God gave Moses and Aaron instructions for His people on what they can and cannot eat that might defile them. They must also not touch dead carcasses. In verses 1-8, animals with a parted hoof and cloven-footed that chew the cud could be eaten. There as some animals that chew the cud or parted hoof are also not to be eaten. The camel, rock badger, hare, and pig. In verses 9-12, sea creatures with fins and scales could be eaten but those without them could not be eaten. In verses 13-19, scavenger birds like the eagle, bearded vulture, black vulture, kite, all kinds of falcons, all kinds of ravens, ostrich, nighthawks, seagulls, all kinds of hawks, little owls, cormorants, short-eared owl, barn owl, tawny owl, the carrion vulture, stork, all kinds of heron, hoopoe, and bat cannot be eaten. In verses 20-23, all insects with wings are not unclean except “winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground.” These include all kinds of locusts, all kinds of bald locusts, all kinds of crickets, and all kinds of grasshoppers. All other winged insects that have four feet are not to be eaten.

In verses 24-28, touching or carrying the carcasses can defile a person until the evening. All animal that parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or chews the cut are unclean for consumption. All that walks on all four paws are unclean. Touching and carrying their carcasses defile a person. They must wash their clothes and remain unclean until the evening. In verses 29-38, creatures that gather in groups like reptiles are unclean. The mole rat, mouse, all kinds of great lizards, geckos, monitor lizards, lizards, sand lizards, and chameleons. If they fall into anything it defiles them unclean until the evening. The item must be soaked in water. The vessel must be broken, and anything in them cannot be used anymore. But a spring or cistern holding water is clean. The person who touches the carcass is unclean until evening. If a carcass falls on any grain for sowing, it is clean. But if water touches the seed and any part of the carcass falls on it then it will be unclean. However, if any animal you can eat dies and you touch or carry the carcass, you will be unclean until evening. Clothes must be washed and be unclean until the evening. 

In verses 41-45, every ground creature in groups like those on its belly, on all fours, or on its feet is unclean. You must not be defiled and become unclean through them. God declared that because He is a holy God, and we must be holy like Him because of what He did for them. He brought them our Egypt to be holy like Him. He also added in verses 46-47, He said that this is the law given to them what kind of beast and bird and living creature on earth and in the sea that could and could not eat. 

It is said the Leviticus dietary laws have scientific and medical reasons behind them. True or not, we can’t be sure. But God wants us to eat healthily as well because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. As we no longer practice these dietary laws, the New Testament continues to teach that we must not defile our bodies. It is also important for us to watch what we eat as without a healthy body we cannot worship or serve Him. Therefore, we must take care that we have healthy bodies but also holy ones and present ourselves as a living sacrifice without blemish to God and especially when His Spirit dwells in it too! 

Prayer : Lord, I will live a holy life and I will take care of myself well. I will eat and rest well, and I will exercise regularly so that I may worship Him regularly and serve Him His body for what He had done for me through His Son.