Deuteronomy 14 speaks of clean and unclean animals. Leviticus 11 provides the basic principles, which Deuteronomy expands on.
What is the reason for these prohibitions? The rabbis argued that it was especially for reasons of health; but if that is the case, then God was most cruel to the NT church, because he has set this law aside most explicitly, as we will see later.
There are other reasons that are more compelling.
1) Some of these animals were used in pagan religion. The pig, for instance, was a sacrificial animal for the Babylonians and ancient Canaanites. In Egypt and Iran many believed the dog to be sacred, while field mice were offered as sacrifices in Haran.
But this doesn't provide an adequate explanation. Virtually every animal had some use in pagan religions.
The cow, the sheep and the goat were commonly used in Ancient religious rites. So we need to find a better explanation.
2) We come closer to an explanation when we consider the relationship between "clean" and "holy". In order to be set apart for the Lord's worship and service, in order to participate in the covenant blessings, a person had to be clean. Your proper function as a member of the covenant community was to serve the living God.
"Clean" animals were those that fulfilled their proper function. Leviticus 11 sets forth the "proper function" of the various sorts of animals.
To be clean means to be fit for the presence of God. To be holy means that one belongs to God.
What is clean is closer to the life of God. What is unclean is closer to death – closer to chaos and misery...
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