(Leviticus 12:1-8) Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:
‘When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. 3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.
6 ‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
We can only be amazed and in awe of the intricacies of God's creation. As well, we can see how God protects and cares for women. This is a very practical law, giving women a chance to heal. Especially back then, after delivering a female baby, men can sometimes be anxious to produce a son. And maybe just maybe this extra time apart from the husband made the heart grow fonder? But within any marital relationship, a husband needs to understanding and be patient with his wife as she goes through all the different cycles and hormonal changes!
For health reasons, male babies were to be circumcised on the eighth day. And for health reasons, blood released from a woman's body is how it purifies itself. Her monthly cycle has four phases in preparation of getting pregnant: the menstrual, follicular, ovulation and luteal. In the follicular phase, the body prepares to release a mature egg or ovum from one of the ovaries. if a woman's reproductive egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus or endometrium is shed during her menstrual phase in order to create a fresh new uterine lining.
If a woman's reproductive egg is fertilized, after she gives birth there will be four to six weeks of bleeding, which has four different stages. This is in order to shed the lochia and restore the uterine lining. Because the body has gone through so many changes during pregnancy, and different issues can occur during delivery, there can be more bleeding or postpartum hemorrhaging in order to help the body heal. "Old things" die and are released in order to bring health restoration, hope and new life.
in the grand picture, we have to understand that where there is sin there is death. Therefore, in death, blood must be shed in order to bring about healing and newness of life. Sacrificing of animals was only a temporary demonstration of what Jesus has done for us on the cross - a once-for-all sacrifice to pay the price for sin and have victory over death. All we have to do is accept His free gift of forgiveness of all our sins and put our belief, faith and trust in Him, and in Him alone. He shed His blood for us, and it is His blood that washes us clean, giving us healing, restoration, rebirth - a newness of life which is eternal.
No comments:
Post a Comment