This chapter describes the cleansing of lepers and leprous houses.
“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field. And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean.’ ” (v1- 8a)
This process has fascinating symbolism – let’s break it down.
– One bird is killed in running (fresh) water, keeping the carnage to a minimum. This is different than every other sacrifice which was not so “clean”. This is symbolic of Jesus dying for our sin – a heavenly being (represented by a bird) dies in an earthenware vessel (symbolic of our physical world and the tomb). Though He died a brutal death, He remained clean (symbolized by the fresh water mixing with the blood). On the cross, a soldier pierced Jesus’ side to see if He was dead, and both “blood and water” flowed from the wound (Jn 19:4).
– The cedar wood is rot and disease resistant, so using it in a cleansing ritual makes sense. The wood is also symbolic of the cross.
– Hyssop is the same type of branch that is dipped in sour wine and put to Jesus’ lips as He’s dying on the cross (Jn 19:29).
– The scarlet cord is symbolic of Jesus’ cleansing and redemptive blood. Rehab uses a scarlet cord in Jericho to “save” the Jewish spies and deliver them from death.
– The second bird, though dipped in water and the blood of the first bird, is set free. This is symbolic of all those who are washed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus – we are set free from the power of sin and death thanks to Jesus dying in our place.
– Finally the cleansed person will shave off all of their hair and bathe. This is symbolic of being born again, emerging from the water naked and bare like the day we are born – receiving a fresh start. Baptism still symbolizes this today (though we are not forced to be clean shaven, thankfully).
Just as we said the other day that leprosy is symbolic of sin, so the cleansing of leprosy is symbolic of our cleansing from sin. The two are inextricably linked. Since all disease is an outcome from sin, cleansing of disease is closely tied to the cleansing of sin.
What does this mean for us today? It means that all corruption (both spiritual/emotional and physical) are a result of sin entering this world, and all healing (both spiritual/emotional and physical) are exclusively found in God. With all of our medical technology it’s easy to forget God is the absolute source of healing – He can choose to work through doctors and medications, but He can also choose not to (not every person receives equal healing from every medication and doctor, right?). Let’s praise God for the health that we do have, and not bemoan the health we don’t have. God allows us to go through trials for a reason, so I suggest we try to make the best of it, draw near to God no matter the circumstance, and attempt to be thankful and content in all things.
This snippet from Paul sums it up for me: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-10)
Father God, thank you so much for the wondrous gift of Your presence. You don’t have to make Yourself known to us, yet You choose to. Thank you for dying for our sin on the cross, opening the door for cleansing and redemption. Thank you for the many ways in which You show us Your healing love, and for desiring to partner with us on life’s journey. We praise You within our circumstances, no matter how great or how terrible, and we draw near to You our Lord. Father all honor, glory, and praise be to You, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world and heals the sickness that our own sin created. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training