Over the years of studying God's Word, I tend to pay attention when God devotes an extended space in the Bible to a certain subject, because God does nothing by chance or nothing is done haphazardly with God. And if He devotes a certain segment of the Bible to a specific subject, then, it has to get your attention.
Leviticus chapter 13 and chapter 14 are devoted specifically to the subject of leprosy. And you scratch your head and say, "Why would God devote two entire chapters, 116 verses, on a subject that frankly isn't a very big problem today?" For several hundred years, at least, it has not been a worldwide problem. So, why would God do that? Yes, it was important back then, but why would He canonize it in His Word? That's a question that I asked myself.
And, then, of course, when we heard the word leprosy, it makes your skin crawl. We've seen or heard of doctors going into leper colonies, self-sacrificing, going in there and trying to treat leper colonies somewhere in some remote part of the world. And we read about that and your skin just crawls at the thought of it.
Leprosy was noted from the very earliest recorded history in India and in China. And it was a serious problem in Egypt from 2700 B.C. to 2400 B.C. Then, in the seventh century B.C., it became a worldwide problem because of commerce. Because of trade, it spread through the known world and it was a problem certainly before the time of Christ and during the time of Christ.
Let me read from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia under the subject "Leper," Volume 3 page 105. It says:
Beginning symptoms include vague pains in limbs and joints with intermittent fever. The incubation period can vary between a few months and thirty years.
It has plenty of time to spread.
But when the eruptive stage occurs, the disease begins to assume its special character. A hypo-pigmented patch of skin…
Hypo means no pigment. So, regardless of your race, it would be a white non-pigmented patch of skin.
A hypo-pigmented patch of skin or numbness of skin occurs first. Although ulcers, nasal blockage and other symptoms may anticipate morbid skin changes. In the most severe form, it has nodules occurring in the skin, in the mucus membranes and perhaps subcutaneous tissue.
I think if you've seen pictures of leprous limbs or people with leprosy, there are all these very ugly bumps and nodules on their skin.
Sometimes the nodules ulcerate and discharge bacilli in large quantities. Many of the peripheral nerves are affected as are the internal organs such as the spleen, liver, lymph nodes and adrenal glands. Lesions often occur in the nasal mucosa, in the larynx and in the eyes.
A lesion in your eye. It goes on to talk about:
… the fetid smell of gangrenous ulcers, the thickening of nerves, contractures of joints, bone changes and the clawing of fingers.
What happens is all the joints in the advanced stages begin to contract and the hands and feet, ankles, and so on begin to claw.
Now, we're still in the introductory stage here. "What on earth does this have to do with the Days of Unleavened Bread," you might ask. And what we're going to show in the sermon today is that there are many parallels between leprosy and sin. Obviously, during these days, we need to pay particular attention to the subject of sin. So, the title of the sermon is:
What Can We Learn about Sin through the Study of Leprosy?
And there are many, many parallels.
The first parallel, the first lesson is:
It is very small, almost unnoticeable.
If you have a ribbon or a marker in your Bible, let's turn to Leviticus 13 because we'll be coming back to Leviticus 13 and 14. We're going to read the first verse and the beginning of the second verse. Leviticus 13 and verse 1, Leprosy has an insignificant beginning.
Leviticus 13:1. And the Lord [spoke] unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
2) When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, (KJV)
The margin in the King James says, "a swelling."
Leviticus 13:2b. … a scab, or bright spot, (KJV)
That means a spot with no pigment.
Leviticus 13:2 continued. … and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; (KJV)
So, leprosy starts with a tiny white spot, maybe with some swelling surrounding it. Very small. Just one.
And when you think about it, sin is exactly the same way. Sin has an insignificant beginning leading up to sin, because, as we know, sin begins in the mind.
Let's go to Matthew chapter 5, Christ brought this out in His very first sermon, very early in the sermon. We're going to read verses 27 and 28. He's talking about adultery, but He is getting across the fact that there is a spiritual component to sin, a mental component to sin and He wants all of us to understand that. It starts with just a thought, just a picture in the mind. Matthew 5:27, Christ says:
Matthew 5:27. [You] have heard that it was said by them of old time, [You shall] not commit adultery:
28) But I say unto you, That whosoever [looks] on a woman to lust after her [has] committed adultery with her already in his heart. (KJV)
He's saying, "If you have the thought, if you have an image, if you have an urge," that's how sin starts. He's specifically talking about adultery, but it refers to all sin. It just begins with just one thought.
Now, the apostle James had something to say about this in chapter 1. James 1, we're going to read verses 13 through 15. He's talking about being tested or tempted. James 1 and verse 13, he's first getting out of the way the thought that God tempts people. He says:
James 1:13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be [tested or] tempted with evil, neither [tempts He or tests] he any man:
14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own [lusts], (KJV)
A thought or an urge, and then is:
James 1:14b. … enticed. (KJV)
In other words, the thought or the urge is not put away, but it leads to something else—being enticed. Verse 15:
James 1:15. Then when lust [has] conceived, it [brings] forth sin: (KJV)
In other words, thoughts lead to other thoughts. Then, they lead to action. He says:
James 1:15b. … [brings] forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, [brings] forth death. (KJV)
In other words, what James is telling us is that sin begins with a thought or an urge. And if it is not dealt with right then, if it's not cast out, it can take hold. It can stay in the mind. And then, it alters the mind, alters the character, and, then, changes our deeds, changes our words. Therefore, the thing we should learn from this, of course, is sin has an insignificant beginning, but we must not let it get a foothold in our minds, in our character, in our hearts.
Let's go to Ephesians chapter 4 and we'll read verses 23…. We'll start in verse 23. And we're being told here that we can't give a foothold to sin or a foothold to Satan. And, as we know, he is the one that broadcasts thoughts and urges. Ephesians 4 and verse 23:
Ephesians 4:23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (KJV)
Meaning: Have a new spirit. Not the old one.
Ephesians 4:24. And that [you] put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and … holiness.
25) Wherefore [he says, "Put] away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. (KJV)
We're all part of the human family. Verse 26, he says:
Ephesians 4:26. Be angry, and [don't] sin: [don't] let the sun go down upon your wrath:
27) Neither give place to the devil. (KJV)
The Greek word for place literally means a spot—a spot in space.
So, he says, "If you don’t deal (in this case with your anger, or with lying or other sins), if you don't deal with it and put it away, you're giving Satan a foothold. You're giving Satan space to do things in your mind by not putting away the thought.
Now, going on, Paul tells us how to deal with that. Look at verse 28. We have to change our mind and change our behavior.
Ephesians 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: [and rather than just not stealing, he says, "Let him go to work,], working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to [those who need]. (KJV)
You're not so apt to steal if you're working ten or twelve hours a day. And you're so tired at the end of the day the last thing you want to do is start banging on people's doors or breaking into homes because you're tired. You're working for a living. That's one way to overcome that.
Verse 29:
Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, (KJV)
"You replace it," he says:
Ephesians 4:29b. … but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (KJV)
Change your speech to something positive, something uplifting, something that does good.
Verse 30, he says:
Ephesians 4:30. [Don't] grieve the Spirit of God, (KJV)
He's telling us that when we sin, it goes against God's nature and God's spirit.
Ephesians 4:30. [Don't] grieve the holy Spirit of God, whereby [you] are sealed unto the day of redemption. (KJV)
Now, he tells this is what we have to put out and not let our mind dwell on.
Ephesians 4:31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (KJV)
The implication is very clear:
If we don't do that, we give Satan a foothold.
We give Satan space in our minds.
Ephesians 4:32. And be kind one to another [as opposed to malice and anger and clamor], [be] tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake [has] forgiven you. (KJV)
We don't allow Satan a space or a foothold by replacing those carnal thoughts, sinful thoughts, with the ones we just read about. We act and think like Christ. We replace the carnal, satanic thoughts, satanic actions with Christ-like thoughts and actions.
But we understand that Satan is very subtle and Satan is very deceitful. And, frankly, he is very patient. Look at Hebrews 3 and verse 13. Because there is a deceitfulness surrounding sin and it can be very dangerous to each and every one of us. Hebrews 3 and verse 13, Paul says:
Hebrews 3:13. [Exhort] one another daily, (KJV)
Meaning: Uplift each other. Encourage each other.
Hebrews 3:13b. … while it is called To day; [he says,] lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (KJV)
The Greek word that is translated deceitfulness can also mean the delusion of sin. There is something about sin that can delude us and that can deceive us and that also can harden us. We have to be careful about that.
It's deceitful, in part, because it starts so small. Just like leprosy. Just a thought. Just an urge. And it's deceitful because if it is not punished immediately, human beings think that it is alright sometimes. And we can sin the more because it's not punished immediately.
Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse 11. This is one of the things that are wrong with the court system in the United States and I'm sure in Canada and other places. By the time somebody kills somebody and then, punished is meted out, it could be twenty-five or thirty years. Solomon comments on that here in Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 11. It says:
Ecclesiastes 8:11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
There is a consequence. He says:
Ecclesiastes 8:11b. … therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (KJV)
If the hammer doesn't come down right away, then people think, "Hmm. Okay."
What if God designed when we sin, we had the pain equivalent of sticking an ice pick in your eyeball? Now, every time we sinned if we had a pain like that, think of how quickly we would shape up and how quickly we would change our behavior.
But God hasn't designed it that way, because He doesn't want us to obey with a gun to our heads or an ice pick to our eyeball. He wants us to obey because we want to obey because we love Him; and we understand that His way is the only way; His way is the best way. Therefore, God gives us space and time to repent and to see.
Because I remember my first brush with breaking the Sabbath; it was about a year after being baptized. I was working. It was in Detroit and the sun was going down. It went down about 4:15 at the time. I just got involved in a project and I lost track of time. And I looked outside and you could see the last glimmer of sunlight on the buildings. I just panicked. And I just stopped what I was doing, ran out of the building, got into my car. Just sweating a little bit. Heaved a huge sigh of relief.
And then the thought occurred, "What would have happened if you would have stayed there for another five or ten minutes?" And when you're first in the Church, you think this lightening bolt is going to come back down from the sky and just fry you to a crisp. But the scary thought, the scary realization was that nothing would have happened. God would have allowed me to sin. And then, what would happen after that? Would it be easier the second time? Well, of course. And, then, what direction would that take you?
That's the deceitfulness of sin, because the ice pick to the eyeball doesn't occur right away, then sometimes people can think, "Oh, it's not a very bad sin," or "God isn't too displeased," or "Nothing bad happened to me there. I didn't get the cancer the next day. So, God maybe winks at it."
So, leprosy begins with a single spot. Similarly, sin begins with a single thought, a single urge. And if not dealt with, it can pollute the entire mind of a human being, one of God's children, just like leprosy can pollute the entire body of one that has it. That was the first point.
The second point is:
Let's go to Leviticus 13 again and we're going to read verses 42 to 45. One who has leprosy is pronounced unclean. Verse 42 of Leviticus 13:
Leviticus 13:42. And if there be… (KJV)
This is talking about examining the head and the forehead.
Leviticus 13:42. And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in [the] head, or his bald forehead.
43) Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising [or the swelling] of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his forehead, as the leprosy [appears] in the skin of the flesh;
44) He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
45) And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be [torn], and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, (KJV)
Now, if you do the research on that, most likely it is doing something like this: Where when you're ashamed of something and you say something you shouldn't say, you put your hand over your mouth. Well, he had to walk through with his hand over his upper lip and mouth from a sense of shame.
Leviticus 13:45b. … put a covering upon his upper lip [as a sign of shame] and shall cry, (KJV)
This person had to walk through the camp saying:
Leviticus 13:45 continued. Unclean, unclean [unclean]. (KJV)
He had to walk through, later on, his village or his little town in front of everybody and shout, "Unclean, unclean," so that the people would know. And the people would know to stay away so that they wouldn't become infected.
Now, today, at worst, the world views sinners as sick, not unclean. In other words, "He's not a murderer. He just has trouble in his relationships with other people." Happens to blow their brains out! But he has relationship problems. Or, "His serial adultery is a coping device because his mother never loved him." And so, people are viewed as mentally sick and we see that all the time. People get off from horrible crimes because they're judged mentally unstable.
But sin today is not viewed as something that was unclean. And in Israel, it was. God is trying to tell us here that in a similar way with a leper being viewed as unclean, when we sin, our sin leads us to being viewed as unclean by God. And we should view ourselves as unclean as God views us.
Let's go to Matthew chapter 23. Christ is railing on the Pharisees. He says something very, very important. We'll read verses 25 through 28. And this starts a segment where He says it every few verses:
Matthew 23:25. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (KJV)
Notice what He says here in the latter part of verse 25. He says:
Matthew 23:25b. … [You] make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within [that cup and platter] are full of extortion and excess. (KJV)
He's referring to them. He's using an analogy of a cup and a platter. Verse 26:
Matthew 23:26. [You] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. (KJV)
He's saying it doesn't do any good if the outside appears to be clean if the inside is filled with filth.
Verse 27:
Matthew 23:27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for [you] are like unto whited sepulchres, (KJV)
Back in those days, the wealthy would build out of the mud baked bricks that they had a small, we would say today, a mausoleum—small enough to hold a body or two or three. And then, they would stucco it on the outside, plaster it on the outside, and they would paint it white. So, it was gleaming in the graveyard.
He's drawing an analogy with this gleaming white little, small building to the Pharisees. He says:
Matthew 23:27b. … [You're like whited sepulchres] which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (KJV)
As the body decays, all the ooze and the stench and the smell and the bacteria and all of that, it's all hidden inside this beautiful white little building. Verse 28:
Matthew 23:28. Even so… (KJV)
He's now bringing it back to them.
Matthew 28:28b. … [you] also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within [you] are full of hypocrisy and iniquity [lawlessness]. (KJV)
And He's saying, "Pharisees, inside in your mind, in your heart, you are polluted. You are unclean. Yet, on the outside, you appear oh so righteous."
In verse 5, He condemned them because they wanted to be seen of men.
In verse 6, He says, "You love the upper rooms to be in the highest positions."
Verses 7 through 10, He says, "You want to be called 'Master' or even 'Father.'"
And then in verse 14, He says, "You even cheat widows out of their own houses! And you claim to be so righteous and so clean. And yet, you steal widows' homes."
So, this is how Christ viewed people. He knows their hearts. He knows what's on the inside. And He says, "You're unclean because of your thoughts, your character, your heart."
Paul tells us that we can't come near the unclean. Let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and we'll read verses 14 through 17. Remember 2 Corinthians was a letter written in part to tell them to forgive this man, his sins, and to allow him to come back. But he [Paul] is pointing out certain things here that we need to focus on. 2 Corinthians 6 verse 14, he says:
2 Corinthians 6:14. Be [you] not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: (KJV)
Now, when he uses the word yoke, everybody understood because it was an agrarian society and they used oxen to plow the fields. If you've seen pictures of those yokes, they were generally made of wood. They were very thick because oxen had thick necks and they were powerful animals. So, the yokes, in order to keep them tied together, had to be very, very strong. And so, the yoke was kind of in the shape of a mustache almost. It would hump over the first oxen, then a flat space, and then hump over the second oxen. Then, they would lash the oxen to the yoke and then they could pull a plow.
So, he is saying here, "Don't be unequally yoked together with unbelievers"—you on one side of the yoke and this unbeliever on the other side.
2 Corinthians 6:14b. … for what fellowship [has] righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion [has] light with darkness?
15) And what concord… (KJV)
Concord means a coming together.
2 Corinthians 6:15b. … [has] Christ with Belial? or what part [has] he that [believes] with an infidel?
16) And what agreement [has] the temple of God with idols? (KJV)
And we all know that we are the Temple of God. He says:
2 Corinthians 6:16b. … for [you] are the temple of the living God; as God [has] said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be [you] separate, [says] the Lord, and touch not the unclean… (KJV)
The word thing is in italics. Don' touch something that is unclean. And He says, "If you do that:"
2 Corinthians 6:17b. … I will receive you, (KJV)
And He does that so that we will not be infected by those that we come in contact with. He says, "Don't get too close. Don’t get yoked up right beside somebody pulling the same load. Don't do that with somebody who is unclean. Be very careful so that you're not infected with their sin."
We won't turn there, but Galatians 5 and verse 9 tells us "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." So, we pay particular attention to that at this time of year. And He said, "If there is leaven over here and you're trying to be unleavened, the closer you get the more likely the leavening is going to come in and make you leavened when previously, you were unleavened."
So, the point here in Point II is that God views sin and the sinner as unclean. Just like we view leprosy and somebody who has leprosy, the leper, as something that's unclean and we don't want to get close to it. We should view sin in the same way.
The third point:
Let's go back to Leviticus 13 and read verse 46. We read verse 45 before. The leper has come to the attention of the priest. The priest has pronounced the leper unclean. Leviticus 13 and verse 46:
Leviticus 13:46. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (KJV)
Referring to the camp of Israel as they in the wilderness traveling, but later, he had to go outside the town or outside the village and had to be separate. There was a separation there.
Now, similarly sin leads to separation also. I think you know the most logical Scripture, Isaiah 59, the first two verses. We can turn there just to focus in. And think about this now with relation to leprosy and separation and what happens when we sin and separation.
Isaiah 59:1. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither [is] his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (KJV)
We could say, "Your leprosy has hid His face from you." And when you see somebody with leprosy or look at pictures or whatever, you want to turn away! You just don't want to watch it. You don't want to see it. And God is saying, "Your sins do that to Me. I want to turn away. I don't want to be near it."
That's one reason…. Remember where Christ died? He died outside the camp. He died outside the city walls of Jerusalem because He bore our sins. And there had to be separation there.
The more sin we commit the greater the distance between us and God. And then, it is harder and harder to come back to Him because the distance is greater. That's why we have to nip sin in the bud. You just can't give a place to sin and let it fester and build and build and build. Because God gets farther and farther away—we get farther and farther away from God. God doesn't move. We just separate ourselves from God, but the point is: Then it's a long way home, a long way back. And we don't want to go there.
The ultimate separation we find in Luke 19 and verse 27. This is where it ultimately ends if we allow this sin to separate us from God Almighty. Luke 19:27. It's fashionable in some circles in the Church of God to say that "Everybody is going to be saved. Nobody is going to be lost." That clearly goes against Scripture. And this is one of those. Luke chapter 19 verse 27, Christ says:
Luke 19:27. But those [My] enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, [He says] bring [them here], and [kill] them before me. (KJV)
"You don't want to be in My Family? You don't want to follow My Laws? Then, fine. You've had your chance. Bring him here. Toss him into the Lake of Fire because I want to watch and make sure they are permanently extinguished so they do not pollute My Family from this day forward. A little leaven leavens the whole lump."
So, in this third point, we see, as the leper was separated from the congregation, the sinner becomes separated from God. There is a very important lesson there. And the analogy of being out of the camp, outside the camp in your own little tent a couple of miles away and you’re looking. Everybody else is building fires and having fun and fellowshipping while you're sitting out there your body is falling apart. That's a good analogy of what it is like to be separated from God.
Point four:
So, in the fourth point, we're going to cover three areas where the leprosy required a priest to be involved. If you like to outline:
Let's go back to Leviticus 13. We read the first part of verse 2. Let's read the latter part of verse 2 and verse 3. It says:
Leviticus 13:2b. … then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
3) And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, (KJV)
Meaning: There is no pigment down below.
Leviticus 13:3b. … and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. (KJV)
Now, priests were trained in and had experience in detecting and treating leprosy. That was part of their training. And they were expert in that. So, it took a priest to identify leprosy.
Similarly, the ministry has experience in identifying and dealing with sin. And sin can be more easily identified, frankly, with the help of a minister. Let's go to Acts chapter 8. And let's see an account where God told Philip to go to this Ethiopian. Now, this Ethiopian, as you read through the account, was a very smart man. He was a very capable man. He wasn't some dummy. Acts 8 verse 26:
Acts 8:26. And the angel of the Lord [spoke] unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way from Jerusalem [down toward] Gaza, (KJV)
We know that. You know where Gaza is because of the news. He says, "I want you to go down toward Gaza. Leave Jerusalem. Out in the desert."
Verse 27:
Acts 8:27. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, (KJV)
He was right underneath her as one of her top administrators.
Acts 8:27b. … who had the charge of all [of] her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, (KJV)
This is a very capable, a very smart, a very talented man who had the trust of the queen. He probably had a very high education, very dedicated.
Verse 28:
Acts 8:28. [He was] returning, and sitting in his chariot [reading Isaiah] the prophet.
29) Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join [yourself] to [his] chariot.
30) And Philip ran to him, and heard him [reading Isaiah], and [he] said, [Do you understand what you are reading]? (KJV)
This very intelligent, very smart man, notice what he did not say. He did not say, "Well, because of my intelligence and my intellect and because God has picked me out among all men, I understand it perfectly. I don't need you." No. Verse 31:
Acts 8:31. And he said, How can I, except some man … guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. (KJV)
And we're told, if you read on, that Philip explained what the man was reading.
So, this tells us that it doesn't make any difference how smart we are or how many degrees we have or how bright we think we are. All of us need a mentor. All of us need a guide. And the ministry is put there, in part, for that purpose.
Yet, today it's fashionable in the Church to criticize the ministry. And frankly, in many cases, it is justified, but we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water as the saying is.
At my Granddad's ranch in New Mexico, they were privileged to take a bath once a week. And they had a big galvanized tub that they could haul out. They would heat water over the stove and pour it in this big tub. And it was big enough for an adult to get into if you curled up a little bit. My Granddad would go first. And, of course, he'd been working on the ranch all week. So, you can imagine what the water looked like when he got out. And then my Grandmother went next. Then all the kids went after that.
So, you can imagine if you had a baby and you put the baby in there, the baby would disappear. You wouldn't even see the baby! So, that's where the story goes, "Throw the baby out with the bath water" because you're trying to take care of your family and keep them clean, but you're actually throwing one away because of the dirt in the water.
So, this is telling us that just because some ministers have been rejected doesn't mean that all ministers should be rejected. Don't throw the baby out with the water. And just as a reminder: None of us, me included, would have God's spirit today if some minister somewhere along the line hadn't laid hands on us and asked God to perform a miracle. So, let's just remember that.
What should be a true minister's goal? A true minister's goal we find in 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 19. This should be the litmus test, one of the litmus tests, for a true minister. Paul is saying, "This is my hope; this is my joy; this is my calling." 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 19, he says:
1 Thessalonians 2:19. For what is our hope? [What is our] joy? What is our crown of rejoicing? (KJV)
Then he gives the answer.
1 Thessalonians 2:19b. Are not even [you] in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (KJV)
That should be the goal of every minister is to be present when God puts a crown on one of our brothers and sisters—to be there, to witness it, to see it! And everything a minister does should have that goal in mind.
And so, under this point A, a minister, like a priest helped identify leprosy, ministers can be helpful in identifying sin and dealing with sin.
Point B, a second area where a minister is involved as a priest was:
The priest had to make the determination. Let's go back to Leviticus 13 and we'll read verse 44 and then jump to verse 46. Leviticus 13 verse 44, it says:
Leviticus 13:44. He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; (KJV)
Now, look at verse 46.
Leviticus 13:46. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; [outside] the camp shall his habitation be. (KJV)
The priest looked on the man, evaluated the situation, made the decision whether he was leprous or not. And if he was leprous, he [the priest] ordered the man to go outside the camp. That was the decision of the priesthood.
Similarly the ministry is responsible for protecting the congregation from sin, from uncleanness. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 5. I think you know where we're going. This is an example of a situation that had been reported to Paul. He heard it. I'm sure his jaw dropped open, couldn't believe it when he first heard it and had to deal with it! And he dealt with it in a letter rather than coming personally. 1 Corinthians 5 beginning in verse 1, he says:
1 Corinthians 5:1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not [even mentioned] among the Gentiles, (KJV)
It's worse than what we see in the Gentiles around us, the unconverted people.
1 Corinthians 5:1b. … that one should have his father's wife. (KJV)
He doesn't say "his mother." He said, "his father's wife." Therefore, it is his step-mother. And he says:
1 Corinthians 5:2. And [he says, "You," meaning the Brethren] are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that [has] done this deed might be taken away from among you. (KJV)
"Here is a guy with leprosy in your congregation and you're just allowing him to wander around." Verse 3:
1 Corinthians 5:3. For I verily, as absent in body, (KJV)
He said, "I'm not there."
1 Corinthians 5:3b. … but present in spirit, [he says, I] have judged already, (KJV)
He says, "I don't need to make a trip there. I've heard too much already."
1 Corinthians 5:3 continued. … [and] have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that [has] done this deed, (KJV)
Now, notice how powerfully he presents it here.
1 Corinthians 5:4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (KJV)
He's invoking Christ's authority.
1 Corinthians 5:4b. … when [You] are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (KJV)
All of those [the congregation, Paul's spirit, and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ are] behind what he is saying. He says:
1 Corinthians 5:5. [You] deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6) [He says,] Your glorying is not good. (KJV)
Then we read this again.
1 Corinthians 5:5b. [Don't you know, he says] that a little leaven [leavens] the whole lump? (KJV)
He says, "You're allowing this leprous man to be in your midst. You're going to come down with leprosy. You're going to commit the same kind of sins that he is committing if you allow this man to rub elbows with you and everybody thinks it is okay."
So, Paul, as the priest did, Paul had the responsibility of saying, "You get this guy out of here because he's going to leaven the whole congregation."
Verse 7:
1 Corinthians 5:7. Purge out therefore the old leaven [which he just told them to do], that [You] may be a new lump, (KJV)
But each one of you (as we do at this time of the year), we have to take our leavening out of our minds and our hearts, our words and our deeds that we can be a new lump:
1 Corinthians 5:7b. … as [you] are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (KJV)
The sinner was put out of the congregation so the congregation would not become leavened. Just as the leprous man was put out of the congregation so that leprosy would not spread. And the ministry was involved in deciding when that was to happen, just as the priest was involved in the case of leprosy.
The third area where a priest was involved and a minister is involved is:
Let's go to Leviticus 14 now. We're going to read the first three verses and then jump to the beginning of verse 8. Leviticus 14 verse 1:
Leviticus 14:1. And the Lord [spoke] unto Moses, saying,
2) This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: (KJV)
This is how a leper is cleansed. When he is healed, this is what you do.
Leviticus 14:2b. He shall be brought unto the priest:
3) And the priest shall go forth out of the camp [to where this leper lives outside the camp]; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; (KJV)
Notice we jump to the beginning of verse 8 now, just for time's sake.
Leviticus 14:8. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, (KJV)
It was the priest's decision when that man was allowed back in. It was the priest's decision when he did not represent a threat to the congregation. Similarly, a minister decides when someone can be allowed back into the congregation who was separated because of sin.
Now let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 2 where Paul addresses this with the very man that we read about in 1 Corinthians a couple of minutes ago. 2 Corinthians 2, we'll read verses 6 through 8. He's saying now in the congregation that the pendulum had swung to the other direction. And the man had apparently repented and tried to come back and they were having difficult with that, allowing him back. So, he says in verse 6:
2 Corinthians 2:6. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. (KJV)
It was inflicted of many because he was shunned. He was not allowed to fellowship with them. Verse 7:
2 Corinthians 2:7. So that contrariwise [you] ought rather to forgive him [rather than shun him], and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. (KJV)
By all indications this man was very sorrowful. He repented bitterly. He hated what he had done. He had hated himself. And then he needs to be with God's people. He needs the fellowship. He needs the comfort and they would not give it to him.
So in verse 8, he says:
2 Corinthians 2:8. Wherefore I beseech you that [you] would confirm your love toward him. (KJV)
Now that the only way they could do that—confirm love toward him—is by having contact with him. So, Paul is saying, "Let him come back. Don’t hold any grudges. Don't condemn him. Bring him back. God has forgiven his sins. You should just forget about it, not remember it and welcome him back as a member of the congregation."
So, if the individual is spiritually clean from sin and represents no threat to the congregation, then the minister makes the judgment of allowing him back in. Just as the priest made the judgment that this man was clean from leprosy and allowed him back into the camp.
Now, those are the three areas where a priest is involved with leprosy or a minister is involved with sin.
The fifth point:
Leprosy is a state of living death. Let's go to Numbers chapter 12 and we're going to read the account where God struck Miriam as leprous. We will want to note a couple of things. Numbers 12 and we'll begin in verse 1.
It tells us that Moses married this Ethiopian woman. And Miriam and Aaron, undoubtedly provoked by Satan, Satan put a thought in their minds. And they began to speak against Moses because of this woman that he had married that we find in verse 1.
In verse 2, now notice it's beyond the Ethiopian woman. Now it's "Who is in charge?" and "Who is in control?" Verse 2:
Numbers 12:2. And they said, [Has] the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? [Has He] not spoken by us? (KJV)
Oh, okay. Well, I thought we were talking about the Ethiopian woman. So, now the real agenda comes out.
Numbers 12:2b. And the Lord heard it.
3) (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) (KJV)
That is a parenthetical phrase or verse.
Verse 4:
Numbers 12:4. And the Lord [spoke] suddenly unto Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, [And He says,] Come out [you] three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And [so they stepped out] they came [there].
5) And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam (KJV)
Can you imagine that? The three of them are standing there and this cloud comes down. God is there. And you hear this voice coming out of the cloud. And He is saying, "Miriam, Aaron, I want you to step forward."
Numbers 12:5b. … [now] they both came forth. (KJV)
My guess is that, at this moment in time, they thought God was agreeing with them. They thought God was going to elevate them. God was hearing what they were saying. "Oh, He's going to exalt us. Let's go to the front." Ooh! Verse 6.
Numbers 12:6. And he said, Hear now my words: (KJV)
Notice, things are going well here.
Numbers 12:6b. If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. (KJV)
Now, remember the sermon I gave a while back on Aaron? This has already happened to Aaron. God had appeared to him in a vision. Now, obviously Aaron is hearing, "Prophets—I speak to prophets in visions." And Aaron was standing forward. I can only imagine what was going through Aaron's mind that that point.
Verse 7, now God throws the switch. Just like Nathan did with David.
Numbers 12:7. My servant Moses is not [like that], (KJV)
Oh! Now, maybe Aaron's thinking, "Well, maybe I'm even better than Moses." But then it all comes raining down on his head and on Miriam's head.
Numbers 12:7b. … who is faithful in all [My] house.
8) With him [He says,] I speak mouth to mouth, (KJV)
"I don’t have to speak in a vision. I don't have to speak in dark sentences. I speak mouth to mouth." And He says:
Numbers 12:8b. … and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were [you] not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? (KJV)
Remember He allowed Moses to see His backsides? "Have you seen that Aaron? Have you seen that Miriam?"
Verse 9:
Numbers 12:9. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.
And [all of a sudden] the cloud just goes away and they're left standing there. Verse 10:
Numbers 12:10. The cloud [had] departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: (KJV)
If you've seen colored pictures of leprosy, it is ugly to behold. And it says she was that way top to bottom.
Numbers 12:10b. … and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. (NKJ)
Now, you have to ask the question: Why Miriam? If they were in it together, why didn't God strike both of them as being leprous?
My suspicion is that Miriam was the ringleader because you remember Aaron was easily influenced. Remember when Moses was up on the mountain and the people demanded the calf, demanded he make a god. Aaron was easily influenced. Man, he banged out that calf in no time at all. My guess is—and this is just my speculation—that Miriam was the one that made the suggestions (Satan suggesting to her) and then Aaron followed along. Aaron was easily led and easily influenced. That's why she bore the brunt of the leprosy.
Verse 11:
Numbers 12:11. And Aaron said unto Moses, (KJV)
He turned right to this man he had previously been putting down. And He said:
Numbers 12:11b. Alas, my lord, I beseech [You], lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. (KJV)
It comes home to roost. The 2 by 4 between the eyes has gotten everybody's attention here.
Verse 12, notice this.
Numbers 12:12. Let her not be as one dead, (KJV)
Meaning: Leprosy is living death. It's only a matter of time. You’re going to die.
Numbers 12:12b. … of whom the flesh is half consumed when he [comes] out of his mother's womb.
13) And Moses cried unto the [Eternal], saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech [You]. (KJV)
Then in verse 14, God says something a bit unusual. He says:
Numbers 12:14. And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? (KJV)
Now what is God talking about? If a young woman had disappointed her father, had sinned, had brought dishonor on the family, had behaved foolishly, it was a custom for the Father to spit in her face. It was a sign of his displeasure. It was a sign of her disrespect to him as the head of the house.
When that happened, the young woman would have to go outside the camp for seven days as part of her shame. Everybody knew about it. And then after seven days, after she was cleansed, she could come back.
Now God is drawing an analogy here. He says, "If a woman displeases her father, doesn't she have to stay out of the camp seven days?" Then He goes on to say:
Numbers 12:14b. [Let] her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again. (KJV)
Indicating that somewhere in those seven days, God was going to heal her.
Verse 15:
Numbers 12:15. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till [she] was brought in again. (KJV)
And she came in clean. God had answered Moses' prayer. And this, again, showed everybody that God at that point was dealing through Moses.
Now the point for us today is:
If we allow sin to live inside of us, we are dead already.
Romans 6 verse 23, "The wages of sin is death." If we allow sin to habitually live in us, if we have a pattern of sin, we're dead already.
Look at 1 Timothy 5 and verse 6. This is talking about particularly women, but it applies to everybody. 1 Timothy 5:6, Paul says the same thing about an individual that lives in sin. Paul is talking about women who live for pleasure, minds not on God, not God-centered. They live for pleasure. 1 Timothy 5 verse 6 says:
1 Timothy 5:6. But she that [lives] in pleasure is dead while she [lives]. (KJV)
Unless that pattern of behavior is changed, it is just a matter of time. This person is going to die. And the same is, obviously, true with leprosy.
Let's go to Ephesians 2 and we'll read the first six verses. Now we see the solution. We see God's mercy. We see how we can be healed from sin, which is spiritual leprosy. Ephesians 2 verse 1, he says:
Ephesians 2:1. And you [has] he quickened, (KJV)
That means to be made alive.
Ephesians 2:1. And you [he has] quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (KJV)
Before we repented, before we came to ourselves through the power of God's spirit, we were dead in trespasses and sins. We had violated God's Law.
Ephesians 2:2. Wherein in [times] past [you] walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now [works] in the children of disobedience: (KJV)
We've been there. We've done that. And even after conversion and even after baptism, we've been there and we've done that. Verse 3:
Ephesians 2:3. Among whom also we all had our [conduct] in times past in the lusts of our flesh, (KJV)
Just a thought, a picture in our minds.
Ephesians 2:3b. … fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; (KJV)
Christ said, "Sin starts in the mind." Just a tiny little thought, tiny little urge.
Ephesians 2:3 continued. … and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he [has] loved us,
5) Even when we were dead in sins, [He has made] us [alive] together with Christ, (by grace [are you] saved;)
6) And [has] raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (KJV)
The key here is to recognize that if we live in a pattern of sin as somebody who had leprosy, we are dead already. We are the living dead. We are the walking dead. We are the talking dead. The key here is to recognize a pattern of sin and to change as we just read here in Ephesians 2.
God through His mercy and the power of His holy spirit can make us alive eternally if we will just change. Change our hearts and change our minds.
So, that is the fifth point that leprosy is a state of living death.
The sixth point (We have a total of seven.):
And in the latter stages of leprosy (It's just so horrible!), in the latter stages of leprosy, the body cannot hold together. Fingers and toes start falling off. They just literally rot and fall off. Limbs start to rot and fall off. The body just disintegrates. And to this day, there is no cure for leprosy. There is no vaccine. They can slow it down, but there is no cure for leprosy other than God's intervention and healing.
Similarly, as He did with Miriam, but similarly the only cure for sin is God's power, His grace and His mercy. That's the only cure for sin.
And the worse place for treatment for sin is where? In the world. That's the worst place to treat sin is getting involved in the world, back into the world.
Only Christ's blood can heal us. Let's go to Matthew chapter 8 and read the first three verses. This shows where we're going to cover an example here first where Christ healed a leper. He had the power to heal a leper. Matthew 8 verse 1, obviously He was doing this to show His authority and the fact that He was the Messiah, but it also demonstrates His power.
Matthew 8:1. When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2) And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if [You will (if it's Your desire)], [he says, "You can] make me clean. (KJV)
This man had faith. He said, "You can do it. You have the power if it's Your desire." Verse 3:
Matthew 8:3. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; [I will make you clean.] be [you] clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (KJV)
Now, He uses that as a lesson. Now notice verses 16 and 17. When I anoint someone, I often quote these verses because this shows the power of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 8:16. When [evening] was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with [demons]: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and [He] healed all that were sick: (KJV)
Maybe some more lepers. Notice verse 17.
Matthew 8:17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by [Isaiah] the prophet, saying, Himself took [on] our infirmities, and [He bears] our sicknesses. (KJV)
And when we anoint, what we do is ask God to take the infirmity and the sickness. And if you study those Greek words, they can mean mental illness, emotional illness. They can mean spiritual illness, physical illness of any kind. He goes on to say "He takes our infirmities. He takes our sickness. He bore them on Himself." So, what we do in anointing is ask that burden on the physical individual to be lifted and placed on Jesus Christ who has already suffered through His stripes on behalf of us.
Christ is telling us here in Matthew 8 that we cannot be healed from sin except through His power and His sacrifice and His blood. Just as a leper can only be healed as Christ did right here or through some miracle.
So, let's understand that leprosy is incurable without divine intervention. Similarly sin is incurable without the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus Christ.
Seventh and last point:
Let's go to Leviticus 14. We'll read verse 18 and the beginning of verse 19. Leviticus 14 beginning in verse 18—because of time, we're breaking into the cleansing process of a leper. It says in verse 18:
Leviticus 14:18. And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour [on] the head of him that is to be cleansed [from leprosy]: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the [Eternal].
19) And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness [his leprosy]; (KJV)
Similarly, the only atonement for us in our sins is the atonement that Jesus Christ made. Let's go to Romans chapter 5 and we'll read verses 8 through 11. We're told here that God loved us while we were yet sinners. I'm sure God dealt with us long before He actually called us and threw the switch for our calling. Romans 5 verse 8:
Romans 5:8. But God [commends] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (KJV)
Before we were ever born!
Romans 5:9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (KJV)
That wrath, of course, is the Lake of Fire. Verse 10:
Romans 5:10. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life [by His resurrection].
11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (KJV)
Just as an atonement was made for the leper, an atonement was made for each one of us. And an atonement was made for our sins through Jesus Christ.
We have to be thankful that we have a God that this is part of His Plan. This is His desire is to have us atoned—meaning: We're at one now with Him. There is no barrier. Just like the veil between the Holy of Holies and the outer portion in the Temple was rent. The fact is now we can come to God one on one.
John 3:16 is a verse that we ran away from in the early days of the Church.
It says, "For God so loved" what? The world.
And how did He so love the world? "That He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believes on Him" has what? "Will never perish," never die. Leprosy will get that person, "but have everlasting life."
So in closing, let's go back to the beginning and say, "Okay, why did God devote two entire chapters to the subject of leprosy? Why would He do that? We find the answer actually back in Leviticus 14. Let's go back there. We'll read verse 54 and then verse 57. It gives us a hint anyway. Leviticus 14 verse 54, verse 54 says:
Leviticus 14:54. This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall, (KJV)
This is the Law. Now, look at verse 57. Why is the Law there?
Leviticus 14:57. To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy. (KJV)
Those two chapters are there to teach us what is clean and what is unclean. That's why it's there.
Now, since we are spiritual Israel and we obey the Law by the spirit—not just the flesh—God teaches us about spiritual leprosy, which is sin. He teaches us the lessons back in Leviticus 13 and 14 that apply today to spiritual leprosy, which is sin.
Let's go to Romans chapter 8 for a final Scripture. Romans 8 and we'll read verses 12 through 14. Notice what we're told. Romans 8 verse 12, Paul is saying to the Church in Rome and by extension to us today:
Romans 8:12. Therefore, brethren, [he says] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. (KJV)
Leprosy is part of the flesh. Verse 13:
Romans 8:13. For if [you] live after the flesh, [you] shall die: (KJV)
"You have leprosy. Unless I intervene, you're going to die," God says.
Romans 8:13b. … but if [you] through the Spirit do mortify [or kill] the deeds of the body, [you] shall live. (KJV)
If you put away the old person and put on the new person through Jesus Christ.
Verse 14—we keep coming back to this verse month after month because this is what separates those who will be in the Kingdom of God from those who won't—the five foolish virgins and the five wise virgins.
Romans 8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (KJV)
That means that if we're led by the spirit of God, guess what? We're going to develop the fruits of the spirit. We don't need to turn there, Galatians 5. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness and goodness and faith and meekness and temperance. God says, "Against those, there is no Law!" If we exhibit those characteristics, there is no leprosy. There is no sin.
So, what does leprosy have to do with the Days of Unleavened Bread? The main lesson is:
How we as humans view leprosy, this is how God views our sins.
We have to get that through our heads. As we look at leprosy and just cringe and our hackles get up. And we want to turn away and run away. That's how God views sin. Therefore, that's how we should view sin—at this time of year particularly.
We need to get to the place where we view sin as God does. We view sin as God does and God views sin as we view leprosy. So, let's make the transition and learn to view our sins as leprous. And, then, fall down before God and Jesus Christ and beg for mercy and forgiveness and call upon the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as we will commemorate here very quickly to wash us from our leprosy, to wash us from our sin.
Transcribed by kb April 26, 2012