Kilayim-Improper Mixing

“Keep my decrees.  Do not mate different kinds of animals.  Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.  Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.”-Leviticus 19:19

In order to properly understand the Bible, it is important to not forget that all of the books in the Old and New Testaments are to be treated as a harmonious whole.  There is a straight line of logic running through Genesis to Revelation.  Scripture is consistent.  G-d clearly states that He does not change.  Hence, it is nonsensical to think that the G-d of the Old Testament is an unloving, vengeful deity while the G-d in the New Testament is not.  Or that the commandment of not breaking the Sabbath which G-d clearly stated is to be an eternal precept has suddenly been rendered null and void.  Or that G-d has a separate plan of salvation for the Jews and a separate plan for the Gentiles.  If these things are true, the Bible would be just a hodgepodge of contradictory ideas and teachings and we could hardly accept it as the Word of G-d.

Another important reason why we are to treat the Scriptures as one organic, harmonious whole is because they are replete with the patterns of how G-d and His laws work in certain situations.  That is a key word.  Patterns.  In other words, if G-d acted a certain way in a certain situation in the past, chances are pretty good that He is going to act the same way in a similar situation in the future.  Never forget that G-d is consistent.  He is not like an abusive parent who shows favoritism or shows love one day and then withdraws it the next.  With this in mind, I want to introduce one key G-d-pattern that is woven throughout all Scripture.  Please take a look at the following verses.

"You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest all the produce of the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard become defiled. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.”-Deuteronomy 22:9

or

“A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.”-Deuteronomy 22:5

These Scriptures are establishing the pattern of the improper mixing or combining of things.  In Hebrew, this is known as Kilayim.  In the Torah, there are three types of improper mixtures spoken of in the Bible as follows:

1)     Sowing two types of seed together

2)     Interbreeding two different species of farm animals

3)     Weaving together the fibers of wool and linen.

Now at this point, many of you reading this are probably asking why these mixtures are prohibited.  “Why” is the wrong question to ask.  You could search the Scriptures or think deep and hard for some scientific reason why these mixtures are prohibited and you will never come up with anything.  That’s because you are barking up the wrong tree.  Instead, as with the kosher laws, it is more important to seek out what pattern or principle is being set down.  In this case, through the physical world, G-d is establishing the principle that the improper mixture of two fundamentally different things causes confusion and is thus to be avoided.

In the following Scripture, the Apostle Paul expounds on this pattern in the New Testament.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness?”-2 Corinthians 6:14

He is referring specifically to the principle of kilayim here.  This is not some revolutionary New Testament theology.  It has its origin in the Torah.  The principle of Kilayim should make it evident that G-d is in the business of separation.  While the world seeks to bring true biblical Christianity under the umbrella of all other world religions, G-d’s purpose is the exact opposite.  He desires to separate us from the heathen.  We are not eat like the heathen, engage in sex like the heathen nor pray like the heathen.  Every aspect of our lifestyle should as much as possible mirror our Father in Heaven.

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."-2 Corinthians 6:17

Amen.