Leviticus 12-14 The Great Physician

 

Intro: Leviticus 12-15 deal w/ that which is unclean – various aspects

A)In Ch.12 the focus is on Child birth     Read v. 1-5

 

B)A woman who brings forth a baby is pronounced unclean how can that be

1)   Babies are so beautiful... Why would she be declared UNCLEAN?

Obvious Physical issues /  But Also Spiritual issues

 

C) BECAUSE she brought another SINNER into the world

1)   Psychologist have a hard time w/ that one -but God's word declares we

     are CONCEIVED with a sin nature

 

D) Seen in the Fact that you don’t have to teach kids how to be bad – but how to be good – Being bad or doing bad things – Natural

 

V. 3 Circumcised on the 8th day-   WHY?

A)8 is the number of new beginning

 

B) Unknown to Moses at that time... But known to God.... was the fact that        UNTIL the 8th day the  blood does not coagulate

     1) It is at the 8th day that the babies blood has the capacity to coagulate

 

C) If a Male – Unclean for 33 days /

     1) Jesus lived 33 years on the earth and then died- Pointing to Christ

 

D) But Why 66 days for a girl/  Why twice as long ?  What does this mean?

     1) It's quite obvious I think

 

E) NO - The meaning is NOT SUPERIORITY of the male

    1)The meaning is the SIGNIFICANCE of the male

 

F) It is through a MALE that cleansing and salvation would come

     This underscores the reality that through a SON salvation would come

1)   V. 6-8 -  The laws of Purification self explanatory

Ch. 13 – Characteristics of Leprosy / Ch. 14 The Cleansing of Leprosy

First lets look at the Characteristics / How Leprosy  Is like Sin - v.1-3

A)1st V.2 -Note what LEPROSY is described as : - a swelling/ a scab / or a bright spot on the Flesh

 

B) 1st SWELLING – KJV -  a RISING of the flesh – So first of all Leprosy is described as a Rising of the Flesh

1)   That is what sin is a Rising of the Flesh

 

C) The Flesh wells up / the flesh wants to be pampered -Pleased/ Flesh rising

1)     I want my way – I want my needs to be met / I have my rights

 

D) Listen the Root of all sin is Pride – the middle letter of the word Pride is I

1)   That is where the problems start – Self Centeredness

 

It is PRIDE that caused Lucifer to rebel against God

 

Isa. 14:13   Satan declared  I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

 

Also a scab   

A)A scab is a COVERING up of a wound

 

B)Trying to CONCEAL or COVER UP something that you know is in      existence  

 

C) or bright spot- Sin can be a bright spot.....

1)    Hey, this affair is the bright spot of my life.... It's the joy of my life... The one thing that brings me happiness

 

D) My Boys – this certain hang out – Program - place is the Bright spot of my life /  My one Vice – it is just a little things

 1) Sin is Pleasurable for a season but the End of it is death !!!!

 

Now here is what is interesting to me – Ch. 13 deals w/ determining if something is Leprosy or not -  14 days of observation

A)Someone have a / sore / scab – a Burn but what determined if it was Leprosy vs just a sore was v. 3 Deeper than the skin

 

B) The idea is this a person could have a sore / scab / Burn – but it is only on the surface / the outside

1)   But Leprosy was something that came from the inside & manifested itself on the outside

 

C) Pt. For us in this as it relates to sin is – as we go thru this life we are going to have some sores / scrapes / burns

1)   We get hurt – leaves a sore / get bruised – leaves a scrape / we get

       Burned

 

D) But the thing that determines whether it is just a sore that is going to heal or if it is leprosy is by what takes place of the inside – THE HEART

 

 

If bitterness is the result – if that is what comes out – The sore WILL prove to be Leprosy

A)If that Burn – results in unforgiveness – Leprosy / Anger & Hate

   Attitude that says I am going to get even =  Leprosy

 

B) Attitude that says : I suffered long enough – not it is your turn –

1)   The determining Factor is what is happening BENEATH the skin !!!

 

C) What is going on in the heart !!!!

 

 

So Sin is like Leprosy in that it deals w/ what is going on INSIDE – beneath the surface of the skin  in the HEART .

A)Leprosy Starts small beneath the service of the skin / Spreads & eventually will manifest itself on the outside – Sores / Scabs / Rising

 

B) Sin is the same way It is unseen – No one Knows what you are doing – the attitude that is forming –

1)   but Sin – like Leprosy – doesn’t stay small it spreads- That which was happening on the inside would manifest itself on the outside

 

C)Leprosy then would attack the nervous system – PAST FEELING

  1) Sin left undealt w/ does the same thing – it attacks the Nervous system

    of the Body – the Conscience   - PAST FEELING – No conviction

 

So the thing that would determine if the sore was Leprosy was if it was deeper than the skin –

A) was it coming From the INSIDE or just a scrap on the outside

    if it was DEEPER THAN THE SKIN -  coming from inside

 

B)That Person was pronounced UNCLEAN - 

1)   Another way that Leprosy is like sin – in that it leaves a person Unclean – defiled

 

v.4 Another Characteristic of Leprosy that is like sin it Isolates

A)That person is sent outside the camp – v.46

46All 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.

 

B) That is what Sin does – Separation / Isolation – First from God

     2nd from family -   Seen Sin destroys families /

   1) Intimacy in the Garden/ naked not ashamed to naked & ashamed

C) Time Mag. Monitoring the growing rise in the Divorce rate over the last 30 yrs

1)   Total # of divorced adults in 1970 was 4.3 Million / today 20 Million

 

D)Researcher studying the affects of divorce – finding it has a much more devastating affect upon kids than they originally  thought

1)   Kids Shattered – lives wrecked by a parents infidelity

        Separation – Isolation in families

 

So Leprosy – Flesh rising – starts on the inside – small but spreads and is manifested on the outside / person defiled unclean / Isolated

A)Sin has the same affect –

 

B) Now as you go thru the rest of this Chapter – see some of the same testing that were done for different types of sores Scab/ Burn / bright spot

1)   The way that they determined if it was just a sore or if it was leprosy – was it DEEPER THAN THE SKIN & DID  IT SPREAD

 

 

Move to Ch. 14 Cleansing of the Leper The steps in the leper’s cleansing and restoration picture to us what Jesus Christ has done for sinners.

A)1st The priest goes to the leper (vv. 1-3).

 

B)Since the unclean leper wasn’t permitted to enter the camp, the priest had to go outside the camp to minister to him or her. /

     1) Jesus our H.P. – Came outside the camp – left Heaven …….

 

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”

 

C)When He ministered here on earth, Jesus was called “a friend of publicans and sinners” – the OUTCAST

 

D) It is interesting that Jesus compared Himself to a doctor helping his needy patients (Matt. 9:10-13). The sick who need a Physician  

 1) My hip doctor - As The Great Physician, Jesus makes “house calls” and comes to sinners   right where they are.

 

2nd note The Process of the Cleansing v. 4 –7  Note 3 things

A)1st Two birds were to be taken-  These birds are representative of Jesus Christ Who left His home in heaven.... the NEST of heaven so to speak

    

B) 2nd note that one of the Birds was placed in an Earthen Vessel

     1) Upon leaving His throne of glory in heaven He was placed in an      EARTHEN VESSEL  - These bodies

C) 3rd This bird was to be killed over running.. or living water

    1) Water in the Scriptures speaks of The Word of God

 

D) Jesus died in an earthen vessel according to the living Word of      God

    1) Not an accident or misfortunate event - It was a PLAN

      He came to live and DIE according to the promises of God

 

SO One bird was KILLED.... speaking of Jesus in His death

But there is another part to the story of Christ /  His RESURRECTION

A)SO – The Priest would then take the Living Bird & He would be dipped in the Blood of the bird who died – and the Blood was sprinkled on the Leper

 

B)After which the Priest would Pronounce the Leper Clean – All of this pictures The resurrection and intercessory ministry of Jesus

    

C) EVEN as Jesus rose from the dead & His Blood was  applied to us / thru which we are made clean

 

D) Interesting The leper at this point did NOT look different or feel different

    1) BUT - The high priest pronounced him clean, THEREFORE he              WAS different

 

 

APPLICATION: IF you have had a personal encounter with your Great High Priest Jesus Christ

A)IF you have asked Him to sprinkle His blood upon your life

    THEN - He pronounces you CLEAN right now

 

B) Whether you FEEL it or LOOK it.... That is NOT the issue

      The issue is: What does the Word declare

 

Rom. 8:1   There is therefore now no condemnation ……. Christ Jesus

 

C) It is the PRONUNCEMENT made by Jesus Christ that makes the      difference

In VERSES 8-9 is the RESPONSE of the leper that is cleansed

A)On the day of his cleansing, he had to wash himself and his garments and shave off all his hair.

 

B)He was then permitted to enter the camp, but he wasn’t allowed to enter his tent. He had to stay outside for another week.

 1) Now Why wash when the priest had already pronounced him clean?

 

C) Because he had to apply personally what God said was true positionally. The man was ceremonially clean and had the right to live in the camp,

1)    but he needed to be made personally and practically clean so he would be fit to live in the camp.

 

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1).

 

D) Application of what Christ as Done for us – Saved now live like it !!!

 

Why they shaving of the Hair – Sign of New Birth

A)V. 9 after 7 days did it again why   Hair man wisdom – beard

  Woman – Beauty -    Man wisdom can lead to pride / Beauty – vanity

 

B) Shaving again -  the removal of the flesh – anything that I would put my stock in my wisdom or my beauty – total reliance on the Lord

 

C) I think this speaks of our continual need to – As new born babes desire the pure milk of the word

1)    Big danger those who have been around a while is to think – I know this / I have this down

 

D) We get a vain puffed up self estimation of where we are at

1)   But what we need is to go back to the Basics – Come like a New Born Babe – Re – explore – truths /  as a little Child

 

E) Keep Shaving – Being New Born Babe – Wonder of Salvation

V.10-12

A)This is beautiful the Priest that Makes Him Clean  then takes this Cleansed Leper & Presents him before the Door

 

B) Who is the Priest who makes us clean & presents us before the door of the heavenly Tab JUDE 24

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

25  To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

 

C) It is Jesus                         V.13-20

 

Now this is incredible to me – offerings are made

Sin offering – Sin nature    /   Burnt offering – Consecration of Self

Trespass offering – Specific sins

 

And the Blood is applied like we have seen before – Right ear – what He hears / Right  thumb – what He does w/ hands / Just like the Priest

A)Right big toe- where he walks -   All COVERED BY THE BLOOD

 

B) But then this man who has been cleansed w/ Leprosy is anointed w/ oil

1)   Only 4 groups of people were anointed w/ oil –

 

C) Kings :  David /  Prophets /  Priest & Lepers

     Prophets Priest & Kings – AND LEPERS

 

D) Why Lepers ?   - Servant girl ½ mile – go down to the stream / get water for her master – two pots – One had a little crack

1)   By the time she made it back to the Palace – the cracked pot was only ½ full 

 

E) One day the cracked pot said to the girl why do you bother w/ me

     1) Why don’t you get a New Pot ?   Ever noticed what was along the road   

       No – Flowers – You did that – Ever day Fresh Boutique for masters…

Guys that is what we all are – cracked pots – spill here & there – but God is into using Cracked Pots

A)Lepers -  Flesh rising -  Jesus has saved us – cleansed us

 

B) Our Spillings can now be testimonies of His redemptive work

 

 

Now v. 21-32 Same info – only slightly different animals offered for those who were poor – No excuses

A)V. 33-57 Cleansing of the House – 2 things to note

 

B) 1st v. 40- 42 Leprosy in the walls – take the wall out

 

C) 2nd v. 43-45 If comes back – tear down the house - & start over

 

Word from the Lord concerning  our Marriages

A)Leprosy in marriage – flesh rising – sore – tear down that wall

 

B) Others words – remodeling is in order – DEAL W/ IT !!!!

 

C) Comes back – Start over – a new House –

1)   Re-establish the Foundation – Your own individual walks w/ the Lord

 

 

Nehemiah yesterday – Ch. 6 Wall was finished / but doors not hung

A)Walls / gap where the gates were – Entrance / Protection

 

B) 10 gates –  all represent Jesus Sheep gate – Lamb / Fish gate – Fisher of men .   TEN GATES & DOORS -  Jesus not just gate but the Door

 

C) Gaps in the walls – Jesus – is the answer -  Connection /

1)   Your life – what is in the gaps- what is holding things together

 

D) Your Personality / Your gifting / Business / Education/ Music

 

V. 54- 57

A)Purpose Know when house is clean or unclean – 3 houses

 

B) 1st heart – Dwell …. Home in / No secret rooms

 

 

Literal home – FAMILY

 

 

 

This Church body -