You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.” Leviticus 10:10-11 ESV
In the pagan cultures surrounding Israel, there was great concern over what was clean and what was unclean. The reason for this is that magical rituals would not work if the unclean forces were allowed to intervene and interrupt them.
As the above instructions given to Aaron indicate, Israel had a similar concern, but as in so many cases, it is not the similarities to the surrounding cultures that define Israel, it is the differences. In this case the difference was in Israel’s understanding of the unclean. The unclean is not a positive force originating in the demonic realm. Rather, it is anything contrary to Yahweh’s holy nature and his plan for the world. The whole sacrificial system was intended to teach this (Lev 1-9). Then when Nadab and Abihu’s casual treatment of God’s commands (Lev 10:1-3) showed that they had not gotten the point, the object lessons of Leviticus 11-15 are given to see if that will help get it across.
So what is unclean? Idolatry, perverse sex, false weights, hatred, etc. It is not pig meat, or clams, or mold, or a contagious skin disease. Jesus made this very clear when he said that it is not what goes into your mouth that makes you unclean, but the stuff that spews out of your mouth from a heart that does not belong to God (Matt 15:16-20). Were the object lessons a priestly “hang-up”? No, they were very important as learning tools. It is just that they were never intended to be permanent once the lesson was caught.
David understands this, when he cries out to God and asks him to “Create a clean heart in me.” What was he asking for? He was asking that the very core of his personality would belong completely to God and would reflect God’s character and desires in every way. Can you and I be clean to the very core? Both David and Jesus seem to think so. Let’s believe God to do it.
Called To Be Transformed 