In the Old Testament, the law permeated all aspects of daily life. The law was a compilation of decrees for the Israelites to abide by. From living standards to legal codes, and even what was deemed permissible to eat, the law consisted of guidelines laid out by the Lord for his people. Most rules were very detailed with little margin for error; nevertheless, they reflected a greater purpose and a deeper truth: the law was established to expose sin. The law highlights that, in its natural state, the human heart is infected -wretched- and emphasizes humanity's need for a Savior.
Today's post primarily ponders Leviticus 13. The entirety of Leviticus 13 is about skin diseases, leprosy to be exact - how it is to examined, how one with the disease is to conduct his/herself, and how said disease corrupts one's cleanliness:
Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. 3 The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.
At a first glance, these extensive regulations seem quite harsh... and it seems a bit superfluous to go on about leprosy for 59 verses.
But upon deeper examination, we come to realize that although it was a physical ailment many suffered with during this time, leprosy also symbolized sin.
See, leprosy is a skin disease that develops very slowly; as time goes on, the disease progressively gets worse and worse, spreading to other parts of the body, and eventually killing its victim. As seen with people in the Bible that suffered with it, leprosy is a chronic condition that relegates one to a lifetime of shame and uncleanliness, forcing the victim to the status of an outcast - a social pariah to be avoided at all costs.
Dangerously enough, leprosy destroyed not only its victim, but it destroyed one's reputation, too. It destroyed one's relationships, separating loved ones and ushering its victim into a life of loneliness. And worst of all, leprosy destroyed one's dignity, dehumanizing its victim and stripping him/her of respect.
But it didn't end there: because leprosy was highly contagious, those infected with the disease were required to wear bells so that they could warn others not to come close by shouting, "Unclean! Unclean!" Rejected and despised, this was the cry of a wretched heart.
Leprosy invaded all aspects of one's life.
This is how sin operates, does it not? It begins in the heart and slowly festers in darkness - unknown by most, but soon to leave its hideous mark. It disfigures the heart, slowly spreading to various parts of the body only to further corrupt and destroy what it can reach. And when fully mature, like leprosy, sin brings forth death. Much like leprosy begins from within, underneath the skin, so does sin - it always begins in the heart. Sin is an issue that although manifests externally (in the flesh), begins internally.
In Luke 17 we're told of 10 lepers that are cleansed by Jesus. From afar, they notice Jesus and shout, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Jesus replies, "Go and show yourselves to the priest." And as they left, the lepers were cleansed. Symbolically, the external manifestation of their sin was eradicated. They were no longer marked by an outward distinction of uncleanliness. Problem solved, right?
But one leper, as he went on his way to show himself to the priest, came back and remembered to thank God for healing him. Jesus replies by saying, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."
Showcasing one's uncleanliness to a religious official was required by the law. So when the lepers went to show themselves to the priest, their actions indicated that they were operating under the law. The law does not fix sin; rather, the law exposes sin. The significance of the leper that came back is not only in his gratitude, but his actions demonstrate his deliverance from the law, and thus his triumph over death, as shown in Romans 7:4-6,
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
The letter of the law is following rules and regulations in order to present oneself as holy and acceptable in the eyes of God. It represented a covenant relationship with God, established for our protection and benefit - so that human beings could commune with God and be in his presence.
The Spirit of the law is knowing that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross has made us holy and acceptable in the eyes of God, reflecting the New Covenant of grace - now, obeying his commandments serves as a portrayal of our love and devotion towards him (John 14:15).
In the man that came back to give God thanks there was an internal transformation that took place after the external cleansing occurred. Remember: sin manifests externally, but always begins in the heart. So, no matter how many external modifications are made, the issue will still manage to arise if the internal aspect of sin is not dealt with. His heart no longer uttered the cry of a rejected and outcast man. Thanks to Jesus, he was transformed from the inside out.
My question to you today is this:
What is the cry of your heart?
Does your heart echo a wretchedness that is expressed in your actions? In other words, is your heart bound by sin that invades all aspects of your life? Or, like the man that was truly healed from the inside out, is your heart clung to the saving grace of Jesus? Left untreated, the consequences of sin are deadly. Sin grips and infects. When left to our own devices, we are incapable of curing the deadly disease. But Jesus... Jesus redeems and cleanses even the most depraved hearts for his glory.
Thanks for reading!
Song of the week:
Crystal ❤️
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