What God's Rules of Cleansing Leprosy Can Teach Us about Judging

Leviticus Chapter 14: Cleansing of People and Houses with Respect to Leprosy

Verses 1-32 describe the process that individuals need to go through if they are suspected of contracting leprosy.  It involves the priests, examinations, declarations, sacrifices, allowances for those that can’t afford the sacrifices, etc. It follows a process not unlike some of the various “offerings” described in earlier chapters.

Verses 33 to 53 describe the process for cleansing a house that a person who was believed to have contracted leprosy needs to have their residence go through. Again, involves all of the above-mentioned elements and may even result in a house being destroyed.

Verses 54 to 57 close off the chapter with a direction to Moses and Aaron that the instructions that were described above had to be ‘taught’ going forward.  God told them it was indeed a “law” with respect to leprosy.

Thoughts on the Passage

Chuck Smith wants us to pay particular attention to verses 49-51:

“To cleanse the house then, he [the priest] shall take two birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop, and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over funning 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 in the running water and sprinkle the house seven times.” 

He then comments:

“It is interesting that there is sort of a scarlet thread woven through the Old Testament pointing to Jesus Christ. Here the leper was to bring scarlet. We remember that Rahab the harlot was to allow a scarlet cord out the window so that all that would be in the house where the scarlet cord was hanging from the window would be saved when the children of Israel captured Jericho. But the cedar wood could, of course, be looking forward to the cross. And I'm sure that they all in some way looked forward to the cross. Could it be that the cross was of cedar? I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised. The bloodied water surely speaks to us of when Jesus had his side pierced by the Roman soldier and there came forth blood and water. And it speaks of our cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. The hyssop, we remember while he was there upon the cross. They took the hyssop bush and they put vinegar upon it and put it to his lips when He cried, "I thirst." So I'm certain that in all of this, there is beautiful symbolism.

And as you read it and just open your heart to the Spirit, I'm sure that God can speak to you and give application to these things to your heart.”

David Guzik suggests that the total shaving of the head (in verse 8) for the ‘cleansed’ leper is an indication of starting all over again as if he were a baby, and that is a reference to the need to be “born again”.  He sees verse 14 as a time of anointing with oil and says,

“Therefore, a cleansed leper had a special calling and a special anointing. One could not go through such a ritual as this and not be changed.”

Matthew Henry says we need to note that:

The gracious care God took of his people Israel, for to them only this law pertained, and not to the Gentiles. When Naaman the Syrian was cured of his leprosy he was not bidden to show himself to the priest, though he was cured in Jordan, as the Jews that were cured by our Saviour were. Thus those who are entrusted with the key of discipline in the church judge those only that are within; but those that are without, God judgeth. [I Corinthians 5:12, 13]

This reference to I Corinthians 5:12, 13 reads as follows:

“For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

Isn’t it amazing how we got from leprosy to cleansing to judging one another?  You have to love the cohesiveness of Scripture.

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