Warts and All

O. T. #280  "Warts and All"
May 1, 2014
Leviticus 13
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, when a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy: then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests. 
 Leviticus 13:1-2

LET IT GLOW

What woman likes to have spots? I'm talking about those ugly brown age spots, those icky warts, pimples, or even red spots from the heat or sun. I think I can safely say none of us do. I recently have a wart return again, on the same finger, mind you. It went away for a while. What an ugly thing! Guess I will have to wrap electrical tape around it for a week or two. (old remedy that works) Did you know that warts are caused by a virus? Oh, you got to love me, warts and all.
Some Israelites had something worse than a small virus on their finger, it was white spots on their face and limbs called leprosy. Don't leave me now. There was hope for them.

In chapters 13 and 14, we read about leprosy, which pictures sin. Also, they illustrate what Jesus Christ has done to cleanse sinners. Leprosy was and is a disease in which white patches appeared on the skin, with runny sores, that could result in the loss of fingers and toes. If any Israelites thought they had leprosy, they were required be examined by the priest.

How does leprosy picture sin?
Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament explains more:

• It is deeper than the skin. (verse 3) Leprosy was under the skin and had erupted the skin's surface. Our sin problem is not on the surface, but is in the heart, with the old sin nature surfacing.
• It spreads. (verse 7) Leprosy is not an isolated sore on one part of the body; it had a way of spreading and defiling the whole body. Sin also spreads: it begins as a thought, then follows a desire, then an act, then the terrible results (James 1:13-15).
• It defiles. (verses 44-46) Lepers were not allowed to participate in the religious services, due to ceremonial defilement. they were forced to mark themselves and cry out "Unclean!" to warn people. Anyone who touched a leper was also defiled. Similarly, sin defiles the mind, heart, the body, and all that it touches.
• It isolates. (verse 46) Lepers were forced to live outside the camp, dwelling alone. Sin isolates people. Sin takes us away from family, friends, and ultimately, from God.
• It destines things for the fire. (verse 52) Garments defiled with leprosy had to be burned. There is one place for sin, that is in the fires of judgment. spiritual lepers will be consigned to the eternal fires of judgment if they have never trusted Christ as their Savior.

LET IT GROW

People may laugh at sin, excuse it, or try to explain it away, but God takes sin seriously.
We are not alone when it comes to being a sinner. To name a couple, David committed adultery and then murder (2 Sam. 11). Achan brought sin into the camp and judgment upon his family and nation when he disobeyed God's command to not take any of the spoils from the battle at Ai (Joshua 7).

Isaiah 64:6 tells us, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...

We have all fallen short of God's standards. (Rom. 3:23) But we have hope, dear ones. It was us sinners that Jesus came to die for. He met the standards which God required for payment of our sins since we could not do, because our righteousness is as filthy rags. We are sinners in need of a Savior.

Such love that God has for us! Will you accept this free gift of salvation and eternal life? It is by grace that we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

*Next post describes the cleansing of the sinner and leper.

LET IT GO

Admit I am a sinner.

Believe Jesus died in my place.

Confess my sins and a need for a Savior.

Keep confessing, even after I am saved.