The Feed Mill

Today’s Bible Reading: Leviticus 15-17

Today’s Devotional: Leviticus 15

Normal and Abnormal discharge

Leviticus 15 would have been received by the Israelites as the same as Leviticus 12 with a hope of restoration. All of the 4 discharges were from reproductive organs, 2 from men and 2 from women.

Leviticus 15:1-15 many in the past few hundred years have equated this to Gonorrhea. Alternatively though this has been identified as an infectious bilharzia, a scourge in the ancient world and a parasite that has been discovered in excavations. In the ancient world the discharges were believed to be evident of demonic presence throughout Mesopotamia and would require a very elaborate exorcism. But God only required washing of the individual and purification along with a sacrifice when healed.

Leviticus 15:16-18 among the Hittites this discharge was considered to be a result of relationships with spirits at night. In Israel however there is no stigma of immoral spiritual conduct, but instead God required only washing.

Leviticus 15:19-24 in the ancient world a woman with a menstrual flow was considered a source of impurity and in a handful of cultures believed it represented a danger of demonic influence. God again corrects the fault and creates another distinction between the practices of cleanness among the children of Israel and the rest of the religious practices of the world. It only requires washing, not sacrifice, and offers no protective rituals and false practices putting a religious trip on women to place them further under spiritual oppression.

Leviticus 15:25-33 Menostaxis, it would cause perpetual uncleanness and make it nearly impossible to have children. A woman in a crowd in Mark 5:25-34 was healed by Jesus with this type of chronic discharge, in view of the Levitical secondary unclean laws, it’s understandable why she would be frightened when Jesus drew attention to her.

From the slavery to the world to then Israel coming into a new relationship with the Lord and into a new identity. All of the law and especially Leviticus 15 would have been a message of hope from the burden and empty promises the false systems of the world had promised, and heavy burden they had placed on the individual and the family system.

Likewise for the Christian, the spiritual relief Jesus gives to the individual and family system when it comes to purity and cleanliness. The promises of hope in our marriages and family dynamics are elevated and there is no longer a burden of improper stigmas for reconciliation or returning to fellowship with a church family or with a spouse when the family system is focused around and in Christ. There are no worldly pressures and immoral pressures placed on marriages there is only hope.