Leviticus 11: Clean and Unclean Animals – A Call to Holiness

Key Verse: Leviticus 11:45 "I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

Leviticus 11 introduces dietary laws that distinguish between clean and unclean animals. At first glance, these regulations may seem strange or outdated, but they carried a deeper purpose: God was teaching His people how to live set apart from the nations around them.

This chapter is not just about food—it’s about holiness. God wanted Israel to understand that their identity as His people required them to live differently, even in everyday things like eating.

The Categories of Clean and Unclean Animals

God divided animals into three main groups:

1. Land Animals – Clean animals had split hooves and chewed the cud (such as cows, sheep, and goats). Unclean animals included pigs, camels, and rabbits. (Leviticus 11:3-8)

2. Sea Creatures – Only fish with fins and scales were considered clean (such as salmon and tilapia). Shellfish, eels, and catfish were unclean. (Leviticus 11:9-12)

3. Birds and Insects – Predatory birds (like vultures and hawks) were unclean, but certain insects (like locusts and crickets) were permitted. (Leviticus 11:13-23)

Anything that touched a dead unclean animal became impure and required cleansing. (Leviticus 11:24-40)

Why Did God Give These Laws?

While some of these laws may have had health benefits, the primary reason was spiritual.

• God’s people were to be distinct – The surrounding nations ate whatever they wanted, but Israel’s diet reminded them that they belonged to the Lord.

• Obedience was an act of worship – Even something as simple as eating was an opportunity to honor God.

• Holiness applied to every part of life – These laws taught that God’s standards affected not just worship, but also daily routines.

Jesus: The One Who Makes Us Truly Clean

In the New Testament, Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:18-19) and Peter received a vision in which God told him to no longer call unclean what He had made clean (Acts 10:9-16). These moments signified that holiness was no longer about external rules, but about the condition of the heart.

• Jesus cleanses us from sin, not just outward impurity – True holiness comes from within. (Matthew 15:11)

• We are set apart by Christ, not by diet – Believers are called to spiritual holiness, not just external purity. (1 Peter 2:9)

• God still calls us to be different – Though the food laws are no longer binding, we are still called to live in a way that distinguishes us from the world. (Romans 12:2)

A Lesson for Us

• Are we living in holiness, set apart from the world?

• Are we honoring God in the everyday parts of life, not just in church?

• Are we letting Jesus cleanse us, knowing that only He makes us truly holy?

Leviticus 11 reminds us that God calls His people to be different. Through Christ, we are not bound by these dietary laws, but we are still called to live set apart for Him in every area of life.

Are we reflecting His holiness in all that we do?