Leviticus (written)

Leviticus 14:10-32
Purified from All Defilement

The thought of having leprosy must have been one of the worst thoughts of all for the Israelite of old. It would have to be comparable to receiving news nowadays that you had somehow contacted AIDs or something similar. There would be expulsion from the camp of God’s people, there would be a shunning by almost everyone who saw you, and there would be an existence which was dirty and festering.

People wouldn’t care how you got it, they would just see you as a person who had become an outcast. Nothing pleasant about such an existence could be truly realized. But if you stop and look at the typology which we drew out from it, the leprosy is just a state of the vile sinner in need of a Savior. It could be, and it was, any one of us before we came to Christ.

The subject of leprosy has been discussed now for all of Chapter 13, which included leprosy of garments, and it has continued on into chapter 14. Today, we will conclude the rites required for atonement to be complete for the healed leper.

What is important to understand, as I noted last week and as I will note again this week, is that everything in the cleansing process is immediate. When we come to Christ, every type and picture that we have seen, and will see, is realized in Him.

The Lord has logically broken down these things into a sequence of events which actually take place in us at once, but which are noted in a set order so that we can see all of them occurring and what they mean to us. The New Testament explains them as well, but before the Antitype and the explanation of His work, we have the foreshadowing type. By presenting it this way, we can be absolutely sure that what we read about in Christ’s fulfillment of them is complete, and it is totally satisfactory to meet every requirement set down by the Law of Moses. This is the beauty of what God has done for us.

What is even niftier is that when He walked among His people Israel, they had a chance to see this Old Testament symbolism come to life. That way, it would be fresh on their minds when He fulfilled the typology. Unfortunately, so many of them missed it, either willingly or by not paying heed. One such example was read last week. It is repeated today as our text verse…

Text Verse: When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:1-4

As we saw last week, it is the Lord who heals, not the priest. Instead, the priest was simply to determine if healing had really taken place, and then to conduct the rites for that healing. Here we have that same pattern taking place. The Lord Yehovah – our Lord Jesus – did the healing. From there, the leper was told to go to the priest, who himself pictured Christ, and to offer the gift that Moses commanded, which also pictures Christ.

If you can see it, the entire law is being fulfilled before their eyes. They were without excuse when Christ rose from the grave. The details of their ancient law which had been shown to them through the work of Jesus was a proof of His messiah-ship. As a whole, they failed to recognize it. Now it is they who are outside the camp, suffering as lepers, and it is we, the redeemed of the Lord from both Jew and Gentile who have been healed, cleansed, and brought into eternal fellowship with our heavenly Father. Amazing, simply amazing. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Atonement Before the Lord (verses 10-20)

The time has come! The cleansed leper has gone through his time of personal purification, and now he is ready to be fully reincorporated into the fellowship by making his offerings at the sanctuary. Until this time, he has been allowed in the camp, but he remained outside of his tent. He has also been kept from the sanctuary. But now that his time of purification is past, to the sanctuary he shall go.

¹⁰ “And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one log of oil.

It is the eighth day, the number of new beginnings in Scripture. As a leper, he was excluded not just from the sanctuary, but also from the camp. The first ceremony was performed outside the camp, and it allowed the leper to come in among the brethren. The second ceremony, which will now be detailed, would restore him to all of the privileges of a covenant relationship with Yehovah.

As I said, these things happen at one time when we receive Christ, but they are divided into different rites, with different offerings, to show us an entire broad picture of all that Christ has done for each one of us. On this day of new beginnings, the healed-leper is to bring as offerings four things which will comprise three types of offerings. The first consists of sh’nai kebasim, or two male lambs, or more correctly “rams.” Kebes comes from a root which means “to dominate.” It thus pictures Christ’s domination over sin, something which has been pictured in his cleansing. These are to be, tamim, or “without blemish.” Thus they picture Christ in whom no defect was found.

Next, he is to bring kabsah akhat, or one ewe lamb. This is the feminine of the word just used, kebes. This is to be of the first year and also without blemish. This female ewe lamb is rarely seen in the Bible – eight times, in Genesis 21, here, Numbers 6, and 2 Samuel 12.

Thirdly, he is to bring a grain offering of 3/10th of an ephah, or three omers, of fine flour mixed with oil. It is believed that the three omers of flour were brought in connection with the three animal offerings, a tenth for each.

And lastly he is to bring something new to Scripture, a log of oil. This is the first of five times the log will be seen, all in this chapter. It comes from a root meaning to deepen. The word is cognate to the Arabic word meaning be deep, depth, and abyss. The log is a set measure for liquids. Tradition says the measure of the log was equal to six hen’s eggs.

¹¹ Then the priest who makes him clean shall present the man who is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

The words, “The priest who makes him clean” obviously mean, “The priest who performs the ritual.” It is the Lord who cleansed, and it is the Lord who accepts the ritual of atonement. However, the priest here is typical of Christ our Priest in that it is He who presents us to the Father in purification through Himself. In the ancient type, the healed-leper is presented with his offerings before the face of Yehovah at the door of the tent (not tabernacle) of meeting. Every detail points to Christ – the Offering, the Lord, the Door, even the tent itself, as we saw in Exodus.

The term “at the door of the tent of meeting” signifies the place of the brazen altar. As we have seen many times, it is the offerings at the altar which symbolically allows access through the door.

¹² And the priest shall take one male lamb and offer it as a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.

Something different occurs here with this asham, or trespass offering than any other such in Scripture. The entire live animal, along with the log of oil, is waved before the Lord. To understand the significance of this, we can take a departure to Numbers 8 –

And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel. ¹⁰ So you shall bring the Levites before the Lord, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites; ¹¹ and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord like a wave offering from the children of Israel, that they may perform the work of the Lord. ¹² Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites.

¹³ “And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine. ¹⁵ After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. Numbers 8:9-15

As you can see from that account, the Levites were waved, setting them apart to the Lord and for His service. Thus, it is showing us that, in picture, the lamb (which is the substitute for the healed leper) pictures him being set apart for the service of the Lord, being dedicated to Him. The log of oil being waved is more than just representing the Spirit. As I said, the word log indicates deepen or depth. Paul explains the Spirit’s work, indicated by the log, in 1 Corinthians 2 –

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

The live animal, signifying the power of Christ for cleansing, the log, signifying the Spirit of God who has searched the spirit of the man, and the waving, signifying the omnipresence of God, are made a substitute asham, or trespass offering, for the healed leper.

¹³ Then he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy.

The place where the sin and burnt offerings are killed is on the north side of the brazen altar. This is the same location where this trespass offering, which has already been waved before the Lord, is killed. As this offering is considered most holy, it belongs to the officiating priest. He and the male members of his family could eat it within the court of the sanctuary. As already stated, this asham, or trespass offering, pictures Christ. In Isaiah 53, He is specifically called our asham, or guilt offering –

But the LORD was pleased 
            To crush Him, putting Him to grief; 
            If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, Isaiah 53:10 (NASB)

¹⁴ The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

This rite is similar to that of the consecration of Aaron and his sons in Chapter 8. The application of the blood to the healed leper signifies the acceptance of the substitute. Blood symbolizes life. Shed blood thus symbolizes death. In the leper’s consecration, he has now symbolically died to self and henceforward is to live for God.

That each point of application is on the right side has meaning in and of itself. The right is the side of strength, blessing, authority, honor, judgment (in salvation), wisdom, cleansing, etc. Applying the blood to the right includes in some measure, each of these.

First, blood is applied to the tenuk, or lobe of the ear. This signifies obedience in the sense of spiritual hearing. He was to heed the Divine voice which would speak to him either through the law or the prophets. He was to be consecrated to this hearing of the word, in the sense of applying it to his life.

Next, it was to be applied to the bohen, or thumb, of the right hand. The fingers symbolize human activity. Here, the thumb represents the whole hand. His hand, thus meaning his spiritual activity, was to be set apart to God, to holiness, and to only that which was sanctified. He was to be a member of the congregation to not only hear the Divine voice, but to respond to it through daily life.

Lastly, the blood was to be applied to the bohen, or big toe, of his foot. This symbolized that he was to walk only in paths of holiness, directing his steps toward God in the race set before him. This verse, with the three principle points of application, is explained by Paul in Colossians 1 –

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (ear) ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, (toe) being fruitful in every good work (thumb) and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; ¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Colossians 1:9-12

In the application of the blood to these three extremities, there is the sense that his entire life was to be enclosed in the service of God. From head to toe and from hand to foot, he was sanctified as as acceptable. The leper, as we saw, pictured the man in sin. He once did not hear the word of God, his works were defiled by sin, and his walk was down a contrary and evil path. But now, he is sanctified and set apart for the service of God. It is you, and it is me, cleansed by Christ.

¹⁵ And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand.

The blood was given to signify the shedding of Christ’s blood by which sins are atoned for. The oil signifies the Spirit by which the person is renewed. This is poured by the priest into the priest’s left hand. The word “priest” is noted twice in the Hebrew to ensure that it is understood to be into his own left hand into which it is poured, but not into the hand of the one being cleansed. Christ our High Priest is the One from whom the Spirit issues.

¹⁶ Then the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord.

Here the priest is said to dip his finger in the oil. It is the same word used in verse 6 when the bird was plunged into the water/blood mixture. He turned toward the tent of meeting, and then he would dip and sprinkle, dip and sprinkle, repeating this seven times. It is symbolic of the seven-fold Spirit of the Lord noted in Isaiah and in Revelation.

¹⁷ And of the rest of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put some on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass offering.

The blood symbolized dying to self and henceforward living for God. It was given as a token of forgiveness of the trespass. The oil is now emblematic of healing. Thus we see Christ’s blood that justifies, and Christ’s Spirit that sanctifies. The oil is applied to the same points of the body as before. In type, it is the person prepared for service to the Lord; and is now enabled for service to the Lord.

¹⁸ The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed.

Any remaining oil in the priest’s hand, after the sprinkling and the application to the body, was to be put on top of the cleansed-leper’s head. It was not to simply be wiped off of the hand or drained onto the ground. As the oil is emblematic of the Spirit, it is to be given without measure to the healed leper. In other words, the remaining amount is an unspecified amount. Thus it is applied to the head symbolizing the abundance of the Spirit as determined by the Spirit alone for head knowledge which is sanctified knowledge. As Paul says in Ephesians 4 –

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:7

^{18 (con’t)} So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord.

These words are speaking of the process which has been accomplished, but it is not specifically atonement as in propitiation for sin. That is coming in the next verse. Rather, there has been a gulf which separated the leper from the Lord. This trespass offering has been given to cover this and to make an AT-ONE-MENT relationship once again. From there, the specific sins will next be atoned for…

¹⁹ “Then the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness.

This sin offering would be the ewe lamb mentioned in verse 10. It is typical of Christ who was made sin and also a sin offering for His people. This sacrificial lamb was prophesied in Isaiah 53:7 –

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,” Isaiah 53:7

It is again noted in a prophecy spoken by John the Baptist –

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

There is first the trespass offering, then there is the sin offering. Each is typical of the coming work of Christ. And then…

^{19  (con’t)} Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering.

The olah, or burnt offering is last. The burnt offering is emblematic of one’s life given wholly to God. For the healed leper, he gives his burnt offering, typical of Christ who gave His life wholly to God. The healed leper is saying that he will emulate the offering with his own life. As Christ died to self, so the burnt offering is killed, emblematic of the healed leper dying to self as a burnt offering.

²⁰ And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

A burnt offering is one described as a sweet smelling savor. In this, it is emblematic of Paul’s words concerning Christ –

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1, 2

The grain offering as verse 10 noted, was to be fine flour mixed with oil. The fine flour as seen in Chapter 2, reflects Christ, the finest grain which comprises the Bread of Life. It is then mixed with oil, symbolic of His life being completely permeated with the Spirit of God. Only a portion of this would have been burnt up on the altar after having frankincense added into it.

This memorial portion pictured Christ and His work being offered up to God as a fragrant offering. The rest of the grain offering would then belong to the priests. Once this final offering was made, full atonement was made and the healed leper was now deemed clean. He had the same full rights and access of any other member of the congregation. As I said, all of these offerings are only types of things which occur instantaneously in the believer. Christ’s work is immediate, and it is all-sufficient to restore the plagued soul once and for all.

This spotless lamb, so innocent and pure
Has to die for me to be fully purified
In its shed blood is to be found the cure
I shall be healed after it has died

I have been a poor leper, my wounds open and sore
My sin has kept me far from the people of God
This affliction I don’t want anymore
Now I hope for a new path to trod

My heart is open, to the spotless Lamb, innocent and pure
Who died for me to be cleansed and purified
In His shed blood I have found the cure
I can be healed because for me He died

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, our Christ Jesus!
Hallelujah to the One who has done such things for us!

II. Provision for the Poor (verses 21-32)

²¹ “But if he is poor and cannot afford it, then he shall take one male lamb as a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, a log of oil,

Provision is mercifully made for the poor to bring a lesser sacrifice, but without some sacrifice there could be no cleansing. As the New Testament shows, there is no remission without the shedding of blood. And so even a poor person was required to bring at least one male lamb. Likewise, it is true that anyone who comes to God must bring with him the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus. The requirement is set here because the typology must be maintained. Without Christ, there is no cleansing; no healing; no redemption.

One can see here that the typology of Christ the Lamb as our asham, or guilt offering, is extremely important in God’s mind. To not require this lamb for our guilt would then violate the typology for the New Testament. One could say, “See, I can come to God apart from the Lamb.” Such however is not the case. It is only Christ the Lamb through whom we are reconciled to God. Rich or poor, all must come through Him.

In the case of the poor person, the adjective used is dal. It signifies to dangle, and so by implication it means weak or thin, as a poor person certainly is. Such a person would be hard-pressed to provide the previous offerings. The Hebrew reads v’ain yadow maseget – “and no his hand can reach.” In other words, he is so poor that his hand cannot reach out for a sufficient amount to purchase the previous offerings.

And so one male lamb is required for the trespass, or guilt, offering, to be waved. Along with that would be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil instead of three tenths. Also, as before, a log of oil. Requiring the same log of oil shows us that there is one Spirit, and only He can search out the deep things of God. The rich man cannot buy more of the Spirit, and the poor man is not acceptable with less, if that were possible. The same Spirit is equally necessary to each, one as to the other.

²² and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford: one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

In the case of the poor person, instead of a second male lamb, and a ewe lamb, he could bring two turtledoves or two doves. As it says, asher tasig yadow – “which can reach his hand.” In this case, one is for the sin offering, and the other for the burnt offering. It is the same allowance which was made for the poor woman who conducted her ritual of purification after childbirth which was recorded in Leviticus 12.

As it says in Acts 10:34, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.” Such is the case here. God accepts the rich and the poor alike, and He is willing to give great mercy to the poor when necessary. As long as he first comes through the Lamb, there is full redemption.

These birds picture Christ in their simplicity, purity, and humility. Further, the affection of the dove for its mate makes it a splendid picture of Christ who is so affectionate for His people that He came to dwell among them and give Himself for them. Both of these thoughts fit so perfectly with a poor person who has come to Him. They are humble and yet so very loved by their Lord.

²³ He shall bring them to the priest on the eighth day for his cleansing, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, before the Lord.

This verse combines thoughts from verse 10 and verse 11 which surround the named offerings, but it is the exact same thought. It is on the eighth day of his cleansing when he brings his offerings to the priest at the door of the tent of meeting before the Lord.

²⁴ And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.

The wording here closely resembles that of verse 12. However, instead of it being one of the males lambs, it is the only male lamb. Other than that, it is the same procedure with the same meaning. This verse now has the fifth and last use of the word log in the Bible. You can say goodbye to the log now.

²⁵ Then he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

This verse closely resembles verses 13 and 14, but in a more brief form. But the requirements are just the same as before.

²⁶ And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand.

With just a few words of difference, this is identical in thought to verse 15.

²⁷ Then the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord.

Again, with a few words of difference, the thought here is identical to verse 16. The intent is wholly the same.

²⁸ And the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering.

And again, the procedures are the same as before. For rich man and for poor, the same rites and the same purifications are conducted.

²⁹ The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord.

The remaining oil in the priest’s hand is once again put on the head of the poor healed leper. The same procedures with the same full cleansing are given to him as to the richest noble. In Christ, there is no partiality, but rather there is the same love and grace poured out on all. The Spirit is given to both poor and rich without measure.

³⁰ And he shall offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, such as he can afford—

Now the changes to the rite become evident. In this it says that one of the birds is to be selected me’asher tasig yado, or “of which can reach his hand.” His poor state is highlighted here, indicating that the Lord is granting an additional mercy to him because of his plight. And again, this state is noted with the next verse…

³¹ such as he is able to afford,

The words are repeated specifically to show his diminished state, but it is not to show it and highlight it, as if he is somehow of less value to the Lord. Instead, it is to show and even highlight that he has found the same favor as a rich man before the Lord. There is no consideration of his impoverished state, except in that the Lord is magnified through His goodness to him because of it.

^{31 (con’t)} the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before the Lord.

These words substantially repeat the thought of verses 19 & 20. One of the birds replaces the ewe lamb, and the second bird replaces the second male lamb. The small grain offering is accepted in place of the larger one, and atonement is made for the poor healed leper, there liphne Yehovah or, before the Lord.

*³² This is the law for one who had a leprous sore, who cannot afford the usual cleansing.”

One final time, the words “Which not can reach his hand” are given. Considering what the plague of leprosy pictured over these past many verses, it is a marked and wonderful note to end them on. The Lord has extended His hand to even the poorest of all of the poor beggar sinners of the world, and none are exempt from His kindness, if they will just come to Him for cleansing.

As a great summary of the parts of Chapters 13 & 14 which pertain to leprosy in people, John Gill provides us the following words to consider and take to heart –

“…it may be observed that a great deal of notice is taken of a leper, and strict inquiry made into the nature of leprosy, and the various signs of it given; and a great deal to do about the cleansing and expiation of him; all which shows what notice God takes of leprous sinners, and what a diligent scrutiny should be made into the evil nature of sin, and what a provision God has made for the cleansing and atonement of sinners by the blood and sacrifice of his Son; which is here typified by all sorts of offerings, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the burnt offering, and the meat offering.” John Gill

What is more to add onto his words is that God has made provision not just for sinners, but all sinners. The refuse of the world, its very off-scouring, can be purified through a humble act of petition and by a verbal act of confession. Paul, who mostly explains these ancient types and shadows, tells us exactly what we need to do in order to receive this marvelous Fount of cleansing. In the 10^th Chapter of the book of Romans, he says –

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13

Vile sinner… come to Christ and be healed of your plague. Come into God’s camp and be counted among the cleansed, the purified, the redeemed and sanctified people of the Lord.

Closing Verse:  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Next Week: Leviticus 14:33-57 Be sure to be here, but please leave behind your pet mouse… (Leprosy in the House) (24^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Purified From All Defilement

“And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish
One ewe lamb of the first year without blemish too
Three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil
As a grain offering, and one log of oil; so he shall do

Then the priest who makes him clean
Shall present the man who is to be made clean; this he shall be completing
And those things, before the Lord
At the door of the tabernacle of meeting 

And the priest shall take one male lamb
And offer it as a trespass offering, according to this word
And the log of oil, and wave them
As a wave offering before the Lord 

Then he shall kill the lamb
In the place where he kills the sin offering, there it shall be
And the burnt offering, in a holy place
For as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering
———-It is most holy

The priest shall take some of the blood
Of the trespass offering
And the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear
Of him who is to be cleansed; he shall do this thing

On the thumb of his right hand as well
And on the big toe of his right foot, as to you I now tell

And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, please understand
And pour it into the palm of his own left hand

Then the priest shall dip his right finger
In the oil that is in his left hand, according to this word
And shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger
Seven times before the Lord

And of the rest of the oil in his hand
The priest shall put some on the tip of the right ear
Of him who is to be cleansed
On the thumb of his right hand, as you now hear

And on the big toe of his right foot, so he shall do this thing
On the blood of the trespass offering

The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand
He shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, so do
So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord
This is what I am instructing you

“Then the priest shall offer the sin offering
And make atonement for him; a covering it shall bring
Who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness
Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering 

And the priest shall offer the burnt offering
And the grain offering on the altar
So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean
In these things, the priest shall not falter

“But if he is poor and cannot afford it
Then he shall take one male lamb; this he shall do
As a trespass offering to be waved
To make atonement for him, as I am telling you

One-tenth of an ephah of fine flour
Mixed with oil as a grain offering
A log of oil, and two turtledoves or two young pigeons
Such as he is able to afford: surely he can do this thing

One shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering
So shall be his proffering

He shall bring them to the priest
According to this word
On the eighth day for his cleansing
To the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord

And the priest shall take the lamb
Of the trespass offering and the log of oil, do heed the word
And the priest shall wave them
As a wave offering before the Lord

Then he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering
And the priest some of the blood shall take
Of the trespass offering
For the cleansed man’s sake

And put it on the tip of the right ear of him
Who is to be cleansed, as I to you tell
On the thumb of his right hand
And on the big toe of his right foot as well 

And the priest shall pour some of the oil, please understand
Into the palm of his own left hand 

Then the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger
According to this word
Some of the oil that is in his left hand
Seven times before the Lord

And the priest shall put some of the oil
That is in his hand on the tip of the right ear
Of him who is to be cleansed
As you now hear

On the thumb of the right hand
There he shall do this thing
And on the big toe of his right foot
On the place of the blood of the trespass offering

The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand
Pay careful heed to this word
He shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed
To make atonement for him before the Lord

And he shall offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons
Such as he can afford— such as he is able to afford
The one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering
With the grain offering, there before the Lord

So the priest shall make atonement for him
Who is to be cleansed before the Lord
This is the law for one who had a leprous sore
Who cannot the usual cleansing afford

Lord God Almighty, how marvelous is the story
Of what Christ has done for lepers like us
We have gone from defilement unto glory
All because of the wonderful work of Jesus

How can it be that You would care for fallen man
Stepping out of eternity to walk with us
Wondrous are Your ways, glorious is Your plan
Thank You, O God, for the wonderful work of Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Leviticus 14:1-9
Set Free in and Open Field

When you think of the movie The Sound of Music, surely what must come to mind before anything else is the moment where Julie Andrews spreads out her arms on the open field of the mountaintop. There is a feeling of freedom when you’re in an open space like that. No matter how far you stretch your arms, there is always more room to do so. The heart can feel a sense of satisfaction like no other in such a spot.

David wrote about that several times, noting that the Lord delivered him and brought him out into a broad place. Although the verses today might seem curious, and we might feel a tweak of sadness as we see one bird killed and another dipped into the blood of the dead bird, we still must certainly get a feeling of relief when we read about the remaining bird being set free.

I know I do. Every time that I have read that verse, I get a happy sensation. There is freedom and there is the chance to live anew in that freedom. What a blessed little bird! But the question is, what does all of this mean? It does seem rather odd, but the Lord decided these things, and all things, as we know, look forward to the Person and work of Christ. So all we need to do is take things slowly and carefully, and all will be revealed. There is a leper who is healed, and there is a need for cleansing. This much we know just from a cursory reading of the verses.

Text Verse: Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

There is a person who is healed, there is a priest who inspects, and who then performs a ritual, and then there is the cleansed person who is asked to do certain things after he is pronounced clean. Sounds like a fun study, does it not? I don’t know about you, but I was as excited as a Mexican jumping bean to get into these verses and study them as I had never done before. At the end of the day (which was a long day of study and contemplation), I was both tired and yet perfectly happy with the hours spent looking into what is presented here. Even the part about shaving the beard.

It’s not something I would personally look forward to, and so I’m glad these things are fulfilled in Christ. Unless I get the thing caught in a hammer drill again, I plan on keeping this one a long, long time. Oh, have I never told you about that? Well, I will do so and then we will get into this marvelous set of verses. Great stuff is to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. When the Leprosy is Healed in the Leper (verses 1-9)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Despite Aaron being the high priest, and having been addressed along with Moses at the beginning of the last major section, which comprised all of Chapter 13, the Lord now speaks only to Moses. Unlike the last section which dealt with identifying leprous outbreaks, this section deals with the purification rituals. They are words of law, and thus Moses, the lawgiver receives them. This is seen in the next words…

² “This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing:

A couple things need to be seen here. First, this is referring to a person who is unclean because of leprosy, which as we saw is a picture of defilement from sin. He was unclean, and thus was separated from the Lord’s people. The leprous plagues, as we have seen, picture various types of people caught in various types of sin.

Secondly, from the outset the priest had nothing to do with the cleansing of the leper. He was unclean with leprosy, and now his condition has apparently changed. He was outside of fellowship, and now he is hopefully to be accepted into it. He had a plague which pictured sin and separation, and now he seems to be healed. This was all apart from the priest’s ability to cleanse.

As I explained in chapter 13, the word or, meaning skin, is used 99 times in the Bible, and yet 46 of them were mentioned in that one chapter. The or is the covering of the man. Having an affliction in the skin then was an outward sign of uncleanness. As you saw, it signified an uncleanness which pictures sin in man; a plague of death. Now, the word “skin” is never mentioned in chapter 14. There is life and health, leading to spiritual restoration.

^2 (con’t) He shall be brought to the priest.

The healing precedes the inspection. The priest is not the healer, but rather the Lord is. It is the priest’s job to determine if the person is actually healed and then to perform the purification rites. The Lord, in fact, healed the man, but he was then sent to the priest according to the law.

³ And the priest shall go out of the camp,

Verse 2 said that he was to be brought to the priest, but this only means in the sense of inspection, not in the sense of the leper’s previous locality. The leper would be brought from his place of seclusion, as defined in verse 13:46, to a place near the camp.

It is to this place that the priest would go to outside of the camp in order to meet the leper, not the other way around. Until the leper is declared clean, he is not only separate from the priest, meaning the sanctuary as well, but he has been kept from the entire assembly, outside of the camp and outside of fellowship.

^3 (con’t) and the priest shall examine him; 

In the decided location, the priest is to inspect the leper. It is an inspection of the eye. He is to look over the person, and to make his evaluation based on what he sees, as the word raah implies.

^3 (con’t) and indeed, if the leprosy is healed in the leper,

The word says, v’hinneh nirpa nega ha’tsaraat min ha’tsarua – “And behold! (If) be healed the plague the leprosy from the leper.” The words are excited and sure. The priest has looked, and his eyes have beheld the work of the Lord. The word for healing is rapha. It is the word used when the Lord claimed a special title for Himself in Exodus 15. There He said –

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26

This is seen now. The priest has gone forth not to heal, but to determine if healing has taken place. Yehovah Rapha, or the Lord who Heals, is the One who accomplishes the healing. If the leper is so healed, a particular ritual is to be conducted. It is a ritual which is actually a parable being expressed through action.

⁴ then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds,

It must be noted that this ritual by the priest is conducted outside of the camp, before the man is allowed to come in. Though healed, he is not yet cleansed. The cleansing of the once-leprous person takes on two distinct parts. The first is cleansing to come into the camp. This is seen in verses 4-8. Only after that will he then be purified to come to the sanctuary where he will perform his own sacrifices for complete restoration.

The priest now commands to bring shete tsiporim khayot tehorot, or “two birds living (and) clean.” However, no particular bird is described. The word for bird, tsippor, is the basis for the name of Moses’ wife, Tsipporah. The tsippor is used elsewhere as a picture of those who are joined as the people of God, and thus those in the church – be it Old or New Testament. The 84th psalm shows that the bird can find a home where the Lord dwells –

“Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.” Psalm 84:3

Jesus gives the same basic idea in the New Testament –

“Then He said, “’What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.'” Luke 13:18, 19

The use of the bird for cleansing then is to signify acceptance into the people of the Lord.

^4 (con’t) cedar wood,

Along with the two clean birds, he is to bring ets eretz, or wood cedar. The cedar is introduced into the Bible here. The word is derived from a root which means to be firm, or strong. It is the same word used to describe the cedars of Lebanon and even the cedars of God in Psalm 80. Thus they are large, magnificent, firmly fixed trees.

^4 (con’t) scarlet,

u-sh’ni tolaat, or “and scarlet (of the) crimson grub worm,” is to be brought. The implication is scarlet yarn. Two words here are used to describe the color. The first is shani, which means “scarlet.” The second is tola. This is actually a worm known as the crimson-grub. However, it is used only in this manner concerning the color from it, and cloths dyed with it.

Taken together, they are translated as “scarlet,” but implying the scarlet which comes from the tola or grub worm. The double words “implies that to strike this color the wool or cloth was twice dipped” (Clarke). The scarlet, or red, in the Bible pictures and symbolizes war, blood, and/or judgment. In this case, it is judgment, as in judgment on sin.

^4 (con’t) and hyssop.

And finally, ezov, or hyssop, is to accompany these things. The word hyssop that we use today comes from the Hebrew through the Greek. In Greek, it is hussopos, and this is a transliteration from the Hebrew ezov. You can hear the similarity ezov/hyssopos/hyssop. It is an herb native to the Middle East and elsewhere. It has antiseptic, cough relieving, and expectorant properties.

Because of this, it is used as an aromatic herb and for medicine. It is a brightly colored shrub with dark green leaves. During the summer, it produces bunches of pink, blue, or, more rarely, white fragrant flowers. It is contrasted to the cedar in 1 Kings 4, showing its diminutive size –

“He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. ³³ Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.” 1 Kings 4:32, 33

⁵ And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed

“And shall command the priest and slaughter the bird the one.” As has been seen, and as will be seen throughout Scripture, there is no cleansing without the shedding of blood. Likewise, there is no atonement without the shedding of blood. In order for there to be purification, something must die. In this case, one of the birds is slaughtered for the once-leprous man to be cleansed. This first bird is to be slaughtered…

^5 (con’t) in an earthen vessel

el keli kherets, or “to a vessel earthen.” This is the only acceptable vessel for the rite. It cannot be gold, it cannot be silver, it cannot be bronze. It must be in an earthen vessel alone.

^5 (con’t) over running water.

al mayim khayim – “over water living.” The English translation is a bit misleading. The water wasn’t running as the bird was killed. Rather, living water signifies water from a spring as it comes forth from the ground. Thus the water in the bowl is to be living water, and into it, the blood of the bird was to drip and mix. The symbolic meaning is that the water was pure, having come up from the earth, and without having gathered any impurities.

⁶ As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.

Ancient sources state that the wings and the tail of the living bird were extended. And then, while in this position, it was tied together lengthwise with the bundle of hyssop and the cedar wood, and then dipped into the blood and water in the earthen dish. The word for dip is tabal. It means to dip or plunge. It comes from a primitive root meaning to immerse. It is, for example, used of Naaman the Syrian going into the Jordan seven times in order to be purified of his leprosy. Thus, it is an immersion. The entire handful of contents was dipped into the earthen vessel of living water.

⁷ And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy,

There are several traditions concerning this sprinkling. One says it was on the covering over the face of the leper, one says it was on his forehead, and one says it was on the back of his hand. The Bible doesn’t say, and so that is completely irrelevant. All the Bible is concerned with is that he is to be sprinkled seven times. Seven is, as we have seen many times, the number of spiritual perfection. The sprinkling is something that it referred to and explained in the book of Hebrews –

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” ²¹ Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. ²² And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:19-22

^{7  (con’t)} and shall pronounce him clean,

Once the rite of sprinkling is accomplished, the leper is then pronounced clean. The word taher signifies that which is purified. Once this is accomplished, then a marvelous rite of freedom is conducted…

^{7  (con’t)} and shall let the living bird loose in the open field.

The living bird which went through something that was certainly traumatic in the extreme for it, is set free in the sadeh, or open field. This word comes from an unused root which means “to spread out,” and thus it is an open space.

⁸ He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes,

The word for wash is kebes. It means to trample, and thus to wash by stamping with the feet, as in the fulling process. This was the first step of his own personal preparedness for returning to life within the camp.

^8 (con’t) shave off all his hair,

The next step is to shave off all of his hair. Hair in the Bible, as we have seen many times, signifies awareness, but especially an awareness of sin. Every bit of his hair is to be shaven, and this is given in greater detail in verse 9. After this…

^8 (con’t) and wash himself in water,

A bath for the body is in order…

^8 (con’t) that he may be clean.

v’taher – “and pure.” Each step is in preparation for the wondrous moment of rejoining the people of God. He is to do these things and then…

^8 (con’t) After that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days.

The reason for this isn’t stated, but it seems obvious that it was to keep him from any type of defilement which could occur and thus interrupt his own purification process.

⁹ But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair

On the seventh day, after a week in his purification, the person is to shave again. This time it is defined first as all the hair…

^9 (con’t) off his head

The word for head is rosh. It comes from a root meaning “to shake,” as the head is that part which is most easily shaken.

^9 (con’t)and his beard

As we saw in the previous chapter, the zaqan, or beard comes from the verb zaqen, which means to be or become old, and so it can be translated as “old man.”

^9 (con’t) and his eyebrows

The gav, or eyebrow, is introduced here, and this is the only time it is used to describe the brow of the eye. It simply means “rim.” It comes from a root which means “to hollow” or “to curve.” Thus it is the curves of the eyes. As this is the only instance where this is used to speak of the brow of the eye, it is actually the eyes which are the subject here. One doesn’t actually shave their eye, but they will shave the brow of the eye.

^9 (con’t) —all his hair he shall shave off.

Again, hair indicates an awareness, specifically that of sin. All of the evident hair is to be shaven.

^9 (con’t) He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water,

After the shaving, the clothes and the body are washed, and then…

*^9 (fin) and he shall be clean.

The man plagued with leprosy is now clean. He is not yet through with the requirements he is expected to deal with, but he is now considered fully accepted into the community, and he can now proceed to the sanctuary as any other Israelite could do.

Healed from leprosy, clean and pure
I am ready to enter into a new life with my Lord
I have been cleansed, and that is sure
No longer alienated; so says the word

Freed from sin, I am whole once again
Cleansed by God and granted new life in my Lord
I have been justified and sanctified among the sons of men
Cleansed by the washing of water through the word

It is all by the grace of God that this has come about
I am free from what once confined me
Through the death of Another, I am purified, no doubt
Thank God for Christ Jesus who has set me free

II. Pictures of Christ

Here we have a passage which seems so odd, and so obscure to our modern senses, that it is actually completely foreign to anything we would consider as necessary after getting over a skin disease. But if we just remember what those skin diseases pictured in the previous chapter, then we can again look at these verses and know that we are being given more pictures.

If the leprosy was a picture of sin and death, then this must be picturing purification from that. First, we need to remember that the healing of the leprosy comes from the Lord. It did not come from a doctor or a priest. As the priest is the mediator for the people on behalf of God, and as our true Mediator is Christ, then we can make the obvious connection that the Lord is filling several roles at once.

Thus, this means that what is happening here is a process which, even though it is occurring in a set order, actually may have many aspects occurring simultaneously. Just as when a person believes in Christ, they are saved, they are justified, they are sanctified, and they are sealed with the Holy Spirit all at one time. So it is with what is occurring in these verses. A process is taking place which pictures another process in us; one that occurs instantaneously.

It needs to be noted that the killing of the live bird here does not actually denote a true sacrifice. That will be detailed in the following verses next week. However, at the same time, it pictures the same things as a true sacrifice. And so in this case, there is a representation of the state in which the leper had legally been, and it signifies what would have happened to him if there was no remedy for his affliction to be found.

But a cure was found and, as I said, it is represented by the same things which marks a true sacrifice under the law. There is the truth that one takes the place of another. This will become evident as we go on.

The person who has the leprous plague is healed; the person who is plagued with sin is healed. It is the Lord who heals. This is the person who comes to Christ by faith in His finished work. The priest, Christ, examines him, and indeed, the Lord has healed him. Christ is Yehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals. The malady of the skin which was seen 46 times in the previous chapter is no longer mentioned. There is life and health, signifying spiritual renewal.

We are told that the priest went outside the camp to meet the leper, the sinner, and all of the rites of purification by the priest are done outside of the camp. Christ left heaven in order to meet with sinners. He assumed a human nature, and came forth from His Father, going into the world to save them. Likewise, Hebrews 13:11 says that Christ suffered outside the camp, meaning Jerusalem, in order to sanctify the people with His own blood.

It is there that the priest meets with the one who is to be cleansed of leprosy; it is there where Christ meets the one who is to be purified from sin. Such is the Lord who is ready to meet with sinners. There, in his still-defiled state, the leper and the sinner are inspected. As the priest inspects the leper, Christ so reads the hearts and minds of he who calls out to Him.

And so there, at the inspection it says, “And behold! (If) be healed the plague the leprosy from the leper.” That is equated directly to, “And behold! He is cured from his sin.” He has believed in Christ. Christ has inspected, and Christ has determined.

In acknowledgment of the clean state, a ritual is now conducted which pictures the work of Christ, and it is a work of Christ which is now realized in the believer. As I said, though these are done in an order here in Leviticus, they are symbolic of that which happens at once in the believer.

Two living birds, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop are brought at the priest’s command. The two living birds both picture Christ. The cedar wood pictures Christ, and the hyssop pictures… Christ. The pictures, however, like all such things, picture Christ on behalf of His people, and thus it is a process which includes those “in Christ.”

As I said, the bird elsewhere in the Bible symbolizes those who are joined as the people of God. The two birds are described as living and clean. It is an obvious picture of Christ who is alone without sin. He is Life, and he is Purity. Why there are two birds will be seen as we progress.

Along with the two birds is ets eretz, or wood cedar. The word signifies firm or strong. What is occurring in this rite is something permanent. It carries the strength of the process. It is symbolic of Christ who is the strength of God for salvation. As Paul says in Romans 5 –

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

The sh’ni tolaat, or scarlet of the crimson grub worm, pictures Christ who is described by the same word, tola, in the 22^nd Psalm, a psalm about the cross of Christ –

“But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.” Psalm 22:6

As we have seen throughout Exodus, the scarlet color signifies judgment. In this case, it is judgment on sin. This is what happened at the cross of Christ, and this is what the scarlet signifies here. A description of this crimson dye, which is obtained from the tola is given to us by Henry Morris –

“When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might ‘bring many sons unto glory.’ He died for us, that we might live through him!” Henry Morris

The hyssop, as I noted earlier, was contrasted to the cedar by Solomon to show its humble size and nature. Where cedar denoted firmness and strength, the hyssop denotes humility. Other than the one instance given by Solomon, it is always used in the Bible in conjunction with purification. Paul shows us how this humble plant, used in purification, looks forward to Christ –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

After calling for these things, each of which pictures Christ, it says that the priest is to kill the first bird over living water in an earthen vessel. The earthen vessel and the living water picture Christ. He came in the likeness of man; man whom Paul describes as an earthen vessel –

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

As I said earlier, only an earthen vessel would suffice for this purification. The reason is that only Christ’s incarnation, coming as a Man in an earthen vessel, could purify the lost sinner. The living water is described by Christ Himself as that which flows from Him. It is He who is the pure and undefiled Water pictured here –

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37, 38

The slaughtering of the first bird over the earthen jar, and then mingling its blood into the living water symbolizes Christ’s death. It is this act which allows the fountain of purification and cleansing from sin.

Once that is accomplished, then the other bird is immersed into the mixture, along with the cedar wood, the scarlet, and the hyssop. It is symbolic of the burial of Christ. His strength, his judgment on sin, and his humility in coming as a human were all buried. But that isn’t the end of the story. It is this mixture which is then sprinkled seven times on the one to be cleansed. The mixture of the blood of the bird and the living water, along with the cedar, scarlet, and hyssop, is seen in John’s words of his first epistle –

“This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.”1 John 5:6

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection, and so the seven-fold sprinkling is symbolic of the perfect sprinkling of the seven-fold Spirit of the Lord which is cited in Isaiah 11 –

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
² The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:1, 2

This Spirit of the Lord, which rests upon Christ, is sprinkled on all who believe. It is the sealing of the Spirit which Paul mentions in Ephesians 1:13, 14.

Once the person is so sprinkled, he is then pronounced clean. He is considered purified by this act. And so it is with the Spirit. Paul, writing to those in Rome, tells them what they once were, and what they now are in Christ. It is a perfect picture of the defiled person of Chapter 13, and the now cleansed person of Chapter 14 –

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Romans 6:9-11

The Spirit sanctifies the believer, just as the water and blood mixture was sprinkled on the leper in order to cleanse him. And after that occurs, it says that the living bird is to be loosed in an open field. It is typical of the resurrection of Christ. The bird had been immersed into death, and it was raised out of it. That death is what purified the sinner, and the resurrection is what justified him. Paul explains it to us in Romans 4 –

“Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” Romans 4:23-25

As I said, these things are typical of Christ, but what Christ did is then applied to all who are in Christ. The leper has gone from his place of confinement because of being unclean, to a place of freedom because of his cleansing. The bird too was confined, but it was then released in an open field. But, it was released still covered in the water/blood mixture.

It is typical of Christ who was confined in the pit for judgment on our sin, but who was released and who now fills the heavens. It is also now emblematic of the sinner who was trapped in sin and destined for the narrow confines of hell, but who has been brought out to the open expanses of heaven. He is covered in the work of Christ; the water of life, and the blood of atonement. Because of Christ, so it is also of the justified, purified, and sanctified sinner.

The believer is immersed with Christ in His death, and the sins which he bore for us die with Him. In His resurrection, man stands justified before God, just as Paul says in Romans 4:25.

After these things, the person was told to wash his clothes. It is the first active thing that he is instructed to do. As I said, the word implies to wash by trampling. It is symbolic of purifying one’s life through trampling out the sin in our lives. Jude’s words which speak of the garments defiled by the flesh explain the symbolism. In coming to Christ, we are to trample out the defilement.

It then next says that the cleansed leper is to shave off all his hair. It is symbolic of removing anything which reminds us of sin. We are to remove any awareness of sin from our lives and so bring on an awareness and knowledge of God. Paul explains it in these words –

“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.” 1 Corinthians 15:34

After this comes the washing of the body. It is symbolic of purifying oneself after having the knowledge of God. This is explained in the New Testament with these words –

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27

After these things have been done, the cleansed leper can then enter the camp. He has joined to the people of God, and he is no longer an unclean outsider. But it then notes that he is not to go into his tent for seven days. It is not until the 8^th day that another process needs to be conducted.

This is to be considered the time when sinners are cleansed by the Lord, but they need to not get distracted by the things of the world. There needs to be a time of being among the people of God and separate from anything distracting, thus causing them to become defiled again.

As I said, many of these things occur simultaneously in the believer, but the verses ahead, which we will look at next week, go through an elaborate process of offerings which are to be presented to the Lord. Like the previous offerings which we looked at, they will point to the work of Christ.

After they are complete, in verse 20, it will say, “And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.” He has already been declared clean, and yet there is still the need for atonement, something provided through the work of Christ, in order to be considered clean. Each step is a necessary part of the process of going from being a defiled sinner, to a cleansed member of the congregation. These Old Testament types and shadows, which really took place in Israel, typify marvelous spiritual truths which occur in each person brought into the church today.

It all points to the finished work of Christ, but each step is a process which is accomplished in the believer because of his faith in what has already been done. The last thing we saw in our nine verses today was basically an expansion of verse 8. On the seventh day, the cleansed leper was to shave off all the hair on his head, his eyebrows, and his beard.

As we have seen, hair indicates an awareness of sin. He is to again purge himself of any new hair, thus any new awareness of sin. This is to be done before the sacrifice for his atonement is made. I detailed these three body parts for you, but will remind you of them now, showing why the Lord specifically named them in verse 9.

First was the rosh, or head. It comes from a root meaning “to shake,” as the head is that part which is most easily shaken. It speaks of the attitude that the believer is to have, removing sin and holding fast to Christ, even through afflictions –

“Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ² and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, ³ that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. ⁴ For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.” 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4 

We are to remain firm and fixed in Christ, and not to have our faith shaken by what occurs around us.

Next is the zaqan, or beard which comes from the verb zaqen, meaning to be or become old, and so it can be translated as “old man.” Paul tells us to leave behind the old man –

“But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24

And then are the eyebrows. As I noted, as this is the only instance where the word is used to speak of the brow of the eye, it is actually the eyes which are the subject here. One doesn’t actually shave their eye, but they will shave the brow of the eye. Paul shows us how this precept is to be applied to our lives –

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 1:17-21

Each of these is a positive precept from Paul, just as they are positive commands for the healed leper in the Old Testament. Don’t be shaken, put off the old man, and have the eyes of your understanding enlightened. This is what we are asked to do. In the end, the healed leper is me or you. It is any person who has come to God and been cleansed by the work of Christ. A New Testament example of this is found in the book of Matthew.

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:1-4

As you can see, there is the leper, there is the Lord, Jesus, who heals – and who alone can heal – and then, only then is the person instructed to go to the priest. Although this passage we have looked at today is not the offering that the leper is to offer, this rite had to be accomplished first as an acknowledgment that the Lord had accomplished this cleansing on his behalf. Only after that will the leper then make his offering.

The priest was to see and avow that the Lord had healed. But the priest was also only a picture of the Lord as the Mediator between God and man. And so it is the Lord who heals, and it is the Lord who accepts that healing. In the end, it is all about the work of the Lord. It is He who frees us from our sin.

Instead of the confining pit of hell, we have been granted the wide open spaces of heaven’s vast expanse. It was a gift for us, and it is a gift to anyone who will simply reach out and receive it. If you have never been one who is cleansed by the atoning death of Christ, please make today the day. You are a leper headed on a one- way path to destruction, but through Him, you will be a pure and spotless child of God on the way to an eternal place of glorious wonder and delight. Be wise, be discerning, call on Christ today.

Closing Verse: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14

Next Week: Leviticus 14:10-32 Something required for every Ma’am and every Gent… (Purified From All Defilement) (23^rd Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Set Free in an Open Field

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
These are the words He was then relaying

“This shall be the law of the leper
For the day of his cleansing; yes on that day
He shall be brought to the priest
As to you I now say 

And the priest shall go out of the camp
And the priest shall examine him
And indeed, if the leprosy is healed in the leper
No longer is his future leprosy-filled and grim 

Then the priest shall command to take
For him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds
Cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop
According to these words

And the priest shall command that one of the birds
Be killed in an earthen vessel over running water
According to these words

As for the living bird, he shall take it
The cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop too
And dip them and the living bird in the blood
Of the bird that was killed over the running water
———So shall he do

And he shall sprinkle it seven times
On him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy
And shall pronounce him clean
And shall let the living bird loose in the open field
———-So shall it be

He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes
Shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water
———- that he may be clean
After that he shall come into the camp
And shall stay outside his tent seven days; so it shall be seen

But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair
Off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, so this shall be seen
All his hair he shall shave off; he shall wash his clothes
And wash his body in water, and he shall be clean

Lord God Almighty, how marvelous is the story
Of what Christ has done for lepers like us
We have gone from defilement unto glory
All because of the wonderful work of Jesus

How can it be that You would care for fallen man
Stepping out of eternity to walk with us
Wondrous are Your ways, glorious is Your plan
Thank You, O God, for the wonderful work of Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 13:38-59
The Law of Leprosy, Part III

Once again, we come to a passage that is as clearly designed to show us spiritual truths as anything possibly could be. The first half finishes our verses on leprosy of the skin. It includes a couple verses about being bald. If a person’s hair falls out and nothing more, he is bald but he is clean. That’s a genuine relief for some of us. It would be a bit more than tragic if people were unclean simply because they were bald. Shine on men; all is well.

After that, there is the note about what a person who is declared unclean is required to do. It is, again, a really nice thing that these things only belonged to the law of Moses, and that being unclean in these ways was only a temporary part of what is seen in redemptive history. The poor lepers of Israel were excluded from society, they were to make it visibly and audibly known that this was the case, and unless they were cured of their affliction, they remained this way permanently.

And then, of course, there is the final major section of our verses, that of leprous garments. As you will see, there is no known parallel to what is described here in these verses. What is given applied only to Israel, and only during the time of the law. As there is nothing to match what is described here anywhere else in history, or at any other location, then it is a clear indication that these verses are given to show us spiritual truths. This is 100% certain.

Text Verse: “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” Jude 1:22, 23

Nowhere in the New Testament is there any hint of literal garments being defiled, and thus being considered unclean. This is good because when I finish my morning jobs, especially the one at 7-11, someone might otherwise want to send me to a priest for an evaluation. And even worse were the things I used to wear when I worked in the wastewater business. That might lead to a lifetime sentence against me. But such is not the case.

Verses in the New Testament, and even passages from the Old Testament, speak of garments as spiritual metaphors of either pure or unclean lives. To wash one’s garments signifies having one’s life purified. To have garments defiled by the flesh speaks of having one’s life defiled by earthly lusts and pleasures.

Now that you know this, the seemingly irrelevant and even tedious final verses of Leviticus 13 should be considered neither irrelevant nor tedious. Instead, they should be a delightful banquet for you to sit down and consume as we continue our journey through this magnificent gift from God; His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Unclean! Unclean! (Verses 38-46)

³⁸ “If a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the body, specifically white bright spots,

We now have, once again, the specific identification which was first seen in verse 29 – “a man or a woman.” Here, the Hebrew states the affliction being considered – beharoth beharoth levanoth, or “bright spots, bright spots white. The same word for this condition, bahereth, was first used in verse 2. It is a bright spot which draws attention to itself. In this case, it is also specified as white, a color denoting works.

³⁹ then the priest shall look; and indeed if the bright spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is a white spot that grows on the skin. He is clean.

The priest is to evaluate the bright spots to determine if they really are “bright.” If they are, it would be another matter entirely. But, if they are instead kehot levanoth bohaq, or darkish white eczema, then there is nothing to worry about. The word bohaq, is only found here in Scripture. It is a word that has continued to be used in the Middle East though. It corresponds to an Arabic word pronounced the same. It is a known affliction which does not render a person unclean, and therefore he is pronounced as such.

The symbolism seems obvious. If a person’s life is literally covered in works which are evident for all to see, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are prideful in their deeds, even though it may appear that way on the surface. This would be the person who literally gives himself away in doing good for others, so much so that they would wear the skin off their body in the process. God continues to use afflictions of the body to teach us spiritual lessons.

⁴⁰ “As for the man whose hair has fallen from his head, he is bald, but he is clean.

The words translated as “hair has fallen” is a new verb, marat, which is derived from a root meaning, “to polish.” Another new word is the adjective qereakh, translated as “bald.” This particular word signifies baldness on the back of the head. It is only used here, and of the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 2:23. As hair in the Bible signifies awareness, and in particular awareness of sin, being bald would signify being naive to sin, and a readiness to receive, or “discover,” Christ. Such a person is clean.

⁴¹ He whose hair has fallen from his forehead, he is bald on the forehead, but he is clean.

Now a different type of baldness is defined. It is where the hair falls mi’peath panav, or from the side toward his face. When the hair falls off the head in this manner then gibeakh hu, or “his forehead is bald.” This word, gibeakh, or bald forehead, is found only here in the Bible. The root it comes from signifies “to be high” as in the forehead.

In the Bible, the forehead is the place of conscience and identification. Therefore, this symbolizes a person who sets their mind on something. As there is no leprous outbreak, the person pictured here is described by Paul in Colossians which says –

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:1, 2

This person is considered clean. However, in contrast to him…

⁴² And if there is on the bald head or bald forehead a reddish-white sore, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead.

Here are two nouns, qarakhath, and gabakhath, which will each be seen only four times, and all in this chapter. The first signifies to be bald or bare on the back part, the second signifies the same, but on the forehead. If a reddish-white sore appears on either location, it is an indication of leprosy. Inspection is needed…

⁴³ Then the priest shall examine it; and indeed if the swelling of the sore is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body,

The priest is to inspect the leprous sore and make a determination as if it has the appearance of any other leprous sore elsewhere on the body. If this is so, then he is to make his pronouncement…

⁴⁴ he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his sore is on his head.

In picture, the sore on the back of the head is a person who is not seeking Christ. The sore on the front of the head is a person seeking that which is carnal. Such people are unclean and are thus rendered unclean by the priest. As it says, b’rosho nigo, in his head is the plague. Paul describes such as these –

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” Philippians 3:18, 19

⁴⁵ “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

The torn clothes, the disheveled hair, and the covered upper lip are all seen elsewhere in the Bible as signs of mourning and/or shame. The cry of “Unclean! Unclean!” was a sign and a warning to others of the disgrace they bore. Albert Barnes rightly notes their state –

“The leper was a living parable in the world of the sin of which death was the wages; not the less so because his suffering might have been in no degree due to his own personal desserts: he bore about with him at once the deadly fruit and the symbol of the sin of his race. As his body slowly perished, first the skin, then the flesh, then the bone, fell to pieces while yet the animal life survived; he was a terrible picture of the gradual corruption of the spirit worked by sin.” Albert Barnes

Sin is a deep infection, and the varied kinds of sin which are reflected in these various skin maladies, render a person unclean. Such people will ultimately be separated forever from the people of God, unless they turn to Christ for healing. Such is seen next…

⁴⁶ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

The sin which causes a person to be unclean keeps them defiled until they come to the Physician in order to be healed. Only Christ can do this. And so they are not to be considered a part of the community of the saints. The word translated as “alone” however, is not technically correct. It is badad, a verb which indicates alone, but as if in isolation. In other words, if there are other lepers, they could, and were, isolated together. It is reflective of the division between those deemed as clean, and those deemed as unclean. All the days that a person was unclean, they were to dwell not among the clean, but among the unclean.

Unclean! Unclean! My sin is an infectious wound
It has separated me from God’s purified people
In a land of exile, I have been marooned
Kept from fellowship there beneath the church steeple

I have had my mind set on earthly things
My eyes have lusted after that which is not pure and good
Only sadness and pain this type of life brings
And of this truth I have finally understood

Heal me of my infectious wound O Lord
Cleanse me by the shed blood of the perfect Christ
And I will ever after turn my life toward
The One who on Calvary’s cross was sacrificed

Purified, whole, and forever made clean
In garments of white, radiant, pure, and pristine

II. Leprous Garments (verses 47-59)

⁴⁷ “Also, if a garment has a leprous plague in it, whether it is a woolen garment or a linen garment,

The word now turns to leprosy of a garment. Here, two types of fabric are named – tsemer, or wool, and pesheth, or flax linen. What seems curious is that a garment is said to have leprosy. Different theories about this have arisen to somehow explain that this isn’t actually leprosy, but the wording and the symptoms of the plague warn against these introductions.

Charles Ellicott notes that administrators of the law during the second temple period believed that the “leprosy of garments and houses was not to be found in the world generally, but was a sign and miracle in Israel to guard them against an evil tongue.” In other words, this was a real, unique plague that was only found in Israel.

Both of these materials were used for garments as coverings. They were never to be mixed in the same garment though. That is forbidden in Deuteronomy 22:11.

⁴⁸ whether it is in the warp or woof of linen or wool,

The translation here is extremely hard to pin down as to its true meaning. First, two new words are again introduced. The shethi, translated as warp, will be seen 9 times in this chapter, and never again. They are the lengthwise yarns that are held in tension on a frame or loom to create cloth. This comes from a word which means “to set.” Next also is translated the erev, or woof. They are the threads which are drawn through, inserted over-and-under, the lengthwise warp. Erev signifies mix or mingle. Elsewhere it is translated as “foreigner.” Together, these form a fabric.

But, because it seems more than improbable that a material would have an infection in threads going in one direction, but not in another, I don’t think this is what is being relayed here. One scholar says, “the inside, or the outside.” Others say it is the yarn to be used for the warp or woof, but not yet sewn. But once they are sewn, it would still be impossible to tear one out and not the other.

There are two likely possibilities. The first is what is seen in several modern translations. They separate the two by saying “woven or knitted material.” In that, they distinguish between the types of fabric which have been made, not based on cloth for the material, but how the material is made. That is actually ingenious after eons of translations saying “warp and woof.”

The other possibility is that it is speaking of the two materials, the wool and the linen, being sewn into two different types of cloth. It is the material which is being described. This is what I would go with. The roots of the words seem to give us the answer.

The shethi is the linen. It indicates that which is set. Thus it is an Israelite. The erev is the wool. It signifies mixture or mingling, and is also translated “foreigner.” Thus it is a foreigner, just as the Zemarites of Genesis 10:18 are foreigners, having descended from Noah’s grandson Canaan. This would then perfectly explain the spiritual meaning of why wool and linen were forbidden to be mixed in Deuteronomy 22:11.

^{48 (con’t)} whether in leather or in anything made of leather,

Here it also mentions or, or “skin,” and thus it is a leprous plague in a hide, or in anything made of a hide. This is a third category. There are those of Israel, and there are those of the Gentiles, but what does the or, or “skin,” signify? The word signifies to be exposed, or bare. I would suggest that it speaks of the universality of man – Jew and Gentile. One could make a distinction between the two by the first two terms, but the third term unites the two where there is now no distinction between Jew and Gentile. All must come to Christ in the same way.

⁴⁹ and if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a leprous plague and shall be shown to the priest.

The word yeraqraq or “greenish” is introduced here. It is believed to give the sense of having a yellowish tone to it rather than being fully green. Although it is such a rare word that there is disagreement on this. It is used only three times. The third is in Psalm 68 when describing gold, and so it probably means either yellowish or glistening. If the material or garment or any other thing made of skins, such as a wineskin, etc, is greenish or reddish, it is to be considered leprous and requiring the priest to examine it.

⁵⁰ The priest shall examine the plague and isolate that which has the plague seven days.

Like the leprosy on a person who is then to be isolated seven days, so it is with the item made of one of these materials. Seven, being the number of spiritual perfection, are the number of days required in order to provide a sufficient time for an evaluation to be made, and see if any positive or negative changes occur during that time.

⁵¹ And he shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, in the leather or in anything made of leather, the plague is an active leprosy. It is unclean.

The word maar, or malignant, is brought in here. It will be seen three times in Leviticus, and once in Ezekiel. It indicates a prick, as if from a brier, but it comes from a root which means bitter, or causatively, to embitter. If the plague spreads during that seven days of isolation, the leprosy is considered active, and thus the garment is unclean. Bad news for the garment…

⁵² He shall therefore burn that garment in which is the plague, whether warp or woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, for it is an active leprosy; the garment shall be burned in the fire.

Unlike today, where we go shopping for clothes on any given day, and wear them until we tire of them and then toss them out, in Israel, a garment had much greater value. The same is true with any thing made of leather. Things were kept as long as possible because they cost a much larger percentage of a person’s budget than now. However, if there was a spreading leprosy in the item, it was toast. One would speculate that it would be the priest himself who would guarantee the garment was burned in order to ensure that the plague was destroyed.

⁵³ “But if the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has not spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather,

If, in the determination of the priest, the leprosy has not spread, then it may not be malignant at all. Despite it being a leprosy, it may just be one which is stalled and can be taken care of in another way. If this is the case…

⁵⁴ then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the plague; and he shall isolate it another seven days.

If after seven days, there was no change in the garment, then it is to be washed and then isolated once again. The word for wash, kabas, is used 51 times in the Bible, almost every instance of which it is speaking of garments. Of the few exceptions to this, the most notable is found in Psalm 51 where it is used twice –

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities. Psalm 51:1-9

One other time it doesn’t specifically refer to garments being washed is in Jeremiah 2 –

“For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap,
Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says the Lord God.” Jeremiah 2:22

Subtle hints of other things are certainly being seen in these choicely selected words.

⁵⁵ Then the priest shall examine the plague after it has been washed; and indeed if the plague has not changed its color, though the plague has not spread, it is unclean, and you shall burn it in the fire; it continues eating away, whether the damage is outside or inside.

What might seem surprising at first, but which isn’t at all when considered, is that if there is no change in the leprous plague, the garment was to be destroyed. One might at first have thought that its not spreading was a good thing. But it is the plague, not its spreading, which is unclean. Unless the plague retreated, signifying that it was in complete remission, it was just as much a plague as it was when it was identified.

The translation here says, “has not changed its color.” However, the Hebrew says, “not changed the plague its eye.” In other words, “its appearance.” The word “color” lacks the whole aspect of the intent of the word. As the eye perceives, so is its “eye” or “appearance.” If the plague remains after being washed, it is described by a word used just this once in the Bible; it is a pekhetheth – an eating. The word thus means “a pit.”

And what actually is surprising is that in this verse are the two nouns, qarakhath, and gabakhath, which were first seen in verse 42, there translated as “bald head” and “bald forehead.” Here, they are translated as “outside” and “inside.” Regardless as to whether the plague is on the side which is seen, or the inside which is not seen, it is still a leprous plague, and it is to be burnt in the fire. With this verse, we can now say goodbye to the words qarakhath and gabakhath.

⁵⁶ If the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has faded after washing it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, whether out of the warp or out of the woof, or out of the leather.

The verse is pretty much self-explanatory. The word faded means to darken. Instead of being a glistening plague, it has now dulled. If this occurs, then the part which contains it is to be torn out of it. Whatever material it is made of, that portion which is defiled is to be torn from it.

⁵⁷ But if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a spreading plague; you shall burn with fire that in which is the plague.

Bad news again. If at any time the plague reappears in any garment as described, the plague is to be considered a malignant one, and the entire garment is to be burnt.

⁵⁸ And if you wash the garment, either warp or woof, or whatever is made of leather, if the plague has disappeared from it, then it shall be washed a second time, and shall be clean.

If the first washing was fully successful in cleaning the garment, then there is no need to tear anything out of it. Instead, it is to be given a second washing, and wahlah, it is considered clean.

*⁵⁹ “This is the law of the leprous plague in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or woof, or in anything made of leather, to pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean.”

As we saw already, the garment or utensil itself was infected with the scourge. It didn’t merely transmit a disease as we would think of something communicable today. Rather, the garment itself bore the disease, and thus it was a sign and it was a miraculous curse for Israel to learn from. And as Israel was to learn from this, so we too are to learn from it. What literally happened in Israel, is something which carries spiritual meaning for us today.

The leprous article has essentially the same spiritual application as that of leprosy on a person. Further, as I showed above, the words translated as “warp” and “woof” actually look to the materials of which the garments are made. One was from linen, picturing Israelites; the other was from wool, picturing Gentiles. The third category, leather, or literally “skin,” signifies any without distinction.

If a plague of leprosy is found, as it is with all people bearing original sin, it is an indication of grievous sin, just as it was in the skin of people in the early verses of this chapter. It must be dealt with – through purification of healing, or through purification in destruction by fire.

When a garment bears the curse of sin it is to be isolated for seven days. This is the time allotted for any person during the course of their life. It is emblematic of the time deemed by God as their pre-appointed span. If they are shown to be unregenerate, and if their leprosy spreads during that span, they have had their chance. Without purification, for them it is off to the Lake of Fire for what is truly divine purification – eternal and final.

If however, there is no change after the first evaluation, meaning there is still original sin, but there is no further spreading of the leprous plague, it is to be isolated another seven days. If there is no change in the garment after that, meaning whatever time of grace the person is given to be purified, the person is still sent off to be eternally burned.

As I said in that verse (55), it is the plague itself which is unclean, not whether it has spread or not. As we bear original sin, we stand unclean. Even if we live a life full of good works, and our original sin never spreads, we are still tainted with the plague. It must be purified. In this case it wasn’t, and so it is off to the Lake for purification through fire.

In the next example, the plague has gone into remission and the plague has faded (56), that portion of the garment is to be torn out. The plague has been excised, but there is a warning that if it returns again, the garment is to be burnt with fire. The instructions for this situation never proclaim the garment clean. It simply leaves the note that if the plague appears again, it will be burned. A garment which is not declared clean, is by default unclean. A person who purifies their life, and removes every vestige of sin, is no closer to being declared clean than the most vile sinner. There is only the sense that spreading sin could return at any time and reinfect the poor soul.

The final example is the garment which was washed, and the plague has disappeared, that garment shall be washed a second time, and it will be declared clean. The first time, the priest commanded the owner to wash the garment. This is then the person who is attentive to the word and who takes it to heart. When the conversion is seen, the second washing, that of cleansing and purification through the blood of Christ, is what truly cleanses. The declaration is, “Clean!”

In the end, the passage concerning the leprous garment only has one way to be declared clean, and that is through the second washing, picturing the work of Christ. There are some who are obviously defiled. Their garments are stained, and they continue to stain them. Their plague is active, and it will end in destruction.

There are those who hear the word and who do nothing with it. They may rely on their own washing, but their plague remains. They are the ones spoken of by Jeremiah. They wash themselves with lye, but their iniquity is still there before the Lord. It is an open sore which is not healed. Their end is also destruction.

There are those who hear the word and who clean themselves up in accord with the word, even to the point where their sin is no longer evident. But they are never declared clean. It is only a hopeful signal of future good. It is one which is left unanswered as to what they will finally do with their lives.

Unless they receive the second birth through the washing of water through the word, taking the message of Christ in and having no trace of the plague of defilement, they are simply garments with holes torn out of them, unable to serve the purpose for which they were originally intended.

And then there are those who come to the great Physician, who have their garments purified by Him, and who are saved from the eternal fire which awaits any and all who fail to do likewise. The lesson here is that of grace. The infection is already in the garment, and it must be removed. The Priest could just say, “This is infected, burn it.” And He would be well within His rights to do so. But when grace is offered, and when it is received, He can take that which was defiled and purify it wholly and completely.

If you are still awaiting your declaration of purity – your guarantee of eternal life because of the removal of that which separates you from God – call on Christ Jesus, be washed in the blood of the Lamb, and be purified whiter than snow itself.

Closing Verse: “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5, 6

Next Week: Leviticus 14:1-9 What will these nine verses yield? (Set Free in an Open Field) (22^nd Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Law of Leprosy

“If a man or a woman has bright spots
On the skin of the body, specifically white bright spots
———-such is the sight
Then the priest shall look; and indeed
If the bright spots on the skin of the body are dull white

It is a white spot that grows on the skin
He is clean; surely this is worthy of a super happy grin

“As for the man whose hair has fallen from his head
He is bald, but he is clean
Don’t worry Charlie
This is all that it does mean

He whose hair has fallen from his forehead; only forehead is seen
He is bald on the forehead, but he is clean

And if there is on the bald head or bald forehead
A reddish-white sore
It is leprosy breaking out on his bald head
Or his bald forehead; it is leprosy for sure

Then the priest shall examine it
And indeed if the swelling of the sore is reddish-white
On his bald head or on his bald forehead
As the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body is the sight

He is a leprous man. He is unclean
The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean
His sore is on his head
This is what that sore does mean

“Now the leper on whom the sore is
His clothes shall be torn and his head bare
And he shall cover his mustache, and cry
‘Unclean! Unclean!’ A most distressing affair

He shall be unclean
All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean; it is so
He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone
His dwelling shall be outside the camp; out there he shall go

“Also, if a garment has a leprous plague in it
Whether it is a woolen garment or a linen garment, whichever
Whether it is in the warp or woof of linen or wool
Whether in leather or in anything made of leather

And if the plague is greenish or reddish
In the garment or in the leather
Whether in the warp or in the woof
Or in anything made of leather, yes anything whatsoever

It is a leprous plague and shall be shown to the priest
This applies to everyone, from the greatest to the least

The priest shall examine the plague
And isolate that which has the plague seven days
And he shall examine the plague on the seventh day
If the plague has spread in the garment, in any of these ways

Either in the warp or in the woof
In the leather or in anything made of leather it is seen
The plague is an active leprosy
It is unclean; this is what that does mean

He shall therefore burn that garment in which is the plague
Whether warp or woof, in wool or in linen; ready the burning pyre
Or anything of leather, for it is an active leprosy
The garment shall be burned in the fire

“But if the priest examines it
And indeed the plague in the garment has not spread
Either in the warp or in the woof
Or in anything made of leather, as I have said

Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing
In which is the plague, they shall do this as I say
And he shall isolate it another seven days
Thus shall it be this way

Then the priest shall examine the plague after it has been washed
And indeed if the plague has not changed its color at all
Though the plague has not spread, it is unclean
And you shall burn it in the fire, this is My judgment call

It continues eating away, it is unclean
Whether the damage is outside or inside; this is what it does mean

If the priest examines it
And indeed the plague has faded after washing it
Then he shall tear it out of the garment
Whether out of the warp or out of the woof, or out of the leather
———– so to you I do submit

But if it appears again in the garment
Either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather
It is a spreading plague; you shall burn with fire
That in which is the plague, yes in anything whatsoever

And if you wash the garment, either warp or woof
Or whatever is made of leather, whatever material is seen
If the plague has disappeared from it
Then it shall be washed a second time, and shall be clean

“This is the law of the leprous plague
In a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or woof as is seen
Or in anything made of leather
To pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean

Lord God, we were all unclean before Your eyes
Each of us deserved to be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire
But You treated us like a marvelous prize
And rescued or souls from that terrible burning pyre

What value is man that You would do such for us?
What do You see in us that this thing has been done?
You took our uncleanness and placed it upon Jesus
There on Calvary’s cross; laid upon Your Son

Though it is beyond our ability to understand
We receive the Gift and now call out in praise to You
For what You have done; so marvelous and grand
Thank You for Christ our Lord; who is ever faithful and true

Praises, yes praises we call out now and forevermore
Whether here on earth, or upon that heavenly shore

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 13:18-37
The Law of Leprosy, Part II

I explained last week that certain physical afflictions made a person unclean under the law, but nothing is said about these things in the New Testament. Nowhere in the New Testament is a person with any of these afflictions barred from attending the church.

As I said then, if these things really defiled a person, then there would, in fact, be the same requirements now. Also, if physical defilement was a concern, then it would appear that the Lord cared more about the people of Israel than those of the church. Such is not the case.

Even more, certain physical deformities and afflictions precluded a person from ever being in the priesthood. If this type of thing had more than a spiritual meaning, then no person who had those afflictions today would be allowed into the ministry. But the New Testament never speaks of such things. These, and many other clues tell us that the things we are looking at have much more than a physical meaning which was merely intended to keep the camp pure from disease.

Text Verse: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

Another point to consider goes far beyond any notion that these leprosy verses are only speaking of purity within the nation for the physical well-being of the people. The word for leprosy covers a multitude of skin diseases. Some really will defile other people who come into contact with them. Others surely are not as contagious.

But, there are many other things which are highly contagious, and of which the Bible says nothing. Surely the Lord knows all about these things, and yet they are never mentioned in the purity laws of the Torah. If all that He was concerned about was health, why isn’t there a law for anyone with the flu to be isolated? What about chickenpox, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, shingles, scarlet fever, impetigo, mumps, ringworm, tonsillitis, bronchitis, or charlie-itis?

These and a host of other contagious diseases are never even glanced at, and yet scholars would say that the leprosy and mold laws are simply given for the health and well-being of the society, as if this were the only few things that could affect it. We overlook the obvious when we overlook the need to determine why the Lord selected these particular things to talk about.

When He did, He chose particular words which would then be transferable to spiritual truths found in the New Testament. They are truths which cover doctrine which is necessary for the spiritual health of the church. This… this is why these things are given, and so let’s see if we can figure some of them out. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. A Boil in the Skin (verses 18-23)

¹⁸ “If the body develops a boil in the skin, and it is healed,

The word of God now moves from laws concerning tsaraat, or leprosy, to the shekhin, or boil. Though this is the first time the boil is mentioned in Leviticus, it is not the first time it is found in Scripture. Going back to the ten plagues of Egypt we find its source. There in Exodus 9, they are mentioned four times.

Thus, they are, like leprosy, a striking of God as if in a curse. This becomes perfectly evident from Deuteronomy 28. In the curses upon Israel for disobedience, this is one of them –

“The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.” Deuteronomy 28:27

Likewise, poor Job was afflicted with boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And finally, King Hezekiah was afflicted with a boil that almost took his life, but it was cured by the application of a poultice of figs. These are the times that boils are mentioned in Scripture, and they each reflect a strike of God, either directly, or as in the case of Job, as an allowance by God.

The word shekhin comes from an unused root which means to burn, and thus it is an inflammation which produces a boil. The boil or inflammation which is described here was, at the time of Christ, defined as having a risen from a wound from stone, word, metal, pitch, hot water, etc. It is being set in contrast to the wound incurred by fire mentioned in verse 24.

¹⁹ and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a bright spot, reddish-white,

If from this wound, one of two things arises, it had to be taken to the priest. The first is a seeth levanah, or a “swelling white.” This word for swelling was seen in verse 2. It comes from the word nasa, which means “lifted” or “to rise.” It indicates a swelling of the flesh. Such a swelling would be spiritually equated with the pride of life. The word lavan, or white, comes from lavan meaning brick. This takes us back to the thought of works as has been seen many times.

The second is a bahereth, or “bright spot.” It is also the same as in verse 2. As we saw, it comes from the adjective bahir which means bright. It indicates then a whitish spot which is found on the flesh, or even a glossy pimple. It would indicate that which draws attention to itself; the lust of the eyes.

This bright spot is then further identified as levanah adamdamet, or reddish white. The word adamdam is used here for the first of six times, all will be in chapters 13 & 14. It is simply a reduplication of the word adom, or red. Thus it gives the sense of reddish. The use of the word adom is explained in Isaiah –

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’
Says the Lord,
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.'” Isaiah 1:18

In picture, we are being shown an example of works which have the appearance of being sinful. In order to determine if this is infectious, further action is needed…

^{19 (con’t)} then it shall be shown to the priest;

The priest will determine if the boil is unclean or if it requires further observance. As the high priest is the one who mediates for the people, he is typical of Christ who determines whether our deeds are acceptable or unacceptable; clean or unclean.

However, the lower priests were given authority to make these declarations concerning what is clean and what is unclean. Therefore, these pronouncements which we have seen and will continue to see, explain Jesus’ words of Matthew 16:19. There He said to the apostles –

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

In this statement, the keys are referring to a true knowledge of doctrine. Just as a priest could look at a wound, and with the word of the law to guide him, he could make a determination of distinguishing between what is clean and what is unclean, so could Jesus’ disciples make similar determinations.

This then follows through, logically, with the church age as well. We have the word of God, and we are to use it in a priestly manner by inspecting what is sound doctrine and what is unsound; what consists of good works, and what sinful works look like; and so on. Adam Clarke explains it with the following words –

“The priest polluted or cleansed, i. e., declared the man clean or unclean, according to signs well known and infallible. The disciples or ministers of Christ bind or loose, declare to be fit or unfit for Church fellowship, according to unequivocal evidences of innocence or guilt. In the former case, the priest declared the person fit or unfit for civil society; in the latter, the ministers of Christ declare the person against whom the suspicion of guilt is laid, fit or unfit for continued association with the Church of God. The office was the same in both, a declaration of the truth, not from any power that they possessed of cleansing or polluting, of binding or of loosing, but by the knowledge they gained from the infallible signs and evidences produced on the respective cases.” Adam Clarke

What appears to be a passage about infectious diseases, which it is in literal history, is actually more fully and completely about discerning the word of God and applying its precepts properly in spiritual matters. Whether it is Israel of old, inspecting a boil on an arm, or the church of today looking at a person’s conduct, both are gauged by what has already been given in the word of God.

²⁰ and if, when the priest sees it, it indeed appears deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore which has broken out of the boil.

This verse is a close repeat of verse 3, but instead of the word amoq, or “deeper” of verse 3, this verse includes a new word, shaphal, here also translated as “deeper.” It gives the sense of abased, lowered, or humbled.

This verse being similar to verse 3, carries much of the same meaning as it did there. This is an infection which is of the flesh, and which is displayed in unclean works. There is a turning, or a perversion of what should exist. But as we saw, the type of wound is derived from the sense of inflammation or burning, and the result is that of being abased. Thus, this is in type and picture, that of sexual sin. It is what Paul speaks of in Romans 1 –

“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” Romans 1:26, 27

Unfortunately, in much of the church today, such infections are not called out as unclean, but are rather hailed as right and proper. There is no adherence to the word of God, and there is no discernment by those who should be making judgments according to that same word.

²¹ But if the priest examines it, and indeed there are no white hairs in it, and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days;

This verse corresponds closely to verse 4. If an evaluation by the priest indicates that the bright spot is, at this time, not seemingly leprous because it lacks the two identifying marks, then the person is to be shut up in a state of isolation for seven days. The same word used in verse 4, sagar, is used again here. It is the shutting up of something. It can be for protecting someone against harm, and it can also be to bring someone harm.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection. An evaluation of the flesh is to be remade after this set interval. In picture, it is given to show that we are not to be hasty in rendering a judgment which could be incorrect. We are being asked to consider a spiritual state of others by these Old Testament physical examples.

²² and if it should at all spread over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore.

The Hebrew says v’im pasoh tiphseh – “and if spreading it spreads.” This spreading of the infection is, in type and picture, an indication of a confirmation of sexual immorality within the church. In such a case, the book of 1 Corinthians explains what the judgment is to be –

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. ¹⁰ Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? ¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

The pronouncement is to be made – “Unclean. You are out of fellowship.” The person has, and is, a leprous sore.

²³ But if the bright spot stays in one place, and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

The words say, “And if in its place stands the bright spot.” To stand is to remain fixed and firm. One stands against the forces of evil. One stands firm in doctrine. One stands on the word of God. There was the basis for wrong doing, but the symptoms have not taken hold of the person.

This verse can be described by the sentiment, “Nothing to see here, move along.” There may have been a transgression which was considered a wound on the body, the church. It was inspected, and thankfully it has not spread. It was monitored, and no error is seen. The word tsarebeth, translated as “scar of the boil” is found only three times in the Bible. The second will be in verse 28, and the last will be in Proverbs 16:27 –

An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.

It comes from the word tsarav, which means to burn. Thus one can see that there was a burning, as if in a passion, but the passion was quenched. The church, therefore, determines that there is nothing to see in this matter. The declaration is “Clean.”

I have transgressed and not done what was right
A wound stands as a testimony to my sinful act
But I will not let it take me over, against it I will fight
I will stand on God’s word, and that is a fact

The burning took hold of me, and I failed my Lord
But there is a fountain of cleansing if I turn again to Him
This is what is said in His marvelous word
And in that precious pool of life, from now on will I swim

Thank You, O God, for second chances in Christ
Thank You that You have cleansed us through the blood of Jesus
For us was the Lamb of God sacrificed
God has done such a marvelous thing for us

II. A Burn on the Skin By Fire (verses 24-28)

²⁴ “Or if the body receives a burn on its skin by fire,

Now a new type of wound will be detailed. This is from a new word in Scripture, mikvah. It will be seen five times through verse 28, and then it will not be seen again. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts. Mikvah comes from kavah, scorched or seared. Both times kavah is used, it is speaking of walking on fire or coals –

“Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
²⁹ So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.” Proverbs 6:28

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.”Isaiah 43:2

And so in this verse, we have a burning in the flesh which is the result of fire. If this occurs, then an evaluation needs to be made upon the coming of any infection…

^{24 (con’t)} and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white or white,

This is similar to what was said in verse 19, but it also includes a word which was seen last week in verse 10, mikhyah, described by scholars as “proud flesh.” The Hebrew says mikhyah ha’mikvah, or “proud flesh that burns.” Again, like before, if from this wound, comes a bahereth levanah adamdemet ow levanah, or “a bright spot, reddish white, or white,” then it requires further investigation. As we have seen, this then would indicate sinful works which draw attention to themselves.

²⁵ then the priest shall examine it; and indeed if the hair of the bright spot has turned white, and it appears deeper than the skin,

The symbolism continues to be the same as before, but the word “deeper” here is not the same as verse 18. Rather, it is the same word, amoq, that was used in verses 3 & 4. It is deeper in a comparative sense, and it indicates a deep thing, or even something mysterious. This type of infection then is that which is described by Paul in 1 Timothy 4 –

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ² speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:1-5

Here we have being described the mysterious doctrines of demons which sear the conscience of those who teach them and who follow them. They are self-serving works which are identified by the outwardly pious attitude, but which reflect only inner corruption because they reject the work of Christ and depend on self to obtain merit. Because of such deeds we see that…

^{25  (con’t)} it is leprosy broken out in the burn. Therefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore.

The description for this leprosy goes back to a word used in verse 12, parakh. It indicates that which flourishes or blossoms. Thus it is a blossoming leprosy. The attitude of those described by Paul to Timothy perfectly reflect the sentiment. Their wound is one that multiplies and blossoms forth. The pronouncement for them is “Unclean!” They have, and they are, the plague of leprosy.

²⁶ But if the priest examines it, and indeed there are no white hairs in the bright spot, and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.

However, in the evaluation by the priest, if the bright spot doesn’t have white hairs (sinful works), and it is not deeper than the skin, (proud flesh), then more is required. Interestingly, the word for “deeper” here goes back to the same word as verse 18. It is shaphal, not amoq, and so it isn’t just not of depth, it is not even abased. The skin has not lowered at all, and instead it has faded. This fading is the word keheh from verse 6. It means to darken. The brightness of the wound has diminished. Should these things be the case, then he shall be isolated seven days.

²⁷ And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has at all spread over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection. Seven days, then, is reflective of the proper time to spiritually discern this condition. In the examination, the same condition as was seen in verse 7 and 22 is used, im pasoh tiphseh, in spreading it has spread.

In this, the person has been burned by the doctrine of demons, and the infection has spread all over him. His doctrine is leprous, and he is a leper. He is unclean. But thank goodness not everyone who is so tainted remains that way…

²⁸ But if the bright spot stays in one place, and has not spread on the skin, but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn. The priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn.

Again, the word amad, or stand, is used. There may have been the introduction of crummy doctrine, but the infection was caught, and the individual stands against it so that it doesn’t spread, but rather dims, then the person is to be pronounced clean from their burn. As promised earlier, the word mikvah, or burn, is now used for the last time in Scripture. You can wave farewell to it.

Time and again, we are seeing pictures of doctrine and how to handle it. We are to keep from bad doctrine, we are to stay away from those who would infect us with it, and we are to stand on the truth of the word of God. However, there is the truth that the person who has the affliction has no idea if it is unclean or not. They have to go to the priest to have it identified.

The sad thing is that the infection normally comes from the priest they go to for an examination. In other words, if a person gets crummy doctrine at Church of Apostasy under Pastor Heretic, and he is told he has an infection by a friend, if he goes back to Pastor Heretic to examine him, he is going to be told he is clean. This is why knowing the Bible is so hugely important, and why it is so, so frustrating to see people trust leaders who are already as unclean as any festering, leprous boil imaginable. It is maddening.

O God, open our eyes to the truth of Your word
There are countless views on what is wrong and what is right
Lead us in the correct path as is expected by the Lord
Keep us from bad doctrine, that terrible plight

Should we stray, lead us back to You by Your Spirit
Keep us from works which will never truly satisfy
Help us to stand on the work of Jesus; He our sure Merit
Yes, keep us, O Lord, from ever going awry

And Lord, for those whose doctrines are evil
Keep us from them, lead us to sound and proper teachers
May we never be seduced by the lies of the devil
Yes, keep us, O Lord, from nutty heretical preachers

III. A Sore On the Head or Beard (verses 29-37)

²⁹ “If a man or woman has a sore on the head or the beard,

The wording here is correctly translated, b’rosh o b’zaqan, “the head or the beard.” However, it indicates “the place of the beard,” not just the beard itself, thus it is the chin. One might think that a sore on the head or chin would normally be the same type of thing that would affect anywhere else on the rest of the body, and so why would there be a distinction between the two? It is, again, to give us spiritual pictures of other things.

What is fun, at least to me, is that the zaqan, or beard, is now introduced into the Bible. Although only speculation, it is pretty certain that all the great men of God since creation itself, until the time of Moses had beards, and most of them since then have as well.

The zaqan, despite being so magnificent a display of manliness, is actually only seen 19 times in the Bible. It comes from the verb zaqen, which is to be or become old, and so it can be translated as “old man.” Let’s leave comments on that alone for now.

³⁰ then the priest shall examine the sore; and indeed if it appears deeper than the skin, and there is in it thin yellow hair, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean.

Once again, an inspection is needed. In this case, the word amoq is again used. It is a deep sore. In addition to that, it has a hair described with a new word, tsahov, or “yellowish.” This will only be seen three times, through verse 36, and then it is biblical history. It comes from tsahev, an even rarer word which is translated as shiny. In Ezra 8, its only use, it describes shiny bronze as precious as gold. It thus signifies that which is gleaming and golden in color.

The word thin is daq. It comes from the word daqaq which indicates being pulverized or crushed. Thus, this is something small or thin. If such a deep sore with thin, shiny, yellowish or golden hair is in it, that fellow is unclean. His head or chin is leprous, and he is a leper…

^{30 (con’t)} It is a scaly leprosy of the head or beard.

The word “scaly” is new. It is netheq. It will be seen 14 times in chapters 13 & 14, and then it too will be gone. It comes from nathaq which indicates breaking off, plucking away, or rooting out. Thus, it is a scale than can be pulled away.

³¹ But if the priest examines the scaly sore, and indeed it does not appear deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale seven days.

Again, a period of seven days is used to determine if what has arisen to the sight is something contagious and unclean, or if it is just something which looks bad, but has no uncleanness in and of itself. The requirements are 1) it does not appear deeper than the skin. The word is amoq, and it indicates that which is deep; and 2) there is no black hair in it.

Surprisingly, the word black, or shakhor is new to Scripture. For such a common adjective, one would think it would have been used a jillion times by now. But no. Even more surprising, is that it will be used just 6 times in the Bible. Other words do indicate black, but the specific adjective is rather rare. It comes from a root which is identical to shakhar which means to seek, and which then comes from the dawning of the morning. It is a jet black.

The scholar Keil sees a problem with this. He says that there is an error in the text. The verse says, “no black hair.” But verse 37 will says that there is a black hair. And so he states that this verse either needs to drop the word no, or change black to yellow. Some other scholars appear to agree with him, but this is incorrect.

A black hair would indicate that things were OK at this point. Verse 37 indicates that the black hair had grown into it. This is the purpose of isolating the person. It would give time for things to either degrade or progress enough so that a final determination could be made. The two weeks of isolation would allow time for a black hair to become well evident. If there was already a black hair in it, then there would be no need to isolate the person at this time.

³² And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the sore; and indeed if the scale has not spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the scale does not appear deeper than the skin,

On the seventh day, three things are to be looked for: 1) no spreading of the scale; 2) no yellowish hair, and; 3) the scale isn’t deeper than the skin. If these three are the case, then…

³³ he shall shave himself, but the scale he shall not shave.

By shaving, he will clear out any chance of the surrounding hair interfering with a proper evaluation, or irritating the scale. Only the area of the scale is not shaved. This then is to see if the scale grows outward, and it will allow the hairs in the scale area to grow at the same time as the non scale areas so that they can be compared. And finally, in not shaving the scale itself, it won’t become inflamed and give a false reading if it wasn’t leprosy in the first place.

^{33 (con’t)} And the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale another seven days.

Seven days are again appointed. By this time, a hair will grow out of the area, or no hair will grow out of it, but it will remain unchanged. Either the hair, or the appearance, will make the determination possible.

³⁴ On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scale; and indeed if the scale has not spread over the skin, and does not appear deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.

Only two things are needed for a declaration of being clean. The first is no spreading of the scale, and the second is that it is not deeper than the skin. If both of these are true, then he is to be declared clean. After the declaration, he was then do the same thing as was instructed back in verse 6, wash his clothes.

It is a ceremonial act. He was detained fourteen days on suspicion, and was thus considered tainted by ceremonial pollution. Plus, one’s clothes would need to be washed after 14 days, or things could only go from bad to worse. After washing his clothes he will be considered clean.

³⁵ But if the scale should at all spread over the skin after his cleansing,

Unlike verse 7 from last week which was somewhat ambiguous, there is no doubt that this is speaking of happening after he has been declared clean and washed his clothes. What will next be described is after that point…

³⁶ then the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the scale has spread over the skin, the priest need not seek for yellow hair. He is unclean.

This is for a sore on the head. Other sores were seen to have spread, and yet it didn’t necessarily mean there was uncleanness involved. But for a sore on the head, even without secondary evidences, the person was to be declared unclean. A spreading of this scaly leprosy on the head is sufficient for this.

³⁷ But if the scale appears to be at a standstill, and there is black hair grown up in it, the scale has healed. He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

This verse at first seems superfluous. If it takes us back to verse 34 and the examination after the second week of isolation, then he has already been declared clean because of what it said there. However, if it follows logically after the previous verse, then he has been declared unclean because it has spread since he was declared clean.

But what appears to be the reason for this verse, is to show that it is the word of God as given to the priests which determines what makes a person clean or unclean. The priest is to give his rendering based on that, and nothing else.

With this final section, we see a leprosy somewhat different than the others. First, it is the first time it includes a woman. The others simply said man, person, or body, but this one specifies a woman. Secondly, it is a specific part of the body in that it affects the head or the beard.

For head, the word is rosh. It carries many meanings, first, leader, ruler, top, and on and on. Here it is the head which is the seat of knowledge, and biblically, the symbol of authority or preeminence. The beard is specifically a sign of manhood, and even more, a man of years and thus supposed discretion. In such a man, prudence and wisdom are what one would expect.

However, there is now a sore upon the head of such a person – male or female. It is deep, implied by the use of the word amoq four times in these few verses. The next time the word will be used will be in Job 11 when comparing the deep things of God. They are higher than heaven and deeper than hell according to the passage. After that, it will be used in Proverbs to speak of an adulteress as being a deep pit. Everything about this passage now is speaking of what is presented to the church of Thyatira in Revelation 2 –

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ¹⁹ “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰ Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. ²² Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their  deeds. ²³ I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
²⁴ “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.” Revelation 2:18-24

The sore upon the head is symbolic of the sore upon the leader of the congregation, here termed, the angel of the church at Thyatira. The sore, rather than of wisdom and prudence, is a cancer which has infected the head. It is deep, and it has sear sahov dag, thin yellow hair. The word used to describe the hair is being compared to the feet of fine brass of Christ.

It is that most unusual word concerning gleam as if gold, and which came from the word used to describe the fine bronze of Ezra’s time which was as valuable as gold. The “fine brass” used to describe Jesus’ feet is another very rare word, khalkolbanan, which carries the same meaning. Bronze, or brass, signifies judgment. Christ’s feet are the seat of His judgment. This person has judgment in the sore of the head or beard. It is a thin, weak judgment, as the words imply.

The plague is Jezebel, who is described, just as the adulteress of Proverbs. She is a deep infection, and her doctrines are perverse. In fact, the Lord describes her doctrines as the depths of Satan. It is a perfect contrast to the wisdom of the Lord which was described in Job – higher than the heaven and deeper than hell. The Lord says that He will cast her into a bed, along with those who commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. This is the picture which we are seeing here.

In this, identified with thin yellow hair, there is an immediate pronunciation of being unclean. It is why a woman is specified for the first time. No woman is to be in such a position of authority in the church according to 1 Corinthians 14, and 1 Timothy 2. There is no need to look for any further sign. It is plague; it is unclean.

However, if there is a sore on the head which cannot be properly identified as wholly unclean, and there is no black hair in it, then the person is to be isolated. The black hair would indicate seeking proper doctrine, as the root of the word implies, “to seek.”

But because that is not evident, there is a period of evaluation, just as it was in verses 4-6 from last week. If after a first evaluation, there is no sign of further corruption, then the evaluation is conducted for another seven days, at which time a verdict is to be rendered. If the plague has not spread, the infection is ended and the person is proclaimed clean. But if the bad doctrine returns at anytime after he is pronounced clean, there is no need to look for any further telltale signs, he is unclean and is to be expelled.

The final verse, verse 37, is given as a support for the leader who has corrected his error. It says, if the scale is at a standstill and he has a black hair grown up in it, he is healed. The standing still of the scale signifies that bad doctrine is no longer being spread, and the black hair signifies right doctrine is being sought out.

What is obvious in these verses, is that the truth of the matter, and not the determination by the priest, is what shows a person to be clean or not. If the priest pronounced an unclean person clean, or if he pronounced a clean person unclean, it doesn’t negate the truth of the state in relation to the word. Ultimately, it is the word which determines what is clean. The judgment of the priest must be in accord with it, or it is null and void.

This is what is seen here. Just because a church ordains a person, it does not mean that they are suitable to be ordained. Likewise, just because someone claims a leader is not suitable for the ministry, it does not mean he isn’t. Instead, the qualifications are already laid out in the word of God. This is what is seen concerning a sore upon the head of a person in this otherwise difficult to understand set of verses from Leviticus.

As you can see, there is a surface meaning to what is given in the Bible, but there is also something that is being pictured for us to consider. As I said earlier, there are many other things which can bring about infections of one sort or another in a society, and the Lord knows all of them. But he chose these things which are detailed in Leviticus to teach us spiritual truths as well.

And the greatest spiritual truth of all is that we need Jesus. It is He who is on prominent display here. He is the one who ultimately determines if we are clean or if we are unclean, and if that condition is temporal or eternal. Let us be sure to come to Him for full purification, so that we will not be condemned on that great Day, and also so that we will be pleasing to Him even now if we have already been saved by Him.

Closing Verse: But hold fast what you have till I come. ²⁶ And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
²⁷ ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star.
²⁹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ Revelation: 2:25-29

Next Week: Leviticus 13:38-59 More interesting things for us to seek out and see… (The Law of Leprosy, Part III) (21^st Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Law of Leprosy

“If the body develops a boil in the skin, and it is healed
And in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling
Or a bright spot, reddish-white
Then it shall be shown to the priest; for his decision-telling

And if, when the priest sees it
It indeed appears deeper than the skin
And its hair has turned white
The priest shall pronounce him unclean; Shoot! leprosy again

It is a leprous sore which has broken out of the boil
Something that will make everyone else recoil

But if the priest examines it
And indeed there are no white hairs in it, not in this phase
And it is not deeper than the skin but has faded
Then the priest shall isolate him seven days

And if it should at all spread over the skin
Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean
It is a leprous sore
That is what this does mean

But if the bright spot stays in one place, and has not spread
It is the scar of the boil
And the priest shall pronounce him clean
From him nobody will need to recoil

“Or if the body receives a burn
On its skin by fire
And the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot
Reddish-white or white, as if on a white-wall tire

Then the priest shall examine it
And indeed if the hair of the bright spot has turned white
And it appears deeper than the skin
It is leprosy broken out in the burn, it is a leprous sight

Therefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean
It is a leprous sore; this is what that spot does mean

But if the priest examines it
And indeed there are no white hairs in the bright spot
And it is not deeper than the skin
But has faded, a little bit or even a lot

Then the priest shall isolate him seven days
And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, for sure
If it has at all spread over the skin
Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; It is a leprous sore 

But if the bright spot stays in one place
And has not spread on the skin, but has faded, so do we learn
It is a swelling from the burn that is seen
The priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn

“If a man or woman has a sore on the head or the beard
Then the priest shall examine the sore
And indeed if it appears deeper than the skin
And there is in it thin yellow hair; not like before

Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean
It is a scaly leprosy of the head or beard; this is what it does mean

But if the priest examines the scaly sore
And indeed it does not appear deeper than the skin, such are its ways
And there is no black hair in it
Then the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale seven days

And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the sore
And indeed if the scale has not spread; it stayed where it has been
And there is no yellow hair in it
And the scale does not appear deeper than the skin

He shall shave himself, but the scale he shall not shave
Yes, he shall follow in these ways
And the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale
Another seven days 

On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scale
And indeed if the scale has not spread over the skin
And does not appear deeper than the skin
Then the priest shall pronounce him clean; this battle he did win

He shall wash his clothes and be clean
In response to what the priest has seen

But if the scale should at all spread over the skin after his cleansing
Then the priest shall examine him to see what can be seen
And indeed if the scale has spread over the skin
The priest need not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean

But if the scale appears to be at a standstill
And there is black hair grown up in it
The scale has healed; he is clean
And the priest shall pronounce him clean; so I do submit

Lord God, by Your goodness alone we are reconciled to You
You sent Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
And so help us to trust in Him alone; yes through and through
Our deeds can’t satisfy, and they leave us in more of a mess

But what Christ has done is fully sufficient to save
In Him we are cleansed and made pure in Your sight
Help us to live by faith alone; this is how we are to behave
And through Him all things are made perfect and right

Thank You, O God, for Christ Jesus our Lord
And for what we know of Him through Your superior word

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Leviticus 13:1-17
The Law of Leprosy, Part I

Chapters 13 & 14 go into great detail concerning the issue of the dreaded disease of leprosy. It is argued that the Hebrew word signifies various diseases or conditions which are all lumped under the one word which is translated as leprosy. For this reason, the NIV translates the word as “defiling skin disease.”

In English, the word comes from the Greek lepoa which is from lepis, a scale. This is because with leprosy, the body would at times be covered with thin white scales. It would then give it the appearance of snow. There are many great commentaries on the actual afflictions, and how they affected the people and the society.

If you are into the medical aspects of these things, all you need to do is read the verses of these two chapters, and you will know a sufficient amount to determine what is being conveyed. For further details, you can go to any of those myriad commentaries and read all about the afflictions from a medical standpoint.

But… what is being relayed in these chapters is not just something that is found on the surface. It is also information which conveys pictures of other things. As always, the Bible needs to be looked at from the viewpoint of it being a manual about the redemption of man. If considered from that viewpoint, and with Jesus Christ as the One to bring this about, then what seems obscure and pointless becomes far more interesting.

Text Verse: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

We will carefully evaluate these chapters and verses with a view to why God selected the particular words and things which surround that which brings uncleanness and that which brings about cleanness. In so doing, we will be able to see really exquisite pictures of His dealings with man. Physical afflictions made a person unclean under the law, but these things are not carried over in the New Testament. There is nothing which says, “A person with various skin afflictions is barred from the church.”

If these things could truly defile a person, then the Lord would have re-included them in the New Testament. But they don’t. Jesus tells us that the flesh profits nothing. It is not the flesh that the Lord is at all concerned about. Therefore, it must be true that what is being conveyed here is more than just a set of rules and guidelines which were intended to protect the Israelites from the spread of disease. If this were not so, then it would certainly give an indication that the Lord cared less about the church than He did about Israel. But this is not the case at all.

In fact, in understanding the spiritual meaning of what is being conveyed, and how it pictures other things, we can see that the Lord truly cares about the state of man – be he in Israel or in the church – in an absolutely pure way. The Lord’s words that He gives to His people are spirit, and they are life. These truths are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. New Sores and Old Sores (verses 1-11)

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

The address is made, once again, to both Moses and Aaron. The last time this occurred was in verse 11:1. This addressing of both of them is rather uncommon. Mostly it is to Moses alone. What is ahead is a long discussion on ritual purification because of health issues. The issue of leprosy will take up all of Chapters 13 and 14, and this will be followed up in Chapter 15 with bodily discharges.

In these three chapters, the Lord will address both Moses and Aaron three times, and once he will address only Moses.

² “When a man has on the skin of his body

The word adam, or man, is used instead of nephesh, or soul. What will be described next is on his or, or skin, which covers his besar, or flesh. The word or, meaning skin, is used 99 times in the Bible, and yet 46 of them are mentioned in this one chapter. The or is the covering of the man. Having an affliction in the skin then is an outward sign of uncleanness. As you will see, it is an uncleanness which pictures sin in man; a plague of death.

The words show us that this is pertaining to physical afflictions of the body which arise in the course of this physical existence. However, there are spiritual meanings behind these physical conditions. In the identification process, there are three initial signs to be considered, the first is…

^2 (con’t) a swelling,

The seeth, or swelling, is an interesting word. It comes from the word nasa, which means “lifted” or “to rise.” Outside of Leviticus, it is translated as “acceptance,” “majesty,” “authority,” and the like. The idea is that when someone is favored, they are lifted up. However, in Leviticus, this lifting up is not a good thing. It indicates a swelling of the flesh. Such a swelling would be spiritually equated to the pride of life.

^2 (con’t) a scab,

Next is a sapakhath, or “scab.” It is introduced here and will only be seen one more time, in verse 14:56. It comes from saphakh, which gives the sense of attachment, or gathering. Thus a scab is where the skins gather at an eruption. It would picture gathering together with that which is vile; the lust of the flesh.

^2 (con’t) or a bright spot,

The baheret, or bright spot, is also introduced here. It will only be used in chapters 13 and 14 of Leviticus. It comes from the adjective bahir which means bright. It indicates then a whitish spot which is found on the flesh, or even a glossy pimple. It would indicate that which draws attention to itself; the lust of the eyes. And so we have here, three things which match that which John writes about –

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16

It is the three things which Adam was tested with in Genesis 3; it is the three things which Jesus was then tested with as is recorded in the gospels. And it is the same three things which we all face daily in our lives. Will we yield to the flesh? Or, will will be transformed by the renewing of our mind and pursue the Spirit? Instructions are given for us to evaluate these things and apply them to our lives.

^2 (con’t) and it becomes on the skin of his body like a leprous sore, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.

When one of these three instances occurs, and turns into a nega tsaraat, or wound of leprosy, the person was to be brought to Aaron or one of his sons who are priests. This word, tsaraat, will be used 35 times in the Bible and all but 6 of them will be in chapters 13 and 14.

It comes from the verb tsara, or leper, which has only been seen once. That was when Moses was told to put his hand into his coat and then pull it out. When he did, it was leprous. That was one of the signs to Israel of Moses’ qualification to lead them. The word then comes from a primitive root which means to scourge.

Adam Clarke notes that “the root in Arabic signifies to cast down or prostrate, and in Ethiopian, to cause to cease, because,… ‘it prostrates the strength of man, and obliges him to cease from all work and labor.’” The idea is that a person is struck with leprosy, as if a curse. In other words, it is the stroke of God. Miriam, Moses’ sister will be struck with it as a curse in Numbers, as will Gahazi, the servant of Elisha in 2 Kings.

³ The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body; and if the hair on the sore has turned white,

In Israel, the priest was also the dermatologist. It was his to evaluate what made a person clean and what made him unclean. It was his to pronounce. He was to examine the skin, but also the sear or hair. Hair in the Bible indicates an awareness of things; consciousness. In particular that of the awareness of sin.

The first time it was used in the Bible was to describe the hairy body of Esau, who was himself a picture of Adam, the one who fell and became conscious of sin. One can see how the hair, being checked in order to identify uncleanness, ties in with that. If it has turned lavan, or white, it is an indication of that which is unclean. The word for “turn” is haphak. It indicates to change, but in this case it would be a perversion of what is normal; thus “to pervert.”

Going further, lavan (adj. white) comes from the verb lavan which indicates brick making. The idea is that when a brick is fired, it grows white. It is a picture of works in the Bible. For example, the making of bricks to build the tower of Babel was a picture of man’s attempt to reach heaven through his own works.

^3 (con’t) and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore.

The next thing to be evaluated was whether the sore was deeper than the skin of his flesh. The word for “deeper,” amoq, is introduced into the Bible here. It is an adjective and signifies that which is deeper, thus it is a comparative word. It indicates a deep thing, and even something mysterious. If the sore has gone below the skin, it has thus gotten into the flesh. As I’ve said, the flesh is that which is opposed to the spirit.

We are being given an Old Testament lesson concerning a New Testament truth, the sins of the flesh, those things which go deeper than our outer covering, our skin, are those things which cause us to be unclean. It was garments of skin which the Lord gave Adam and his wife after the fall. That was to be a covering for them. Since that time, the flesh and the spirit have been at war.

^3 (con’t) Then the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.

If these things indicated leprosy, it would then v’time oto, “make him unclean.” In this, he is said to do that which his office pronounces as done. It is an idiom which indicates a pronouncement of being in an unclean state.

Think it through. A person has the awareness of sin, pictured by the white hair. It is based on his works which identify him as unclean. What he is doing it a perversion of what is normal. And it has gone from the skin, deep into the flesh. The type, leprosy, pictures the anti-type, unclean works which are of the flesh.

⁴ But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the priest shall isolate the one who has the sore seven days.

If an evaluation by the priest indicates that the bright spot is, at this time, not seemingly leprous because it lacks the two other identifying marks, then the person is to be shut up in a state of isolation for seven days. It should be noted that this verse actually says that “the priest shall isolate the sore seven days.” The other words are inserted for clarity, but they are probably correct. It could be that only the sore is to be bandaged during the period, but more likely is that the person was to be shut up during this period because he had the sore.

The word for shut up is sagar. It is the shutting up of something. It can be for protecting someone against harm, such as Noah being shut up in the Ark. And it can also be to bring someone harm, such as when the Lord is said to shut up Israel for destruction.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection. An evaluation of the flesh will be remade after this set interval. The seven days are to teach New Testament ministers not to be hasty in rendering a judgment which could be incorrect. We are asked to consider a spiritual state of others by these Old Testament physical examples.

⁵ And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day;

It is not after the seventh day, but on the seventh day that the person is examined. Eight in the Bible signifies new beginnings, and it is that which will occur based on the outcome of the inspection.

^5 (con’t) and indeed if the sore appears to be as it was, 

The Hebrew reads more strongly here. It says, “And behold! The plague stands in his eyes.” The idea of standing is that of not changing. In the New Testament, Paul tells us numerous times to stand when speaking of doctrine. It means to be fixed and unchanging. A classic example of standing as being unchanging in doctrine is given by Paul. Three times in Ephesians 6 he repeats the admonition –

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Ephesians 6:10-16

This is the idea of this possible plague. It has remained unchanging and has not spread. Further…

^5 (con’t) and the sore has not spread on the skin,

The word pasah, or spread, is introduced here. It is a word which will be used 22 times in Scripture, and yet all 22 will be in chapters 13 & 14. It is obviously an important consideration to the Lord for it to be used so many times concerning that which is unclean and defiled, and which spiritually pictures sin. The sore stood firm and did not spread, and so…

^5 (con’t) then the priest shall isolate him another seven days.

Not only are ministers to not be hasty in their judgments, but they are to be exactly the opposite. They are to refrain from quick judgments, but are to evaluate things very carefully. It is a precept which Paul explicitly states to his young protege Timothy –

“I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. ²² Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:21, 22

This wise precept finds its origins all the way back in the highly disregarded and ignored book of Leviticus. Aren’t you becoming more excited about this book with each passing verse!

⁶ Then the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and indeed if the sore has faded, and the sore has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scab, and he shall wash his clothes and be clean.

A second evaluation is made, again on the seventh day from the previous evaluation. On this day, if the sore has faded, it is good news for the person. The word for fade, keheh, is new. It essentially means, “to darken,” or “make obscure.” It is used when one’s eyes dim as he falls asleep, or when a wick fades as the oil burns down in a lamp. If this sore has faded, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. The word is taher, or literally “pure.” He is considered free from defilement.

The conclusion that the priest is to derive is that what he sees is only a scab. This is not the same word as verse 2. Here the word is a new one, mispakhath. It will be used now and in verses 7 and 8, and then drop from the pages of the Bible. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Because he is deemed clean, he is to wash his clothes as a ceremonial act. He was detained fourteen days on suspicion, and was thus considered tainted by ceremonial pollution, and his clothes would need to be washed after such a time anyway. After washing his clothes he will be considered clean.

What was thought to possibly be sinful works was actually something entirely different. There is a spiritual picture here which Paul explains. A person was doing some works which were hidden, but which others may have deemed as sinful. Through a careful inspection, the person’s works are actually found out to be pure, and thus the person is pure. Here are Paul’s words showing this –

“Some men’s sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. ²⁵ Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.” 1Timothy 5:24, 25

A real-life example of this is a person who was known to hire hookers and then spend his time speaking to them about Jesus. What he was doing had people supposing he was doing one thing, while in fact he was doing another.

⁷ But if the scab should at all spread over the skin, after he has been seen by the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again.

It is debated if this follows after verse 6 for the person who was declared clean, or if it goes back to verse 5 for the person who was unchanged after the first week. What seems likely is that it goes back to verse 5. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, because either way, the Hebrew reads v’im pasoh tiphseh – “and if spreading it has spread.” Instead of the scab having no change, or having not spread after it had darkened, it has now spread outwards from its original spot, and so the priest is directed to evaluate him again.

⁸ And if the priest sees that the scab has indeed spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

Oh no! The scab has spread. In this case, the priest is now under obligation to pronounce the person unclean. What he has is leprous. In picture, the sin of the man is an infectious sin, and he is deemed as unclean. And now, with verses 6-8 behind us, we can say goodbye to the word mispakhath, or scab. It will not be seen again.

⁹ “When the leprous sore is on a person, then he shall be brought to the priest.

We now enter into a new situation concerning leprosy. Verses 1-8 were something which had appeared on a man and it was unknown what the affliction was. It was previously not there and had to be carefully evaluated to see if it was uncleanness of some sort. Here, it is an old leprosy which is clearly and undoubtedly unclean. It is something which has been hidden, but which is insidious in nature. Verses 9 and 10 lead up to verse 11 as conditional clauses which lead to the main clause.

¹⁰ And the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the swelling on the skin is white, and it has turned the hair white, and there is a spot of raw flesh in the swelling,

Three things are needed to properly identify if what is being looked at is, in fact, leprosy. The first is a white swelling on the skin. This would be a very white swelling, like snow. This is what will be seen of Miriam when she is plagued with leprosy in Numbers 12 –

“And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.” Numbers 12:10

Second, the hair in the swelling is turned white. Again, the word white in both cases is lavan. It points to the idea of works. The third is that there is a “spot of raw flesh in the swelling.” The Hebrew reads u-mikhyat besar khai – “and reviving flesh live.” Thus scholars term this “proud flesh.” The entire picture to be seen is someone who is swollen up with pride in his works, and who boasts in his flesh. This is the attitude Paul warns about with these words –

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:2-6

Paul speaks of those of the circumcision, meaning the Jews, who put their confidence in the flesh by observing the Law of Moses, instead of putting their confidence in Christ, who is the end of the law for all who believe. This is the proud flesh and it is perfectly described by the next verse…

¹¹ it is an old leprosy on the skin of his body.

It is an old leprosy. The word is yashen. It means to sleep, but the words gives the sense of something inveterate. It is long- established and unlikely to change. It is a perfect description of those who seek to be justified by the law. It’s rather odd, that the very law which identifies this old leprosy is actually describing those who adhere to it for their justification.

The infection is in the body, it is swelling, it is based on works, and those works reveal the prideful nature of the one to whom they belong. It is the Judiazers of Paul’s time and it is those of the Hebrew Roots movement of our time – perfectly described by the very law they cling to, and which identifies them as unclean. Because of this…

^{11 (con’t)} The priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not isolate him, for he is unclean.

There is no reason to evaluate if such a person’s works are actually appropriate or not. The Bible clearly and unambiguously tells us that those who live by deeds of the law are unclean. They have not come to God through Christ, and their works can never please Him. Paul says of this –

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19, 20

Who is it that is unclean before the Lord?
It is the one who trusts in his own righteousness
He has ignored what is said about Jesus in the word
Who thinks he is secure, but is really a mess

Like leprosy, sin infects our lives, and we are done in
We attempt to work our way to heaven, displeasing God even more
Such is the depth of this body of sin
And unless we change, on us God will His great wrath pour

But there is hope for the soul who is unclean
Is is found in God’s Gift of our Lord Jesus
In the life of Jesus, the most marvelous grace is seen
And it is waiting there for each and every one of us

II. Completely Covered in White (verses 12-17)

¹² “And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the one who has the sore, from his head to his foot, wherever the priest looks,

The word “breaks out” is parakh. It indicates a blossoming or an abundance. In this, the skin is totally covered with this leprous look. The Hebrew repeats itself with the words paroakh tiphrakh, or “flowering, it flowers.” From the person’s head to the foot, he is literally covered in this outbreak.

It is actually unsure what condition is being relayed here. There is one black girl from Trinidad who got vitiligo so completely that she went from being totally black to completely white. It is happening to a black grandmother here in the US right now. But this is probably not what is being spoken of here. Whatever the condition is, it was one that causes the whole body to appear leprous, but it was so complete and without any other of the effects of normal leprosy, that it was treated in a unique way…

¹³ then the priest shall consider; and indeed if the leprosy has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean who has the sore. It has all turned white. He is clean.

Instead of being wholly unclean, the person who is so affected is considered completely clean and is pronounced as such. As this is not a normal medical condition which is identifiable, it is certainly a picture of something else, something unique and marvelous.

Sin is a leprous plague. When it infects a person, they are unclean because of it. Unclean is unclean – there are no true gradations of this state. One is either clean or they are unclean. But for those who think they can still merit God’s favor, they don’t think of themselves as wholly unclean. Thus, they fit those described previously. They have an infection and it causes them to be wholly unclean.

However, when a person realizes that they are wholly unclean, with no part of himself which is acceptable to God, they cannot boast in works of the flesh. When they come to the Priest, meaning Jesus, for His determination, He pronounces them clean. The reason is that His works fully, and completely, met the demands of the law. As Paul says to us –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

¹⁴ But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean.

This is the same “proud flesh” mentioned before. This is still certainly speaking of the same person who was pronounced clean in the previous verse. In picture, this is the person who has been cleansed by Christ and who has been saved by Him, but then falls back on deeds of the law, boasting in their works. Paul speaks of them in Galatians –

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? ² This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? ⁴ Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?” Galatians 3:1-4

They are those who are misdirected away from the gospel of Christ. Paul never calls their salvation into question, but he does tell them that they have become debtors to the entire law. They are unclean and they will be judged as such when they stand before the Lord at His bema seat of judgment. This is seen in the next verse…

¹⁵ And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him to be unclean; for the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.

The Priest, the Lord Jesus, examines our lives, He evaluates our deeds, and He looks into the motivations behind them. In this case, the person has been infected with ha’basar ha’khai, the flesh the proud, and he thus pronounces such people unclean. If you don’t think this is possible, I can tell you of countless emails of people desperate for friends, family, loved ones… all who have been sucked into the Hebrew Roots movement, just as the Galatians had been sucked into the false gospel of the Judaizers.

They started in the Spirit and turned to deeds of the law, figuring they could do a better job than the Lord did. They have set aside the grace of Christ. For those who were saved, they are saved, but they are to be judged in the most severe manner for their failing. They are lepers; they are unclean; and the Lord will take away the many rewards they could have earned by simply exercising faith in what He has done.

However, there is hope for even folks in this sad state. They can turn, and they can be renewed again by the Spirit. Paul told the Galatians to turn and forget the deeds of the flesh, using Peter’s falling back under the law as an example of such. Paul had to openly rebuke Peter, showing him his error. When he did, Peter was restored to right thinking. His proud flesh was cured…

¹⁶ Or if the raw flesh changes and turns white again, he shall come to the priest.

The one with proud flesh has once again realized the error of his way. Peter turned from his lack of trust in Christ, and he went on to his position as the Apostle to the Jews with his correction duly noted and responded to. So it can happen to anyone who has been saved and purified by Christ. We all stumble, we all fall, we all come short. But when we put away our proud flesh, the Priest will see, and He will respond accordingly…

¹⁷ And the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the sore has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean who has the sore.

Whoo hoo! Cleansed and in right standing with the Lord! What more could anyone ask? The One who cleanses is an ever-lasting Fount of cleansing. As many times as we fail, and as many times as we return to Him for healing, He will heal. If we fall back on works of the law, as grievous of an offense as that is, the Lord is willing to restore us to a full and right relationship once again.

But as long as we are trusting in our deeds to be justified before Him, we stand unclean and under His unhappy judgment. We are separated from the body, and we lack the harmony in our life that we desperately need; we lack the filling of the Spirit and the fellowship with our heavenly Father. Let us not go down that path, but let Christ consider us as the one whose sore has turned white…

*^17 (fin) He is clean.

tahor hu – Pure (is) he. The declaration stands for any and all who live by faith, and by faith alone, in Jesus Christ. When we trust in His works, then we are in a clean and right-standing with our Creator. Stand fast on the gospel of Christ, and God will look at you as pristine white, cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.

As an eloquent and flowery followup to our 17 verses today, allow me to cite Matthew Henry who caught the gist of today’s passage quite well –

“The plague of leprosy was an uncleanness, rather than a disease. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. … And it was a figure of the moral pollutions of men’s minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse. The priest could only convict the leper, (by the law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he can take away sin. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state. We all have cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious of sores and spots; but whether clean or unclean is the question. As there were certain marks by which to know it was leprosy, so there are marks of such as are in the gall of bitterness. The priest must take time in making his judgment. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in censures, nor to judge anything before the time. If some men’s sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so do men’s good works. If the person suspected were found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes, because there had been ground for the suspicion. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though not leprosy spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin?” Matthew Henry

The answer to his question is, “Any and all who call on Christ Jesus.” Sin is a deep infection, and it is one that we cannot cure. Our attempts to do so only add to our sin, they do not help. When we attempt to buy God off through good works, it is an affront to Him. “I cannot look upon you! How can I look upon your futile gestures which only cause you to feel you merit My glory?”

But, when we trust in His offer, and the work of His Son Jesus Christ, He is satisfied with our faith. It is a small thing, and yet it is so very difficult. If you don’t believe that, just look at the world around you, even once-saved believers at times have fallen back on their own deeds to satisfy God. It is proud flesh, and it will only lead to sadness. Let me very clearly explain to you how you can bring joy to God, and to your own troubled heart…

Closing Verse: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” …  “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:18 & 24, 25

Next Week: Leviticus 13:18-37 More infectious things to evaluate and to look through… (The Law of Leprosy, Part II) (20^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Law of Leprosy

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
These are the words He was then relaying

“When a man has on the skin of his body
A swelling, a scab, or a bright spot
And it becomes on the skin of his body
Like a leprous sore; a kind of gross blot

Then he shall to Aaron the priest be brought
Or to one of his sons the priests who in the law has been taught

The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body
And if the hair on the sore has turned white
And the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body
It is a leprous sore; something with him is just not right

Then the priest shall examine him, so he shall be seen
And pronounce him unclean 

But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body
And does not appear to be deeper than the skin
And its hair has not turned white
Then the priest shall isolate the one who has the sore
———-Seven days he shall be shut in

And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day
And indeed if the sore appears to be as it was during this phase
And the sore has not spread on the skin
Then the priest shall isolate him another seven days

Then the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day
And indeed if the sore has faded
And the sore has not spread on the skin
Then the priest shall pronounce him clean, surely for this he waited

It is only a scab, this is what it does mean
And he shall wash his clothes and be clean

But if the scab should at all spread over the skin
After he has been seen for his cleansing by the priest
He shall be seen by the priest again
He is not yet to be released

And if the priest sees that the scab
Has indeed spread on the skin
Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean
It is leprosy; surely much to his chagrin

“When the leprous sore is on a person, from the greatest to the least
Then he shall be brought to the priest 

And the priest shall examine him
And indeed if the swelling on the skin is white
And it has turned the hair white
And there is a spot of raw flesh in the swelling, something not right

It is an old leprosy on the skin of his body
The priest shall pronounce him unclean
And shall not isolate him, for he is unclean
This is what this thing does mean

“And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin
And the leprosy covers all the skin, for sure
Of the one who has the sore
From his head to his foot wherever the priest looks there is more

Then the priest shall consider
And indeed if the leprosy has covered all his body, this is seen
He shall pronounce him clean who has the sore
It has all turned white. He is clean 

But when raw flesh appears on him
He shall be unclean; a situation quite grim 

And the priest shall examine the raw flesh
And pronounce him to be unclean
For the raw flesh is unclean
It is leprosy; as the raw flesh does mean

Or if the raw flesh changes and turns white again
He shall come to the priest
And the priest shall examine him
And indeed if the sore has turned white, the raw flesh has ceased

Then the priest shall pronounce him clean who has the sore
He is clean; he ain’t got the leprosy blues no more

Lord God, by Your goodness alone we are reconciled to You
You sent Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
And so help us to trust in Him alone; yes through and through
Our deeds can’t satisfy, and they leave us in more of a mess

But what Christ has done is fully sufficient to save
In Him we are cleansed and made pure in Your sight
Help us to live by faith alone; this is how we are to behave
And through Him all things are made perfect and right

Thank You, O God, for Christ Jesus our Lord
And for what we know of Him through Your superior word

Hallelujah and Amen…