IDENTIFICATION AND CLEANSING OF LEPROSY, DCLM CHILDREN STS
LESSON 18
Leviticus 13:1-59; 14:1-57; 15:1-33
Leprosy is an infectious disease that affects the nerves, the skin and deforms the body of the victim. In the Old Testament, anyone suffering from leprosy was considered an unclean person. Such a person would not be allowed to live with others who were not infected. He was regarded as an outcast. God, through Moses and Aaron, gave the children of Israel some rules to be observed in identifying those suffering from leprosy. He also gave them guidelines to follow in cleansing those who have been cured of the disease.
In the New Testament, God did not specifically give His children any law that has to do with physical isolation or treatment of lepers. However, Jesus Christ, during his earthly ministry, healed all manner of diseases brought to him including leprosy. He has given the same power to all those who believe in him to heal the sick.
Today, a sinner is likened to a leper who is usually separated from fellowship with God. Only repentance from sin can bring such a child back into fellowship with God.
-
PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING LEPROSY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
Leviticus 13: 1-59; 14:33 -57; 15:1-33.
In the Old Testament, guidelines were given to the priest on how to identify those who were suffering from leprosy. The reason was that there were other diseases which looked like leprosy but were not. Such similar illnesses include escape or bright spots on the skin. So God instructed that the priest should
take time to differentiate those other symptoms that look like leprosy from the real disease. God did not want them to make the mistake of treating a person who has no leprosy as a leper. Similarly, in our relationship with other people, whether they are children of God or not, God wants us to be fair and just in the way I’ve treated them. A person was to be declared clean if, upon examination, the disease is not leprosy. However, if after proper examination, the person is found to be suffering from leprosy, he was to be declared unclean. Thereafter, he would be separated from the rest of the people. Similarly, there were situations when leprosy could be found in a house. In such cases, God equally gave Moses and Aaron guidelines on how to cleanse the house of the plague.
There are important lessons for believers to note in the laws concerning the identification and cleansing of leprosy.
- All diseases and sicknesses are proof of the corruption that is in the world as a result of the fall of man. Physical decay is an outward sign of the spiritual corruption that is rampant in the world. Decay like diseases and death were not part of God’s original purpose for His creatures. These laws remind us that God is still concerned about the fallen nature of man and desire that we should be saved.
- Public health had to be protected by separating infected people from the camp and destroying anything that might transmit. the disease to others. These laws serve as guide to the management of our present-day public health. There are certain diseases like tuberculosis, whooping cough, yellow fever, COVID-19, Ebola, etc., that are deadly and highly contagious. Anyone infected with any of these would be isolated so as not to infect others.
- The law also details the extent to which holiness was to extend into all the areas of the life of God’s people. Even building, garments and vessels had to be cleansed. This shows that some things people consider to be unimportant has great importance to God. Sin is the source of all contamination in the world. The ceremony related to the cleansing of polluted items is related to the holiness of God who owns all that a believer has.
God expects friends of Jesus to be completely pure and free from worldly contamination and to serve Him holily and faithfully.
2. PROCEDURES FOR CLEANSING OF LEPROSY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
Leviticus 14:1-32; Isaiah 55:6,7
The law requires a person who suffered from leprosy to undergo certain procedures for his cleansing. For a leper who was healed of his leprosy to be allowed to join the rest of the congregation, the priest was to look at him properly and be satisfied that such a person had been healed. The priest would then perform the ceremonies for his cleansing. A lengthy ceremony or ritual was prescribed for the cleansing and restoration of a healed leper and anyone who had infectious diseases. The ritual lasted more than a week and began at the place where the person was temporarily living outside the camp.
The cleansed person was considered to be previously “dead” because of the leprosy. In the process of cleansing, the killing of the bird symbolised his “death”, while the draining of the blood into a bowl of pure water symbolised his cleansing. Also, his new life of freedom is symbolised by releasing a second bird which had been stained with the blood of the first. The priest then sprinkled some of the blood seven times on the cleansed person.
Washing and shaving completed the cleansing ritual for the first day. The person was then allowed to return to the camp. After a week, the Cleansed person will then offer sacrifices at the Tabernacle before he is re-admitted into full fellowship with God and the congregation.
Today, God in His love and mercy had made a perfect provision for our healing and total cleansing from sin. He sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son to die on the cross. He shed His blood once and for all. No other sacrifice or ritual is required to cleanse a sinner and make him fit for heaven. What the blood of animals could not do, the blood of Jesus is available to do for us. All a sinner needs do is to believe in what God has done, repent and receive cleansing through the blood of the Lamb.
-
PROVISION FOR OUR CLEANSING AND DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL LEPROSY:
Leviticus 13:6; Isaiah 1:12-19; Matthew 11:28,29; 1 John 1:7-9
Just as physical leprosy disqualifies a person from having fellowship with the rest of the Israelites in the Old Testament, so does sin hinder a sinner from having true fellowship with God. However, as God made provision for cleansing of those who were healed of leprosy in the Old Testament, He has equally made provision for spiritual cleansing for those who would come to Christ in repentance. His provision is for all boys and girls. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3: 16). What God requires of sinners is genuine repentance because He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b).
The steps to obtaining this cleansing is for the sinful child to acknowledge his sins, and confess them to God with sincere sorrow. He should then ask God to cleanse him with the blood of Jesus Christ and believe that he has been cleansed. Thereafter, such a child will enjoy true fellowship with God and His people. God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Because of this, He expects all His children to live a life free from defilement at all times. We have been commanded to “abstain from all appearance of evil“ (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Anything that you say, wear, watch on TV/ internet or read in the books, music you listen to or places you go, which can bring defilement to your
spiritual life must be avoided. It is by living a holy life that a child will be qualified to stand in God’s presence continually and make it to heaven at last (Psalm 24:3-5).
QUESTIONS:
- What is leprosy?
- How were lepers treated in the Old Testament?
- Leprosy symbolizes
- What is God’s provision for our perfect healing and cleansing from spiritual leprosy?
- Mention five important lessons to note in the law concerning the identification and cleansing of leprosy.
- What should a sinner do to be cleansed from his sins?
MEMORY VERSE: “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest” (Leviticus 14:2).
LESSON: God’s desire for sinners is that they repent and receive cleansing from all sins.
THOUGHT: I surrender to God for total cleansing of all my sins.
ACTIVITY: Search and write out three Bible passages that speak about repentance from sin and faith in the cleansing power in the blood of Jesus.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 40 -WASH ME, O LAMB OF GOD
CHORUSES:
(1) The Blood of Jesus has made me clean
(2) Peace, purity, power
(3) All the way to Calvary He went for me.
HOMEWORK: Pray for grace to overcome sin and remain with Jesus Christ till the end.
BIBLE WORDS SEARCH:
Find the meaning of these words. You can use your dictionary:
- Cleansing
- Infectious
- Disqualify
- Symptoms
- Contagious.
