Leviticus 13

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Disease of Leprosy

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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The disease of leprosy illustrates the disease of sin.

  2. The discipline of the leper illustrates the discipline of the sinner.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Keep tabs on your associations!

QUESTIONS

  1. What is the theme of Leviticus 11-15?

  2. What is meant by “leprosy” in this chapter?

  3. What happened to a person who was declared unclean from leprosy?

  4. What New Testament passage backs up the spiritual principle that we should be aware of the defiling aspects of evil in this world as the Hebrews were to keep tabs on any mold or mildew in their garments?

  5. It was important for the Hebrews to use cleansing water on their infected garments or articles. What is the spiritual picture?

ANSWERS

  1. Ritual cleanliness

  2. The Hebrew word translated “leprosy” here is not limited to Hanson’s disease – the disease that we call leprosy today. The word is broad enough to include all kinds of skin diseases as well as mold or mildew in a garment or leather article.

  3. The leper had to be put outside the camp and the rest of the congregation had to know that he was outside the camp because he was unclean. If he was healed from his disease he could be received back into the congregation.

  4. In John 17 the Lord Jesus teaches the principle that we should be “in the world, but not of it.” See also Romans 12:2

  5. The water of God’s Word is important in keeping us sanctified. Ephesians 5:26 says that Christ sanctifies and cleanses His church with the washing of water by the word.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Discuss the ways mentioned and others you can think of in which the disease of leprosy illustrates the disease of sin.

  2. The treatment and discipline of lepers here illustrates church discipline. As an unclean leper had to be put outside the camp, so an unclean sinner (whose sin is obvious and affecting the public testimony of the local church) must be put out of fellowship. Have you ever seen church discipline handled properly? Was there a positive result?

CHALLENGE

  1. Just as personal garments had to be carefully checked for mold or mildew which could spread and contaminate the person wearing the garment, we must keep close tabs on our associations and not risk the danger of contamination or infection.

KEY VERSES

  • “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” Leviticus 13:45-46

Leviticus, Old Testament, TalksRon ReidLEVITICUS 13