Tag: Purification - Leviticus 13-15

Leviticus 14:14

The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

Tag:  Purification

Because the nation of Israel lived in the wilderness for 40 years, there were "health" laws provided by God to ensure that the nation didn't simply be consumed by some disease(s).  Most of the laws in this section speak of "leprous" disease.   The disease was a skin issue that had the potential to wipe out the others in the camp, so the leprous person would be sent outside that camp until the disease was healed.   When the leprous person returned to the camp they were to make a sacrifice.   The entire process is the purification of the camp and the people.  Note one commentator's thoughts:

"With blood from the guilt offering, the priest anoints the right extremities of the person being cleansed, signifying the cleansing of the whole person. This rite is reminiscent of the ordination of priests (Lev. 8:23–24). Then the priest takes oil and sprinkles it seven times before the Lord. This particular use of oil also recalls priestly ordination (Lev. 8:10–12). Seven-fold sprinkling is associated with sin offerings, which use blood, not oil, for sprinkling. Presumably the oil protects the sanctuary from contamination. Next oil is applied to the person in the same way the blood was, an act of cleansing the whole person again. The remaining oil is put on the head of the one to be cleansed as a final act of full purification. The sin offering, burnt offering, and grain offering are then sacrificed, completing the rites. Hope is effected, and cleansing is complete. The person’s relationship with God and the faith community had been fractured by impurity. Now atonement is accomplished, and the relationships are intact. The individual’s place in the community is restored. The person is able to fully enjoy God’s created world rather than coping with any disorder outside the camp. The camp is ordered by way of the Holy Presence. The use of the number seven, and especially the attention to seven days, remind the reader that God, according to Genesis 2, had completed the creation in seven days."

Purification then and NOW is at the heart of the character of God.  We no longer have to focus on disease the same way Israel did in those days since we have medicine and a modern health system.  But, the act of purity and faith in that act has not been replaced.  We now have leprous hearts that are contaminated with the sin of the world. It creeps into our homes and churches and lives and threatens to separate us from the blessings of God.  Our desire to seek purification in God's never-ending love is the same today. God can recreate in us purification... we must approach Him in faith and ask him to purify our thinking, our mind-sets, or patterns and habits.