Why were some Old Testament laws so strict or strange (like not mixing fabrics)?
The Devotional Answer
The devotional answer is that the Old Testament laws, even the seemingly strange ones, were meant to teach Israel one essential, recurring truth: God is absolutely holy, and He demands distinction (Question 64). The strictness of the Law was intended to create a constant, conscious awareness of God’s separateness in every detail of life—from what they ate to what they wore.
In short, these laws were daily reminders that Israel belonged entirely to God and was therefore meant to live completely unlike their pagan neighbors. For the new Christian, these laws now point to the perfection of Jesus Christ (Question 120), who fulfilled all those requirements so that we can pursue holiness spiritually through faith.
The Simple Answer
The Old Testament Law (Mosaic Law) is best understood as having three interconnected categories:
Moral Law: Eternal standards reflecting God's nature (e.g., the Ten Commandments, Question 120). These are still binding today.
Civil Law: Laws for Israel's government and justice system. These are not binding today, but show principles of justice.
Ceremonial Law: Laws dealing with sacrifices, purity, diet, and dress (including the mixed fabrics). These laws are the reason for the "strictness" and "strangeness."
The Ceremonial Laws were not meant to be eternal; they were temporary physical symbols intended to serve two primary purposes:
To Define Holiness: To visually distinguish God’s people from the surrounding idolatrous nations (Question 116).
To Symbolize Purity: To teach the constant need for separation, purity, and wholeness (unmixed or unblemished living).
3. The Deeper Dive: Principles of Separation and Wholeness
The laws that prohibited seemingly mundane things, such as mixing fabrics (Deuteronomy 22:11: "Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together"), were rooted in deep theological principles.
1. Preventing Assimilation
Israel was constantly tempted to adopt the worship and practices of the Canaanites, which were rife with fertility rites, idolatry, and sexual immorality. The strict laws were a national firewall designed to prevent the total assimilation of Israel into these corrupt cultures. If their clothing, food, and farming practices were different, their identity would remain separate.
2. The Principle of Wholeness (The Unmixed)
Many of these seemingly odd laws emphasized the principle of wholeness or purity (tām or tāmîm). God created a world with distinct categories: different species of animals, different seeds, and different materials. Mixing these things (mixed seeds, different animals plowing together, mixed fabrics) symbolically suggested a tampering with God’s established order.
The law against mixed fabrics (linen and wool) likely emphasized that God’s people should be whole and singular in their devotion, avoiding the complexity and confusion of the pagan world.
3. The Fulfillment in Christ
Crucially, the New Testament teaches that the entire Ceremonial Law was fulfilled and completed by Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17).
He is the perfect sacrifice (ending the sacrifice laws, Question 123).
He made all foods clean (ending the dietary laws, Mark 7:19).
He established the spiritual reality: Holiness is now a matter of the heart, achieved through faith in Him (Romans 10:4).
Christians are no longer required to follow these physical symbols; instead, we are commanded to maintain spiritual purity and separation from sin (2 Corinthians 6:17).
God's Assurance
God assures you that His primary desire has always been your spiritual holiness, which is now perfected in Christ.
“For Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” — Romans 10:4 (NIV)
You are assured that the purpose of the Law was always to point to the Savior who perfectly obeyed and fulfilled it on your behalf.
Your Takeaway Thought
When you read a strict Old Testament law, don't focus on how to obey it today; focus on what it was meant to teach: God demands a distinct, unmixed life of holiness and devotion. Ask yourself: Where am I mixing worldly values with my Christian walk today? (Question 116). That is the New Covenant application of the principle of the Law.
