In the biblical context, "creeping things" refers to small creatures that move close to the ground, including insects, reptiles, and other similar animals. The classification of these creatures as "clean" or "unclean" is primarily found in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which provide dietary laws for the Israelites.

Biblical References:

The primary scriptural reference concerning clean and unclean creeping things is found in Leviticus 11. This chapter outlines the dietary laws given to the Israelites, detailing which animals are permissible to eat and which are not. In Leviticus 11:21-22 , the text specifies certain types of locusts and grasshoppers as clean:

"However, you may eat the following kinds of winged insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper."

This passage indicates that while many creeping things are considered unclean, certain species of locusts and similar insects are deemed clean and permissible for consumption.

Theological Significance:

The distinction between clean and unclean animals, including creeping things, is significant in the context of the covenant relationship between God and Israel. These dietary laws served as a means of setting the Israelites apart from other nations, emphasizing holiness and obedience to God's commands. The clean animals, including the specified creeping things, were those that met the criteria set by God, symbolizing purity and acceptability.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israel, dietary laws were integral to daily life and religious practice. The classification of certain creeping things as clean reflects the practical considerations of the time, as well as the symbolic meanings attached to purity and holiness. The consumption of clean animals was not only a matter of physical sustenance but also a spiritual act of obedience and identity.

New Testament Perspective:

While the Old Testament provides detailed laws regarding clean and unclean animals, the New Testament introduces a shift in understanding these dietary restrictions. In Acts 10:9-16, Peter's vision of a sheet containing all kinds of animals, including creeping things, signifies the removal of these dietary distinctions. The voice in the vision declares, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" (Acts 10:15). This revelation underscores the inclusivity of the Gospel and the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles.

Conclusion:

The concept of clean creeping things in the Bible highlights the intricate relationship between God's laws and the daily lives of His people. While certain creeping things were deemed clean under the Old Covenant, the New Testament reveals a broader understanding of purity and acceptance in Christ.Leviticus 11:21,22
Yet these may you eat of every flying creeping thing that goes on all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap with on the earth;
Nave's Topical Index

The Survival of the Fittest.
... ground, both man and animals, and creeping things, and birds ... offered sacrifice to
Jehovah of every clean beast and ... rule over all other living things is renewed ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study iv the survival of.htm

Peter's Apologia
... the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls ... When they heard these
things, they held their peace ... once the legal distinction of clean and unclean ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/peters apologia.htm

From the Fall to the Flood.
... of Jehovah Noah and his household entered the Ark carrying two of every species
of unclean, and seven of every clean kind of animal and creeping things. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter ii from the fall.htm

Acts x. 4-Jan
... fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls ... Lord)
that had discoursed above (in the Law) concerning things clean and unclean ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxii acts x 4-jan.htm

Chapter viii
... a more cleanly bird, which will not alight in places that are not clean. ... flesh that
is with thee including birds and cattle and all creeping things that move ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter viii.htm

The First Book of Our Answer to the Treatise of Celsus...
... wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the ... is represented
as still observing the Jewish customs respecting clean and unclean ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter i the first book.htm

Genesis
... or group of verses, eg involving the distinction between the clean and the ... over and
over again occur such phrases as "fowl, cattle, creeping things, each after ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/genesis.htm

Epistle Xlv. To Theoctista, Patrician .
... the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls ... men are accustomed to
abstain even from lawful things. ... needeth not to wash, but is clean every whit ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlv to theoctista patrician.htm

The Three Tribunals
... where we, the tenants, generally live, may be luxurious, and sweet, and clean. ... Him
'the hidden things' that the darkness shelters, those creeping things in the ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the three tribunals.htm

Letter cxxiii. To Ageruchia.
... of continence. The Ark of Noah contained unclean animals as well as clean.
It contained both creeping things and human beings. In ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxiii to ageruchia.htm

Were fish and sea creatures also destroyed during the Flood (Genesis 6-8)? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God also destroy animals in the Flood (Genesis 6-8)? | GotQuestions.org

How did Noah fit all the animals on the Ark? | GotQuestions.org

Creeping: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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