ “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place,^[b] which is among them.’”


So even as we discuss Moses as the representation of Law, we are still able to see God's love and grace for His children.  


Please read through Leviticus and leave comments on your thoughts of this book  of laws.