Why Ask Why?

The LORD said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. On the eighth day the boy’s foreskin must be circumcised. After waiting thirty-three days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth. During this time of purification, she must not touch anything that is set apart as holy. And she must not enter the sanctuary until her time of purification is over. If a woman gives birth to a daughter, she will be ceremonially unclean for two weeks, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. After waiting sixty-six days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth. [Leviticus 12.1-5] 

Why? We are not told why. But, we are told what. And, the "what" flies in the face of what modern society (particularly western society) calls "equality."

To decry the Bible because it does not support modern ideology regarding equality is a common occurrence today. And, if it's not about equality, it's about some other thing. People today expect the Bible to conform to modern social norms and not the other way around. In practice, people invalidate the Bible because it does not match current acceptable social standards.

The underlying problem with expecting the Bible to meet modern social standards translates into the embrace and practice of situation ethics. Britannica.com defines situation ethics as follows:

Situation ethics, in ethics and theology, the position that moral decision making is contextual or dependent on a set of circumstances. Situation ethics holds that moral judgments must be made within the context of the entirety of a situation and that all normative features of a situation must be viewed as a whole. The guiding framework for moral decision making is stated variously as that of acting in the most loving way, to maximize harmony and reduce discord, or to enrich human existence.

If what society deems "ethical" is based on circumstances, then the standard for ethics is in fact not a standard, but rather an indeterminate ideal established by circumstantial whim within the society (that is highly subject to change). How reliable can that be?

Because the collective whole of a society living on a remote island in the sea might believe they are the only people who exist on a flat planet, does not validate their belief! There is a much larger picture! So it is with the Bible. Just because the collective whole of modern society living without the Bible as part of their life establishes their own ethics based on their own experiences, does not validate their belief! The Bible reveals there is a much larger picture - a Sovereign God Who created everything, Who established the standards long before we existed whether we agree with them or not.

If humans establish their own ethical standards, then they are not standards at all, but circumstantial ideals of no lasting benefit. It should be noted that this would be perfectly acceptable if indeed each person's life was simply a seventy to ninety-year span of existence the ends in nothing just like it began in nothing.

In contrast, the Bible teaches that life is eternal. In this truth, life and ethics are a "much bigger world" than any one human's or any one society's "remote island" experience of them! Humanity is faced then with a decision: to believe God and His Bible or reject God and His Bible.

Leviticus 12.1-5 makes no derogatory insinuations about women. It describes a standard for dealing with the birth of a male child and the birth of a female child relative to ceremonial purification protocol. Why the distinction between the two? Again, we really don't know, but thankfully, we are not required to know. Suffice it to say, the much more significant and anticipated Advent of the Messiah (the birth of Jesus) would eliminate the need for ceremonious protocol anyway. And, as we learn more about Jesus, I am confident the protocol in Leviticus 12.1-5 will eventually become clear in its meaning.

One thing we do know - the Bible has been around much longer than we have. It described the hopeless human condition long before the human condition became so hopeless. It described the situation ethics-driven chaos we now live in long before it materialized. It foretold the birth of Messiah - the birth of Jesus Who brought redemption from the ever-deteriorating condition of mankind (regardless how academically and technologically advanced it would become). The Bible has proven Itself trustworthy; It's standards can be trusted regardless whether it makes immediate sense to our modern mind or not.

So, the real question is, "Will we accept God's standard?" Will we accept the Bible? Will we accept the story of Jesus? Will we trust Him for the unseen, unexplainable eternity the Bible describes?

The real problem with Leviticus 12.1-5 is not one of social equality. The real problem Leviticus 12.1-5 confronts us with is mankind's inherent bent against accepting and obeying God in faith whether or not it appeals to our own reason, senses and current social norms... Instead of focusing on asking God, "Why?" we should ask ourselves, "Why ask why?"

Father, I cannot point my finger at anyone in this matter today. I have questioned You over and again about things I have read in the Bible as if I knew better! Forgive me for this display of pride, ignorance and rebellion all at once. I don't know - I don't have all the answers! But, may I be found learning more and more of You and Your Word (Jesus) resulting in my faith in Jesus and my focus on Your love for the world as the Bible overwhelmingly reveals it. So be it.