Leviticus 13

Skin disease to be checked by priestsverses 1-3

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron

saying

When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising

scab – bright spot and it be in the skin of his flesh

like the plague of leprosy

THEN he shall be brought to Aaron the priest

or to one of his sons the priests

and the priest shall look on the plague in the

skin of the flesh

and when the hair in the plague is turned white

and the plague in sight be deeper than

the skin of his flesh

it is the plague of leprosy

and the priest shall look on him

and pronounce him UNCLEAN

Infected individuals quarantined seven daysverses 4-8

IF the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh

and in sight be not deeper than the skin

and the hair thereof be not turned white

THEN the priest shall shut up him that has the plague seven days

and the priest shall look on him the seventh day

and behold – IF the plague in his sight be at a stay

and the plague spread not in the skin

THEN the priest shall shut him up seven days more

and the priest shall look on him again the seventh day

and behold – IF the plague be somewhat dark

and the plague spread not in the skin

the priest shall pronounce him

CLEAN – it is but a scab

and he shall wash his clothes – and be CLEAN

BUT IF the scab spread much abroad in the skin

after that he has been seen of the priest for his cleansing

he shall be seen of the priest again

and IF the priest see that – behold

the scab spreads in the skin

THEN the priest shall pronounce

him UNCLEAN – it is a leprosy

Dealing with old leprosyverses 9-11

When the plague of leprosy is in a man

THEN he shall be brought to the priest

And the priest shall see him – and behold

IF the rising be white in the skin

and it have turned the hair white

and there be quick raw flesh in the rising

It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh

and the priest shall pronounce him UNCLEAN

and shall not shut him up

for he is UNCLEAN

Priest exams individualverses 12-17

IF a leprosy break out abroad in the skin

and the leprosy cover all the skin of him

that has the plague from his head

even to his foot

wheresoever the priest looks

THEN the priest shall consider

and behold

IF the leprosy have covered all his flesh

he shall pronounce him CLEAN that has the plague

it is all turned white – he is CLEAN

BUT when raw flesh appears in him

he shall be UNCLEAN

And the priest shall see the raw flesh

and pronounce him to be unclean

for the raw flesh is UNCLEAN – it is a leprosy

OR IF the raw flesh turn again – and be changed to white

he shall come to the priest

And the priest shall see him – and behold

IF the plague be turned into white

THEN the priest shall pronounce him CLEAN

that has the plague – he is CLEAN

Dealing with a boil on the skinverses 18-23

The flesh also – in which – even in the skin thereof – was a boil

and is healed – and in the place of the boil there be a white rising

or a bright spot – white – and somewhat reddish

and it be shown to the priest

And if – when the priest sees it behold – it be in sight lower than the skin

and the hair thereof be turned white

the priest shall pronounce him UNCLEAN

it is a plague of leprosy broken out of a boil

BUT if the priest look on it – and behold

there be no white hairs therein

and if it be not lower than the skin

BUT be somewhat dark

THEN the priest shall shut him up seven days

and IF it spread much abroad in the skin

THEN the priest shall pronounce him UNCLEAN

it is the plague

BUT if the bright spot stay in his place – and spread not

it is a burning boil

and the priest shall pronounce him CLEAN

Dealing with burning skinverses 24-28

Or if there be any flesh – in the skin whereof there is a hot burning

and the quick flesh that burns have a white bright spot

somewhat reddish – or white

THEN the priest shall look upon it – and behold

IF the hair in the bright spot be turned white

and it be in sight deeper than the skin

it is leprosy broken out of the burning

wherefore the priest shall pronounce him UNCLEAN

it is the plague of leprosy

BUT IF the priest look on it – and behold

there be no white hair in the bright spot

and it be no lower than the other skin

but be somewhat dark

THEN the priest shall shut him up seven days

and the priest shall look on him the seventh day

and if it be spread much abroad in the skin

THEN the priest shall pronounce him unclean

it is the plague of leprosy

And if the bright spot stay in his place – and spread not in the skin

but it be somewhat dark

it is a rising of the burning

and the priest shall pronounce him CLEAN

for it is an inflammation of the burning

Dealing with plague on head or beardverses 29-37

IF a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard

THEN the priest shall see the plague – and behold

IF it be in sight deeper than the skin

and there be in it a yellow thin hair

THEN the priest shall pronounce him unclean

it is a dry scall

even a leprosy upon the head and beard

And if the priest look on the plague of the scall – and behold

it be not in sight deeper than the skin

and that there is no black hair in it

THEN the priest shall shut up him that has the plague of the scall

seven days – and in the seventh day the priest shall look on

the plague – and behold – if the scall spread not

and there be in it no yellow hair

and the scall be not in sight deeper

than the skin

He shall be shaven – BUT the scall shall he not shave

and the priest shall shut up him that has the scall

seven days more

and in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall

and behold – IF the scall be not spread in the skin

nor be in sight deeper than the skin

THEN the priest shall pronounce him CLEAN

and he shall wash his clothes – and be CLEAN

BUT IF the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing

THEN the priest shall look on him – and behold

IF the scall be spread in the skin

the priest shall not seek for yellow hair

he is UNCLEAN

BUT IF the scall be in his sight at a stay

and that there is black hair grown up therein

the scall is healed – he is CLEAN

and the priest shall pronounce him CLEAN

Dealing with shining bright skinverses 38-39

IF a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots

even white bright spots

THEN the priest shall look – and behold

if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white

it is a freckled spot that grows in the skin

he is CLEAN

Dealing with loss of hairverses 40-44

And the man whose hair is fallen off his head – he is BALD

yet is he CLEAN

And he that has his hair fallen off from the part of his head

toward his face – he is forehead BALD

yet is he CLEAN

And if there be in the BLAD head

or BALD forehead a white reddish sore

it is a leprosy sprung up in his BALD head

or his BALD forehead

THEN the priest shall look on it – and behold

IF the rising of the sore be white reddish in his BALD head

or in his BALD forehead

as the leprosy appears in the skin of the flesh

he is a leprous man – he is UNCLEAN

the priest shall pronounce him utterly UNCLEAN

his plague is in his head

Those affects by leprosy have to call out “Unclean”verses 45-46

And the leper in whom the plague is – his clothes shall be rent

and his head bare – he shall put a covering on his upper lip

and shall cry – UNCLEAN – UNCLEAN

All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled

he is UNCLEAN – he shall dwell alone

without the camp shall his habitation be

Contaminated clothesverses 47-52

The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in

whether it be a woolen garment or a linen garment

whether it be in the warp – or woof

of linen – or of woolen

whether in a skin – or in any thing made of skin

and if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment

or in the skin – either in the warp – or in the woof

or in any thing of skin

it is a plague of leprosy

and shall be shown unto the priest

and the priest shall look on the plague

and shut up it that has the plague seven days

and he shall look on the plague on

the seventh day

if the plague be spread in the garment

either in the warp or in the woof – or in a skin

or in any work that is made of skin

the plague is a fretting leprosy – it is UNCLEAN

He shall therefore burn that garment – whether warp or woof

in woolen or in linen or any thing of skin

wherein the plague is – for it is a fretting leprosy

it shall be burnt in the fire

Wash and continued examinationverses 53-58

IF the priest shall look – and behold

the plague be not spread in the garment

either in the warp – or in the woof

or in any thing of skin

THEN the priest shall command that they wash the thing

wherein the plague is

and he shall shut it up seven days more

and the priest shall look on the plague

after that it is washed – and behold

IF the plague have not changed his color

and the plague be not spread

it is UNCLEAN – you shalt burn it in the fire

it is fret inward – whether it be bare within or without

IF the priest look – and behold

the plague be somewhat dark after the washing if it

THEN he shall rend it out of the garment – or out of the skin

or out of the warp – or out of the woof

and if it appear still in the garment – either in the warp

or in the woof – or in any thing of skin

it is a spreading plague

you shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire

And the garment – either warp – or woof – or whatsoever thing of skin it be

which you shalt wash – IF the plague be departed from them

THEN it shall be washed the second time

and shall be CLEAN

Instruction regarding clean and unclean clothes completedverse 59

This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woolen or linen

either in the warp – or woof – or any thing of skins

to pronounce it CLEAN – or to pronounce it UNCLEAN

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. (7200 “look on” [ra’ah] means behold, to see, to understand, to spy, reveal, look at, examine, inspect, to take inot consideration as an example, or become aware of.)

DEVOTION: The children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years. Every group needs a doctor to care for them when they are traveling or when they are at home. Here the doctors were the priests. They were given the responsibility to examine every individual who had a skin disease according to this passage of Scripture.

The individual had to come to the priest to make sure whether the skin disease he had was contagious or not. If it was contagious the individual was quarantined for a time period to make sure it was contagious. If it didn’t spread than he was declared clean and could join the rest of the people.

Today we do have doctors but in the New Testament the disease of leprosy was likened to sin. We are all sinners and we have sin in our flesh. We have to be cured from our leprosy which can only happen if we ask Jesus into our life. This is done through repentance and confession of sin.

We need to continually go to our High Priest for the cleansing of sin in our life. HE will cleanse us and restore us to service. Confession of sin is required to show that we realize we are sinners in need of continual help to live the life the LORD wants us to live while we are here on this earth.

CHALLENGE: The disease of sin is deeper than surface skin diseases, it goes all the way to the heart.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. (2891 “pronounce him clean” [taher] means purify, purge, cleanse, morally cleanse, clear, sound or uncontaminated)

DEVOTION: The power of the priest to declare someone either clean or unclean was an awesome responsibility. They had to make a determination to make sure that a skin disease didn’t spread throughout the camp.

The LORD gave Moses instructions to give to the priests as it related to medical issues. So the LORD was concerned with the religious issues of the children of Israel. HE was concerned with the dietary issues of the children of Israel.

Now HE is concerned with the medical issues of the children of Israel. HE was concerned about all areas that could affect their lives. HE continues to be concerned about every area of our lives as well today.

HE wants us to be spiritually healthy. Part of that is the care of our physical bodies. We need to keep our bodies in shape to make sure that our minds can be in shape to learn more about HIM. If we are suffering physically it affects our relationship with HIM>

Pastors can be used to help us spiritually and doctors are supposed to help us physically. God is concerned with all areas of our life and we need to make sure that we let HIM give us advice regarding physical healing today.

Too often people think that they can skip seeing a physical doctor because the LORD is the Divine Physician. It is true that HE can heal us but we need to also realize that he used the priests to help keep the camp clear of disease. HE uses physicians to help us keep our bodies clear of disease as well.

Our faith needs to rest in the LORD but HE uses doctors to heal our physical bodies as well. When the doctors give up, we can still turn to the LORD for a final judgment of healing. Physical healing should be a combination of us going to doctors and to the LORD for direction regarding our physical health.

The priests were used to help the children of Israel know what to do with physical problems. Now is a different time period. Watch out for faith healers that promote themselves more than the LORD.

CHALLENGE: There are many false teachers out there that say that God will only heal through faith and not to use a doctor to deal with a physical problem. That is not what happened in the Old Testament.

: 40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean. (4803 “bald” [marat] means furbished, fallen, plucked off their hair, to bare, polish, make smooth)

DEVOTION: I have a son and a son-in-law that have shaved their heads bald. They both have some hair but not enough to comb. They seem to think that it takes less time to deal with a bald head than one that has a little hair.

Here we find that the priest has to examine the head of a bald man to see if there are any red spots on it. If there is none then the individual is declared “clean” in the eyes of the LORD. He can go out and life among the people.

To be declared “clean” by the priest was a good thing. To be declared “clean” by the LORD is much better. The only way that an individual can be declared clean is if he has trusted in the LORD with his whole heart.

This would mean a walk that is pleasing to the LORD because of his allowing the substitutionary atonement of the LORD to cleanse him from all unrighteousness. The LORD declares HIS followers clean because of their standing with HIM through Christ.

Those who are without Christ are unclean in the eyes of the LORD. They are in need of cleansing which can only be done through the Word of God. Are we trying to clean up those who don’t know Christ as their personal Savior?

CHALLENGE: Should we be more concerned with an individual’s heart more than their physical health? If so, we need to be out diagnosing our family and friends and get them to the true Doctor of the soul.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (910 “alone” [badad] means isolation, withdrawal, solitary, desolate or separation)

DEVOTION: The priests in the Old Testament economy had awesome responsibilities. They were responsible for the offerings to the LORD on a daily basis. They were responsible for the keeping of the commandments. Now we learn that they were the health inspectors of their day.

The LORD told Moses about skin diseases that needed to be watched for among the people. The one covered in this chapter is the skin disease of leprosy. The priests had to examine those who thought they might have the disease. They were to check and then check back in seven days if there was any doubt. There was old leprosy and new leprosy. Even the clothes could care the disease.

So they not only had to examine the person but they had to examine the clothes. It would seem that it would keep them busy most of the time as there was only a portion of the tribe of Levi that were priests.

If leprosy was definitely found in a person he had to live outside the camp of the children of Israel while they traveled in the wilderness. That would be no fun. But on top of that they were to call out when someone came near “Unclean” “Unclean.” How do you think that would make them feel? The only ones that they could be around were other lepers. One of the disciplines of the faith is solitude. This is where we go apart from everyone and everything for a time period to spend time with the LORD. That is not what is being talked about here. We find that the disease of leprosy was something that could be spread to other people. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone who wanted to take us away from the LORD would have to yell “Unclean, Unclean” when we got close to them. It would be a good way of warning us to stay away from that person.

It doesn’t happen today. Why didn’t the LORD just cure all the people with leprosy? That wasn’t the plan. All these diseases came because of sin in the world. Imagine a world without disease or sickness. The disease of leprosy is used as an example of sin in our lives. We need to not let it take hold of us or let it spread to others. It is no fun being in solitary place away from other believers.

CHALLENGE: We have to realize that there are people who would like to take us outside the camp of God and into the camp of Satan. Sin has a deadly effect on us.

:52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woolen or in linen, or anything of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire. (8313 “burnt” [saraph] means 1 to burn. 1a (Qal) to burn. 1b (Niphal) to be burned. 1c (Piel) burner, burning (participle). 1d (Pual) to be burnt up, be burned. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: This chapter continues God’s instructions on the question of leprosy or possible leprosy. Having come into contact with a person who had leprosy, it would not be unusual for the clothing that they wore also to carry the infection. That is why God tells them to take care to wash the garments and also quarantine them.

However, there would come a day when the infection or stain would not wash out. In that case, it was to be ripped out of the fabric or (at worst) the whole garment would be burned. This was to avoid contamination with other articles. It would show how far the people really wanted to go in order to give financial security in exchange for obedience toward God.

There sometimes things that the Lord asks us to give up, rather than taking a chance on contamination of our walk with God. Sometimes God is waiting for us to give up these things as a test of our faith in Him, and if we fail the test then He takes them away from us. He always wants us to live lives in holiness and place our walk with Him as our top priority. I have had to learn the hard way over time that God asks me to surrender certain items back to Him because I have put my confidence or love in them rather than in Him.

When it came to a disease like leprosy, God was not about to let His people take any chances. He does not instruct those who are not His children what to do in these cases, only those who are of the family of faith. When He gives us instructions regarding our health, we should be willing to obey Him, since our bodies are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).

CHALLENGE: Are you holding onto anything that God has told you to give up? If so, surrender that to Him right now and make a sacrifice of it back to Him. (MW)

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD (Jehovah)verse 1

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Plague of leprosyverses 2-59

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Uncleanverses 3, 8, 11, 14, 15, 20, 22, 25, 27, 30, 36, 44, 46

Clothes uncleanverses 51, 55, 59

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Cleanverses 6, 13, 17, 23, 28, 34, 37, 39, 40, 41

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Mosesverse 1

Aaron the priestverses 1-59

Lepers brought to Aaron the priestverses 2-59

Pronounce clean or unclean

Lepers to cry out “Unclean, Unclean”verse 45

Lepers to dwell aloneverse 46

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org Also if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.

QUOTES regarding passage

The intent of Leviticus 13 was not to correctly diagnose specific dermatological conditions but rather to guide the priests in distinguishing infectious from noninfectious diseases of the skin. No medication was prescribed; the only action that could be taken was quarantine (see 2 Kgs 15:5). (Rooker, M. F. (2000). Leviticus (Vol. 3A, p. 187). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Chapters 13–14 pertain to the diagnosis, treatment, and ceremonial cleansing of infectious skin diseases in people (13:2–46; 14:1–32) and spreading mildew both in clothing and similar articles (13:47–58) and in houses (14:33–53). This peculiar grouping together of such diverse contagions is explained in that they are all designated by the Hebrew word ṣārā‘aṯ (traditionally trans. “leprosy”) which is sufficiently broad to cover any form of spreading surface discoloration or flaking whether in humans or in objects subject to mold or mildew. The problem in translating this Hebrew word is illustrated by the fact that in one instance the NIV translated it with the whole compound phrase: “infectious skin diseases and mildew” (v. 57).

The abnormality of all these conditions would disrupt the wholeness necessary for Levitical worship and so render the infected persons or objects unclean. The Hebrew word for the skin diseases described in these chapters must be much broader than Hansen’s disease (leprosy), but the question is whether or not it ever means “leprosy.” The question cannot be answered with certainty. Modern medical opinion seems to be agreed that leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is not the skin disease dealt with in these chapters. Some interpret archeological evidence to discount the possibility of widespread leprosy in the ancient Near East (see S.G. Browne, Leprosy in the Bible. London: Christian Medical Fellowship, 1970). One scholar has identified the following skin diseases in chapter 13—psoriasis (vv. 2–28), favus (vv. 29–37), and vitiligo (leucodermia, vv. 38–39; E.V. Hulse, “The Nature of Biblical ‘Leprosy’ and the Use of Alternative Medical Terms in Modern Translations of the Bible,” Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 107. July–December, 1975:87–105; cf. Wenham, Leviticus, pp. 194–7).

On the other hand Harrison believes that Hansen’s disease should definitely be included in the generic term ṣārā‘aṯ (Leviticus, pp. 136–9). Possibly advanced forms of leprosy are not described in chapter 13 (cf. niv marg.), since apparently the chapter discusses early diagnosis. People with advanced leprosy would be in isolation outside the camp. (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Leviticus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 192). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)

13:1–59 Infectious skin diseases and contaminated clothing. It is not possible to be certain about the clinical identification of the variety of diseases referred to here by their symptoms. It has been suggested that they include psoriasis (2–17), favus (a form of ringworm; 29–37) and leucoderma (38–40), as well as lesions in scars caused by boils (18–23) and burns (24–28). The descriptions may also include eczema, herpes and some forms of leprosy. The instructions gave the priest simple guidelines for an initial examination, followed by subsequent checks after specified periods of confinement, to determine whether the condition was static or healing (and thus ritually clean) or spreading and infectious (and thus ritually unclean). The priest had the duty of distinguishing serious skin disease from minor complaints (such as a simple rash) that would heal quickly. The main criteria for skin diseases were that the infection had to be chronic (11) or shown to be lasting more than a week or two (4–8, 26–28, 33–34) and be more than skin deep (3, 20, 25, 30). Raw flesh or discoloured hair in an infected area were other indications of uncleanness (10, 14–15, 20, 24–25, 30–33). In the case of fabrics, it had to last more than a week (50–58) and be more than could simply be removed by washing (55).

Isolation of the sufferer, first during the initial diagnosis period and then more permanently if it turned out to be a serious disease, may be regarded as sound practice to prevent cross infection in the community. Its prime purpose from the levitical perspective, however, was to remove the unclean from possible contact with the holy. In other words, the determining factor was religious, even though it had a beneficial hygienic contribution to public health. The same point holds for the actions applied to contaminated fabrics (47–58). It was obviously sensible, from a health point of view, to destroy (and especially to burn) fabrics with fungal or other infections, but the main reason was to prevent them polluting those who wore or used them, since they would then be at risk, and put others at risk, if they went unclean to worship.

The unfortunate person pronounced unclean by the priest because of a serious skin disease was required to do several things which were tantamount to mourning rites, involving torn clothes, unkempt hair and a covered lower face (45–46). In a sense he or she was virtually counted ‘dead’, since the disease had allowed death to invade a still living body, and was condemned to a life of separation from both the community and the place of worship (cf. 2 Ch. 26:21). The sufferer had to live outside the camp, i.e. away from the homes of the community, which in later Israel meant outside the walls or gates of the village or city (cf. 2 Ki. 7:3–11). It was a tragic condition. Once again, we need to remember that this uncleanness was not technically a matter of personal sin. But in OT thinking, disease and sin were linked, not strictly in the sense that sick people were regarded as paying for their own sin (though the book of Job shows that such popular misapprehension did exist and needed to be corrected), but rather in the fact that the universal human fate of death was the result of universal human sin (Gn. 3), and any form of disease was advance warning of death and could mark its imminence.

In a general sense, disease, along with other natural misfortunes, could be part of the effects of God’s judgment on the nation for covenant unfaithfulness (cf. Lv. 26:16), and there were exceptional cases where physical illness was a sign of God’s punishment of an individual (e.g. Nu. 12:10–15; 2 Ch. 26:16–23). However, the persons suffering from the skin diseases described in this chapter were isolated from the community because of the visible, infectious nature of their uncleanness, not because they were regarded as sinners simply by being sick. Other kinds of sickness were not treated in this way. The blind and the deaf, for example, were not excluded from the worshipping community (which makes it more ironic that the blind man whom Jesus healed was driven out of the synagogue, in a context of misunderstanding about the link between illness and sin, after he had been healed; Jn. 9). This is significant inasmuch as both blindness and deafness were used as metaphors for the spiritual and moral effects of sin in a way that ‘leprosy’ never was in the OT. Hence, it is unlikely that ‘leprosy’ was particularly linked with sin.

Whether or not ‘leprosy’ was seen as indicative or symbolic of sin, its consequences were socially and religiously disastrous. This is what makes the stories of Jesus’ compassionate approach to such sufferers all the more remarkable. He not only ignored their social ostracism by approaching them (as he did for other marginalized people), but he very pointedly touched them as well (Mk. 1:40–45), thus rejecting that source of uncleanness as decisively as he rejected the idea of unclean food. Just as he threw open the door of the kingdom of God to ‘sinners’, so also he drew the sick, the disfigured and the lost back into communion with the saving, healing God. Christian medical mission and compassionate ministry among the sick (including especially those whose sickness has been socially devastating, such as leprosy sufferers, and more recently AIDS sufferers) have always been powerful signs of the reign of God, precisely because they manifest the reign of one who himself was ‘despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering … one from whom men hide their faces’ (Is. 53:3).

(Wright, C. J. H. (1994). Leviticus. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., pp. 140–141). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.)

The verb is used fourteen times in the ot in a variety of contexts. Three times it refers to the tearing out of one’s hair, either the hair on the crown of the head or the beard. Once, this action is indicative of the grief which Ezra felt upon his discovery that his fellow Israelites had intermarried with foreigners (Ezr 9:3). Two other times this same action describes not grief but rather an act of violence (Neh 13:25), something Nehemiah did to those who intermarried; and Isa 50:6, “I (i.e., the suffering servant) gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that ‘tore’ at my beard.” In connection with these passages we may note the use of the same verb to describe the condition of baldness (Lev 13:40–41) in the context of leprosy diagnosis. Ezekiel 29:18 says that the heads of the people of Tyre were “made bald” by Nebuchadnezzar. This does not mean he tore out their hair; rather, the baldness was the result of carrying loads on their heads as corvee labor gangs.

Besides the passage in Ezk 29:18, the verb is used five times more in that book: 21:9 [H 14]; 21:10 [H 15]; 21:11 [H 16]; 21:28 [H 33]. Each case refers to the Lord’s sword which is “furbished/polished,” ready to be given into the hands of the slaughterer, the Babylonians, to execute judgment upon God’s people.

Finally, this verb is used to describe the vessels of ‘burnished’ brass put into the Jerusalem temple of Solomon (I Kgs 7:45). It is employed in Isaiah’s oracle against Cush, the name of ancient Ethiopia, whose people are pictured (Isa 18:2, 7) as “tall and bronzed,” not “scattered and peeled” as in KJV. (Hamilton, V. P. (1999). 1244 מָרַט. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 527). Chicago: Moody Press.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10
The first thing the cross does is to show us to ourselves. Of course, we always defend ourselves, do we not? It isn’t my fault, we say, it is his. If only he understood. Or take husbands and wives, when they separate from one another. You listen to the story of the husband: This woman is impossible! Then you listen to the woman: This man of mine I could not live with him. He is an impossible man! It is always somebody else, is it not? We are never wrong we are very wonderful. If only we could be understood. It is always somebody else, always that other person.
Do you know what the gospel does, what the cross does? It shows you to yourself. And nothing else in the whole world does that but the cross. There is nothing that will ever humble a man or a nation but the cross of Christ. The cross tells us the simple, plain truth about ourselves.
Think of it like this. Why did the Son of God ever come into this world? Why did He leave the courts of glory? Why was He born as a little babe? Why did He take unto Him human nature? There is only one answer. He came because man could not save himself. He said that. The Son of man, he says, is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). And when I look at the cross and see Him dying there, what He tells me is this: You have nothing whereof to boast. The cross tells me that I am a complete failure, and that I am such a failure that He had to come from heaven not merely to teach and preach in this world, but to die on that cross. Nothing else could save us.
A Thought to Ponder: And when I look at the cross and see Him dying there, what He tells me is this: You have nothing whereof to boast. (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

Romans 4
Justification by faith is illustrated in the Old Testament through the lives of Abraham and David.
INSIGHT

To impute something means “to apply something to your account.” The Bible teaches that no one can earn salvation. However, God will give it to us freely if we have faith in Him. God honors the attitude of our hearts and imputes righteousness to our accounts. To be able to impute righteousness to those living during Old Testament times, God looked ahead to the work of Christ on the cross. Now He looks back to the Cross. But in both cases, God´s people have been saved by grace through faith. (Quiet Walk)

WHAT DOES FELLOWSHIP MEAN?

…and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:3
What does fellowship mean? To be in a state of fellowship means that we share in things. We are partakers or, if you like, partners–that idea is there intrinsically in the word. That means something like this: The Christian is one who has become a sharer in the life of God. Now that is staggering and astounding language, but the Bible teaches us that; the New Testament offers us that, and nothing less than that.
Peter writes, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4). That is it, and there are many other similar statements. Indeed, the whole doctrine of regeneration and rebirth leads to this; born again, born from above, born of the Spirit”all carry exactly the same idea. This, then, is what John is so anxious to impress upon the minds of his readers”that Christians are not merely people who are a little bit better than they once were and who have just added certain things to their lives. Rather, they are men and women who have received the divine life.
In some amazing and astounding manner we know that we are partakers of the divine nature, that the being of God has somehow entered into us. I cannot tell you how”I cannot find it in the dissecting room. It is no use dissecting the body”you will not find it, any more than you will find the soul by dissecting the body; but it is in us, and we are aware of it. There is a being in us””I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20); how, I do not know. We will understand in glory, but somehow we know now that we are sharers in the life of God.
A Thought to Ponder: The Christian is one who has become a sharer in the life of God.
(From Fellowship with God, pp. 80-82, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

Redeemed!
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
How glibly we use the terms redeemed, redemption, and ransom. But what do they mean, and more importantly, what did Christ’s act of redemption mean?
Three Greek words and their derivations are used in the New Testament to denote various aspects of this truth. In our text, “redeemed” comes from lutroo, which means to set free, buy back, or ransom. Christ’s innocent blood, sacrificed for us, bought us back. “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).
Redeemed from what? From slavery to sin. Jesus taught, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). Thankfully, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13). The Greek word here is exagorazo, meaning to buy up, to ransom from the market place (i.e., agora), which could be called “the slave market of sin.” He ransomed us, He redeemed us from the horrors of slavery to sin by His death on the cross.
The final word is apolutrosis, “to ransom in full.” He has paid the full penalty! “It is finished” (John 19:30), He said as He died. In Him alone “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Each of us needs to appropriate His plan, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.