Leviticus 12: Atonement after a child's birth
Begin in prayer
Before we read Leviticus 12, where a mother brings a lamb or two birds to the priest for atonement after childbirth, let us bow our heads. Ask the Lord to show us our need of a Savior from our earliest days.
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?”
Proverbs 20:9
Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Thank You for the gift of children, and show us how Mary brought two birds under this law when Jesus came to save poor sinners. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.
See where we're going
In Leviticus 12 the LORD gives Moses the law of purification for a woman after she gives birth to a child. When she bears a son, she is unclean seven days, the boy is circumcised on the eighth day, and she waits thirty-three more days. During those days she may not touch any holy thing or enter the sanctuary. When she bears a daughter, she is unclean for two weeks and continues sixty-six days in purification. When her days of purification are completed, whether for a son or a daughter, she brings a lamb and a bird to the priest. If she cannot afford a lamb, she brings two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and the priest makes atonement for her, and she is clean.
As you read Leviticus 12, look for the answers:
- What happens on the eighth day after a son is born, and what two places may the mother not enter during her days of purifying? (verses 3 and 4)
- What two offerings must a mother bring when her days of purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter? (verse 6)
- What may a mother bring if she cannot afford a lamb, and what is the result? (verse 8)
Reflect together
Key truth
Rich and poor mothers receive the same atonement through blood, pointing to Christ.
Giving birth to a baby was a blessing from God, not a moral sin, yet Leviticus 12 placed the mother under ceremonial uncleanness. For a son she waited seven days and thirty-three days, with the boy circumcised on the eighth day (verses 2 to 4). For a daughter she waited two weeks and sixty-six days (verse 5). Why the days differed the text does not say, yet verse 6 requires the exact same offerings “for a son, or for a daughter.” If a mother could not afford a lamb, she brought “two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,” and was made clean (verse 8). When Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought those two birds (Luke 2 verses 22 to 24), showing that Christ became poor for sinners.
How does Leviticus 12 show us that rich and poor mothers receive the same atonement through blood, pointing to Christ?
Both sons and daughters are brought under the covenant and the same offering.
After bearing a son, she waited forty days in all, with the boy circumcised “In the eighth day” (verses 2 to 4). After bearing a daughter, she waited eighty days in all (verse 5). Yet verse 6 commands the exact same lamb and bird “for a son, or for a daughter.”
A poor mother brings two birds and receives the same atonement as the rich.
At the Tent door, the mother brought a lamb for a burnt offering and a bird for a sin offering (verse 6). If she could not afford a lamb, she brought “two turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (verse 8). In both cases “the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean” (verses 7 and 8). When Mary brought Jesus to Jerusalem, she offered this poor mother's pair of birds (Luke 2 verse 24).
Memorise
the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Leviticus 12:8
Looking to Jesus in my life
Ask yourself in your heart, am I trusting the humble Savior who became poor to wash me clean?
At the close of Leviticus 12, God makes a tender provision for a poor mother. If she cannot afford a lamb, she brings “two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,” one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And God gives her the same promise as the rich, “the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
In Luke 2 verses 22 to 24, Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple and offered those two birds of the poor. Think of the wonder of that moment. The eternal Son of God became poor for His people, born into a home that could not afford a lamb, because He Himself was the Lamb. Though Jesus had no sin, He grew up to bear His people's sins on the cross and shed His blood to pay their debt. He rose again on the third day, and His blood makes His people clean once for all.
Even from our birth we need a Savior to wash us clean. Come to Jesus empty-handed today. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Him. Whoever trusts in Christ is forgiven and cleansed by His blood.
Parent's note
Tell your children that from childhood we all need Jesus to wash away our sins, because a Christian home cannot cleanse us. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.
Pray together
Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that Jesus humbled Himself to be born into a poor home and shed His blood to cleanse sinners, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:14
Heavenly Father, thank You for every child in our family, and thank You that Your Son became poor so that poor sinners could be redeemed. Thank You that Jesus gave Himself on the cross to purify a people for Your own possession. Please forgive our sins, give each of us faith in Jesus, and make our home clean and thankful. Amen.