Leviticus 15:24-33: a reflection

24“‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on shall be unclean. 25“‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her period, all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as in the days of her period. She is unclean. 26Every bed she lies on all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her period. Everything she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period. 27Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 28“‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 30The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for the uncleanness of her discharge. 31“‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.’” 32This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it; 33and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean.

These are among the laws about ceremonial uncleanness, dealing with various bodily conditions that rendered a person unclean and required cleansing before they could approach the tabernacle. The purpose is stated: thus you shall keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle. One could not approach God's holy presence while unclean; cleansing and atonement were needed first.

Notice what these laws taught, beneath their specific concerns: that there is a gap between God's holiness and human uncleanness, and that one cannot simply approach the holy God as one is. Even ordinary conditions of the body rendered a person ceremonially unclean, unable to draw near until cleansed. It was a constant, tangible reminder that God is holy, that we are unclean, and that to draw near to him requires cleansing.

That reminder points to a deeper truth, and a deeper cleansing that God provides. We cannot approach the holy God on the strength of our own uncleanness; we need to be made clean. But the cleansing we need is not of the body only, but of the heart, from the deeper uncleanness of sin, which we cannot wash away ourselves. And this cleansing God gives in Christ, who cleanses us thoroughly, so that we who were unable to approach may draw near to the holy God. Do not presume to approach God trusting in your own uncleanness; but do not despair, either, as though you could never be clean. Come to God through Christ, who cleanses you from your sin, and draw near as one made clean by him. What these laws pictured, the need to be cleansed to approach a holy God, Christ has fulfilled, cleansing us so that we may draw near.

Lord, these laws about uncleanness taught that one could not approach your holy presence while unclean, but needed cleansing first, keeping your people separate from their uncleanness lest they die when they defiled your tabernacle. Show me what they taught beneath their specific concerns: that there is a gap between your holiness and human uncleanness, and that I cannot simply approach you as I am. It was a constant reminder that you are holy, that we are unclean, and that to draw near requires cleansing. And thank you that this points to a deeper cleansing you provide. I cannot approach you on the strength of my own uncleanness; I need to be made clean, not of the body only, but of the heart, from the deeper uncleanness of sin, which I cannot wash away myself. And thank you that this cleansing you give in Christ, who cleanses me thoroughly, so that I, once unable to approach, may draw near to you. Keep me from presuming to approach you in my own uncleanness, and from despairing as though I could never be clean; help me come through Christ, who cleanses me, and draw near as one made clean by him.