DCLM DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR  SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 (CLEANLINESS AND GODLINESS)

TOPIC : CLEANLINESS AND GODLINESS

Text: Leviticus 11:24-40 (KJV)

24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted*, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
27 And whatsoever* goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth*, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

KEY VERSE: “And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.” – (Leviticus 11:25)

MESSAGE

There is this universal phrase, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. It underscores the fact that maintaining personal hygiene and clean environment prevents the spread of diseases and promote healthy living. Both cleanliness and godliness express outward and inward/moral healthiness. There is no form of uncleanness which our holy God does not hate. Cleanliness or abhorrence of all forms of uncleanness is His charge to all.

When God chose Israel as His people, He gave them dietary laws, among others, to guide them in their dealings with Him. Some animals were unclean; their carcasses were not to be touched. Anyone who held them was also rendered defiled. Cooking utensils, clothes and body of water would be unclean if the dead bodies of these creatures came into contact with them. The remedy was that a person so contaminated “shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even”.

These commandments relate to the physical life of the people but they come to us with far-reaching spiritual implications. Walking with a holy God demands that the believer keeps up with His holy standards. If we hope to live with Him in His heavenly habitation, where “there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither… abomination”, we must be washed in the blood of Jesus.

Cleansing with water in Leviticus is an adumbration of the work of the blood of the Lord. He shed it on the cross for everyone sullied by sin to wash in for spiritual godliness. Sinners, like the Israelites who were given the opportunity to wash off their impurities, have the chance to immerse themselves in the blood of Jesus for purging. Besides, believers of all ages enjoy the privilege of pleading the blood of Jesus “…that speaketh better things…” in all situations of life (Hebrews 12:24).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Spiritual cleanliness is godliness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 85-88

Daily Manna is the daily devotional of the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry (DCLM) written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi. It is an extraction of God’s Word designed to draw the sincere seeker closer to God on a daily basis through an insightful exposition and analysis of God’s Word.