Today’s passage: Leviticus 12
Helpful thoughts:
- In today’s chapter, God gives laws concerning the purification of a woman after childbirth.
- The time of uncleanness and for purification were twice as long after the birth of daughters than it was for sons. There isn’t any reason given for this. It could have simply allowed for the mother and father to ensure the boy was circumcised on the 8th day. It is speculated it had to do with the fact that daughters would grow up and repeat the process of childbirth, Lord willing.
- These possible explanations are simply educated guesses. The Lord knows…
- Mary brought turtledoves to the temple after the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:24). Joseph and Mary were not wealthy people.
Questions to consider:
- What would have been some potential benefits to the women of having this time period set aside to become “clean” and “purified?” In an age without all of our medical advances, why might a woman want/need to be set apart in this way after the birth of her child?
- How would the need for an offering and sacrifice have benefited the mother and prepared her for the task she had now undertaken? What would have been some of the reminders observed in the sacrifice which blessed her in the rearing of her children?
- How could these commands remind us of the goodness of God? Did He give these laws to be a burden and reduce the number of births in Israel or to serve as a blessing and life-giving reminders to his people (Particularly the women)?