f***@ymail.com
2013-03-09 08:41:32 UTC
EATING PASSOVER WORTHILY
What does it mean to eat and drink the Passover unworthily?
(I am speaking to members of the Churches of God, Jews and Israelites who keep the Passover on the 14th Nisan in the springtime).
Paul said that many in the Corinthian church were weak, sickly or their mortal body had died because they had eaten the Passover unworthily – not discerning that Christ’s body is holy.
1Co 11:29* For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30* For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Paul goes on to say that because of eating and drinking the Passover unworthily, many were sick and even “slept” (i.e. their mortal body had died while they slept in the dust of the earth).
CHRIST’S BODY IS HOLY
Christ’s body is holy, he is called “a holy child”: Ac 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
What does “holy” mean exactly? A holy person is one who, when he becomes unclean (as is unavoidable in this world), he cleanses himself from the uncleanness. An unclean person does not, and eventually becomes “filthy”.
The time will come when your way of life you have chosen will become permanent:
Re 22:11* He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
A believer can influence his/her family to be holy, even though they may be unbelievers but are pleased to be living with the believer:
1Co 7:14* For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ISRAEL HAS NOT BEEN TAUGHT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN
Eze 22:26* Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
Eze 44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to DISCERN between the unclean and the clean.
THEN they will be able to “discern” Christ’s body.
AN UNHOLY PERSON CAN BE CLEANSED BY GOD
Peter had a vision where he was asked to eat animals which to him looked unclean. He had never, all the days Jesus was on the earth with him, nor after his resurrection, Peter had never eaten any “common” or “unclean” food:
Acts 10:14* But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15* And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
The nations were regarded by the Jews at that time in the first century as “unclean” or “the great unwashed”. They were (for that reason that the nation might influence the Jews to practice unclean activities such as eating strangled (rather than bled) animals (like Christmas turkeys), or practicing fornication) the holy people were forbidden to mix with the nations. But God was now showing Peter that any person from any nation who PRACTISED RIGHTEOUSNESS could be cleansed and become holy, as much as any Jew or Israelite.
Peter realized that:
Acts 10:34* ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35* But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Ac 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
From then on, Peter ate with the righteous people from the nations other than Judaea.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…
“Unclean” food comes from unclean animals, as listed in Leviticus 11 – animals which do not have cloven hooves and chew their cud, fish without scales and fins, scavenger birds like crows. “Common” food could be clean food which has been handled the same day by someone who passed on defilement to it (e.g. they had been in a place where someone died, like a hospital, in the last 8 days).
THE LAWS OF HOLINESS versus UNCLEANNESS are found in Leviticus 11-15.
Are they important? Christ followed them on earth. We are told that any one who continually practices uncleanness HAS NO INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND OF GOD:
Eph 5:5* For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor UNCLEAN person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
The word for “unclean” here is the SAME WORD as Peter used when he was referring to UNCLEAN FOOD:
Ac 11:8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or UNCLEAN hath at any time entered into my mouth.
WHAT ABOUT PASSOVER, CAN WE TAKE IT WHEN WE ARE PHYSICALLY “UNCLEAN”?
So, can we take the Passover while we are ourselves in an “unclean” state? Should we examine ourselves to make sure we are clean and holy before we partake of it?
KING HEZEKIAH’S PASSOVER IN JERUSALEM.
Yes, we should. But let’s look back to when ancient Israel had departed from God’s laws for many days, and been without law and a teaching priest and urim and thumim, until Isaiah taught them. A righteous descendent of David, King Hezekiah, kept a Passover in Jerusalem. This was during the time Isaiah was prophesizing. He could not keep it in the first month because many of the priests were not clean and were unprepared for it, so it was kept in the second month of the spring.
2 chron 30: 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
18* For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20* And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
By implication, if Yahweh (Christ before he took on the body of the son of Mary), had not listened to King Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people, many of them would have continued to be weak and sickly or their mortal bodies dead.
Because this was the first time for very many years, that Israelites had observed the Passover, they did not all understand enough about holiness and cleanness and uncleanness to understand that you have to be clean in body, mind and spirit to eat the Passover. After this time, the Levites began again to teach and educate Israel.
So King Hezekiah prayed for them and asked Yahweh to pardon every one who prepared his heart to seek God, though he was not clean according to the instructions about being clean to eat holy things as in the instructions for the temple. IF a person prepared his heart to seek God, he would learn the difference and how to properly discern Christ’s body.
Those who kept it the next year would eat it without any uncleanness on them.
We are told that Yahweh hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people. These sincere people did not yet understand what holiness meant, how to keep the Sabbath holy, how to separate between the clean and the unclean. But if they were sincere in their search for correct doctrine (the leaven of the kingdom, instead of the leaven of malice and wickedness) they would learn and understand personally.
THE “PURIFICATION OF THE SANCTUARY”
The offerings in the temple were eaten by those who were clean. These offerings represented Christ: the burnt offering, the sin and guilt offering and those three were ceased when Christ fulfilled their meaning on Passover Day.
There were also offerings called “peace offerings” which were not ended, as Christ left his peace with us. These could be eaten by clean persons in the temple or at home. They could be “thanksgiving” meals consisting of lamb, beef or kid including unleavened items, wine, salt and olive oil. Or they could be held as fulfillment of a vow made to God, or simply as a voluntary offering – done by your own free will.
The commandment says to keep the Sabbath day HOLY: Ex 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it HOLY.
The entire period from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset should be kept holy – i.e. the clean should not come into contact with the unclean during that time.
What uncleannesses prevented you from eating the holy peace offering, and other offerings in the holy temple?
The flesh of the peace offering animal would not be clean if it had touched anything unclean (such as pork, a dead fly, dead worm, etc).
Lev 7:19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. 20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Le 7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
Haggai 2:12* If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
Hag 2:13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
Hag 2:14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
So, does Yahweh accept your worship when you assemble on a holy day after visiting someone in a hospital? Or without separating the clean from the unclean?
During the 7 days of the feast of Unleavened bread (following the one day of the Passover on the 14th Nisan), and during the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles and the one Last Great Day, and Pentecost and the Day of Trumpets, we are told to offer “an offering made by fire” every day. The peace offering meat or unleavened bread
could be eaten by any clean person (probably best time would be just after sunset), though animal fat should never be eaten:
Le 7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN NEED TO BE SEPARATE ON A HOLY DAY SUCH AS THE 7TH DAY OF THE WEEK:
What are the “uncleannesses of man” which need to be kept separate on a holy day? One is when you have been in a place where someone died within the last 7 days, and you were in that place within the last 7 days. (Since a day in the Bible runs from sunset to sunet, this could really be 7/8 days ago). Such places could be a private home, but more likely a general hospital where many deaths usually occur any given week.
Numbers 9:9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
When a person dies, his close family members can become unclean for him or her. Someone has to deal with the dead body. Even a king could be defiled for his father, mother, son, daughter or sister at home. Only the high priest was prohibited from ever becoming “defiled by the dead”. So if, say someone’s parent died close to Passover and they were “defiled by the dead” for 7 days, then they were allowed to keep the Passover in the second month of spring when they could be clean.
A WOMAN’S MONTHLY PERIOD OF SEPARATION
A woman is “unclean” for 7 days during her monthly period of separation.
Lev 15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
This does NOT say not to touch a monstrous woman on a work day. It is NOT a SIN to become unclean on a normal work day (usually Sunday to Friday), by touching an unclean person. It just says that if you do, you should shower or bath that day and put on clean clothes the next day (which begins at sunset). You just have to make sure that when you are mixing with the general public on a work day that you have a bath or shower each day and put on clean clothes each day. However the 7th day of the week should be kept holy – let an unclean woman have her own bed and chair and don’t touch her on that day. Cater for them, plan for them. At evening (sunset) EVERYTHING IS CLEAN AGAIN – chairs, beds, people etc. The only things which are NOT CLEANSED AT SUNSET are those with 7 days defilement on them such as a person who was in a building where someone died in the last week, or a woman’s 7-day period of uncleanness, or money which has been taken into a hospital in someone’s pocket or purse, or any item in a house in which someone died in the last week, or your clothing, purse, shoes etc which you wore when you went into the hospital. Such items made anyone who touched them unclean until sunset, and they did this for 7 days. After sunset the person who touched them was clean, but the money or other item itself could defile for up to 7 days. Therefore on the Sabbath day, anyone wanting to remain holy on that day should not touch money because you usually will have no idea of where the money could have been in the last week. Even giving an offering of money on a holy day should be prepared, with the money put in an envelope over 8 days before (so that it doesn’t make those who count it unclean, or else they should wear gloves).
If any unclean meat (such as pork) touches holy meat, the holy meat is not holy any more. If a butcher who (wrongly) sells unclean meat such as pigmeat or horsemeat for human consumption touches the meat without gloves on, then when he washes his hands HE is clean again at sunset. Meat of a dead pig is always unclean to touch.
A nocturnal emission makes a man unclean to sunset and he should wash and put on clean clothes. He is clean again after sunset. (However in marriage, as Paul said “all things” are undefiled, except of course intercourse with a menstrous woman.).
Heb 13:4* Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
(God will judge according to the statutes given in Exodus 20-23).
If a woman’s monthly flow of blood goes on longer than 7 days, she is unclean during the time the blood comes, and also in this case an additional 7 days after when she is free of blood. So a woman with a long-standing issue of blood should not take the Passover until 7 days after she is free of this issue.
There are various other instructions for lepers in Leviticus, and those with gonorrhea and with running ulcers who are also unclean. Also those with LIFE THREATENING skin cancers, until whenever the cancer is healed.
BOTH CLEAN AND UNCLEAN SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR:
Think back to Passover day in Egypt when BOTH CLEAN AND UNCLEAN were catered for. Both were under the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites’ houses. Yet they were temporarily separated. Those eating the Passover and the wine and unleavened bread did not touch the unclean and stayed holy so they could eat the Passover worthily. They stayed in their houses and remained clean until midnight, and after that they could go out. For example, those who were “unclean” biblically speaking, could be in a different room or bedroom from those who were eating the Passover. They could have a bathroom just allocated to themselves. But the living quarters are organized to look after them too. And yes, some women might have to miss both of the Passovers in the springtime.
So, we should set our hearts to seek Christ (Yahweh), and to separate between the clean and the unclean, especially at Passover time.
What does it mean to eat and drink the Passover unworthily?
(I am speaking to members of the Churches of God, Jews and Israelites who keep the Passover on the 14th Nisan in the springtime).
Paul said that many in the Corinthian church were weak, sickly or their mortal body had died because they had eaten the Passover unworthily – not discerning that Christ’s body is holy.
1Co 11:29* For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30* For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Paul goes on to say that because of eating and drinking the Passover unworthily, many were sick and even “slept” (i.e. their mortal body had died while they slept in the dust of the earth).
CHRIST’S BODY IS HOLY
Christ’s body is holy, he is called “a holy child”: Ac 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
What does “holy” mean exactly? A holy person is one who, when he becomes unclean (as is unavoidable in this world), he cleanses himself from the uncleanness. An unclean person does not, and eventually becomes “filthy”.
The time will come when your way of life you have chosen will become permanent:
Re 22:11* He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
A believer can influence his/her family to be holy, even though they may be unbelievers but are pleased to be living with the believer:
1Co 7:14* For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ISRAEL HAS NOT BEEN TAUGHT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN
Eze 22:26* Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
Eze 44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to DISCERN between the unclean and the clean.
THEN they will be able to “discern” Christ’s body.
AN UNHOLY PERSON CAN BE CLEANSED BY GOD
Peter had a vision where he was asked to eat animals which to him looked unclean. He had never, all the days Jesus was on the earth with him, nor after his resurrection, Peter had never eaten any “common” or “unclean” food:
Acts 10:14* But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15* And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
The nations were regarded by the Jews at that time in the first century as “unclean” or “the great unwashed”. They were (for that reason that the nation might influence the Jews to practice unclean activities such as eating strangled (rather than bled) animals (like Christmas turkeys), or practicing fornication) the holy people were forbidden to mix with the nations. But God was now showing Peter that any person from any nation who PRACTISED RIGHTEOUSNESS could be cleansed and become holy, as much as any Jew or Israelite.
Peter realized that:
Acts 10:34* ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35* But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Ac 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
From then on, Peter ate with the righteous people from the nations other than Judaea.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…
“Unclean” food comes from unclean animals, as listed in Leviticus 11 – animals which do not have cloven hooves and chew their cud, fish without scales and fins, scavenger birds like crows. “Common” food could be clean food which has been handled the same day by someone who passed on defilement to it (e.g. they had been in a place where someone died, like a hospital, in the last 8 days).
THE LAWS OF HOLINESS versus UNCLEANNESS are found in Leviticus 11-15.
Are they important? Christ followed them on earth. We are told that any one who continually practices uncleanness HAS NO INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND OF GOD:
Eph 5:5* For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor UNCLEAN person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
The word for “unclean” here is the SAME WORD as Peter used when he was referring to UNCLEAN FOOD:
Ac 11:8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or UNCLEAN hath at any time entered into my mouth.
WHAT ABOUT PASSOVER, CAN WE TAKE IT WHEN WE ARE PHYSICALLY “UNCLEAN”?
So, can we take the Passover while we are ourselves in an “unclean” state? Should we examine ourselves to make sure we are clean and holy before we partake of it?
KING HEZEKIAH’S PASSOVER IN JERUSALEM.
Yes, we should. But let’s look back to when ancient Israel had departed from God’s laws for many days, and been without law and a teaching priest and urim and thumim, until Isaiah taught them. A righteous descendent of David, King Hezekiah, kept a Passover in Jerusalem. This was during the time Isaiah was prophesizing. He could not keep it in the first month because many of the priests were not clean and were unprepared for it, so it was kept in the second month of the spring.
2 chron 30: 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
18* For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20* And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
By implication, if Yahweh (Christ before he took on the body of the son of Mary), had not listened to King Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people, many of them would have continued to be weak and sickly or their mortal bodies dead.
Because this was the first time for very many years, that Israelites had observed the Passover, they did not all understand enough about holiness and cleanness and uncleanness to understand that you have to be clean in body, mind and spirit to eat the Passover. After this time, the Levites began again to teach and educate Israel.
So King Hezekiah prayed for them and asked Yahweh to pardon every one who prepared his heart to seek God, though he was not clean according to the instructions about being clean to eat holy things as in the instructions for the temple. IF a person prepared his heart to seek God, he would learn the difference and how to properly discern Christ’s body.
Those who kept it the next year would eat it without any uncleanness on them.
We are told that Yahweh hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people. These sincere people did not yet understand what holiness meant, how to keep the Sabbath holy, how to separate between the clean and the unclean. But if they were sincere in their search for correct doctrine (the leaven of the kingdom, instead of the leaven of malice and wickedness) they would learn and understand personally.
THE “PURIFICATION OF THE SANCTUARY”
The offerings in the temple were eaten by those who were clean. These offerings represented Christ: the burnt offering, the sin and guilt offering and those three were ceased when Christ fulfilled their meaning on Passover Day.
There were also offerings called “peace offerings” which were not ended, as Christ left his peace with us. These could be eaten by clean persons in the temple or at home. They could be “thanksgiving” meals consisting of lamb, beef or kid including unleavened items, wine, salt and olive oil. Or they could be held as fulfillment of a vow made to God, or simply as a voluntary offering – done by your own free will.
The commandment says to keep the Sabbath day HOLY: Ex 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it HOLY.
The entire period from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset should be kept holy – i.e. the clean should not come into contact with the unclean during that time.
What uncleannesses prevented you from eating the holy peace offering, and other offerings in the holy temple?
The flesh of the peace offering animal would not be clean if it had touched anything unclean (such as pork, a dead fly, dead worm, etc).
Lev 7:19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. 20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Le 7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
Haggai 2:12* If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
Hag 2:13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
Hag 2:14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
So, does Yahweh accept your worship when you assemble on a holy day after visiting someone in a hospital? Or without separating the clean from the unclean?
During the 7 days of the feast of Unleavened bread (following the one day of the Passover on the 14th Nisan), and during the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles and the one Last Great Day, and Pentecost and the Day of Trumpets, we are told to offer “an offering made by fire” every day. The peace offering meat or unleavened bread
could be eaten by any clean person (probably best time would be just after sunset), though animal fat should never be eaten:
Le 7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN NEED TO BE SEPARATE ON A HOLY DAY SUCH AS THE 7TH DAY OF THE WEEK:
What are the “uncleannesses of man” which need to be kept separate on a holy day? One is when you have been in a place where someone died within the last 7 days, and you were in that place within the last 7 days. (Since a day in the Bible runs from sunset to sunet, this could really be 7/8 days ago). Such places could be a private home, but more likely a general hospital where many deaths usually occur any given week.
Numbers 9:9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
When a person dies, his close family members can become unclean for him or her. Someone has to deal with the dead body. Even a king could be defiled for his father, mother, son, daughter or sister at home. Only the high priest was prohibited from ever becoming “defiled by the dead”. So if, say someone’s parent died close to Passover and they were “defiled by the dead” for 7 days, then they were allowed to keep the Passover in the second month of spring when they could be clean.
A WOMAN’S MONTHLY PERIOD OF SEPARATION
A woman is “unclean” for 7 days during her monthly period of separation.
Lev 15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
This does NOT say not to touch a monstrous woman on a work day. It is NOT a SIN to become unclean on a normal work day (usually Sunday to Friday), by touching an unclean person. It just says that if you do, you should shower or bath that day and put on clean clothes the next day (which begins at sunset). You just have to make sure that when you are mixing with the general public on a work day that you have a bath or shower each day and put on clean clothes each day. However the 7th day of the week should be kept holy – let an unclean woman have her own bed and chair and don’t touch her on that day. Cater for them, plan for them. At evening (sunset) EVERYTHING IS CLEAN AGAIN – chairs, beds, people etc. The only things which are NOT CLEANSED AT SUNSET are those with 7 days defilement on them such as a person who was in a building where someone died in the last week, or a woman’s 7-day period of uncleanness, or money which has been taken into a hospital in someone’s pocket or purse, or any item in a house in which someone died in the last week, or your clothing, purse, shoes etc which you wore when you went into the hospital. Such items made anyone who touched them unclean until sunset, and they did this for 7 days. After sunset the person who touched them was clean, but the money or other item itself could defile for up to 7 days. Therefore on the Sabbath day, anyone wanting to remain holy on that day should not touch money because you usually will have no idea of where the money could have been in the last week. Even giving an offering of money on a holy day should be prepared, with the money put in an envelope over 8 days before (so that it doesn’t make those who count it unclean, or else they should wear gloves).
If any unclean meat (such as pork) touches holy meat, the holy meat is not holy any more. If a butcher who (wrongly) sells unclean meat such as pigmeat or horsemeat for human consumption touches the meat without gloves on, then when he washes his hands HE is clean again at sunset. Meat of a dead pig is always unclean to touch.
A nocturnal emission makes a man unclean to sunset and he should wash and put on clean clothes. He is clean again after sunset. (However in marriage, as Paul said “all things” are undefiled, except of course intercourse with a menstrous woman.).
Heb 13:4* Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
(God will judge according to the statutes given in Exodus 20-23).
If a woman’s monthly flow of blood goes on longer than 7 days, she is unclean during the time the blood comes, and also in this case an additional 7 days after when she is free of blood. So a woman with a long-standing issue of blood should not take the Passover until 7 days after she is free of this issue.
There are various other instructions for lepers in Leviticus, and those with gonorrhea and with running ulcers who are also unclean. Also those with LIFE THREATENING skin cancers, until whenever the cancer is healed.
BOTH CLEAN AND UNCLEAN SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR:
Think back to Passover day in Egypt when BOTH CLEAN AND UNCLEAN were catered for. Both were under the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites’ houses. Yet they were temporarily separated. Those eating the Passover and the wine and unleavened bread did not touch the unclean and stayed holy so they could eat the Passover worthily. They stayed in their houses and remained clean until midnight, and after that they could go out. For example, those who were “unclean” biblically speaking, could be in a different room or bedroom from those who were eating the Passover. They could have a bathroom just allocated to themselves. But the living quarters are organized to look after them too. And yes, some women might have to miss both of the Passovers in the springtime.
So, we should set our hearts to seek Christ (Yahweh), and to separate between the clean and the unclean, especially at Passover time.