The Ritual for Cleansing Healed Lepers - Read Leviticus

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1 Leviticus PREVIEW: In Leviticus 14-15, the law for any leprous sore and scale, for the leprosy of a garment and of a house, and for one who has a discharge is given. Leviticus Outline: The Ritual for Cleansing Healed Lepers - Read Leviticus 14:1-32 The Law Concerning Leprous Houses - Read Leviticus 14:33-57 The Law Concerning Bodily Discharges - Read Leviticus 15:1-33 The Ritual for Cleansing Healed Lepers - Read Leviticus 14: Leprosy was and still is an incurable disease, although medication can arrest the development of it. Types or models are often used throughout Scripture to illustrate points. In the Bible, leprosy is a type of sin: loathsome, spreading, and incurable, gradually rotting away the flesh, slowly deadening the nerve endings, and eventually leading to death (see Isaiah 1:5-6). The rabbis strongly believed that leprosy was a direct judgment from God. In fact, the word leprosy means smitten. What record of healing from leprosy exists in the Old Testament? (See Exodus 4:6-8, Numbers 12, and 2 Kings 5:1-19.) 2. A leper who appears to have been cleansed of leprosy was to be brought to the priest (v. 2). Where did the priest go to have the leper brought to him (v. 3)? Why did he go there? (See Leviticus 13:45-46 and Numbers 5:1 4.) Engage in the discussion: facebook.com/expoundabq Leviticus Page 1

2 3. What items did the priest command to be taken for the leper s cleansing (v. 4)? 4. What was done with each of the birds used in the cleansing ritual for the healed leper (vv. 5-6)? 5. How many times was the blood of the bird that was killed over running water sprinkled on the healed leper (v. 7)? What was pronounced of the healed leper (v. 7)? Why was the blood sprinkled on the leper? (See Hebrews 9:13, 22.) 6. Once the healed leper was declared clean, what did he have to do to himself (vv. 8-9)? 7. The eighth day symbolizes the day of new beginnings. What did the cleansed leper take to the priest on the eighth day (v. 10)? Engage in the discussion: facebook.com/expoundabq Leviticus Page 2

3 8. The priest offered one of the cleansed leper s lambs as a trespass offering (v. 12). What did the priest do with some of the blood of the sacrificed lamb (v. 14)? What other substance did the priest use to perform the same actions (v. 17)? What did the priest do with the remainder of this substance (v. 18)? 9. If the cleansed leper could not afford to offer two lambs, what alternative was made available (vv )? The Law Concerning Leprous Houses - Read Leviticus 14: This law concerning leprous houses was given in advance of them entering the land of Canaan (v. 34). How did a house obtain a leprous plague (v. 34)? (See also Proverbs 3:33.) 11. A house which was believed to contain a leprous plague was to be emptied before the priest entered it (v. 36) so that its contents wouldn t be declared unclean. What did the priest look for in order to determine if the house had a leprous plague (v. 37)? 12. If the priest determined that the house did indeed appear to have a leprous plague that was spreading, what did he command be done to the house (vv )? Engage in the discussion: facebook.com/expoundabq Leviticus Page 3

4 13. What became of a house in which the plague returned after being cleansed (vv )? 14. If the house appears to have been cleansed of the leprous plague, what ritual was done to declare it clean (vv )? 15. This chapter ends with an admonition that God s people are to be able to determine themselves and to teach others what is clean and unclean as it relates to leprosy (vv ). How are we to deal with leprous (unclean, sinful, evil) things in our lives? (See Psalm 101:2-4, Psalms 141:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 5:22, Ephesians 5:11, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Hebrews 12:1, Romans 12:1-2, and 1 John 3:3.) The Law Concerning Bodily Discharges - Read Leviticus 15: Most commentators believed that the discharge being referred to was venereal disease. This discharge not only caused the person but everything he was in contact with to be unclean. Make a list of the items mentioned that became unclean because of the person with a discharge (vv. 4-12). Engage in the discussion: facebook.com/expoundabq Leviticus Page 4

5 17. As you read through this section, notice how often the solution is for defilement is to wash with water. How are we to wash with water? (See Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3, 17:17, and Psalm 119:9.) 18. The one cleansed of his discharge was to wait seven days, bathe, wash his clothes, and then he could consider himself clean. Once he was clean, he could come to the tabernacle on the eighth day to offer his sacrifice and be atoned for (vv ). How have we been washed, which now allows us to approach God? (See Psalm 51:2, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Titus 3:5, and Hebrews 10:22.) 19. If a man has an emission of semen, or his semen touches a garment or his wife, what is to be done (vv )? 20. The natural periodic flow of blood from a woman caused her and the things she lies or sits on to be unclean (v. 20). She was to be set apart for seven days (v. 19) because of this. Was sexual intercourse allowed during the woman s time of blood flow (v. 24)? (See also Leviticus 18:19, and 20:18.) 21. What was not required if there was an emission of semen from a man or blood from a woman? Engage in the discussion: facebook.com/expoundabq Leviticus Page 5