All My Skin is Falling Off of Me
Leprosy. It puts me in mind of a song. Sing with me now.
Leprosy.
All my skin is falling of me.
I'm not half the man I used to be.
Oh I believe I have leprosy.
Sick? Maybe. Twisted? Likely. Mildly amusing? Definitely.
But not in Bible times. Leprosy was a cruel disease that would not only strip a person of their comfort and their life it would separate them from family and friends.
Leviticus 13 & 14 are the Mosaic Law pertaining to leprosy. Today we call it Hanson's disease and most of us are genetically immune. But there are still places in the world where people suffer from this dreadful disease.
Wikipedia tells me that Hanson's disease is basically a bacterial infection that spreads through the air, attacks the immune system and eats away the flesh of it's victims. Limbs falling off as the result of leprosy is more urban legend than reality, but it is a disease that will cause one to lose the use of their limbs and will eventually take their life. Today we have a modern antibiotic cocktail to treat such a disease.
In Biblical times the treatment was more akin to quarantine than any real treatment and the Biblical law speaking to it made it clear. These people were UNCLEAN.
There's really a world of things to explore here qand I'm far from an expert on any of them so today there is really only one question I will try to answer.
What is the significance of being UNCLEAN?
UNCLEAN
In the Old Testament people were declared unclean for a variety of reasons. Sickness, like leprosy; touching dead things; men and/or women after certain natural biological functions - these are the kinds of things that could make one unclean. Generally the affect was that the unclean person had to separate themselves from others for a prescribed period of time, wash themselves and/or their clothes and give some kind of offering or sacrifice after being examined by a priest.
Being unclean wasn't always about a sin committed but was often about an action or activity that could potentially harm the individual involved or others.
It makes me wonder. What kinds of things do we experience today that make us unclean in the sight of God or others.
Are there things in our lives that aren't necessarily sinful, but they also aren't beneficial. Are there things in our lives that would force our temporary separation from God and/or His people? This passage on leprosy tells me a few things about being unclean.
1. I can't tell on my own when I'm unclean. The people went to the priests to find out if they had leprosy. Who do you trust to examine the contents of your life?
2. The separation that results from being unclean is for my protection and the protection of others. It may feel like punishment. It may not be what I want, but in the end it's better for me and others.
3. Getting clean is about what God does in me and my response to Him. In this passage the leper had to be healed by God and in response to that washed himself, his clothes and gave an offering.
There's so much more to be said here and much more study on this I need to do.
Today - examine yourself, talk with a friend. What areas of your life are potentially unclean?
Created over 1 year ago
