In this message on chapter twelve we come to the matter of uncleanness in human birth. Leviticus 12 reveals that the very source of our being is unclean. Chapter eleven tells us to be careful in contacting certain kinds of persons lest we be defiled, but chapter twelve indicates that we are altogether unclean from birth. Uncleanness is the source from which we were born.
The first thing we need to consider in Leviticus is woman’s relationship to human birth.
In figure, woman represents all mankind. In God’s economy, in His divine dispensation and divine arrangement, all mankind is female. Whereas woman in the Bible represents mankind, man represents God and Christ. Christ is the unique male, and all those who are married to Him are females.
The uncleanness within the woman signifies the uncleanness within all mankind. We all, males and females alike, are unclean.
The fact that the human birth coming out of the woman is unclean signifies that the source of all mankind is unclean. Since the source is unclean, whatever is born of the source must also be unclean.
We are unclean by birth, and now we remain unclean in our living. We do not become unclean simply by contacting something unclean; we are unclean already by birth. We were unclean even when we were in our mother’s womb. Hence, we were born in uncleanness and live in uncleanness. No matter how careful we may be, simply because we are a part of mankind we are unclean. Not only are we unclean-we are uncleanness itself. Human beings are totally unclean. If we are under the Lord’s enlightenment, under the divine light, we shall realize that from head to toe we are a totality of uncleanness.
The second section of Leviticus shows us not only who we are but also what we are. We are uncleanness. Nevertheless, Leviticus requires that we live a holy life. How can uncleanness live a holy life? Logically speaking, this is impossible. It is absolutely impossible for uncleanness to live a holy life. However, as we shall see, in God’s salvation there is the provision for us to live a holy life.
In contrast to the uncleanness in diet dealt with in chapter eleven, which is from without, the uncleanness of mankind is from within. Chapter eleven covers outward uncleanness, but chapter twelve covers inward uncleanness, the uncleanness of our entire being from birth. Leviticus 12, therefore, goes to the source of uncleanness and touches the root of uncleanness. Chapter eleven simply charges us to live a clean life by contacting what is clean and by avoiding what is unclean. This kind of cleanness is outward; it is a matter of outward conduct. Chapter twelve, however, touches our birth, not merely our outward conduct following our birth. Leviticus 12 deals with the source from which we came.
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