Leviticus 11:1-47

This is one of those passages where the resounding question in my mind was, "But, why?"  I saw the logic of it: whatever chews cud and has a cloven foot, both, are acceptable to eat.  But if they don't have both criteria, they are not acceptable to you; therefore, the camel, the rock badger, etc. are not acceptable.  No problem, I get that.  But why do these things constitute defilement?  Why isn't it the other way around?  It's not the logic of how the rule works by why the rule in the first place I don't understand.  I've been reading some commentaries and they have yet to explain that to me.  They are perfectly capable of explaining the rule, which I already understand, and even the principle of abstaining from that which defiles us, even today, which I also understand.  But why does God say that the cloven-footed cud-chewer is acceptable, but the non-cloven-footed cud-chewer, or the non-cud-chewing cloven-footed are not?

I've been wondering if there really isn't a particular reason, other than that the Lord has decreed this and it is to teach the principle that some things can defile us (like, say, lying, murder, sex outside of marriage, gossiping, hating our brothers, Christian or familial) and therefore we should detest them and abstain from them.  (If you don't believe me on the parenthetical examples, check out Colossians 3:5, 2 Timothy 3:5, 1 John 3:14-15, Ephesians 5:19-21, just to name a few).  Granted, I've not yet exhausted my commentaries and helps, and I by no means have an exhaustive library with which to research.  Maybe the answer's out there and I just haven't found it.  But from the standpoint of someone who is simply reading through Leviticus, this principle makes sense: there are things in life that make us unclean, that will separate us from the Lord.  And we are to avoid them, abstain from them, not only that but to hate them and detest them.  After all, they separate us from our Lord.  If only we had that attitude towards the sin in our lives!  If only we understood how the seemingly "little sins" can make us unclean and can taint our relationship with the Lord!  Things that perhaps we think we can slide by with.  Or that we are only hurting ourselves with.  But one thing I am learning for sure from Leviticus (and I know will be supported in Numbers and Joshua, definitely), that one sin among the people of Israel affected the entirety of Israel: look at Moses' warnings to Aaron and his sons after Nadab and Abihu.  Does it not work the same for the church?  This is not a call to point fingers at other people, by no means! (To borrow a Paul-like phrase.)  But perhaps it's an even greater call to examine our own lives and make sure that we are confessing our sins to the One who is faithful to forgive: our sin affects our relationship with the Lord and our relationship with others.  It makes us unclean.

Tomorrow's Reading: Leviticus 12:1-13:59