"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." (I Corinthians 10:11 NKJV)
(The Apostle, Paul.)
Paul wrote pretty close to 3/4 of the New Testament. If he was the one who "wrote" it, what part of the Bible did he reference? The only part he could, of course: The Old Testament. What else was there, right? I say "wrote" because though it was his pen that put the words on paper, the Holy Spirit is the Author. He was just another Jewish secretary.
He said that everything thing that happened to the Children of Israel--all the laws written there, all the stories and all their history, were written for our benefit and admonition.
The law was not written for the believer to keep letter by letter, however, but to see Christ unveiled in them. The Law is not our present dispensation; it is past for us: Old Covenent. Otherwise you'd be hearing sermons on the right way to choose your lamb, the correct way to offer a right sacrifice, the importance of circumcising for your male family members, etc.
We now go into the Old Testament to see Jesus. He's there...EVERYWHERE! If you remember nothing else, remember this: The law is most certainly NOT given to us so that modern-day Pharisees--pastors who preach the law--can use it to condemn God's people, puting believers back under the yoke of bondage.
Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My sheep," remember? He didn't say "Beat My sheep." Preaching law is beating, not feeding. He didn't come to give us laws, laws and more laws but life and life more abundantly! AMEN!
Everything that happened to the Israelites serve as examples, like visual aids, so that we can learn from their mistakes. Why suffer unnecessary pain? Their "object lessons," if you will, were directed in particular to those "upon whom the end of the ages have come." That's us...now...today! We are most assuredly the generation that will see the rapture happen and the end of all the ages. We are the last generation. (For more on this topic, follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/08/on-third-day.html)
So how on earth does Leviticus show us the love of Jesus? Let's go see. It's all found, believe it or not, in the Law Of Leprosy.
Leprosy?
YES, leprosy!
"Isn't that in the book of Leviticus?"
Yes. I know many don't really get a whole lot out of this book and maybe your pages are all stuck together there. I never liked reading that part either until I learned to go looking for Jesus in the Old Testament. When you look at this Law IN LIGHT OF THE FINISHED WORK. I promise: It will give you goosebumps!
(A leper in ancient Israel.)
Leviticus 14:1-3
"1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 'This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. 3 And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him....."
2 'This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. 3 And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him....."
We have such a wonderful Savior! The book of Leviticus has some of the most beautiful descriptions of Him, particularly this law.
In many circles leprosy is considered a typology of sin but it also represents any kind of physical sickness or incurable disease. Back in ancient Israel it was rampant, incurable and quite the scourge. Fortunately today, thanks to modern medicine, we pretty much have it under control.
The Bible does not differentiate between sin and sickness. The same word in Isaiah 63 used for when He "carried" our sins is also used when it says He "carried" our diseases. THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE SUFFER and don't receive our healing for which Jesus OVERpaid.....DEARLY!
There would be many more supernatural healings if Christians in general understood that Jesus carried both sin AND sickness in His body on the cross. Any time you hear preaching about how Jesus has cleansed you of "all sin," just say to yourself, "and all my sicknesses." You'll be right!
If your sin has been dealt with then your sicknesses have been dealt with, too. That's why Jesus told the paralytic his sins were forgiven because he couldn't receive his healing until he was assured he was right with God.
The Church in general also does not preach that ALL OUR SINS for our entire lives are cleansed-->in other words, total forgiveness-->but only those in the past up to your latest confession-->partial forgiveness.
(For more on this topic, follow the link below:
This is the #1 reason why we see only SOME OF OUR SICKNESSES are healed. Partial teaching = partial healing; some healed, some not. You see, the people cannot rise higher than the preaching they hear from their pastor because God deals with us through headships and leaderships. Now you know why it's so critical for pastors to understand correctly, to teach right things to the people and to rightly divide the word of God. It affects them in every way, whether good or ill.
Too many pastors--yes, even theologians with PhDs--jumble the whole Bible together, not rightly dividing the covenants, and there are several. They apply things to the church that are not meant for us. The whole Bible is profitable "FOR" teaching and learning, YES. But some parts are written TO Jewish people--not TO the church. Some is written TO unbelievers--not TO the church--and some is specifically written TO the Church. It may sound strange but it is nonetheless true.
(For an in-depth study of the subject, follow this link. It is a 16-part study on rightly dividing the word: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-1-introduction-to-rightly-dividing.html)
Think of it this way: A good friend receives a letter from a mutual friend of yours. It contains many things that are uplifting and encouraging to you both so your friend lets you read it. But contained in the letter is a message to your friend to remind him or her of the $20 the friend is owed. You can read the whole letter, receive what was of encouragement but you understand that the part about the money owed doesn't apply to you but to your friend. So, though the letter is not written "TO" you it can be of benefit "FOR" you.
When it comes to understanding scripture, we must not either spiritualize everything or naturalize everything. God's wisdom is two-fold; a two-edged sword, both natural AND spiritual. (See Hebrews 4:12.) For example: Jesus didn't only heal people spiritually; He healed their physical bodies, too.
Unless there is correct teaching on healing, the people will not have their faith activated, or energized, to receive healing because "faith comes by hearing the word of God." As I said, God handles sickness exactly the same way He handles sin. Just a salvation does not come by works but by faith in the blood of Christ, so healing does not come by works either but BY FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. No difference. What God has put together let not man divide.
You can see it all of so clearly in this passage from the book of Leviticus.
Anyone in ancient Israel infected with leprosy had to live outside the camp away from any and all human contact. All non-infected persons who happened to come in contact with a leper was considered to be unclean and required to go through the prescribed cleansing process.
The chapter begins by saying that the leper "must be BROUGHT to the priest. "
Notice he cannot go to the priest by himself; he must be brought by someone else. The UN-named person is the Holy Spirit. He never draws attention to Himself but always points to Jesus.
Anyone who comes to faith in Christ must led to Him by someone who is already saved. In other words, a "clean person," whose sins have been totally cleansed by the blood must bring the UNclean person.
THIS COMPLETELY PUTS TO REST THE MYTH OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION.
Notice also that the unclean person also cannot clean himself but no one in Israel can clean him either. Only the high priest can come and bring him through the process outlined here and afterward pronounce him clean.
In the Old Testament when someone touched an unclean person they became UNclean. But under the New Covenant, the UNclean becomes clean when he touched a clean person. HOLINESS IS CONTAGIOUS. You see, Church. Contrary to what you may have been taught, sin doesn't bring us down; we raise the sinner UP because of Jesus!
How many times did Jesus touch lepers or the unclean? COUNTLESS! Did they defile Him, or did He cleanse and heal them? HE CLEANSED AND HEALED THEM ALL!
"And the priest shall go OUT OF THE CAMP, and the priest shall examine him....."
In order for the leper to be brought to the priest, the priest had to go outside the camp to examine the person, like a visiting physician.
In the same way, when you and I were defiled by sin, we couldn't go to heaven. But Jesus, our High Priest, left heaven--His "camp"--and came down to where we were. HALLELUJAH!
Next the leper had to go through a cleansing process which went like this:
"...then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, 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, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water." (Leviticus 14:4-6 NKJV)
The cedar and the hyssop the greatest and the smallest of trees in the Bible. Trees, being made of wood, are a picture of humanity so these two trees represent everyone from the greatest to the smallest person.
Scarlet dye in Biblical times came from the death of the scarlet worm. The word in Hebrew is "Tola [תּוֹלָע]." It must be CRUSHED to make the red dye. Scarlet to the Jews, rather than purple, was indicative of royalty. You remember when Jesus was brought before the whole Roman praetorium? They stripped Him and put on Him a "SCARLET ROBE," knowing full well it was a sign of royalty to the Jews...and He was CRUSHED for our iniquities.
Adam and Eve literally stripped themselves of the glory of God when they fell.
Jesus, in our place, was stripped so that we could be clothed His robe of righteousness.
They took two cleans birds, either doves or pigeons. One was killed in an earthen vessel over running water, the other sprinkled seven times with the blood of the bird that was killed. It was then set free. As it flew away, of course, there was blood visible on it it's wings.
The earthen vessel is a picture of our Lord Jesus. He came to earth and became a human being, being physically born of a Virgin. Running water always typifies the Holy Spirit. The two birds represent two aspects of Jesus: His death and resurrection. Just like the bird that was dipped in the blood of the bird that was killed and sprinkled with blood, so Jesus died, rose again and returned to Heaven in PHYSICAL FORM, like the real bird that flew away, with all the marks of the death of the cross in His body.
Next.....
"7 he {the priest} shall sprinkle it {the water} seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field. 8 He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days. 9 But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows—all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water, and he shall be clean. (Leviticus 14:7-9 NKJV)
The water is sprinkled SEVEN TIMES on the person who is to be cleansed--7 = perfect cleansing--and THE PRIEST SHALL PRONOUNCE HIM CLEAN. It's the same with us today. Just like the leper who was pronounced clean, we who were once UNclean with sin have been pronounced "clean" of all our sins FOREVER.
WHAT JESUS HAS PRONOUNCED CLEAN, LET NO ONE PRONOUNCE UNCLEAN. It dishonors the blood He shed. Yet, many Christians go around saying, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." NO YOU'RE NOT! You WERE A SINNER. Now you are a child of God. You are NO MORE UNclean. Stop saying you are UNclean when our High Priest, Jesus, has pronounced you clean.
Remember what Jesus said to Peter in his rooftop vision? Acts 10:15 “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" (Amos 3:3 NKJV). IF YOU DON'T AGREE TOGETHER WITH JESUS THAT YOU ARE, INDEED, CLEANSED OF ALL YOUR SIN FIR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, YOU'LL FIND YOU ARE NOT WALKING IN SYNC WITH GOD.
God pronounces you clean. You still call yourself a sinner: UNclean. ONE OF YOU IS LYING.
You once were white with leprosy from head to toe. But Jesus came, took all your sin all your sickness in His body on the cross and He has FULLY RESRESTORED YOU!
Agree with Him!.....PLEASE. See His love for you in the Book of Leviticus!
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