Leviticus 15:1-331And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. 3And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. 4Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. 5And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 6And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 7And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 8And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 9And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. 10And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 11And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 12And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. 13And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. 14And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest: 15And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue. 16And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. 17And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even. 18The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even. 19And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 23And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. 24And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. 26Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 27And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 28But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 30And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. 31Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. 32This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 33And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean. (Leviticus 15:1‑33)
WE NOW pass from leprosy to other defilements. They indicate the sad and shameful effects of sin. They might not be so serious as leprosy, nevertheless they called for cleansing.
To no other nation but Israel had God taken such pains to show where the human race is through sin. If God Himself did not teach us through His Word, we would never learn the truth as to man’s shameful fall and of the effects of sin upon all Adam’s children. Israel learned it through the law; “through the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)); however, through Christ and His cross we learn in the fullest and most perfect way what sin is in all its loathesomeness and hatefulness to God.
Man is not as God created him; he has fallen, and here we read how God instructed the Israelite of old to judge his state. It was not pure and sinless nature as it came from the hand of God, but nature ruined and unclean.
Human standards might be well enough for other nations, for the world around us, but an Israelite was to submit to the God of Israel regulating the entire life of His earthly people, both public and prate. It was impossible for the Israelite to avoid these terms, nor would the godly wish to do so, but would welcome them because they were from the Lord Himself.
These cases of physical uncleanness speak to us of a deeper evil. The Lord said to the multitude, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” Matt. 15:1111Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. (Matthew 15:11). And he went on to tell His disciples, “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart; and they defile the man.” v. 18.
Every case demanded purifying. The Jew was to use water, but to us cleansing is through the washing of water by the Word, the water that flowed from Christ in death, as we read in John 19 and 1 John 5.
Some of these things mentioned could not be prevented and were even necessary; still the Word of God (like the water) needs to be constantly applied to all our ways. One might have an infirmity which he cannot help or prevent, but still he needs the application of the Word and the death of Christ lest his infirmity be a means of his getting out of communion with the Lord.
Seven days, a complete term, was necessary for cleansing. The man’s clothes were to be washed and his person bathed in running water. Then on the eighth day he was to take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord. Rich and poor alike were to bring the same. One little bird was offered as the sin offering, and the other as a burnt offering. One was to put away the evil and the other to impart full acceptance in all the worthiness of Christ. Thus the day of resurrection was the day of deliverance, and defilement was a thing of the past, but not without recalling to us Christ, the One great sacrifice.
In that soon coming day Israel will rejoice to sing, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,... who healeth all thy diseases” (Psa. 103:2,32Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:2‑3)); and we, His heavenly people, called on high, shall sing His praise in brighter and better scenes, where sin can never come.
ML-04/16/1972