We aren’t designed to chew—then rechew—our food physically, but should we spiritually?
We might think these instructions on clean and unclean animals have absolutely nothing to do with us today—if we didn’t see some verses here that should be familiar to readers of the New Testament. For example, notice the words repeated in Leviticus 11:44 and 45: “You shall be holy; for I am holy.” Remember Peter wrote, “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Pet 1:15-16). A direct quotation! And what about comparing Leviticus 11:8, “their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you,” with 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’” Clearly there is a link here. So what were these restrictions, and do they have a lesson for us? Many commentators think so. Remember the animals had to be ruminants, as they are called, chewing the cud. I don’t mean to be indelicate, but the word for chew is alah, like the word for the burnt offering, meaning “to ascend” or “to go up.” Scientists discreetly call the food’s return journey in the cow “reverse peristalsis.” How does this illustrate truth for us? Instead of rumination, we might call it meditation when we repeatedly “chew over” the things we have learned from the Word. How important this is in order to get the good out of what we’re taught. As to the other characteristic, the animal must have a divided hoof, this reminds us of our need for a separated walk. Deuteronomy 22:10 tells us, “You shall not plow with an ox [separated hoof] and a donkey [not separated] together.” So we read, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Cor 6:14). Great pictures of great principles!