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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Leviticus 7-14: A Fresh Start


Leviticus 14 is the description of the day after leprosy.  Leprosy is a disease that effects the complete person.  This disease is the result of the  Mycobacterium Leprae bacteria.  This small bacteria enters a persons system and soon corrupts the whole body.  Until recently, there was no known cure for leprosy and those who contracted the disease usually died a slow painful death characterized by sores  and the rotting away of extremities.

Great emphasis is laid on the fact that the person who has contracted leprosy is to be separated from those who have not contracted the disease.  This was warranted because of the highly contagious nature of the disease.  We know today that bacteria can easily be transmitted from one person to another by casual contact.  This added the pain of seclusion to the sufferings already caused by the disease.
 
Throughout the Bible leprosy is typical of man's spiritually terminal disease of sin.  Much like leprosy, sin starts out as a simple matter and soon infects the whole person.  Sin consumes our bodies and locks us into a world where we alone know what we are really like.  So let's take a look at what happens when God cures the leper.

Leviticus 14:13-18   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:  14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon 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:  15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:  16 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:  17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon 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, upon the blood of the trespass offering:  18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.

 I was amazed as I read this and thought about the anointing of Aaron and his sons just a few chapters prior to this and pondered the similarity.


Leviticus 8:24   And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.
Leviticus 8:30   And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.


It is as if God is reminding us of the fact that God offers us a new start.  We often think that sin disqualifies us from service to God.  We think that our past may hinder our future, but here we see a wonderful picture of God's restorative grace.  I understand that there are some things like serving as elders and deacons that sinful behavior in our past may disqualify us from, but there still remains vast opportunities for us to serve God.  If we will just devote ourselves completely to serving God which is symbolized by the anointing of the ear, thumb, and toe, then we can be sure that God will use us to bring glory to His name!   So how about we ask God to search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us, then through repentance and confession we can by God's grace enjoy a fresh start today!

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