Leviticus 15
New International Version (NIV)
Leviticus
15
Discharges
Causing Uncleanness
31 “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them
unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling
place,[b] which is among them.’”
32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone
made unclean by an emission of semen, 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a
discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is
ceremonially unclean.
Daniel’s Thoughts:
Honestly this is not going to be my favorite Blog
post ever. Also I left out all of the details on what makes a person unclean due to a discharge and how to cleanse and give offerings to make atonement before the Lord. Ok, so yeah apparently discharges both natural and due to sicknesses
make people ceremonially unclean. I think this is an important distinction:
there is ceremonial uncleanness and then moral uncleanness. The past several
chapters in Leviticus have dealt with ceremonial uncleanness. God cares about
his people. He desires them to be clean in their heart: morally and clean
physically – their health. God is pure and holy and so are his dwelling places.
As a place of congregation and meeting with God, God has set regulations to
keep people who are sick and could make others sick away from these holy
places.
Coming from a modern day and age of
disinfectants and sterilized public places makes all of this seem insignificant.
Additionally because of my Christian background rooted in grace where we are
washed clean by Jesus’ blood I have a hard time relating to the laws in
Leviticus.
I think of Jesus healing of the woman who had
been unclean and isolated for twelve years: Jesus did not allow this woman to
be isolated and suffer. Jesus even thought he is on his way to heal a dying
girl stops and does not let this woman who was healed go without speaking to
her. Considering Leviticus 15 and the law this woman just made all she touched
in the crowd and Jesus unclean. Yet Jesus speaks to her with love calling her
daughter. This woman had likely been alone and isolated for these 12 years.
Here God you showed her abundant love and not only healed her but also spoke to
her with love and comfort. God how can you allow people to be isolated and
suffer like this? For not all were healed in the past and many people in the
world still live lives of suffering and isolation.
Luke 8: 40-48.
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were
all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at
Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about
twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the
crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve
years,[c] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and
immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus
asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and
pressing against you.”46 But Jesus
said, “Someone touched me; I know
that power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came
trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why
she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he
said to her,“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Daniel’s Prayer:
God
You are holy and pure
You call us to be clean and holy
Yet I believe that it is what comes from
the heart
That makes us unclean
Help me to understand your law and the
significance to us under grace
and in modern society
Thank you God for showing your love to us
and to this woman.
Create in me a pure heart God.
Teach me what it means to be clean and to
honor you.
Amen
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