Day 48 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 48 – Leviticus 14 – 15  (cleansing lepers, homes, men/women)

Yesterday’s reading was about recognizing some “unclean” things that Israel was to avoid. Today’s is about the cleansing process of those things (but not food).

Chapter 14 describes elaborate rituals, washings, and offerings over two weeks to determine if a person is actually recovered/healed from leprosy. It involved an examination of the person (outside the camp) and a collection of two clean birds, cedarwood, scarlet yarn and hyssop for the person (either by his family, or by other priests). (This is what Jesus told the 10 healed lepers to do to begin the process.  “Go show yourselves to the priest”) Luke 17:14

One bird was killed and it’s blood mixed with water in a basis. The cedar & hyssop was tied together by the scarlet yarn and, along with the living bird, dipped into the mix of water and blood. This symbolized  purification. The then released living bird symbolized the person’s release from quarantine. This process reminds me of Titus 3:4-5

After that, the former leper had to wash his clothes, shave all over, and bathe. After another week outside the camp he’d be examined again. If still “clean” he would bring 3 lambs and some flour and oil as an offering. A dab of blood from one lamb killed for the guilt offering would be placed on his right ear, thumb & big toe. Again with the oil. (Provision was made if the person was poor.)

Houses (once in the Promised Land) might need cleansing from mold, fungus, and mildew. There was a ritual for that too involving examinations, waiting periods, scraping & replacing. If it persisted the house would be torn down. If it didn’t, an offering was made and then it would be livable.

This all was a protection for the people against contagious disease and prevalent, dangerous mold/fungus.. Cleansing seemed to always involve water and blood, and makes us look to Jesus.

Chapter 15 tells about what makes men and women temporarily unclean. Bodily fluid discharges, whether during a woman’s monthly period and childbirth, or a man’s seminal release. Also about diseased discharges.  It’s kind of gross to read, but important to keep Israel clean physically and spiritually. And again to show on a greater scale, the absolute HOLINESS and separateness of God, who must be set apart from His sinful chosen people.

Again, this all seems to point to the ultimate cleansing FROM SIN that will come through faith in the sacrificial death & resurrection of Jesus Christ.