by Rebekah Harvey
This week’s Bible reading can seem very gross for those of us with a weak stomach and also very outdated and hard to understand. I am sure you are thankful that we no longer have to perform these rituals for our cleansing, which is a major relief.

However, there is so much that can be learned through these chapters of Leviticus…which has been one of my least favorite books to read. Something important to keep in mind when reading here is that all of these ceremonies are being given to an unholy people, by a holy God, Who is providing a way for them to be able to be in relationship with Him.

Leprosy can be looked at like sin in our lives. In Old Testament times leprosy caused the inflicted person to be removed and separated from the camp and forced to dwell outside of it. As a leper was separated from people our sin separates us from God. Thinking of the separation of lepers, sinners are separated from God until they receive Jesus. Lepers would remain outside the camp until their healing was verified by the priest. Leprosy can progress to a state that causes the infected person to lose their fingers, toes, etc. through the need of amputation. Unrepentant sin in our lives can cause us to lose relationships with people and push us away from fellowship with the Lord. If we never repent of our sin we will suffer eternal separation from our Creator.

Leviticus 14 gives instructions for people with leprous skin conditions and how to deal with them. Something that is an amazing parallel to the picture of our salvation is that when a leprous person was to be cleansed they were to meet the priest outside the camp and present themselves before him. We read in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus humbled Himself and became a man, living among the people of His creation and offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us from eternal death and separation from Him. Like the leper meeting the priest outside the camp, Jesus meets us in our place of sin when we come to Him with a heart of repentance.

Matthew 8:2 “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus is our willing priest, He has already made the cleansing sacrifice offering Himself in our place. Hebrews 7:24 “But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Hebrews 10:10 “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” God wants us to be in relationship with Him, that is why He sent Jesus as the final sacrifice for us, cleansing us from our sin, past, present and future. Like the leper we need to come to Him in faith that He forgives, cleanses and receives us and then allow Him to work in us and change us for His glory.