Part X2.1 - Purification After Childbirth

CHAPTER XII.

PURIFICATION AFTER CHILDBIRTH. IN the former chapter the commandments are given to Moses and Aaron jointly; for there we have no new directions as to offering, &c., but instructions, for Aaron’s guidance, in teaching the children of Israel the difference between unclean and clean. But the contents of this chapter are delivered to Moses only. They have reference to a special instance of un- cleanness, for which an offering and priestly interference would be required. The instruction is to " the children of Israel," through Moses, and includes that which needed to be known and done both by themselves and the priests. The circumstances of this ordinance, though special, are universal, belonging to every woman of whom a child is born into the world. The offerings appointed are a burnt offering and a sin offering. Acceptance and freedom of access to God needed to be known, and sin to be put away; for the case involved sin and uncleanness. In Leviticus 13:1-59, Leviticus 14:1-57, Leviticus 15:1-33, in the law of leprosy, &c., we have the outward manifestation of the uncleanness rankling within. Here we have its inbred character, as in Psalms 51:5, " I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."

Leviticus 12:2. "The woman" in scripture presents to us \ the Church in various aspects or characters. First, as a " help meet" for Adam (Genesis 2:20). Then, as " bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh " (Genesis 2:23). As the source from whence all the children spring, " the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). As the one who yielded to temptation, and first transgressed (Genesis 3:1-24 :Compare 1 Timothy 2:14). In Revelation 12:1-17, the woman is seen in heaven, as the bearer of the man-child. And in the present passage the ordinance, to which reference is made, is connected with the offspring of the woman, born in the appointed course. From Seth (i.e., "Appointed") we trace the genealogy in Luke, which terminates in the birth of the Lord Jesus. He is the true Man-child, springing from the mother of all living. So in the course of gradual development, the Church, the maid-child, is produced; and, in the separation of resurrection life, the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty come into being. This, however, does not take place in natural course; for they are " by nature the children of wrath even as others;" but by the grace of God in cleansing and quickening those who by nature were under the curse. Such are the facts which seem to be intimated by the present ordinance. And first, as to the man-child, " she shall be unclean seven days." This, as ever in such cases, is the entire and complete period of nature, during which the innate uncleanness remains. And in these circumstances are the children, as partakers of flesh and blood, produced. But on the eighth day the man-child was to be circumcised. And thus do we enter by faith into the purity of resurrection through death, as is fully shown in Colossians 2:11; " In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." But she must further " continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days." The Lord Jesus came in nature, and thus fulfilled the seven days ; but His circumcision on the eighth day was the sign of death to the natural life. After circumcision, He was presented in the temple, and " the Lord’s Christ" was recognized. With the sign and seal of the ordinance upon Him, He goes forth on His ministry, beginning at thirty years of age, and continuing during three years; even as He Himself says, " To-day, and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Of these times His type and forerunner, David, presents an example; for he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem, the city of the great King (2 Samuel 5:5). But the Church may be considered as the mother, as well as the maid-child ; for she travails in birth with the children of God. And she must know, not only the power of Christ’s resurrection,but also the fellowship of His sufferings, which. is inseparable from it. (Compare Hebrews 2:10-11; Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 12:1-11; 1 Peter 4:12-19, and John 17:18-19.) And this fellowship is learnt in the thirty-three days during which the Church continues in the blood of her purifying. And, perhaps, as in her Lord’s case, she finds the last three days, " to-day, to-morrow, and the third day," a time of special trial in faithfulness and ministry. Such is her period of actual connection and contact with nature, during which no hallowed thing must be touched, and there is no access to the sanctuary. The power of resurrection is indeed known, that was set forth in the circumcision; but the removal of every actual hindrance is not until the Lord’s Christ is presented in the temple at the end of the three and thirty days, and the burnt offering and sin offering have been offered (see Luke 2:21-38, and compare Hebrews 2:1-18.). Then at length shall those words have their fullest meaning;-" Behold I and the children which God hath given me." These thirty and three days are also the time during which we learn the distinction, before mentioned, between clean and unclean. But thus far the Church’s condition is shown rather as in mystical union with Christ, as resulting from the birth of the Man-child and His circumcision; while her period of service is made identical with His. But we get her actual circumstances more fully in the birth of the maid-child, as referred to in 1 Timothy 2:15;-"She shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." In the double period of seven days, we may see the Church’s knowledge of her standing by faith, and the expectation of its actual manifestation; her mystical participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, and her assurance of the resurrection of the body. With respect to the prolonged period of the sixty-six days, we know that "the longsuffering of the Lord is salvation." In the dispensation of the fulness of times it will be seen that, through all the ages of evil, not one of Christ’s people has been lost. And we must take heed lest we grow weary and impatient at the tarrying of the Lord. It is the part of scoffers to say, " Where is the promise of His coming?" See 2 Peter 3:1-18 The Lord "finished the work which was given Him to do," and when the Church has finished her task, then will the end come. Just as we found a difference, in the birth of the Man- child, between the seven days of uncleanness, and the thirty and three of purifying, so in this latter case it is said: " She shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation, and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days." At the close of this period she is to bring a burnt offering and a sin offering, to make atonement; and then " she shall be cleansed from her issue of blood." Then, after her perfect acceptance and the ground of it have been shown, her life also shall be manifested.

During her protracted period of purifying it had been hidden with Christ in God; but now at length Christ, Who is her life, shall appear, and she shall also appear with Him in glory. The issue of blood, the sign that death had not yet been altogether overcome, shall also be cleansed. This, as we may see from Matthew 5:20, shall be by the touch of faith, even if it reach but to the hem of His garment. And so, in this case, the sin offering is the smallest of all, a young pigeon. The burnt offering is a lamb ; but if the woman be not able to bring that, a young pigeon will be accepted. In either case we are pointed to the sufficiency of Christ, the quality of the offering merely indicating the Church’s apprehension of that sufficiency. Compare Luke 2:24, and xviii. 8. Then " she shall be clean." It is said in the first place, that she shall be unclean seven days.

Afterwards her uncleanness is not mentioned, but her purifying. The result is that she becomes clean, and is now fully free to touch the hallowed things, and to enter into the sanctuary. During the time of the Church’s continuance in the blood of her purifying the outward development of the inward evil will show itself, and the knowledge will be acquired of that which is provided to work a radical cure, and which is expounded in the following chapters.