Chapter 11
I do like shrimp and crab! Whether fried, baked, or boiled, I’ve always enjoyed a good shrimp or crab platter. Then I got older.
One Monday morning, I woke up feeling like my big toe was broken. It hurt that bad. I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out what had happened. I tried to walk it off, but the pain was so sharp I had to use a cane for several days. Eventually, the pain passed. Still, I never figured out how I could’ve possibly sprained my toe while sleeping!
A few weeks later, it happened again. This time, I went to my doctor. He asked about my diet. I told him I ate normal foods — meat, seafood, veggies. Some fried, some baked, just the usual. I also mentioned that I had recently started drinking a small glass of wine before bed — about 4 ounces — to help me sleep. Apparently, I said the magic words.
He told me I had gout. Ugh. What a horrible word! It just sounds awful. I asked what it was, and he explained that gout is a type of arthritis — also known as the “King’s disease” — caused by high uric acid levels from rich foods and drinks like shellfish and wine.
He gave me a list of foods to avoid. Sadly, that meant shellfish, wine, and other rich “goodies.” Basically, it was a healthy diet full of what you should eat — not necessarily the tasty stuff. I was bummed. No more shrimp. No more crab. No more lobster. I also had to avoid simple sugars, especially anything with high fructose corn syrup (which, by the way, is in everything).
I wasn’t too upset about the wine — I’d only started that habit recently. But the food restrictions? That was tough.
For the most part, I stick to the diet. Every now and then — especially around Christmas — I break the sugar rule. And, understandably, I pay for it. The gout has even moved from my toe to my elbow. But it still reminds me it’s there. So now, I try to count the cost before breaking the rules.
Now to Chapter 11. I’ve always liked this chapter. It’s an interesting chapter. There’s deep spiritual meaning in it, but also a very cool practical side that shows how much our Heavenly Father loves us. Long before modern science, He gave us a plan for what’s good for our bodies. Good nutrition didn’t start with the USDA!
It’s easy to focus on the practical side of the chapter — and that’s important — but let’s look deeper, at the spiritual shadow behind it. The Old Testament often points to truths in the New Testament, and this chapter is no different. It presents a clear division between clean and unclean.
When we eat, we put things into our body — and our body reacts. Some things strengthen us (the “clean”); others cause harm (the “unclean”). God designed our bodies to respond that way.
In the same way, Jesus taught that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we are to guard what we allow inside. Bitterness, envy, strife, jealousy, rage, vengeance, lust, idolatry, selfishness — these things may taste sweet at first, but once taken in, they begin to tear down our spiritual health. They become barriers between us and God — and between us and others.
In contrast, God invites us to fill ourselves with spiritual nutrition:
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
These spiritual fruits build us up. They strengthen our hearts toward God and deepen our relationships with others.
Here’s the really cool part: these aren’t just spiritual ideas. These “foods” — good and bad — also affect our physical health. It’s a double impact.
So as you read Leviticus 11, ask yourself: What unclean things might I be allowing into my life — body or soul? What good things am I taking in — even if they’re hard to swallow at first, like Brussels sprouts?
In the end, the long-term benefit far outweighs the momentary flavor.
Clean and Unclean Foods
1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: 3 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.
4 ” ‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. 5 The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. 6 The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. 7 And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. 8 You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
9 ” ‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales–whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water–you are to regard as unclean. 11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.
13 ” ‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
20 ” ‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you. 21 There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. 22 Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. 23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean. 24 ” ‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
26 ” ‘Every animal that does not have a divided hoof or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean. 27 Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 28 Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. These animals are unclean for you.
29 ” ‘Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon. 31 Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening. 32 When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth. Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean. 33 If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot. 34 Any food you are allowed to eat that has come into contact with water from any such pot is unclean, and any liquid that is drunk from such a pot is unclean. 35 Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean. 36 A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. 37 If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. 38 But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
39 ” ‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. 40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
41 ” ‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. 42 You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. 43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. 44 I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. 45 I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
46 ” ‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’ “
