February 20 - Leviticus 12:1-14:32

Good morning everyone,

Today we begin our reading with the purification after child birth. Now, some of you may be thinking, TMI, right? Too much information? Or if you’re like me and grew up in an atmosphere where “this” was just not talked about, you might feel a little bit uncomfortable, however this short chapter 12 with its 8 verses are so critical to us and the way we think. This chapter helps us to see that babies, as cute and as lovable as they can be, are every bit sinners just like you and me. Babies are not born, we were not born, with a “clean slate” so to speak. Man is not a sinner because he sins, but rather he sins because he is a sinner. With that in mind you can see why the woman would have to take a sin offering to the priest who would then make atonement for her sins. ~ Why was the woman and baby unclean twice as long if she gave birth to a girl? The reason for that is the baby boy’s sin was addressed through circumcision but obviously the girl baby could not go that route.

Chapters 13 and 14 talk about leprosy; identifying it and dealing with it. What is leprosy? Awful! That’s what. It is a skin disease, in today’s world we call it Hansen’s disease, it slowly deteriorates the body, most cases are fatal and it is highly contagious. Fun stuff, right? The Bible often likens leprosy to sin; it begins beneath the surface of the skin as something small that one wouldn’t give a whole lot of thought to, but then it would develop and begin to grow, spreading throughout the body. The bones would begin to soften, fingernails would be no more, and the nose would fall off. Not a pretty picture. 

Leprosy destroyed senses, that is to say they would no longer feel pain. Just the same as sin, a person could be blinded for a very long time to the fact that they even had leprosy until one day they accidentally stepped in burning embers or got poked by a needle and they didn’t feel a thing. In Ephesians 4:18-19 it says “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” So you see, the enemy with all his glitter and enticing offers, telling you “you deserve better”, and will do all he can to woo you away from what you love, what you know to be right. Things that use to repulse you, things you said you would “never” do, will begin to look not quite so bad, exciting even. Sin will have dulled your senses.

People who got leprosy, because it was so contagious, had to be isolated from the population,  separated from friends and family, the ones they loved. Again, sin is just like that; it is exactly like that! It causes distance in families and friends, it causes life changes that are not asked for or welcomed, leaving in its wake the broken hearts of those who were once so dear to you and some who still are. 

Leprosy had no known cure so in most cases it was fatal. Sin too, if you let it infest you, and blind you is also fatal. I need to, you need to, we ALL need to continually be checking our hearts and asking God to reveal to us any rousing sin that the enemy could be taunting us with, always be on guard with armor on, ready to do battle for what is good and righteous, always keeping our eyes on the prize. 

I pray you have a good day. To God the Father be all the glory.

God bless you all …