The Leper and the Lamb(Sinners Need a Robe-Part 2)

In the Law we read how the leper was treated, the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (Lev 13:45, 46) A leper was told to dress down as a sign to others. He would tear his clothes and was not to cover his head at all except a cloth over his mouth. The leper could never go to a house of worship. However, today...we have many Lepers of Sin in our churches.

Many sinners today dress better than saints which can fool people into thinking they are righteous. God can look at the soul of a person and see their sin plainly as we see the corrupted skin of a disease. The point is made that there are always sinners in the church but they should be expected to confess their sins and become saved. It must have been wonderful to watch the change in the life of a person after they were healed from leprosy and went through the process of being restored to society. This is so much like a person being saved from sin that a comparison is easy to see.

How thrilled the healed leper was as he looked for someone to go up and set-up a meeting between the priest and himself. His helper must have known something about the Law as many did in those days. This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and behold if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper .(Lev 14:2,3) The leper was required to let the priest inspect his body and declare him healed after his disease had dried up. However, this leper still needed the desire to be cleansed spiritually because it was a tedious and expensive process. The leper was not considered a part of God's people and he was required to live in a place outside the camp. However, it was mandatory that the priest meet with the leper, if the leper asked for the cleansing ceremony. God is still answering the call of unclean people when they ask for His help. Salvation has been provided as the remedy for those who call on God to change their life. We must be finished with sin and show our interest in God's ceremony.

The stream of water that isolated the Jewish camp from the leper colony must have seemed very inviting on the morning the priest came to visit. As the representative of God approached, he saw the hopeful leper with his little box of birds and other items required for the ceremony. What a feeling rushed over them both when the words "you are healed" were spoken and the sounds of running water surrounded them. Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. (Lev 14:4) This prelude to the main ceremony was an overview of what the Savior would do for mankind. Everything here was done out in the field reminding us that the Lord seeks to save those, in any condition, who are lost. The many hidden meanings in this passage are fantastic, for example, the clay bowl symbolized the humanity of Jesus. Only a man of flesh (created from dirt) would be allowed to redeem humanity.

We don't know what was in the leper's mind as he cut the neck of that little bird and let the blood run into a bowl the priest was holding but he was following God by faith and obedience. The death of this animal was taking place beside the stream so they were able to perform it over the moving water. The Bible teaches us that running water is symbolic of the Spirit of God who provides the living power to fulfill the plan of salvation.

The overture is extended with the seven sprinklings which refer to the complete workings of the Holy Spirit. The wood symbolized the use of the cross, some scarlet for the blood Jesus gave, and the hyssop for the suffering of Christ. One man was killed so that many other people could be set free from their sin. We can see the power of the perfect blood of Christ as these old Laws have been replaced by his death. No one can be saved by following the Old Testament rules but the ancient pictures and patterns do show us how God thinks and what he expects from mankind. We don't even need money to buy sacrifices anymore because Jesus has sacrificed himself. What a beautiful symbol of freedom as the other bird was set free, after being dipped in the blood, just as we can be released into the freedom of a holy heaven someday. If only people could feel the way the leper did on the day he was pronounced free of leprosy.

There will be a building of our confidence as we comprehend these beautiful pictures from the Old Testament and then read what the author of Hebrews said about them; For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Heb 10:1) We can clearly see now that Jesus is the image which was being foreshadowed in the Law and how important it is to find His Robe of Righteousness. The pictures are also to highlight the fact that man is separated from God and needs a perfect sacrifice if he is ever going to live with God. A man living during the Old Testament times was to obey the law but he could not go to heaven until Jesus came and provided the Way. Ancient people of God simply went to a holding place and waited for the Savior to come to earth. Today a servant of God has the privilege of going directly to be with Jesus when they die and this belief is the secret of our hope.

The Leper and the Lamb-(Sinners Need a Robe-Part 1)

Long ago, in the first garden on Earth, a man and woman struggled to cover their naked bodies. The couple had disobeyed their Creator and they were in need of a covering. When God came to visit, they hid themselves because they had been unsuccessful covering themselves with tree foliage. Then God killed the first sacrifice and made coats of animal skins to cover the naked people. We have the same problem today and God will make a robe for each of us if we come to Him in the proper way.

The robe is not given to us in an indiscriminate way because it is made of the righteousness that was paid for by the blood of Christ. A great prophet of God once told of his joy at receiving the beautiful robe of righteousness, my soul shall be joyful in my god; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments (Is 61:10) Isaiah went on to prophesy that the gentiles would someday have the opportunity to own a robe. This robe is very important because we are all spiritually naked. The robe is to cover our bad nature because no one is born pure. Our sins must also be forgiven by the Savior. Anyone wanting to live with God must have this robe of righteousness to cover their fallen nature.

In this discourse, our fallen nature is compared to a person with leprosy. If a child was born to a leprous parent it would have the disease, similar to how all our children are born in sin. We must all be recreated in the image of God or perish and this is why Jesus said we need a second birth. The first man had fallen away from the image of God and now all his descendants need to be made over again.

Many people want to be in the image of God but they make a fatal mistake when they do no obey God completely. Adam obeyed God for a time but one day because of circumstances he felt the need to disobey a command of the Almighty. Disobedience is called "sin" by God and will always separate us from Him. Paul tells us that we may be recreated when the Spirit of Christ lives in us and brings "life because of (the robe of) righteousness." See Romans 8:10b

The prescription for the healing of our fatal disease (we are Lepers of Sin) is contained in the scriptures but it is a mystery to people using normal logic. Jesus explained this to his followers when he said Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables. (Mk 4:11) God does not allow sinful people to understand the mystery of salvation because He is looking for people of faith who want only to trust Him. God is looking for real followers. He is not interested in saving people who are just looking for "fire insurance" so they may live their life anyway they desire. The Creator allows only real seekers to understand the way to eternal life. Everyone must desire a life different from our natural walk or we will never find salvation. The Lord is very clear when he tells us the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8) Death will come to everyone and we must decide now what is to be our final destination. We should be seeking help with all our strength because people, in their own power, cannot live a life that is acceptable to God. Let us seek Christ and wear his robe of righteousness to cover ourselves.

The leper was required to cleanse both his soul (need the robe) and also his body (need forgiveness). At least one law has been broken by each of us and we are therefore guilty of a sin that needs forgiveness. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10) We must understand that to break one law makes us a sinner because only perfection counts in God's world. Terror should grip any heart when it realizes we are living with a fatal disease. We all face the horrible penalty of incarceration in the eternal Lake of Fire which rages for eternity, to carry out the punishment of mankind. There is no chance for our redemption until we are gripped by a conviction of each sin and we admit our need of cleansing. Jesus Christ will cleanse us from our sins and save us if we come to Him in faith and follow Him forever.