Leviticus 14: Cleansing Personally and Communally

Leviticus 14

New International Version (NIV)

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

¹ The LORD said to Moses, ² “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest: ³ The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,^[a] 

...

³¹ one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the one to be cleansed.”

³² These are the regulations for anyone who has a defiling skin disease and who cannot afford the regular offerings for their cleansing.

Cleansing From Defiling Molds

³³ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ³⁴ “When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land, ...

⁵⁴ These are the regulations for any defiling skin disease, for a sore, ⁵⁵ for defiling molds in fabric or in a house, ⁵⁶and for a swelling, a rash or a shiny spot, ⁵⁷ to determine when something is clean or unclean.These are the regulations for defiling skin diseases and defiling molds.

Daniel's Thoughts:


After chapter 13 explains all the regulations for determining if a person is clean or still sick, now God instructs Moses and the Israelites what to do when a person is healed how to cleanse them. This is something that is hard for me to understand why these people are not only sick but also ceremonially unclean and in need of atonement. To help myself I compare it to guilt and sin and how we are washed as white as snow through the sacrifice of Christ.

God cares about these people and when it is safe for them to return to their people and they are no longer infectious God has a plan for them. They were to make an offering and God's priests would make atonement for them. Then they would be completely clean and accepted. They could reenter society. People would know they are clean. After years of isolation God makes it abundantly clear to others they can no longer isolate the healed person. They are completely clean and the Israelite community must accept them back joyfully because one who was lost has been able to return. They no longer needed to yell unclean wherever they went. They could be touched and welcomed with loving embraces.

Verse 34 sticks out to me because God says when I give you this land and put this spreading disease in your house. Why would God do that? Why would God make a house he has given to his people unclean? It hits home the fact that there is disease, famine and other natural disasters in the world. God created all things good, yet he allows and even sends these things into our world and our lives.

Again I have to come back to I trust you God, I don't understand but I trust you are good and you love us. Somehow this is all for your glory and brings about good.

Daniel's Prayer:

Loving Father

I know your love for people.

Thank you for cleansing your people.

Thank you for not being satisfied with that,

but also removing guilt and social barriers. 

You heal us personally and communally. 

God I thank you that in Christ our high priest

the sacrifice for our sin is complete

 and we are washed completely clean.

Amen