Observation Questions For
Leviticus Chapter 12
Introduction: Chapter 12 describes the uncleanness which a woman acquires as the result of the birth of a child. The uncleanness is the result of the “flow of blood” following the birth of a child. The blood, while it is unclean to her and others, is the instrument of her cleansing. In the text (Lev. 12:4-5) it is called “the blood of her purification.” It is impure partly because it removes the impurities of the child-bearing process from her body, thus making the blood unclean and defiling.
The explanation for why having a girl child results in a doubled period of uncleanness is a mystery to most scholars and commentators. There is a thought I had that the male represents Jesus, who was also circumcised on the 8th day, and possibly the female represents the church which later is the bride of Christ collectively. I wonder if the double days were to cover the time for the man and the woman collectively since the Bride and Jesus were to be one as a husband an wife are seen as one. Just me thinking ?
Leviticus Chapter 12
1. What did the Lord tell Moses about a woman giving birth to a male child? How long would she be unclean after his birth and what did the Lord compare it with? vs. 1,2
2. What was to be done on the 8th day for every male child born? vs. 3
Love this scientific fact: Why was the circumcision to be performed on the eighth day? Newborn children have a lack of vitamin K during the first few days of life. Vitamin K is vital for its blood-clotting abilities, and is not present in the system until the 5th to 7th day of life. Prothrombin, another blood clotting agent, is at its highest levels in infants on precisely the eighth day of life. Babies have a "peculiar susceptibility to bleeding between the second and fifth days of life" (Holt Pediatrics) Man didn't know this until this century, but God told Moses this thousands of years ago!
3. When was circumcision first established with the sons of Israel?
- Genesis 17:10-12 -
4. How long was her blood purification period after that? vs. 4
Note: She was not to touch any consecrated thing or enter the sanctuary until the days of her purificaiton were complete. (vs.4) ...
5. What did the Lord tell Moses about a woman giving birth to a female child? How long would she be unclean after her birth and what did the Lord compare it with? vs. 5
6. How long was her blood purification period after that? vs. 5
7. When the days of her purification are complete for a son or for a daughter, what was the mother to bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting for a burnt offering? vs. 6
8. What was she to bring for a sin offering? vs. 6
9. When the priest made atonement for her, what was she being cleansed from? vs. 7
10. What provision was made if she was not able to afford to bring a lamb for the burnt offering? vs. 8
11. Once the offerings were made and the priest made atonement for her, what was her condition? vs. 8
Application:
12. Joseph and Mary followed the Jewish laws of purification and of circumcising Jesus on the 8th day of his birth. Read the account below and comment on it.
- Luke 2:21-24 -
13. What did Joseph & Mary bring for their purification offerings for both the "sin" offering and the "burnt" offering? Based on what we have learned about the offerings in this chapter, what would that indicate their financial status would have been?
14. We know that Jesus was not a sinner and that Mary & Joseph were simply being obedient in their Jewish faith to carry out all of the law regarding purification following birth of their newborn son, but every other child born since the fall of Adam and Eve are born into the condition of sin and require the Redeemer to buy them back. When a person is old enough to understand and accept the Lord, once he hears the Gospel, he is cleansed from sin through accepting by faith the Lord's redemption for himself. How does David say that he was born?
- Psalm 51:5 -
15. Each one of us can say the same thing as David acknowledged. What does Paul remind us of in the following passage?
- Romans 5:12 -
16. Therefore, I believe the 2 offerings that the woman brought were meaningful in that one was a sin offering and she had brought a new "sinner" into the world. This was acknowledging that she needed atonement for becoming unclean by the sin that had come from her into the world. Yet, there was also a "burnt" offering to be given. This was a consecrated offering of dedicating one wholly and completely to the Lord. I believe this was how she offered the new baby up in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for his/her life. This may be why we have baby dedications to this very day. What do you think?
Note: I loved what Hannah said when she dedicated Samuel to the Lord and wrote the verse in both of my son's scrapbooks when they were born. Look the verse up and enjoy as well: 1 Samuel 1:26-28
Comment on the verse (if you like):
16. Summarize the chapter and post a prayer if you would like.
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