Leviticus 13-14

Leviticus 13-14

The next section of Leviticus begins discussing all of the different laws that God expected the Israelites to follow. He begins in Leviticus 13 by discussing what is to be done to people with leprosy. This disease was considered to be unclean, and anyone who came in contact with the disease or a person with the disease would also be unclean. God also made it the responsibility of the priests to determine what was clean or unclean and how to determine when the disease had been cured. The priests did not only have to regulate all of the sacrifices and offerings, but they also had to determine what was clean or unclean (such as leprosy). Again, it is obvious that the priests had a huge role to fulfill, and that is why they were specifically chosen by God.

Knowing that people would be cured of this disease, God knew that He needed to provide a way for them to be pronounced clean again. In Leviticus 14 He outlines what the one with leprosy was to do as well as the priests. There was a specific ritual, involving some of the sacrifices that the unclean man was to go through, administered by the priest. After doing this according to God’s specific commands, he would be pronounced clean and would be allowed to reenter the camp. Although our culture has no reference to such a disease, primarily because we can now heal most diseases, this set of commands demonstrates obedience. God told them that they would be able to rejoin their people when they followed these specific commands for cleansing. The process expressed an outward obedience to God and His commands and serves as an example for us. We too should desire to be pure and clean before God, cleansed of our sin. He has forgiven us (healed us), but we must continue to live in obedience to His commands.

Matt