"The Cleansing of the Leper"

 

Leviticus 14:1-9 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, This shall be the Law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: and the priest shall go forth out of the camp; 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, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: and 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 to be 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 and his beard and his 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."

     In the Scriptures leprosy is a type, or picture, of sin. This dreaded disease had no known cure, and all who were unfortunate enough to have contracted it were carefully examined and pronounced "unclean" by the priest and excluded from the congregation of Israel. However, the Mosaic Law allowed for the leper who was miraculously healed of the disease to be examined again by the priest, to have offerings brought up before the LORD on his behalf, and to be pronounced "clean" once all the terms of the Law had been satisfied. In like manner, GOD's holiness requires that the disease of sin be judicially expunged. As with leprosy, it takes a miracle to heal the sin-sick soul, and only the LORD JESUS CHRIST has the power to do that (Luke 17:11-19).

     Notice the unique offering of the "two birds" (vv.4-7) in connection with the healing of leprosy. Here is another typological reference to the death and resurrection of CHRIST and to the fact that the resurrection is integrally connected to the cleansing of all sin. CHRIST's resurrection from the dead bore powerful testimony to the fact that HE had indeed provided the complete and finished offering of HIMSELF for sin and that GOD the FATHER had accepted CHRIST JESUS' substitutionary sacrifice as "payment in full." The slain bird typifies GOD's judgment upon sin (death) while the living bird signifies CHRIST's resurrection. The miracle of healing (GOD's forgiveness) takes place when the sinner places his faith in JESUS CHRIST alone (vv.2-3). "By HIS OWN blood HE entered in once into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12 pictured above). In our risen and glorified SAVIOR, we have full provision for our eternal cleansing. DWC

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

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