S) " 2 “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling or a scab or a bright spot, and it becomes an infection of leprosy on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests."
Leviticus 13:2 (NASB)
O) The first thing to note, is that the Hebrew words for "leprosy" is not the same definition that we have today, known as "Hansen's Disease." This is an important distinction, because what we know as modern leprosy is a bacterial disease, curable through various medications. Biblically, however, leprosy was always associated with ceremonial uncleanness. In the commentary of Matthew Henry, he said, "That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them." And this is a profound concept. The Law concerning leprosy is one of the largest specific ordinances in Leviticus, and that can be directly tied to the concept that this was not a biological disease, so much as it was a pronouncement of guilt from God Himself (as the Old Testament examples were; see Miriam, Gehazi, and king Uzziah). As such, it would have been very important for a priest to separate and distinguish between another skin disease and actual leprosy.
A) Leprosy is a picture of the hopelessness of man. It was an outward expression of guilt, difficult to hide, and impossible to cure. The guilt of many sins are not so obvious. I don't know why God does not still inflict Old Testament leprosy ("tzaraath" in Hebrew), but the Holy Spirit convicts me just as surely when I sin. I thank God that my every failure does not produce an external marking, and I thank God that He is still faithful to cleanse me by the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. I am sure that my sins can still carry consequences - even obvious, embarrassing, even mortifying consequences. If I suffer those types of results, I can only decide to be humbled by them that I might be disciplined, rather than being humiliated by them, leading only to punishment. Jesus did not at once cure me of my sin, He cleanses me of my sins repeatedly.
P) Father, thank you for cleansing me, washing me clean by the blood of Jesus' sacrifice. I am so grateful that I do not have to suffer physical or spiritual tzaraath. I am not hopelessly exiled from Your presence because of my uncleanness. In Your infinite love and grace and mercy, You cleansed me and brought me back into relationship with You, into Your presence. Thank You, Lord. Let Your will be done. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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