"These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever
parteth the hoof, and is cloven footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat"
(Lev. 11:2,3).

In this chapter of Leviticus we find Jehovah entering, in most marvelous detail, into a description
of beasts, birds, fishes, and reptiles, and furnishing His people with various marks by which they
were to know what was clean_and thus edible_and what was unclean. With regard to beasts, two
things were essential to render them clean_they should chew the cud and divide the hoof. Either
of these marks would, of itself, have been wholly insufficient to constitute ceremonial cleanness:
the two should go together. Now, while these two marks were quite sufficient for the guidance
of an Israelite as to the cleanness or uncleanness of an animal, without any reference as to why
or wherefore such marks were given or what they meant, yet the Christian is permitted to inquire
into the spiritual truth wrapped up in these ceremonial enactments.

What, then, are we to learn from these two features in a clean animal? The chewing of the cud
expresses the natural process of inwardly digesting that which one eats, while the divided hoof sets
forth the character of one’s outward walk. There is, as we know, an intimate connection between
the two in the Christian Me. The one who feeds upon the green pastures of the Word of God, and
inwardly digests what he takes in_the one who is enabled to combine calm meditation with
prayerful study_will, without doubt, manifest that character of outward walk which is to the
praise of Him who has graciously given us His Word to form our habits and govern our ways.

It is to be feared that many who read the Bible do not digest the Word. One may read chapter after
chapter, book after book, and not digest so much as a single line. We may read the Bible as part
of a dull and profitless routine, but, through lack of the ruminating powers_the digestive organs
_we derive no profit whatsoever. This should be carefully looked into. The cattle that browse on
the green may teach us a wholesome lesson. They first diligently gather up the refreshing pasture,
and then calmly lie down to chew the cud. Striking and beautiful picture of a Christian feeding
upon and inwardly digesting the precious contents of the volume of inspiration! If there were more
of this among us we should assuredly be in a more vigorous and healthy condition. Let us beware
of reading the Bible as a dead form, a cold duty, a piece of religious routine.

The same caution is needful in reference to the public exposition of the Word. Let those who
expound Scripture to their fellows first feed and digest for themselves; let them read and ruminate
in private, not merely for others, but for themselves. It is a poor thing for a man to be continually
occupied in procuring food for other people, and he himself dying of starvation. Also, let those
who attend the public ministry of the Word see that they are not doing so mechanically, as by the
force of mere religious habit, but with an earnest desire to "read, mark, learn, and inwardly
digest" what they hear. Then will both teachers and taught be well-conditioned, the spiritual life
nourished and sustained, and the true character of outward walk exhibited.

But be it remembered that the chewing of the cud must never be separated from the divided hoof.
If one but partially acquainted with the priest’s guidebook happened to see an animal chewing the

cud, he might hastily pronounce him clean. This would have been a serious error. A more careful
reference to the divine directory would at once show that he must mark the animal’s walk, that
he must note the impression made by each movement, that he must look for the result of the
divided hoof. "Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that
divide the hoof:as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean
unto you," etc. (verses 4-6).

In like manner the divided hoof was insufficient if not accompanied by the chewing of the cud:
"The swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is
unclean to you" (verse 7). In a word, then, the two things were inseparable in the case of every
clean animal; and as to the spiritual application, it is of the very highest importance in a practical
point of view. The inward life and the outward walk must go together. A man may profess to love
and feed upon_to study and ruminate over the Word of God_the pasture of the soul; but if his
footprints along the pathway of life are not such as the Word requires, he is not clean. And on the
other hand, a man may seem to walk with pharisaic blamelessness; but if his walk be not the result
of the hidden life, it is worse than worthless. There must be the divine principle within which
feeds upon and digests the rich pasture of God’s Word; otherwise the impression of the footstep
will be of no avail. The value of each depends upon its inseparable connection with the other.

(From Notes on Leviticus.)