Embark on a journey through the ancient world as we peel back the layers of Leviticus 14's leper cleansing rituals, revealing a practice steeped in symbolism and compassion. Imagine the scene: two live birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, all elements in a sacred ceremony that bridged the gap between the afflicted and their community, between humanity and the divine. These rites, intricate and profound, underscored a commitment to inclusivity with provisions for the poor, ensuring that the path to atonement was within reach for all. With each step, from offerings to anointment, we explore the delicate balance between physical healing and spiritual restoration, and the enduring message of mercy woven within these ancient laws.
As we dissect the rituals of purification, the parallels with modern practices of cleanliness and disease prevention come into sharp focus. The conversation shifts from the past to the present, contemplating the evolution of religious observance and its impact on our contemporary spiritual journey. From shaving and washing to isolation before reentering the community, we track the transformation from these elaborate historical processes to the simpler methods we embrace today. Alongside our analysis, we consider the meticulous procedures for cleansing leprous houses, recognizing the lengths to which these laws went to protect public health. Join us for this profound reflection on the past and its influence on our current perspectives on spirituality and community health.
Embark on a journey through the ancient world as we peel back the layers of Leviticus 14's leper cleansing rituals, revealing a practice steeped in symbolism and compassion. Imagine the scene: two live birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, all elements in a sacred ceremony that bridged the gap between the afflicted and their community, between humanity and the divine. These rites, intricate and profound, underscored a commitment to inclusivity with provisions for the poor, ensuring that the path to atonement was within reach for all. With each step, from offerings to anointment, we explore the delicate balance between physical healing and spiritual restoration, and the enduring message of mercy woven within these ancient laws.
As we dissect the rituals of purification, the parallels with modern practices of cleanliness and disease prevention come into sharp focus. The conversation shifts from the past to the present, contemplating the evolution of religious observance and its impact on our contemporary spiritual journey. From shaving and washing to isolation before reentering the community, we track the transformation from these elaborate historical processes to the simpler methods we embrace today. Alongside our analysis, we consider the meticulous procedures for cleansing leprous houses, recognizing the lengths to which these laws went to protect public health. Join us for this profound reflection on the past and its influence on our current perspectives on spirituality and community health.
Thank you for joining me. Open your Bible to Leviticus, chapter 14. The title of today's lesson is the law of cleansing a leper. As we always do, wherever you may be listening to this podcast, give it a like and share it. If you are on our YouTube page, berean's Corner, in the description page, all the information that you need for us is right there. Like I asked, give it a like, comment, whatever they have. Wherever you may be hearing this podcast, spread the word to your friends and family. There's a brother out here who goes through books of the Bible, verse by verse. So let's get started. Leviticus, chapter 14. Let's read.
Speaker 2:Leviticus 14. The Lord said to Moses Leviticus 14. The Lord said to Moses these are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest, the priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields. The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water. Then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair. He must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean. On the eighth day. He must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb, a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of a nephar fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and one log of oil. The priest, who pronounces him clean, shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering along with the log of oil. He shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered.
Speaker 2:Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest. It is most holy. The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand, dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm and with his finger, sprinkle some of it before the Lord, seven times. The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed and make atonement for him before the Lord. Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering and offer it on the altar together with the grain offering and make atonement for him, and he will be clean. If, however, he is poor and cannot afford these, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, together with a tenth of ephah fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil and two doves or two young pigeons which he can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. On the eighth day he must bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord.
Speaker 2:The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering together with the log of oil and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering together with the log of oil and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand and, with his right forefinger, sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same place as he put the blood of the guilt offering on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord. Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons which the person can afford, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way, the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. These are the regulations for anyone who has an infectious skin disease and cannot afford the regular offerings for his cleansing.
Speaker 2:The Lord said to Moses and Aaron when you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land, the owner of the house must go and tell the priest. I have seen something that looks like mildew in my house. The priest is to order the house to be emptied before he goes in to examine the mildew, so that nothing in the house will be pronounced unclean. After this, the priest is to go in and inspect the house. He is to examine the mildew on the walls and if it has greenish or reddish depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall. The priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it for seven days. On the seventh day the priest shall return to inspect the house. If the mildew has spread on the walls, he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town. He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.
Speaker 2:If the mildew reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, the priest is to go and examine it. And if the mildew has spread in the house it is a destructive mildew. The house is unclean. It must be torn down its stones, timber and all the plaster and taken out of the town to an unclean place. Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening. Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash his clothes. But if the priest comes to examine it and the mildew has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean because the mildew is gone.
Speaker 2:To purify the house, he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water and sprinkle the house seven times. He shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house and it will be clean. These are the regulations for any infectious skin disease, for an itch, for mildew in clothing or in a house and for a swelling, a rash or a bright spot. To determine when something is clean or unclean. Determine when something is clean or unclean. These are the regulations for infectious skin diseases and mildew.
Speaker 1:All right Now. The last time we were together we looked at the test of leprosy. We saw all the tests that they had to go through to prove if someone had leprosy or not. Today we will look at the law of cleansing a leper. Now we will start out this study by looking at a passage in the New Testament concerning a leper Keep your finger right here in Leviticus 14,. But I want you to turn to Luke, chapter 5. Luke, chapter 5. And in Luke, chapter 5 we are going to read verses 12 through 15. Luke 5, 12 through 15. And it came about while he was in the cities. Behold, there was a man full of leprosy and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored him, saying Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying I am willing be cleansed. And immediately the leprosy left him and he ordered him to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded for a testimony to them. All right, so Just like Jesus was the only one who was able to make that leper clean.
Speaker 1:In the passage that we just read in the New Testament. The priest had to proclaim the leper to be clean. Now back to Leviticus, chapter 14. I have broken this chapter down into 11 parts. Part one the Lord tellsoses that the priest was to examine the leper. We see this in verses one through four. Then the lord spoke to moses saying this shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. So we see we're starting to get the preparation on the law of cleansing and what the Lord told Moses to do. Part two one of the two birds had to be slain, notice verse five. The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthen ware vessel over running water. So one of the birds had to be slain. Part three what shall be done with the living bird and the leper? We see this in verses six to seven. As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. So we see the reason why one bird had to be slain, because there had to be the spilling of blood which we know that had to happen at this time with these sacrifices.
Speaker 1:Part four the lord tells moses the cleaning ritual the leper had to do. Verses eight through nine the one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in the water and be clean. Now, afterwards he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days, and it shall be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair, he shall shave his head and his beard, that he shall shave off all this hair. He shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean. So we see what had to happen here, kind of like what happens with when people have lice in the time that we live in. He had to shave uh, how they have to shave the hair off of their head. This man had to shave all the hair off of his body and he had to bathe himself.
Speaker 1:Part five the man is pronounced clean. We see this in verses 10 through 20. Now, on the eighth day, he is to take two male lambs without defect and a yearling ewe lamb without defect and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and one log of oil, and the priest, who pronounces him clean, shall present the man to be cleansed and uh, excuse me and the after said before the lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering with the log of oil and present them as a wave offering before the lord. Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering at the place of the sanctuary, for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest. It is most holy.
Speaker 1:The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of one excuse me, of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, and these directions had to be followed. Specifically, the priest shall also take some of the log oil and pour it into his left palm. The priest shall then dip his right hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the lord. And of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed and on the right thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering, while the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm he shall put on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering, while the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the lord. The priest shall next offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then, afterwards, he shall slaughter the burnt offering and the priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus, the priest shall make atonement for him and he shall be clean. Now I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but this makes me happy that if we had these type of issues, that the lord don't does not still have these statues in place, because this is quite a bit to go through, but this is what the lord had the people go through back in this day in order to be cleansed. That's why we thank the lord for his grace.
Speaker 1:Part six instruction on if the cleanse was a poor man. We see this in verses 21 through 32. But if he is poor and his means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb excuse me for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for anchoring offering and a log of oil, and two turtle doves or two young pigeons which are within his means. The one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. So you see I I'm sorry I'm gonna stop right there real quick so you see that even if a man was poor, there was a means for him to still be cleansed. Back to verse 10 real quick. Now.
Speaker 1:On the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect and a uh and a yearling ewe lamb without defect. But we see here it says that he can take back to verse 22, two turtle doves or two young pigeons. Turtle doves and pigeons were a lot cheaper than being able to get lamb. So even a poor man can still be cleansed. Pick it back up at verse 22. And two turtle doves or two young pigeons which are within his means, the one shall be a sin offering, the other one a burnt offering.
Speaker 1:Then on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the lord, and the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil and the priest shall offer them for a wave offering before the lord. Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm, and with his right finger, the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the lord. The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the good offering. Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed to make atonement on his behalf before the lord. He shall then offer one of the turtle, doves or young pigeons which are within his means. He shall offer what he can, what he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. This is the law for him, in whom there is an affection of leprosy, whose means are limited for cleansing, and we thank the lord for that, because he still found a way for someone who didn't have the means to be cleansed.
Speaker 1:We move on to part seven cleansing of a leprous house. Notice verses 33 through 35. The lord further spoke to moses and aaron saying when you enter the land of canaan, which I give you for possession and I put Notice verses 33 through 35. Invisible to me in the house, this kind of reminds me of when you're in a restaurant and I've never seen this personally, but I've heard of it where they may have mold and sometimes you see it on the wall and they can spot it and they can report to the health inspector that they see mold. It's the same thing here is that the person who owns the house can say that he sees a mark of something that seems leprous and he has to point that out.
Speaker 1:Part eight there were steps the priest had to take to cleanse the house. We see this in verses 36 through 42. The priest shall then order that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the mark, so that everything in the house need not be come unclean, and afterwards the priest shall go in to look at the house. So he shall look at the mark and if the mark on the wall of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the surface, then the priest shall come out of the house to the doorway and quarantine the house for seven days and the priest shall return on the seventh day and make an inspection. If the mark has indeed spread in the walls of the house, then the priest shall order them to tear out the stones with the mark in them and throw them away at an unclean place outside the city and he shall have the house scraped all around inside and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at the unclean place outside the city. Then they shall take other stones and replace these stones and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house. So the lord wasn't wasn't playing with this. If there was leprosy in the house, I mean he had to be tore out of the wall, thrown into the unclean place and then they had to replaster it.
Speaker 1:Part nine the priests would have to make another inspection if the mark returned. Verses 43 through 47. If, however, the mark breaks out again in the house after he has torn out the stones and scraped the house and after it has been replastered, then the priest shall come in and make an inspection If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house. It is a malignant mark in the house, it is unclean. It mark in the house, it is unclean. He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones and its timbers and all the plaster of the house and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place. Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has quarantined it becomes unclean until evening. Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes. So even if you were in the house and you didn't touch this leprosy on the wall, you still had to clean yourself and wash yourself.
Speaker 1:Part 10 the priest shall pronounce the house clean if the mark does not return. Verses 48 through 53. If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and marks excuse me, makes an inspection and the mark has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the mark has not reappeared. To cleanse the house, then he shall take two birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop and he shall slaughter the one bird in the earth and wear a vessel over running water. Then he shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the scarlet string with the live bird and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, as well as the running water and sprinkle the house seven times. He shall thus cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the running water, along with the live bird and with the cedar wood and with the hyssop and with the scarlet string. However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house and it shall be clean. And we will move in this with part 11.
Speaker 1:We are reminded that this leprosy excuse me, we are reminded that this is the leprosy law. We see this in verses 54 through 57. This is the law for any mark of leprosy, even for a scale, and for the leprous garment or house, and for a swelling and for a scab and for a bright spot to teach when they are unclean and when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy. Ladies and gentlemen, that brings us to the end of Leviticus, chapter 14, law of cleansing a leper. I hope you got something out of it and I hope that you enjoyed it. Remember, wherever you may be here in this podcast, do me a favor, give it a like, comment, spread the word so we can keep this thing going. I really appreciate you all taking time out of your day, afternoon or evening listening to me go through this word of God. That's all for now. God bless, thank you.