God, Sacrifice, & Bodily Discharge

Leviticus deals with the nitty-gritty of life. Chapter 15 specifically outlines some of the biological realities of human life. A women's menstrual cycle and a man's nocturnal emission are particularly discussed. What is interesting isn't so much that the Bible discusses it, as the Bible is often raw, but that these produce an uncleanliness on behalf of his Old Covenant people that separates them from God and must be atoned for by sacrifice--a sin offering. This may at first appear a bit odd and even archaic to us, but on the whole I think it should appear as unfair.

How can an involuntary experience that every man and woman past puberty have need to be atoned for? How can this biological function that occur every month for a woman and a man while he is sleeping need atonement?

Much could be said, but I think what is key to this is that sin and human sinfulness is a nature issue not just a choice issue. We are not only separated from God for our sinful and evil external actions and internal motivation's and attitudes, but from our very nature and makeup. Sin is not always a choice. It's in deep, corrupting our very biology. This seems foreign to our ears, but it should not. We do not just sin, we are sinners.

Apparently even the uncleanliness of bodily discharges separates from the Holy God. Now, this seems all very lawful and quite gross, but there is grace here. God did provide a way of atonement. He did give the sacrifice. He did not leave them in their uncleanliness.

There is another lesson as well, God does not just care about generalities, but God is specific. Issues of heart and mind and will are not the only thing important to Him but issues of body: even semen and blood and egg. His desire is for the whole person and He has made a way.