Journal Through the Bible: Week 18 Saturday

Source

Leviticus chapter 14

Does God make any promises in this chapter?

• No, but the implication is that there would be lepers healed even though such things might have seemed impossible to the Israelites.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• The offerings were types of Christ. In this case they were given in thanksgiving for miraculous healing. Jesus told the lepers that He healed to go to the priests and give the offerings as commanded by Moses.
• As mentioned yesterday, Jesus is our High Priest who understands not only our spiritual sicknesses but also our physical ones since He took on flesh and became one of us. He conquered not only our spiritual death but our physical one.

Are there any references to future events?

• No, but the implication is that there will not be moldy houses in eternity!  :)  
• We also will be healed from all our previously incurable diseases but we will not be required to make the sacrifices because Jesus already did that for us when He gave Himself on the cross as our atonement and then raised Himself from the dead after three days and three nights in the tomb.

Does God issue any commands?

• God gave instructions to Moses concerning the offering given by a leper who had been healed. Two live birds were to be taken to the priest. One bird would be killed in a dish held over running water. The living bird as well as cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop would be dipped in the blood of the slain bird. This would be sprinkled on the former leper seven times. Then the live bird would be taken to a field and released. The leper would shave himself, then wash himself and his clothes before returning to the camp but he would live outside his tent for seven days. After seven days he would shave and wash again. Then he would take two lambs, one a ewe and the other a ram, and the designated amount of flour and oil for a meat offering to the priest. The male lamb would be offered as a  trespass offering. That and the oil would be a wave offering. Some of the lamb's blood would be put upon the former leper's right ear, thumb, and big toe. The priest would then put oil in his left hand and dip one of his right fingers into it before sprinkling it seven times before the LORD.  Part of the oil would be placed on the right ear, thumb, and big toe of the former leper. The rest of the oil would be poured on the man's head prior to the sin offering being given for the man's atonement. This was to be followed by the burnt offering and the meal offering. Poor men were allowed to substitute by bringing only one lamb for the trespass offering to be waved, as well as less flour and oil for the meat offering. He also was allowed to bring two turtledoves or pigeons for the sin offering and burnt offering in place of the ewe lamb given for the sin and burnt offerings.
• God also gave instructions to Moses for the cleansing of houses that they would possess in the Promised Land. (The description of the "plague" within the house sounds like mold, mildew, or fungus growing on the walls.) Infected building materials were to be removed and thrown into an unclean place outside of the city walls. If the whole house was affected it was to be razed. 
• God commanded that the people who went into an infected house wash themselves and their clothes and be declared unclean until the evening.
• God commanded that a sacrificial offering be given (similar to the offering of two birds given by a healed leper) for a healed house.