We would like to look briefly at the question of leprosy in a garment, as presented in Leviticus 13:47-59.
The garment or skin suggests to the us the idea of a man’s circumstances or habits. This is a deeply practical point. We are to watch against the working of evil in our ways just as carefully as against evil in ourselves. The same patient investigation is observable with respect to a garment as in the case of a person. “The priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days” (vs. 50). There must be no indifference and no carelessness. Evil may creep into our habits and circumstances in numberless ways, and hence the moment we perceive anything of a suspicious nature, it must be submitted to a calm, patient process of priestly investigation. It must be shut up seven days in order that it may have full time to develop itself.
The Judgment of Evil
“And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean. He shall therefore burn that garment” (vss. 51-52). The wrong habit must be given up the moment I discover it. If I find myself in a thoroughly wrong position, I must abandon it. The burning of the garment expresses the act of judgment upon evil, whether in a man’s habits or circumstances. There must be no trifling with evil. In certain cases the garment was to be washed, which expresses the action of the Word of God upon a man’s habits. “Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more” (vs. 54). There is to be patient waiting in order to ascertain the effect of the Word. “And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed ... .thou shalt burn it in the fire” (vs. 55). When there is anything radically and irremediably bad in one’s position or habits, the whole thing is to be given up. “And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment” (vs. 56). The Word may produce such an effect, that the wrong features in a man’s character, or the wrong points in his position, are given up, and the evil gotten rid of. But if the evil continues, the whole thing must be condemned and set aside.
Good Habits
There is a richness of practical instruction in all this. We must look well to the position which we occupy, the circumstances in which we stand, the habits we adopt, the character we wear. There is special need of watchfulness. Every suspicious symptom and trait must be carefully guarded, lest it should prove in the sequel to be a spreading leprosy whereby we ourselves and others may be defiled. We may be placed in a position to which there are attached certain wrong things, which can be given up without entirely abandoning the position, and on the other hand we may find ourselves in a situation in which it is impossible to “abide with God.” Where the eye is single the path will be plain. Where the one desire of the heart is to enjoy the divine presence, we shall easily discover those things which tend to deprive us of that unspeakable blessing.
May our hearts be tender and sensitive! May we cultivate a deeper, closer walk with God; and may we carefully guard against every form of defilement, whether in person, in habit, or in association!
C. H. Mackintosh (adapted)