Purification in Love not Law

Our second living image of light, as illuminated by this Bible text, falls on Joseph. I bring you the ordered text, but from the KJV, as it brings a most healthy, different and to be followed covenant work of love, which imitates our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Here is the text.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. Luke 2: 22 KJV

On this fourth day of our Covenant Week, our living image of light, as illuminated by this Bible text, is Joseph.

Holy Spirit, Counsellor, Teacher, Guide,

Explain to me all that I need to know,

Save, protect me and Your Word in me hide,

That in You I may ever thrive and grow.   

Amen!

The custom, according to Levitical Law concerning a woman who had given birth, was that purification was necessary. This Jewish Law categorically stated that when a woman became pregnant and gave birth, she would be ceremonially unclean. If the child was a boy, she had to wait thirty-three days to be purified and if the child was a girl, the time was doubled to sixty-six days. Whether a boy, or a girl, there was a time of ceremonial isolation, which was demanded by the law, for the mother. Here is some of the Levitical Law, quoted for you.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, speak unto the children of Israel saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and borne a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bare a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. Leviticus 12: 1 – 5 KJV

Our word of revelation, our illuminating light comes, not about the intricacies of the law, but the fact that it was the woman who needed to be purified. In other words:-

Joseph did not need to be purified, because he was a man.

He did not need any ceremonial isolation because he was a man.

He did not need to be singled out because he was a man. 

Let’s view this from a different perspective.

There was no Stipulation by law, for Joseph to know purification.

There was no Separation by law, for Joseph to know purification.

There was no Singularization by law, for Joseph to know purification.

The Law freed him from being unclean. In fact, the law upheld the position that he was not ceremonially unclean. Yet Joseph walked that isolation road with Mary. Have you ever thought of this fact? Has this not stirred up many new and seriously solemn, yet beyond explainable hope and joy within you?

Where is this taking us, as believers, people who have God’s Living Word within us? What are we to follow, as people who wish to bring God’s Gift of His Covenant Word to us, and offer it back to Him?

We continue tomorrow.