Leviticus 12:1 says, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Then verse two adds, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. God now begin to deal with requirements for people's individual purification, beginning with women who had given birth. This was God's law and applied to all the women of Israel. If the woman had son, she was to be considered ceremonial unclean for seven days, Verse three continues, And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. On the eighth day, the son was to be circumcised. Verse four concludes, 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. The woman was to be considered spiritually unclean for another thirty-three days. During this time, she was to touch nothing considered sacred and was not to go into the sanctuary. We are so blessed that we today do not have these laws that keep us from God's sanctuary, but through our faith in Jesus Christ we have unlimited, equal access to God and anyplace considered to be His sanctuary. Verse five states, But if she bear 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. The time that the woman was to be considered unclean and the time for her purification were both doubled for the birth of a daughter. Matthew Henry could offer no reason why this was true, other than that was what God said, and neither can I. Still, we do not have to understand why God tells us to do or not do something, but simply have to obey His instructions. Verse six adds, And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: After the time of purification was complete, for the birth of either a boy or girl, the woman was to return to the tabernacle with a burnt offering of a lamb and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering. She was to bring it to the priest at the door of the tabernacle. We today bring our sin offering, which is our self and all that we have, to Christ, and He presents Himself to the heavenly Father as a sin offering in our place, and through our faith in Him we attain forgiveness. Verse seven continues, Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. The priest was to offer the sacrifice to the LORD, after which the woman would be considered to be spiritually pure once again. Just as the women of Israel had to bring the offering to the priest for him to offer it for a sacrifice, we can only find forgiveness and spiritual cleanliness through presenting ourselves to Christ as a living sacrifice. Jesus Christ alone can bring us spiritual purity. Verse eight concludes, And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean. Provision was made for those who could not afford to bring a lamb to bring a pigeon or turtledove instead for the burnt offering, but the sin offering was the same in each case. We may not all be of the same economic status when we come to Christ, but we are required to bring the same sacrifice- our old sinful self and nature. Economic status never determines our ability to be saved.
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