Leviticus 14:1-2
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest.'”
Moses was given detailed instructions regarding the offerings required for a person who was healed of leprosy. This passage of Scripture, though somewhat tedious, is remarkable when we consider the fact that leprosy was incurable in the ancient world. The law of God contained provisions encouraging the people to expect Him to do the miraculous. A person diagnosed with leprosy could find hope in the power and promises of God. We often face difficulties in which there seems to be no hope. Rather than living in despair, or grasping at straws, we must learn to look into the Word, and trust in its promises. The hope Scripture brings is like an anchor for the soul; providing stability in troublesome times. The cleansing of the leper is also intriguing when we consider, the only Old Testament reference to a leper being healed was of Namaan the Syrian. He was a gentile soldier from Syria, who was known for his bravery. When it was discovered he was leprous, the king of Syria sent word to the King of Israel, requesting the God of Israel heal Naaman. When Elisha the prophet, heard of the request, he invited Naaman to his home. However, rather than meeting with him, Elisha sent a servant to instruct Naaman to go wash seven times in the Jordan River, and he would be healed. This great general was humiliated by the way he was treated, and started to leave. He was unwilling to follow Elisha’s instructions, until a servant exhorted him that he had nothing to lose. Upon following the prophet’s instructions, his leprosy was healed. Once healed, Naaman renounced his pagan religion and devoted himself to Jehovah. This story is a remarkable picture of salvation. Like sin, Naaman’s disease had no cure, yet God provided a solution. The solution involved laying his pride aside, and humbling himself under the mighty hand of God. Once Naaman approached God, His way, he was restored and became a follower of God.
Pastor Jim
After conception a woman was considered unclean and her access to the congregation was limited. In order to be restored into fellowship, she had to wait out a period of uncleanness, then bring the appropriate offering. When this was accomplished, her fellowship was restored. Since we live under a new covenant these requirements no longer apply. For us, fellowship is not broken by giving birth, nor is it restored by offering turtle doves or pigeons. That does not mean we cannot do things that will effect our relationship with God, nor does it mean there is a waiting period for a believer who stumbles.
The event which occurs in the house of Simon the Pharisee stands out to me as one of the most fascinating in the New Testament. No miraculous healing takes place: the deaf do not hear, the blind do not see, nor are the dead raised. Yet this story is both priceless and timeless in the truth it reveals. It is the story of two people and their view of Jesus. Simon was a religious man that showed interest in Jesus. He valued Jesus more than many of his contemporaries.
Leprosy is a skin disease that effects the nervous system; resulting in spreading rash-like symptoms, disfiguration, pain, and ultimately, death. Due to the fact that leprosy is contagious, the nation of Israel was instructed to quarantine lepers until they were healed. Since leprosy was incurable in the ancient world, it would require an act of God for a leper to be healed. Because of the similarities in the growth, spread, and debilitating effects of the disease, leprosy has been considered to be an illustration of sin and it’s consequences.
Giving is an important part of being a Christian. Our checkbook often reflects our heart. The things that matter most to us are the things on which we spend our hard earned money. When we are struggling about whether we can trust God with our finances, we are sometimes reminded of this verse. While it is true God is trustworthy and we will never be able to out give Him, I think we have missed a key message from this verse. Note with me the context; Jesus has been speaking of the Father’s mercy. He tells us God is kind to the unthankful and the evil, and we should be like our heavenly Father. Rather than being critical of every action, we should forgive one another.
If we go back to the call of Abraham, we realize Israel was a nation chosen and established by God. Abraham was told that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Later, we read God’s purpose in choosing Israel was for them to be a light to the rest of the world. God’s idea was for the world to know who He was, through the witness of His people. One factor that would make their light shine more brightly was living by a higher standard than the world around them. This is part of the reason for the dietary laws.
Perhaps, the clearest message from the Book of Leviticus is, God is Holy and requires holiness from His people. Rather than leaving it to us to determine what is holy and what is not, God has given us His Word. In the pages of Scripture, we will learn how to “distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.” Holiness was first achieved through the Old Testament sacrifices. God established a system by which sin could be forgiven through the shedding of blood. These sacrifices are no longer required because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid the penalty for all sin, when He died on the cross. We are made holy when we receive Christ, and our sins are forever washed away. Those who have been made holy are required to live holy. Holiness carries the idea of being set apart. A person who is holy is a person who has set themselves apart from others, by determining that he/she wants to live to please the Lord. It is the holy person who is looking into the pages of their Bible to determine the meaning of life and how to live. It is the holy person who, when faced with a decision, will seek answers from the Word of God, or when facing conflict will seek to solve it through the Wisdom of the Word. Holiness is achieved when we set ourselves apart to the Lord, and live out His Word.
The scribes and Pharisees are complaining about Jesus’ actions. They do not think He should meet with sinners. I hear this complaint every time we gather as a church for corporate worship. It is not the voice of the Pharisees that I hear, but my own voice. I begin to think of all the reasons why I cannot enter into the presence of God, enjoy access to the throne of Grace or experience His work in my life. I am reminded of my sins, both the things that I have done and what I have failed to do. Along with those thoughts, comes an overwhelming sense of not being worthy to enter His presence. It is at that moment when this great truth rings out from His Word:
Worship is important in the life of the believer, and in the function of the church. When we gather, we should have an atmosphere where people can encounter the Lord. While there are a variety of worship styles, the heart of worship is to encounter the Lord, offering praise, and surrendering all. I think there are a few things we can learn about corporate worship from Israel’s example, on the day of a dedication.
In Biblical times, fat was a sign of an animal’s health and vigor. When it came time to divide the offerings, the fat was always devoted to the Lord. This was not done for health reasons, but as an illustration of giving our best to God. While the Cross made the need for daily offerings obsolete, the idea of offering our best to the Lord remains, and is one of the chief aspects of worship.
Jim Gallagher 