Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20001011.htm

LEVITICUS: GOD'S CALL FOR A SEPARATED WITNESS
Part II: The Path Of Walking In Fellowship With God (Leviticus 11-27)
B. God's Revelation Of Original Sin And Its Solution
(Leviticus 12:1-8)
  1. Introduction
    1. The arrival of a newborn into the world is a blessing from the Lord according to Psalm 127:3.
    2. However, lest we view this infant as someone "innocent," God reveals in Leviticus 12:1-8 that a depraved Adamic nature dwells in that child. Both this sin and our response to it are revealed in Leviticus 12:1-8:
  2. God's Revelation Of Original Sin And Its Solution, Leviticus 12:1-8.
    1. Since childlessness was considered a misfortune in the Near East, and even a judgment from God on occasion (Gen. 15; 1 Sam. 1), and children seen as an heritage from God (Ps. 127:3), it would seem that the response to the birth of an infant should only have been joy, Bible Knowledge Com., O.T., p. 191.
    2. However, the birth of a son to a Hebrew woman in Israel was to be treated not only as a joyous occasion, but one in which the doctrine of original sin was clearly noted, Leviticus 12:1-4.
      1. When a Hebrew woman gave birth to a son, she was to be regarded as ceremonially unclean for seven days just as she was considered unclean during her regular menstruation, Leviticus 12:1-2 NIV.
      2. On the eighth day after birth, the infant son was to be circumcised, picturing sin in males akin to the sin in the mother, Leviticus 12:3. It happens that the highest natural concentration of blood-clotting vitamin K in a male's lifetime occurs on the 8th day after birth, a divine provision for this rite!
      3. Then, following the circumcision, the mother was to consider herself ceremonially unclean for thirty-three more days: she could not touch anything sacred or enter the temple during this time, 12:4.
      4. Since there was no provision made for the FATHER'S cleansing, God herein emphasized NOT any sin in the UNION of husband and wife that led to the child's CONCEPTION, but in the TRANSMISSION of a SIN NATURE from parent to child in his origination. This reveals the doctrine of "original sin" as applied to infant sons. (cf. McGee, Thru The Bible, volume I, p. 375.
    3. Lest one think only a male newborn received a sin nature, God's stipulations revealed that even the non-circumcised female infant was also born with the sinful, Adamic nature, Leviticus 12:5:
      1. The birth of a female would obviously not involve circumcision because of her different anatomy.
      2. Nevertheless, unless one assume thereby that female infants were born free of the Adamic nature, God stipulated twice as long a time of uncleanness for the mother who delivered a girl and not a boy, 12:5:
        1. Instead of being unclean for seven days as she would have been for a regular menstruation, the mother who delivered a daughter was to be unclean for two weeks, for 14 days, Lev. 12:5a.
        2. Then, the mother's ritual cleansing included another 66 days if she delivered a daughter, 12:5b.
      3. Hence, the TRANSMISSION of a SIN NATURE from the parents to a DAUGHTER, though she was not circumcised, was STILL clearly indicated due to this prolonged purification.
    4. To deal with "original sin," God pictured the cross of Christ as the solution as follows, Leviticus 12:6-8:
      1. Upon delivering either a son or a daughter, a Hebrew mother had to bring two offerings to the temple site following the termination of her postpartum purification processes: (a) one was a burnt offering, depicting the mother's consecration to God in ministering as a parent, and (b) the other a sin offering, picturing the need of redemption for the parent by way of the coming cross of Christ, 12:6-7.
      2. In cases of poverty, God made allowances for less expensive burnt and sin offerings, Leviticus 12:8. This is what Mary, the Mother of Jesus used in Luke 2:22-24, picturing her OWN sinfulness!
Lesson: (1) Though we rejoice in God's gift of an infant son or daughter, we must recall that we all are born with that SIN NATURE, and are in need of Christ's salvation. (2) As such, WE PARENTS must avail OURSELVES of the cleansing of the cross, and consecrate ourselves thereby to become effective tools of RIGHTEOUSNESS to raise our children to partake of God's cleansing in Christ RATHER THAN assuming that they are INNOCENT little babys, Lev. 12:6-8. (3) We must recall that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was herself a sinner as indicated by her need to participate in the Levitical cleansing so that Christ ALONE is our Mediator, see Luke 1:47 with Mark 3:21, 31-32 and 1 Timothy 2:5.