4 February | Teens
«“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth…» Leviticus 11: 2
In today's text, God gives Moses very clear rules about which animals the people of Israel could and could not eat. It may seem strange to have a list of allowed and forbidden animals, but God had a good reason for it: He knows what is best for us, including what works best in our bodies; after all, He is our Creator!
God created each of us and knows our bodies better than anyone. When He says that certain foods are clean and others unclean, it is not because He wants to deprive us of something tasty. It's like when our parents tell us to eat vegetables instead of just sweets. They know what's good for our health!
Clean animals, such as scaled fish, chickens, and cows, are good for us because they have healthy habits and are less likely to carry diseases. On the other hand, unclean animals, such as seafood, chorus fish, and pork, are not so good for our health. God gave these rules for the people of Israel, and also for all of us. After all, our bodies work in a very similar way, no matter where we're from. God wants us to be healthy and strong. So, when God says that certain animals are clean and others are unclean, it's a way to protect us and make sure we're well and healthy.
Take Action
With the help of an adult, do some research on an animal that is considered clean and another that is considered unclean according to Leviticus 11. Find out more about the habits of these animals and why God classified them the way He did.