Leviticus 15:1-33 – Bodily Discharges

Read Leviticus 15:1-33

No promises were made that walking through the book of Leviticus would be easy. For Christians, since we have the New Covenant, we shouldn’t worry about having to follow all of these laws. But it still does us good to know what they are. For devout Jews still living under the Old Covenant, these rules are still followed–all but the sacrificing because the tabernacle and temple no longer exist. Back then, you might wonder how many days a month the average Israelite walked around unclean.

Sometimes we encounter passages like this and just wonder. God is touching on some personal things. I remember when having your period was something you wanted to keep hidden and were appalled when any spots appeared on your clothes. It’s a revelation to know that moment was talked about in the Bible as an “unclean” situation for the people God loved. Continue reading “Leviticus 15:1-33 – Bodily Discharges”

Leviticus 14:33-57 – Contaminated Houses

Read Leviticus 14:33-57

The priests are now recruited as housing inspectors. There certainly would be plenty to do in the land of Canaan. Interesting that God said he “may” contaminate some of the houses with mildew. Just in case, this passage instructs the Moses and Aaron what the priest’s proper conduct should be.

When Moses was given this law, the people were still living in tents. God is talking about the future here. The mold and mildew attaching itself to their current tent dwellings was discussed in an earlier chapter. Knowing houses were in their future, even potentially contaminated ones, had to give them hope that they wouldn’t be roaming around the wilderness forever. Continue reading “Leviticus 14:33-57 – Contaminated Houses”

Leviticus 14:1-32 – Pure Before God

Read Leviticus 14:1-32

I wonder how many people were cured of leprosy or similar skin disease requiring this purification. It would seem God is very serious about how to clean up after such a healing. There are multiple steps very dependent upon each other. And now that we have a clearer picture of the process, there are burnt offerings after all.

What surprised you most in this reading? For me, it was the sprinkling of dead bird blood on the healed person. How unpleasant! We may also be trying to imagine how somebody who has been shunned by society because of their disease would be able to afford the items required to perfect their purification. Continue reading “Leviticus 14:1-32 – Pure Before God”

Leviticus 13:47-59 – Contaminated Garments

Read Leviticus 13:47-59

What do you do when you see mold on your clothes? Maybe you’ve led a sheltered life and never experienced that. We had a problem in our last rental with a closet that held moisture – unbeknownst to me at least. Once I discovered my moldy clothes, they went immediately to the washing machine. Sadly, there were a few items that never came clean. I never thought to burn them!

When we come across passages like this, we can only marvel at how God thinks of everything. It opens our eyes to see the types of “issues” that people in Bible times had to deal with. If their climate was at all humid, it’s not surprising that mildew would set in. But I always picture the Promised land as dry and desert-like. Where did the mildew come from? Continue reading “Leviticus 13:47-59 – Contaminated Garments”

Leviticus 13:1-46 – Skin Diseases 101

Read Leviticus 13:1-46

Now the priests are taking on the role of a doctor to examine skin abnormalities that might set someone apart as ceremonially unclean. We need to remember that the priests were given discernment for these matters so they weren’t just guessing. Depending on the “diagnosis,” the priest “prescribed” certain actions, like quarantining. Notice this type of uncleanliness cannot be remedied with a burnt offering.

This chapter is not the most pleasant to read. I’m sure I’m not the only one who examined my skin quick for any abnormalities. Caring for our skin should be something we take seriously. I’ve seen firsthand the difference between using a good product on my skin and one that may be cheaper. Some people have a hard time believing I’m the age I am, and I’ve often had comments about my skin. Continue reading “Leviticus 13:1-46 – Skin Diseases 101”