LEVITICUS 13 AND 14

LEPROSY

One thing that should be noticed about the following two chapters:  God has made provision for a sacrifice for an incurable disease!  This shows us that it is by grace that we serve Almighty God, not by any works of the law or righteousness on our part.

I.   Reasons for discovering and separating leprosy.

A.     A picture of sin, and the necessity of living a life of holiness.

1.       Sin defeats us, like Israel at Ai.

2.       Sin should not rule us.

3.       Sin in a believer must be dealt with.

B.     Characteries of leprosy - God's way of showing the awfulness of sin.

1.       Leprosy, in Bible days, is incurable.  Sometimes it cures itself.

2.       Leprosy doesn't produce acute pain, causes restlessness and depression - like sin.

3.       Leprosy, like sin, eats away the body while life goes on.  (Adam didn't die immediately, but lived 930 years longer.)

4.       Leprosy, like sin, defaces the body.

5.       Leprosy, like sin, starts small, but finally destroys all life.

6.       Leprosy, like sin, is contagious.

a.      Can be left to children - like sinful ways.

b.      Can be left to friends and acquaintances - like sinful ways.

c.      Adam left sin to all people.

7.       Leprosy, like sin, begins within.

a.      Starts with the bones and marrow.

b.      Eventually revealed on the outside.

c.      Sin reveals the inner condition of the heart.

C.     A picture of Church Discipline - There is no effort to judge leprosy until it breaks out in the body.  We shouldn't judge peoples hearts, but only judge when sinfulness breaks out in the body.

1.       Sin must be removed from the church.

2.       Don't hurry.

a.      If there is any doubt, wait awhile and look again.

b.      Consider the effect on the person and their family.

c.      Consider the effect of hasty (or to short) action on the church.

3.       Gal. 6:1 - If our brother is in sin, let us who are spiritual restore such a one to Christ, considering ourselves.

II.   The leprosy in a person (13:1-46)  ("A" - "F" are for different types of leprosy.  We will make comments on "A", then note only the differences of "B" - "F".)

A.     New leprosy (13:1-8).

1.       Examined by the priest.

a.      This is very serious because of the effect on the people and nation.

b.      The cleanness of the nation (church) is the responsibility of the pastor.

2.       The look of leprosy.  (Sin also has particular characteries).

a.      hair in the spot is white.

b.      the plague seems to be underneath the skin.

c.      V. 3 - pronounced unclean.

3.       V. 4-6 - Anytime there is doubt, the person is "shut up" (quarantine) and checked again.

a.      In church discipline, the person is not removed immediately from the church rolls, but placed on record that his actions are being reviewed and examined by the church and pastor.

b.      If a person objects to the examining, they are assumed to be guilty.

4.       V. 7,8 - A spreading scab is leprosy - sin spreads if it's not stopped.

B.     Old leprosy (13:9-17).

1.       V. 10-11 -

a.      A swelling in the skin.

b.      White hair.

c.      Raw flesh in the swelling.

d.      Not shut up, (for further examination), but excluded from the camp immediately.

2.       V. 12,13 - A clean leprosy?  A sign of self-healing (healing by the power of God.)

a.      There is hope for a person who declares his sinfulness (not necessarily his sin) to all.  (especially God.)

b.      More hope of a profane person than a hypocrite.

c.      Publicans and harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before the scribes and Pharisees.

d.      A sudden burst of sin is bad, but concealed sin continues to destroy.

e.      If we confess there is no soundness (faithfulness) in us, but only sin, we can find grace in the eyes of the Lord.

3.       V. 14,15 - [1]But[1] raw flesh indicates the condition is not self-healing, but rather a continual working of the sin within.

4.       V. 16,17 - The healing of raw flesh.

C.     13:18-23 - The leprosy caused by a boil - the same as part "A".

D.     13:24-28 - A leprosy of burning - the same as part "A".

E.      13:29-37 - A leprosy of the head or beard.

1.       A yellow thin hair is a sign of leprosy.

2.       V. 32,33 - after a 7 day examination period, all but the affected area is shaved in order to wait another seven days to check for the spread of leprosy.  If not - the person is pronounced clean.

F.      V. 38-46 - Leprosy of bright, white spots.

NOTE:  There is a difference in personal infirmity of sin and an outward working of sin.

1.       V. 39 - A freckled spot is not leprosy.

2.       V. 40,41 - Baldness is not leprosy.

3.       V. 42-44 - A leper is unclean.

a.      I Cor. 5 - Sin removed.

b.      II Cor. - The sinner restored.

G.     What a leper should do.

1.       Rent (rip) his clothes) - this is a sign of sorrow.

2.       Bare his head - this is a sign of shame.

3.       Put a covering on his upper lip - This is to keep from spreading the leprosy.  Not like Rom. 1:32, sinners loving to sin and desiring that others join in their sin.

4.       Cry "unclean, unclean" - to let others know.  Don't cover up sin like people do today.

5.       Dwell alone - So his sin won't be spread.

6.       Without the camp - His is still a Jew, but not allowed in the camp because of his sin.

III.   A leprosy in a garment (13:47-59).

A.     Define terms.

1.       Warp - a place in the weaving that turns from the natural direction of the material, as in a sleeve, or collar.

2.       Woof - the threads that cross the warp.

3.       Fretting - growing.

B.     Leprosy in the garment.

1.       V. 49 - green or red.

2.       V. 50 - shut up seven days.

3.       V. 51,52 - destroyed by burning.

4.       V. 53-55 - after seven days of V. 50, the color hasn't changed, wash the garment and shut up for another seven days. If no change, burn in fire.  The leprosy is internal and cannot be stopped.

5.       V. 56,57 - after the washing, the plague stays and cannot get the discoloration out, burn the garment with fire.  The plague cannot be removed.

6.       V. 58,59 - clean after the first washing, wash again and pronounce clean.

IV.   14:1-30 - The cleansing of the leprosy in a person.

A.     14:1-20 - The normal procedure (for the person that is not poor).

1.       The articles to be used.

a.      Two birds alive and clean.

1)      One represents the death of Christ.

2)      The other represents the resurrected life of Christ.

b.      Cedar wood - isn't found in the wilderness, but in Canaan.  These procedures are for use in Canaan.  Israel wasn't mean to wander.

c.      Scarlet - a band of twice dyed wool - represents the pureness of health and spiritual well-being.

d.      Hyssop - a plant used to apply the blood, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

e.      Running water - literally "living water" from John 4.

2.       The procedure to be followed:

a.      A priest commands that one of the birds be placed in the earthen vessel, under the running water and be killed.  A picture of Christ coming in the form of man (Phil. 2:5), yet God (living water - John 4) and dying for us.  The water and blood mingled - I John 5:6.

b.      V. 6,7 - The living bird, the cedar, scarlet and hyssop is dipped in the mixture of blood and water and sprinkled seven times (complete) on the one cleansed from leprosy.  A picture of the blood of Christ which cleanses us.

c.      V. 7 - Let the living bird free - when we are saved - we are free.  When as saved people, our sins are forgiven, we are free.

d.      V. 8,9 - The cleansed.

1)      Wash clothes - a sign of an outward putting off of sin.

2)      Shave all hair - so no leprosy will be covered up.

3)      Wash body in water - a sign of internal putting off of sin.

4)      Can come into the camp, but don't move back in yet.  When receiving excluded members, let them prove themselves first.

5)      On seventh day - shave and wash body and clothes.  A revealing of outward cleanness caused by an inward cleanness.

6)      On eighth day - bring the proper sacrifice. (Before he moves his tent back within the camp.)

3.       V. 10 - The sacrifice.

a.      Two he-lambs - one for a trespass offering and one for a sin offering.

b.      One ewe lamb - for a burnt offering.

c.      Three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat (meal) offering.  This is a Thanksgiving offering.

d.      A log (pint) of oil - a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

e.      Blood on tip of right ear - that hearing might be holy.

f.       Blood on thumb of right hand - that works might be holy.

g.      Blood on great toe of right foot - that walk might be holy.

h.      Right means authority, as "Christ sat at the right hand of the Father".

i.        Oil (Holy Spirit) poured in priest left hand. Right (authority) finger of priest sprinkled the oil before the Lord seven (seven means complete) times.  The oil was not sprinkled before men.

j.        V. 17 - Oil mingled with the blood on right ear, thumb and great toe of right foot.  A symbol of the Holy Spirit working through the blood of Christ so we can life a holy life before God.

k.      V. 18 - The rest of the oil in the priest left hand is poured on the head of the cleansed man.  There is an abundance of the Holy Spirit.

4.       V. 19 - The sin offering - according to the manner.

5.       V. 20 - The burnt offering - according to the manner.

B.     14:21-32 - The procedure for a poor person.

1.       Exactly the same, except for the less expensive sacrifice.

2.       There is always salvation and forgiveness to people, rich or poor.

V.   14:33-57 - The leprosy in a house.

A.     Conditions of house leprosy.

1.       Only in the land of Canaan.

2.       I put - as a curse upon them.  This is in opposition to the plague in a person or a garment.  These two come as a natural result of sin.

B.     How to discover house leprosy and clean it.

1.       V. 35 - tell it to the priest - go to Jesus Christ with our sins and sinfulness.

2.       Empty the house.

a.      So all the furniture won't be unclean.

b.      To better cleanse the house.

3.       V. 37 - Streaks of green and red which seem to be in the material of the house and not on the surface.  (This is the difference between "natural" sin and sin of the heart.)

4.       V. 38-42 - Close up the house for seven days.  If the plague remains after seven days, the people living there shall remove all the polluted parts to an unclean place and redo the walls.

5.       V. 43-45 - If leprosy breaks out the second time, the priest himself shall tear down the house and carry it to an unclean place.

6.       V. 46,47 - The people dwelling in the house shall be unclean until the even, when they shall wash their clothes.

7.       V. 48 - If the plague doesn't return, it is declared clean.

C.     14:49-53 - The sacrifices of leprosy in a house.

1.       A sacrifice is given for the house because the earth is under the Adamic curse just like people are.

2.       It's the same as for a person except:

a.      The type of animal used.

b.      There is no blood and oil mixed and put on the house.  The earth doesn't need the Holy Spirit leadership, and it is by the blood of Christ that the earth will be made new.

c.      V. 51 - The house is sprinkled with blood seven times.  (To completely make it holy.)

VI.   14:54-57 - The introduction to chapters 13 and 14.