Leviticus 14

Cured leper ceremony (Rich)verses 1-20

And the LORD spoke unto Moses

saying

This shall be the law of the leper in the

day of his cleansing

He shall be brought to the priest

and the priest shall look – and behold

IF the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper

THEN shall the priest command to take for him that is to

be cleansed two birds alive and clean

and cedar wood – and scarlet – and hyssop

and the priest shall command that one of the

birds be killed in an earthen vessel over

running water – as for the living bird

he shall take it – and the cedar wood – scarlet – hyssop

and shall dip them and the living bird in the

blood of the bird that was killed over

the running water

he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from

the leprosy seven times

and shall pronounce him clean

and shall let the living bird

loose into the open field

And he that is cleansed shall wash his clothes -and shave off all his hair

and wash himself in water – that he may be clean

and after that he shall come into the camp

and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days

BUT it shall be on the seventh day – that he shall shave all his hair off

his head – beard – eyebrows – even all his hair he shall shave off

and he shall wash his clothes

also he shall wash his flesh in water

and he shall be clean

And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish

and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish

and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meal offering

mingled with oil – and one log of oil

And the priest that makes him clean shall present the man that is

to be made clean – and those things – before the LORD

at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation

and the priest shall take one he lamb

and offer him for a trespass offering

and the log of oil

and wave them for a wave offering

before the LORD

and he shall slay the lamb in the place where he

shall kill the sin offering and the burnt

offering in the holy place

FOR as the sin offering is the priest’s

so is the trespass offering – it is most holy

and 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

that is to be cleansed

and on the thumb of his right hand

and on the great toe of his right foot

And the priest shall take some of the log of oil

and pour it into the palm of his own left hand

and the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil

that is in his left hand

and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger

seven times before the LORD

and of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put on

the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed

and on the thumb of his right hand

and on the great toe of his right foot

on the blood of the trespass offering

and the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour

on the head of him that is to be cleansed

and the priest shall make an ATONEMENT for him

before the LORD

And the priest shall offer the sin offering – and make an ATONEMENT

for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness

And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering

and the priest shall offer the burnt offering

and the meal offering upon the altar

and the priest shall make an ATONEMENT

for him – and he shall be clean

Cured leper ceremony (Poor)verses 21-32

And IF he be poor – and cannot get so much

THEN he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved

to make an ATONEMENT for him

and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil

for a meat offering – and a log of oil

And two turtledoves – or two young pigeons – such as he is able to get

and the one shall be a sin offering – and the other a burnt offering

And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing to the priest

to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation

before the LORD

And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering – and the log of oil

and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD

and 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

that is to be cleansed

and upon the thumb of his right hand

and upon the great toe of his right foot

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

and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger

some of the oil that is in his left hand

seven times before the LORD

and the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand

on the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed

and upon the thumb of his right hand

and upon the great toe of his right foot

on the place of the blood of the trespass offering

and the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on

the head of him that is to be cleansed

to make an ATONEMENT for him before the LORD

And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves – or of the young pigeons

such as he can get – even such as he is able to get

the one for a sin offering – the other for a burnt offering

with the meal offering

And the priest shall make an ATONEMENT for him that is to be cleansed

before the LORD

This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy

whose hand is not able to get that which pertains to his cleansing

House with plague of leprosy: first cleansingverses 33-42

And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron

saying

When you be come into the land of Canaan

which I give to you for a possession

and I put the plague of leprosy in a

house of the land of your possession

And he that owns the house shall come and tell the priest

saying

It seems to me there is as it were a plague in the house

THEN the priest shall command that they empty the house

before the priest go into it to see the plague

that all that is in the house be not made unclean

and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house

and he shall look on the plague and behold

IF the plague be in the walls of the house

with hollow streaks greenish or reddish

which in sight are lower than the wall

THEN the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house

and shut up the house seven days

and the priest shall come again the seventh day

and shall look – and behold

IF the plague be spread in the walls of the house

THEN the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which

the plague is – and they shall cast them into an unclean place

without the city

and he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about

and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off

without the city into an unclean place

and they shall take other stones – and put them in the place of those

stones – and he shall take other mortar

and shall plaster the house

House with plague of leprosy: second visitverses 43-47

IF the plague come again – and break out in the house

after that he hath taken away the stones

and after he hath scraped the house

after it is plastered

THEN the priest shall come and look – and behold

IF the plague be spread in the house

it is a fretting leprosy in the house

IT IS UNCLEAN

And he shall break down the house – the stones of it

and the timber thereof

and all the mortar of the house

and he shall carry them forth out of the

city into an unclean place

MOREOVER he that goes into the house all the while that it is shut up

shall be unclean until the even

And he that lies in the house shall wash his clothes

and he that eats in the house shall wash his clothes

Clean house is sprinkled with bloodverses 48-53

AND IF the priest shall come in – and look upon it – and behold

the plague hath not spread in the house

after the house was plastered

THEN the priest shall pronounce the house clean

BECAUSE the plague is healed

And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds

and cedar wood – scarlet – hyssop

and he shall kill the one of the birds

in an earthen vessel over running water

and he shall take the cedar wood – hyssop – scarlet

and living bird – and dip them in the blood of the

slain bird – and in the running water

and sprinkle the house seven times

And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird

and with the running water – living bird

cedar wood – hyssop – scarlet

but he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields

and make an ATONEMENT for the house

and it shall be clean

Conclusion of instructionsverses 54-57

This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy – scall

and for the leprosy of a garment – and of a house

and for a rising – and for a scab – and for a bright spot

to teach when it is unclean

and when it is clean

This is the law of leprosy

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour on the head of him that is to be cleansed, and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD. (2891 “cleansed” [taher] means to be clean, purify, pronounce clean, purge, to present oneself for purification, sweep clean, or scour)

DEVOTION: In this community if you had any type of skin disease that could spread you were not allowed in public. This meant that you could not go to the Tabernacle to worship the LORD. You were not only away from your loved ones but you were away from a place of worship.

Sin offerings had to offer before you could go back to the Tabernacle. The priest offered this sacrifice for you as you provided the animal for the sacrifice. If you were healed you could return to the Tabernacle yourself. If not you would have to live alone and when someone came close to you, you had to say “Unclean” to warn them of possible infections.

Today we put people in hospitals here in America and if the disease is not curable there are precautions that need to be made. If the doctors can’t cure you and you are a believer the LORD can still cure you. HE is the divine PHYSICIAN.

We are to go to doctors today just like the children of Israel had to meet with the priests until the LORD took care of the disease.

Our lives need to be pure in the eyes of the LORD and this only happens first when we establish a Biblical relationship with the LORD through Jesus Christ. Once that is establish we have to examine ourselves regularly to keep short accounts with God concerning our daily sin. NO one is sinless while living here on this earth.

CHALLENGE: Only one MAN was SINLESS while HE walked this earth and that was Jesus Christ.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil. (1800 “poor” [dal] means powerless, insignificant, dejected, humble, low, weak, thin, or needy)

DEVOTION: Christ told his disciples that they have the “poor always with them.” HE was not being mean but stating a fact of life. Some are needy because of reasons outside of themselves. Some are needy because they have made poor choices. Some are needy just because they are lazy.

The LORD is aware of each person and their income. The LORD has a special place in HIS Word regarding those who are the needy of the land. HE tells those who have that they should help those who have not. The people were to leave the corners of their fields for the widows and orphans.

The LORD makes allowances for those who are needy. HE sometimes requires the needy and rich to give the same amount but at other times HE allows the needy to bring something less expansive.

In this chapter on the plague of leprosy, HE gives different animal offerings that the needy can bring to HIM for cleansing. They still had to bring an offering but it was within their means.

One of the issues with those who buy or build houses is that in that land there could be mildew in the house. If the mildew didn’t leave the house was declared unclean. If it was unclean it had to be torn down. It would cost money to rebuild.

We have a responsibility to help the needy when we come in contact with them. This is especially true if the needy one is a fellow Christian. We are not supposed to look at the need of our fellow believers and tell them to be “warm and filled” and not offer them anything. We are here to help those who are in need. If God has blessed us and we close our hearts to those in need around us, we are not obeying the LORD!

Each of us should be looking for ways to help those around us who are going through hard times. We are presently living in hard economic times and most of those who are hurting will not share their needs with others. I found this to be true in ministry. I have had to work extra hard to get at the truth of the needs of some people who will not share. Many Christians are proud people. I think we all have to work hard at helping. IF we are one that needs help, we should not be too proud to share that need with others. There are some people who are always asking for help and that has to be dealt with too. God knows those who have genuine needs and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, HE speaks to us about helping them.

CHALLENGE: Watch this area in your lives. Sometimes we can be hardened to the genuine needs of those who are poor.

: 32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertains to his cleansing. (2893 “cleansing” [tohorah] means purifying, cleanness, or menstruation.

DEVOTION: The LORD allowed the poor to substitute other animals in place of the ones that those with means could provide for their purifying. It is a constant reminder that God doesn’t expect all people to be rich enough to provide the animals for sacrifices. HE loves the poor just as well as the rich.

HE wants all income classes to be able to come into HIS presence without feeling ashamed. Too often we find that we have many Pharisees in the church because they seem to think that God only cares for those who can provide money for HIS work. This is wrong.

Jesus complimented the widow who had only two mites to put in the offering plate over those who throw in more money out of their wealth. They were showing off while she was worshipping HIM with her whole heart.

HE knew and stated that there would always be poor in HIS kingdom. The ones who go around preaching health and wealth theology are wrong. It is not part of the gospel. It is a false gospel.

God wants us to be content in whatsoever state we are in. Paul gave HIS view when he stated that he was content with either abundance or poverty. He wanted to honor the LORD in whatsoever state he was in and we need to have the same attitude.

The sacrificial system made allowances for those who were poor because a majority fell into that category. That is true today. Never feel that you are a second class believer if you are poor. You need to be rich in faith.

CHALLENGE: The command is to store up riches in heaven. That is the most important place to have your wealth.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

:42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house. (2902 “plaster” [tuwach] means 1 to spread over, overlay, plaster, cover over, coat, besmear. 1a (Qal) to overspread, coat, overlay. 1b (Niphal) to be coated, be plastered. 2 (Qal) to be besmeared. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: Here we see God’s instructions to the children of Israel regarding the homes that they were going to live in when they came to the Promised Land. It is very possible that there would be problems with these homes, since they had previously been occupied by pagans. In that case, God wanted to make their homes sacred as well. That is why they were to get the priest involved if they suspected that there might be something like leprosy involved in these structures.

It is interesting that they are not instructed to pray and ask God to heal the leprosy in these homes. Instead, they are given specific steps in terms of how to purify these homes. These include taking the time to rip out stones which were infected and then replace and re-plaster them. While I certainly am no good at home renovation, I can imagine the work that was involved as the workmen went about repairing a house such as this.

What this showed is that God was concerned about their homes as a marker of their walk with Him. He wanted the family to be the center of worship among the Jewish people. The home was where life was to be lived out, and real worship was to take place on a daily basis. Because of this, God wanted their homes to be free from any contamination. We need to be more concerned about our homes today, as all forms of contamination seek to enter them. They may not be openly visible, but we see contamination entering by way of television, radio, music, and computer (Internet). We need to be ruthless about guarding our homes and families that God has given us, and be willing to give up anything that deprives us of His fellowship, joy, and peace.

CHALLENGE: Is there any kind of contamination that you are allowing into your home today? If so, talk with another brother or sister about what steps of action you need to take in order to give it up.

: 57 To teach when it is unclean and when it is clean; this is the law of leprosy. (3384 “teach” [yarah] means to instruct, to impart knowledge to, to lay foundations, to throw, to point out, or to direct)

DEVOTION: The LORD is someone who likes to keep everyone informed regarding what HE expects of them. HE is the ultimate TEACHER. HE gives instructions to Moses and Aaron regarding every area of life that needs to be covered.

The details of this chapter can sometimes bore people because it is not something that they have to deal with on a regular basis. Only a few people have skin diseases that are serious enough to cause them to watch that they don’t spread into their homes or clothes. In fact, I don’t know if this is a problem in this country. It might still be in other countries of the world.

Germs are a problem. Everyone has to deal with germs that can spread throughout the family. Many people are wearing masks when they travel on airplanes because they have a germ that can spread or they are afraid someone else has the germ and they don’t want it.

Education is important regarding things that infect our body. Some of the things that Christians are concerned about are smoking, drinking, drugs and overeating. It is a problem that needs to be addressed but some people can go overboard in both directions.

Some think a little of these things will not hurt them and that is true in relation to food. However, all of these things can become addicting. We need to remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We need to ask the LORD to help us in the areas that we struggle.

The church needs to give consistent instructions in these areas but at present this is not happening. Ask the LORD to instruct you in HIS standard regarding each of these issues.

CHALLENGE: We should all want to be “clean” in these areas of our life.

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)

Tabernacle of the congregationverses 11-57

Meal offering

Trespass offering

Sin offering

Burnt offering

Wave offering

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 11, 12, 16, 18, 23, 24, 27, 29, 31, 33

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)

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

Trespassverses 12-14, 17, 21, 24, 25

Sinverses 13, 19, 22, 31

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

Atonementverses 18-21, 29, 31, 53

Teachverse 57

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Mosesverses 1, 33

Law of the leperverses 2-32, 57

Cleansing

Priestverses 2-57

Aaronverse 33

Land of Canaanverse 34

Plague of leprosy in houseverses 34-56

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

A “leprous” man who had been healed had to go through an elaborate ceremony to be declared clean (Lev 14): Two live “clean” birds had to be provided. The priest killed one bird, dipped the living bird in its blood, sprinkled the man with the blood, declared him clean, and then released the bird (vv. 4–7). The man then had to wash his clothes, shave, and bathe (v. 8), and repeat all this a week later (v. 9). The priest then sacrificed the man’s offerings of lambs, cereal and oil, and anointed parts of the man’s body with blood and oil (vss. 11–20). Less expensive offerings were prescribed for the poor (vss. 21–32). The leprous man healed by Jesus was instructed to show himself to the priest and offer for his cleansing what Moses had commanded (Mk 1:44; Mt 8:4; Lk 5:14; cf. Lk 17:14). A house which was “leprous” was purified through a similar process (Lev 14:48–53). See ṣāraʿat “leprosy, disease.” (Yamauchi, E. (1999). 792 טָהֵר. (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke, Eds.)Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press.)

The sin offering shows Christ atoning for a person’s sin. The trespass offering reminds us that Christ paid the debt we owed to God because, like the leper, we were unable to serve Him during our days of uncleanness. In the burnt offering, the man dedicated himself completely to God, and the meal offering displayed the perfections of Christ accepted for the imperfections of the worshiper. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Holy (pp. 61–62). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

14:8a. To symbolize his cleansing from pollution, the person then washed his clothing, shaved off all his hair, and bathed (cf. v. 9).

14:8b–9. Next, the cleansed person spent a seven-day period in semi-quarantine in the camp but outside his tent. On the seventh day he repeated the washing and shaving procedure (head … beard, and eyebrows!).

14:10–11. The sacrificial rituals for atonement and purification began on the eighth day when the priest presented the cured and cleansed person with his offerings to the Lord. This special ritual involved offering all four types of mandatory sacrifices (guilt, sin, burnt, and grain; see comments on chaps. 1–7 for additional explanation besides that which follows). The scope of these offerings and the use of both blood and oil are more reminiscent of the ordination service of Aaron and his sons (chap. 8) than of any other ritual. (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Leviticus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 193–194). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

2. Salvation (Lev. 14:1–32)

I find it discouraging to read chapter 13, with its emphasis on uncleanness and isolation. But chapter 14 brings us that happy ray of hope that we need: A leper can be cleansed and restored! We need the bad news of judgment before we can appreciate the good news of salvation.

The Jews had no cure for leprosy. Thus, if the victim became well, it was a gift of God’s mercy and grace. “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet,” said Jesus, “and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27). “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). If we aren’t saved by God’s grace, then we aren’t saved at all; for nobody deserves to be saved.

The steps in the leper’s cleansing and restoration picture to us what Jesus Christ has done for sinners.

The priest goes to the leper (vv. 1–3). Since the unclean leper wasn’t permitted to enter the camp, the priest had to go outside the camp to minister to him or her. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). When He ministered here on earth, Jesus was called “a friend of publicans and sinners” (Luke 7:34); He compared Himself to a doctor helping his needy patients (Matt. 9:10–13). As God’s Great Physician, Jesus makes “house calls” and comes to sinners right where they are. In the case of the Jewish leper, the priest went out to investigate and determine if indeed the victim was healed; but Jesus comes to us that He might heal us of the sickness of sin.

The victim offers the two birds (vv. 4–7). This unusual ritual pictures to us what Christ did to save a lost world. Birds don’t belong in clay jars; they belong in the heavens. Jesus came down from heaven and became a man (John 3:13, 31; 6:38, 42). As it were, He put Himself into a clay jar so that He might die for our sins. The running water over which the bird was killed reminds us of the Holy Spirit of God (John 7:37–39), for Jesus offered Himself to God “through the eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14). When the blood-stained living bird was turned loose, it pictured our Lord’s resurrection; for the resurrection of Christ is as much a part of the Gospel message as is His death (1 Cor. 15:1–4). Only a living Savior can save dead sinners on the living bird, but it also had to be applied to the healed leper. Using the hyssop (Ex. 12:22; Ps. 51:7), the priest sprinkled the blood on the leper seven times and then pronounced the leper clean. “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). How did the victim know he was clean? The priest told him so! How do believers today know that God has saved us? He tells us so in His Word! No matter how the leper felt or what he looked like, God said he was clean, and that settled it.

The person cleanses himself (vv. 8–9). On the day of his cleansing, he had to wash himself and his garments and shave off all his hair. He was then permitted to enter the camp, but he wasn’t allowed to enter his tent. He had to stay outside for another week.

Why wash when the priest had already pronounced him clean? Because he had to apply personally what God said was true positionally. The man was ceremonially clean and had the right to live in the camp, but he needed to be made personally and practically clean so he would be fit to live in the camp. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean” (Isa. 1:17, NKJV). “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Perhaps Paul had Leviticus 14 in mind when he compared the new life in Christ to a change of clothes (Col. 3:1–14).

The person cleanses himself again (v. 9). This takes place a week later. The man had to wash, shave his body again, and put on clean clothes. The dual shaving left his skin like that of a baby, perhaps symbolizing a new birth. The shaving and washing didn’t kill the germs of leprosy—God had done that—but they symbolized the newness of life that had come to the former leper.

The person offered the required sacrifices (vv. 10–32). It’s now the eighth day since the priest first visited the leper, and eight is the number of the new beginning. The cleansed leper must bring to the door of the tabernacle a male lamb for a trespass (guilt) offering, a male lamb for a burnt offering, a ewe lamb for a sin offering, as well as fine flour and oil for a meal offering.

On the basis of these sacrifices, the priest had pronounced the man clean (Lev. 14:7), because these sacrifices picture the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sin offering shows Christ atoning for a person’s sin. The trespass offering reminds us that Christ paid the debt we owed to God because, like the leper, we were unable to serve Him during our days of uncleanness. In the burnt offering, the man dedicated himself completely to God, and the meal offering displayed the perfections of Christ accepted for the imperfections of the worshiper.

The unique thing about this ceremony is that the priest treated the cleansed leper like a fellow priest! He put the blood of the trespass offering on the man’s right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. He sprinkled oil on the man seven times and then put the oil on the blood that was already on his ear, thumb, and toe. After that, he poured the oil on the man’s head. This is similar to the ceremony Moses used when he ordained Aaron and his sons (chap. 8). What grace that God should treat a former leper like a priest! Six times in this section the Lord declares that the priest “made atonement” for the man (14:18–21, 29–31), which means that his sins were forgiven.

Since the leper had been an outcast, unable to work and earn money, perhaps he wasn’t able to bring all three animals for sacrifices. Thus God permitted the poorer man to bring birds for the sin offering and the burnt offering (vv. 21–23, 30–31). In addition, the Lord didn’t require any restitution along with the trespass offering. God makes it as easy as possible for sinners to be forgiven and restored. But sinners act as if salvation is so difficult, that they can’t possibly respond to God’s call.

(Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Holy (pp. 60–63). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

Ver. 11. And the priest that maketh him clean, &c.] By the above rites and ceremonies, and the after-sacrifices offered: shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things before the Lord; the two he-lambs, and the ewe-lamb; and it seems also the meat-offerings, and the log of oil; but these Ben Gersom excepts, and when the leper, with these, is said to be set or presented before the Lord, this must not be understood of his being introduced into the tabernacle, and of his being placed in the court itself; for as yet, as Jarchi says, he was Mechoser Cippurim, one that needed expiation, and therefore, till that was done, could not be admitted; but he was set at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; at the eastern gate, which afterwards, when the temple was built, was called the gate of Nicanor, and lay between the court of the women and the court of the Israelites: thus every one that has received favours from the Lord, by restoration of health, or by deliverance from dangers, or be it in whatsoever way it will, should present himself and his sacrifice of praise unto him; and his case should be presented in a public manner before the congregation of the saints by the minister of it, in token of gratitude and thankfulness for mercies received.

Ver. 12. And the priest shall take one he-lamb, &c.] One of the he-lambs brought by the leper for his offering: and offer him for a trespass-offering; for though the leprosy itself was a disorder or disease, and not sinful, yet the cause of it was sin, a trespass against God, and therefore a trespass-offering must be offered: which was typical of Christ, whose soul was made a trespass-offering, Isa. 53:10 where the same word is used as here: and the log of oil; before mentioned: and wave them for a wave-offering before the Lord; heaving of them up and down, moving of them to and fro towards the several parts of the world, east, west, north, and south, even both the log of oil, and the he-lamb for the trespass-offering, and that alive, as Jarchi observes, and so says Maimonides. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 611). London: Mathews and Leigh)

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!!)

COMFORT ZONE

poem by Anne R. C. Neale

Everyone has a comfort zone

A placed where they can relax,

You feel safe and secure in your comfort zone

That is true, as a matter of fact.

But sitting and staying in your comfort zone

Accomplishes not much for your Spirit and Soul,

You need to get out of your comfort zone

Spread your wings, stay focused on God, the All.

You have the ability to do many things,

but you need to push yourself too,

God is always with you to help you,

Get out of your comfort zone, please do.

God-Paved Memories

Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me.

Deuteronomy 4:10

When my grown son faced a difficult situation, I reminded him about God’s constant care and provision during his dad’s year of unemployment. I recounted the times God strengthened our family and gave us peace while my mom fought and lost her battle with leukemia. Highlighting the stories of God’s faithfulness stitched into Scripture, I affirmed He was good at keeping His word. I led my son down our family’s God-paved memory lane, reminding him about the ways He remained reliable through our valley and mountaintop moments. Whether we were struggling or celebrating, God’s presence, love, and grace proved sufficient.

Although I’d like to claim this faith-strengthening strategy as my own, God designed the habit of sharing stories to inspire the future generations’ belief in Him. As the Israelites remembered all they’d seen God do in the past, He placed cobblestones of confidence down their divinely paved memory lanes.

The Israelites had witnessed God holding true to His promises as they followed Him (Deuteronomy 4:3-6). He’d always heard and answered their prayers (v. 7). Rejoicing and reminiscing with the younger generations (v. 9), the Israelites shared the holy words breathed and preserved by the one true God (v. 10).

As we tell of our great God’s majesty, mercy, and intimate love, our convictions and the faith of others can be strengthened by the confirmation of His enduring trustworthiness.

By Xochitl Dixon (Our Daily Bread)

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER–FROM OUR SIDE

…and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:3
“Our fellowship is with the Father.” We have communion with God. This can be looked at from our side. What does this wondrous thing that has been made possible for us in Christ mean from our side? It means, obviously and of necessity, that we have come to know God. God is no longer a stranger somewhere away in the heavens; He is no longer some stray force or power somewhere, some supreme energy. God is no longer some potentate or lawgiver far removed and faraway from us; God now is someone we know.
Consider the apostle Paul especially as he deals with this. You will find that in writing to the Galatians he talks about their knowing God; “but now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God…” (Galatians 4:9). That is the idea. God is now a reality–we know Him; that is the very essence of this matter. You cannot have communion, you cannot have conversation with a person without knowing that person; there is nothing distant”there is an intimacy and a knowledge.
The Christian, says John, is one who has come to know God, but it is not only that. God not only is a great person–I speak with reverence–the Christian is one who has come to know God as Father. That is why John uses his terms so carefully–“our fellowship is with the Father.” The Christian is one who turns to God and addresses Him as “Abba, Father.” That is how Paul puts it in Romans 8:15″we have the spirit of adoption, the result of which is that we know God in an intimate way so that we address Him as “Abba, Father” because we are His children. This also means that we delight in God and that we have joy in His presence. We know God in that way.
A Thought to Ponder: It means, obviously and of necessity, that we have come to know God. (From Fellowship with God, p. 83, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd- Jones)

Hope Through the Word
“Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.” (Psalm 119:49)
The saints of God have always faced something of a two-pronged challenge to their hope. First, those “that will live godly” and love His laws will “suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12) and, secondly, will be troubled by the “prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). The pressure of the first and the perplexity of the second often test our expectations.
But the Word of God provides “comfort in my affliction” (Psalm 119:50). Jeremiah, often called the “weeping prophet,” found that the “word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” simply because he embraced with unshakeable confidence the fact that he was “called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). When the psalmist asked, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” (Psalm 42:5, 11), his answer—in spite of the troubles of the hour—was his certain knowledge that he “shall yet praise him.”
We may recoil in holy anger when the wicked “forsake thy law” (Psalm 119:53), but we can still live with “songs” in our hearts (Ephesians 5:19), knowing that our great Creator God is working “all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11) and that even the “wrath of man” will eventually bring praise to Him (Psalm 76:10).
Our time is short. We live for about 100 years and brag as though we have lived forever. The Creator reckons the nations as mere “dust of the balance” (Isaiah 40:15). We need to shift our viewpoint from the “temporal” to the “eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18) and rest in the absolute God-given knowledge that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “This I had,” the psalmist exclaimed, “because I kept thy precepts” (Psalm 119:56).

(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)

Romans 5
“Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1).
INSIGHT Paul spells out in specific terms how our salvation is accomplished. We learn that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We also discover that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“Sin entered the world” through Adam “and death through sin,” for all sinned (5:12). But salvation is offered to all through the God-Man, Jesus Christ. We can escape death by trusting in Christ as our Redeemer. (Quiet Walk)

A 15-year-old was inside a bus, he got up and he said to the Passengers that the coming of the Lord Jesus was close. So a man shouted, shut up, you don’t know anything and that Jesus doesn’t even exist. The young man was embarrassed and sat down. But God kept bothering him so that he would rise again and keep talking about the coming of Jesus. And he obeyed the voice of God and kept saying: Jesus is coming back to repent of your evil ways and accept Him. Then the man rose with a child, and reached out his arms to attack the young man, the child said to him: Do not hit him daddy he is sent from God. Then the man fell to his knees and began to cry the young man asked him: Why are you crying? That man said: My son was mute and now he is talking..

Moral of the story: God is faithful and honor the faith of his chosen!

If you believe that God does miracles leave your amen & share !!!

(Gerald Ogilvie) from Facebook

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