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]
In my years of writing resultant to reading the One Year Bible and then the One Year Chronological Bible, I know of at least six other times I have written on the passage of Scripture above from Leviticus. I want to list those times here as links in hopes that anyone who reads this will take the time to read each one in chronological order.
The reason for asking readers to read these past six articles is not to confirm my knowledge, but to document my journey dealing with this particular confusing passage from the Bible. Here are those past articles:
- Rights, 2014
- Discrimination Or A Picture Of Christ?, 2015
- A Sign Of Covenant, 2018
- No Foul - Just Covenant, 2019
- Infinite Wisdom, 2023
- Why Ask Why?, 2025
Because this year (2026) I have been attuned to the events that took place in the Garden of Eden (referring many times to the "Has God really said...?" question Satan asked Eve), I am compelled this time around to see Leviticus 12.1-5 in that same light. Ready?
Regardless what modern Equal Rights ideology presents, it cannot change Bible history. Satan approached Eve with his enticement to rebel against God. For whatever reason Satan chose to entice the woman, the Bible records that Eve first partook of the forbidden fruit.
What happens when God came walking through the Garden sheds light on the Leviticus passage:
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” [Genesis 3.8-10]
Adam and Eve both hid from God, but God addressed only Adam and only Adam responded, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked." Adam, in the order and responsibility assigned him from God as God's first-created human, singularly owned the shame both he and Eve were experiencing. God established the precedent of gender order: first, by creating man first, and then with His address above only to Adam that was then furthermore reflected in Adam's response.
As sin does however, Adam's God-assigned order and responsibility became tainted.
“Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” [Genesis 3.11-12]
The rest is history... which directly relates to Leviticus 12.1-5!
Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” [Genesis 3.14-15]
God's mention of "offspring" has everything to do with childbirth just like Leviticus 12.1-5. God also foretells of Jesus here and those of His time blind with demonic religion (John 8.44).
Look then at what God said to the woman:
Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” [Genesis 3.16]
Again, childbirth is mentioned. And again, this ties right into Leviticus 12.1-5. The curse God pronounced upon Eve was a curse upon the entire female gender (don't worry, man will get his...). With every child born, woman's desire to control her husband is effectively warned against in the amount of time God assigned for purification based on the child's gender. While there is this perceived "preference" for male children, the male child, in the "order of gender," has this to look forward to (not):
And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” [Genesis 3.17-19]
We must notice and understand that for Adam, eating the forbidden fruit was a secondary sin. The primary sin God scolded Adam for was listening to his wife that resulted in eating the forbidden fruit!
If we can and will see it, the rule of a woman's purification period for male or female children, serves as a reminder of God's order not only for the woman, but also for the man who, in God's order of things, is woman's' protector.
Likewise, the curse upon man (to scratch a living for the cursed ground) reminds not only the man of God's order, but also the woman who, in God's order of things, is protected by the man.
God is a God of order. We can fuss and complain all we want, but, as Job found out, it is best to just let Him be God.
Thank God that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, right?
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]
So then, the question looms... how does Jesus affect the gender issue at hand in Leviticus 12.1-5? In Christ, all is fulfilled! However, just like the Ten Commandments provide timeless insight into God's order now in Christ, so, Leviticus 12.1-5 also serves to remind us of God's order in Christ. Again, God is a God of order. Jesus did not redeem us from order, but from the penalty for breaking order. The order still remains!
To everyone who reads this article, male and female alike, please understand that in Christ, all are free: free to live in God's order without condemnation. The respective responsibility upon male and female alike is paramount.
In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. [1 Peter 3.7]
We must all remember that Eve would have had no sin had Adam not disorderly followed her lead. It would seem Satan approached the woman the same way nature teaches us that predators go for the weak and vulnerable. The primary responsibility was upon the man, for himself and for his wife, to obey God. Adam failed miserably in protecting his wife - just as men have been failing miserably increasingly more ever since. It is no wonder today that "gender" is embroiled in such a "hot topic" power struggle!
In the New King James Version, 1 Peter 3.7 gives a beautiful word picture of gender roles:
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. [1 Peter 3.7 NKJV]
The complexity of the gender topic is undeniable in today's society. Is there any hope of getting it right? Is it any wonder that gender confusion is a real thing today?
Father, I can only trust that Your Holy Spirit brought Your light through the words written here as they relate to Your Word. May every man who reads my thoughts here be convicted, as I am, to be highly protective of women in general, starting with the women in their own home. May every woman who reads my thoughts here be convicted to follow Your order in men in general, starting with the men in their own home. May Your Word be our guide irrespective of popular societal norms. So be it.
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