Leviticus 15

Living clean in an unclean world

‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them.  ~ Leviticus 15:31

Leviticus 15 is one of those chapters most people read over quickly or even skip. Yet tucked inside its instructions is a powerful truth. God cares deeply about what flows into my life and what flows out of my life. In today’s world, where everything feels loud, fast, and often spiritually messy, this passage gives a gentle reminder that purity still matters. Here is a question to consider. What am I allowing to influence the condition of my heart

This chapter deals with physical uncleanness, but in my life today the principle reaches far deeper than outward rituals. It speaks to the private battles, the thoughts I carry, the emotions I let settle, and the habits that quietly shape who I am becoming. God is not pointing out impurity to shame me. He is calling me toward wholeness so I can live in His presence with confidence and joy, free from sin’s guilt and stains.

Below are three takeaways for you to consider today:

1. Purity Requires Personal Awareness

Before anyone could be declared clean, they had to recognize that something was off inside. My spiritual life grows stronger when I stay aware of what affects my heart.
I can put this into practice daily by pausing in quiet moments and asking God to show me where unhealthy attitudes, words, or habits have begun to drain my strength. If I have been easily irritated, discouraged, or overwhelmed, I can invite God into those spaces so He can renew me.

2. Purity Requires a Willing Response

In Leviticus 15, action had to follow awareness. People were required to wash, wait, and let the cleansing process take effect. Spiritual health works the same way for us today.
If God reveals an unhealthy pattern, I can choose a new response. If I have been worrying, I can give my concerns to Him in prayer. If I have been frustrated with someone, I can choose forgiveness. If I have been carrying emotional heaviness, I can bring it to God and ask Him to wash over my heart with peace.

3. Purity Makes Room for God’s Presence

God wanted His people to stay clean so they could enjoy His presence without anything interfering. When I let God purify the places inside me, I make room for His Spirit, His peace, and His direction.
I can create space for God by letting go of whatever crowds my mind. I can release distractions, slow down, pray with honesty, and sit with the awareness that God is near and willing to help me walk in purity.

There have been many moments in my life when I knew something inside me needed God’s cleansing. I remember times when I carried heaviness or frustration without even noticing how much it affected my thoughts and my conversations. As soon as I brought it to God and invited Him to purify my heart, I felt renewed strength and clarity. Those moments have shown me that God does not point out the impurities to condemn me. He reveals them so He can heal me and help me move forward with peace.

Today I want to encourage you to let God highlight the places where He wants to bring cleansing and renewal. He is not pushing you away. He is drawing you closer. Let Him wash away anything that drains your joy or steals your peace. Let Him purify your heart so you can move into this next season with strength, confidence, and a fresh awareness of His presence.

Today’s scripture reading: Leviticus 15

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. 

3 And this shall be his uncleanness in regard to his discharge—whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body is stopped up by his discharge, it is his uncleanness. 

4 Every bed is unclean on which he who has the discharge lies, and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. 

5 And whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

6 He who sits on anything on which he who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

7 And he who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

8 If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

9 Any saddle on which he who has the discharge rides shall be unclean. 

10 Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until evening. He who carries any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

11 And whomever the one who has the discharge touches, and has not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

12 The vessel of earth that he who has the discharge touches shall be broken, and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13 ‘And when he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in running water; then he shall be clean. 

14 On the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and give them to the priest. 

15 Then the priest shall offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord because of his discharge.

16 ‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening. 

17 And any garment and any leather on which there is semen, it shall be washed with water, and be unclean until evening. 

18 Also, when a woman lies with a man, and there is an emission of semen, they shall bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

19 ‘If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. 

20 Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean. 

21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

22 And whoever touches anything that she sat on shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 

23 If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. 

24 And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

25 ‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. 

26 Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. 

27 Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

28 ‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 

29 And on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 

30 Then the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for the discharge of her uncleanness.

31 ‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them. 

32 This is the law for one who has a discharge, and for him who emits semen and is unclean thereby, 

33 and for her who is indisposed because of her customary impurity, and for one who has a discharge, either man or woman, and for him who lies with her who is unclean.’ ”

Journal:

• What has been draining my spiritual energy lately
• What emotions or habits do I need to bring before God for cleansing
• Where do I sense God inviting me into renewal
• What practical steps can I take to walk in purity this week
• How can I make more room for God’s presence in my daily life