Leviticus, chapters 14-15

Father God, thank you for this is the day the LORD has made and we shall be glad and rejoice in it for Yours is the kingdom, the power and glory forever in the name of Jesus, Amen.

In chapters 14 & 15 is the continuation of the law regarding the declaration of one as unclean or clean concerning leprosy (chapter 14) and bodily discharges (chapter 15). I encourage you to read it in your Bible as well to receive the fullness of God's Word.

In this post, I'll focus on chapter 14 which in particular speaks of the duty of the priest when it came to lepers. If a leper was healed of leprosy, the priest was the person who did the examination to determine whether they were healed or not healed. When the leper was healed, some of the practices they did was obtaining living birds and killing them in earthen vessels over water (Leviticus 14:4-5). Loosing the living birds into the air (Leviticus 14:6), the leper washing himself in water and shaving off all his hair (Leviticus 14:8), the priest also anointing his right ear with the blood of the trespassing offering (Leviticus 14:13), the priest anointing him with oil on the thumb of the right hand, on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering (Levitcus 14:28).

Then there was the law concerning a leprous plague in a home. Again, in these cases, the people were instructed to leave the house before the priest could come and examine the house (Leviticus 14:33-34). In this instance, the priest was again the final person who examined and declared whether the leper, their house or garments were clean or unclean. If they were clean, they would integrate into the community again and if not, they would be declared unclean and separated from the rest of the congregation.

In the gospel of Matthew, a leper approached Jesus and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Matthew 8:2). We can see that this leper approached Jesus as a priest based on the language that he used, that is, 'make me clean.,' Jesus replied and said, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:3). At the same time, Jesus did not by pass the law for He told the healed man to show himself to the priest according to the law of Moses (Matthew 8:4). What the law of Moses did by following a set of rules and laws, today God does through His Son by freely giving healing to all just like Jesus did with the leper. 1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV) says, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed."Jesus, our High Priest today, is not only able to heal you but he is also willing to heal you and we are reminded He is the One with the final say on healing.

Whereas, cleansing was related to the healing of leprosy. In the new Testament, we also see another type of cleansing that God does by his power in the hearts of non Jewish (Gentile) men and women.

In Acts 10, the Apostle Peter is summoned by God to the house of an Italian man named Cornelius, who feared God with all his household and gave alms to the people and always prayed (Acts 10:2). As much as Cornelius loved God and was God fearing, He did not yet know the gospel so one day during his prayers, an angel appeared to him and said, "...Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." (Acts 10:4-6 NKJV).

In order to prepare Peter for this assignment, the Lord appeared to Peter in a vision, showing him all kinds of unclean anaimals. When a voice in the vision told Peter rise and eat, he responded, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." (Acts 10:13-14). And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." (Acts 10:15). This was done three times and later, the men from Conrnelius' house met with Peter, took him to their house and this was the first recorded time that the gospel of Jesus Christ spread to non Jews. Before Peter started sharing the word with Cornelius, his family and all who gathered with him, he said, "...In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."(Acts 10:34-35 NKJV). As Peter was preaching to them about Jesus, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the Word in Cornelius' house. They were saved and later got water baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

In this new covenant, cleansing is a work of God done in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit through faith in the Son, Jesus.

I'll end with this Word found in Romans 2:28-29 (NKJV)

28. "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

29. but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."

Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV)

"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also a Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises."

Amen, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: The best gift that Jesus gave us is receiving salvation and eternal life which is a personal relationship knowing God as our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

If you would like to receive this free gift of God's salvation, please say this prayer with me:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that God sent His One and only Son who died for my sins and was raised from the dead so that I could have eternal life and by His stripes I was healed." - AMEN. 

If you just said this prayer, GLORY TO GOD, you are now a new creation in Christ Jesus! In case you have not already, please prayerfully consider becoming a member of a church and get WATER BAPTIZED!