Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Feb 7th, 2023 Unclean, Unclean! by Paul Meyer

Today’s Passage – Leviticus 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – John 7 – 8; Proverbs 7; Psalms 36 – 40)

Read a previous post from this morning’s reading – Unclean

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 19

Read the “0207 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Over the last few years I have had the privilege of studying and teaching the Pentateuch in our Berean Bible Institute Adult Bible class. Through this study I’ve come to the conclusion that Leviticus is my favorite book in the Old Testament. Leviticus shows us the deep and meticulous care God has for our everyday life. The passage we will study today has wide application, as much of Leviticus does. 

First, and foremost, the passage seeks to keep Israel physically pure. History teaches us that some of the greatest destroyers of nations do not carry a sword and shield but come as diseases that spread from person to person. Secondly, the passage seeks to keep Israel ritually pure. It may seem unfair but God is not running a charitable organization, he wants the best to serve him. The priests couldn’t be blemished (Leviticus 21:17-21), the penance couldn’t be blemished (Leviticus 4:3) and here the parishioner could not be blemished. Thirdly, this passage seeks to see all of Gods people spiritually pure. 

Leprosy is a filthy, grotesque, repulsive disease; it starts innocently in the body but over time leaves it’s host dismembered, marred, and scarred. The way the priest approaches leprosy should be mirrored in our approach to sin – no quarter given, no mercy, complete and utter annihilation. I’d like to give some passing thoughts on the subject of leprosy.  

1. Sin affects more than the host 

“And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.” (Leviticus 13:6)

It’s easy to become so self focused with sin that we believe it isn’t a communicable disease. Sin is congenital (Romans 5:12), sin is hereditary (1 Kings 15:3), perhaps sin even affects the clothes we wear (Jude 1:23). 

2. Sin wholly infects its host

“And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest lookers; Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.” (Leviticus 13:12-14)

What better way to view sin as “raw flesh”. The connotation here gives us a picture of the body in its natural state, in its natural element the flesh is the perfect environment for the procurement of sin. It need not be taught to our youth, the desire and inclination abides naturally. Where sin can naturally exist, naturally it will infect. (Romans 7:24-25) 

3. The treatment for hidden sin is the same for visible sin

“If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;… He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more: … Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.” (Leviticus 13:29,33,36)

The lepers here are far more honorable than the sinner. The leper sees a fellow leper in worse estate but knows their condition remain the same. The diagnosis is death, what does it matter if one dies before the other – the outcome remains the same – death. How easy is it for us to compare our sin to others? The Bible shows us that the ultimate conclusion of sin is death (James 1:15) 

4. Sin leaves its host embarrassed and lonely

“And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 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.” (Leviticus 13:45-46)

Imagine finding yourself in a 3 Michelin starred restaurant in the middle of Paris. The men all dressed in tuxedos and the women in gowns. The expectations of the food are just as high as the expectations for the guests. Imagine walking in in tattered clothes, covered head to toe in mud. As all of the eyes in the restaurant turn to you, the staff exits the kitchen into the dining room, you cry out at the top of your lungs “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN”. You are absolutely humiliated, understandably so! Is this not the way we would walk the streets of gold if sin could abide in the presence of God? The angels wouldn’t look at you! The saints couldn’t stomach your existence! And God? Well He wouldn’t make himself even remotely accessible. A destitute and hopeless position to be in if you were a leper, but there is hope! Jesus, the friend of sinners, finds himself outside the camp (Hebrews 13:13) 

5. Sin is hopeless except for supernatural healing 

“And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2 – 3)

What a thought that when we were hopeless, when sin had taken hold of us, when we had no right to help. Jesus stepped in. Its made all the difference in my life, and I know you will all say the same. This victory is not conceived by our own power or our own will but by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. I hope this thought is a blessing to you as much as it has been to me. God, help me to detest sin, to shun sin, to give no quarter to sin. God, when I inevitably fail; forgive me, cleanse me, help me to not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. 

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55 – 57)