[:yriêz>t; Tazria. [:yriêz>t; verb hiphil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular from verbal root [rz Mean: sow; conceive as used in Lev.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "[:yriêz>t; Tazria. [:yriêz>t; verb hiphil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular from verbal root [rz Mean: sow; conceive as used in Lev."

Vernon Lesley Byrd
5 years ago
Views:

1 [:yriêz>t; Tazria [:yriêz>t; verb hiphil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular from verbal root [rz Mean: sow; conceive as used in Lev. 12:2 Parashah for the week of April 9, 2016: Leviticus Lev. 13 gives very detailed instructions for priests in examining skin conditions to determine if someone has leprosy, pronouncing the person clean or unclean, and isolation of the unclean person. Yeshua s Healing Touch Lepers were considered unclean and had to live in social isolation outside the camp. They were separated from society as long as they had the infectious disease. It was a lonely existence. CJB Leviticus 13:46 46 As long as he has sores, he will be unclean; since he is unclean, he must live in isolation; he must live outside the camp. Israelites were not to touch unclean lepers. This was ceremonial uncleanness as well as having a practical side in preventing healthy Israelites from contracting the infectious disease. NIV Leviticus 5:3 "'Or if he touches human uncleanness-- anything that would make him unclean-- even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty. Lepers were commanded to warn others of their uncleanness. ESV Leviticus 13:45 "The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.' Yeshua heals a leper. NAU Luke 5: While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." Q: Did Yeshua violate the Law by touching the leper? A: Yeshua s touch transfers cleanness from Himself to the leper, something only God can do. 1

2 Q: What do you notice about this man s faith? Leprosy represents sin. We are unclean due to sin, and must live outside the camp, the kingdom of God. God cannot tolerate sinners in His presence. Passover is about becoming clean through the blood of the Lamb, having our sins forgiven, and escaping the misery and lonely isolation of hell. Yeshua becomes a figurative leper in our place. He was rejected from society and crucified outside the camp that we might be saved and spared that fate. Only Yeshua can touch us and make us clean through His sacrifice. Then we can live in the Kingdom, in the presence of the King. Like the leper, we can go to Him and say, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." He is willing and He will make us clean. Yeshua is then our priest who declares that we are clean. Fallen World Leprosy was a disease affecting the human body after sin entered the world. Before Adam and Eve sinned there was no disease, no hardship, no pain, and no death. The Garden of Eden was paradise (Genesis 1-2). After sin, God changed everything, introducing hardship, pain, and death on the planet (Genesis 3). NAU Genesis 3:16 16 To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; NAU Genesis 3: Then to Adam He said, "Because you have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. 18 "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." CJB Genesis 2:16-17 You may freely eat from every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die." Q: Why did God curse the earth after Adam and Eve sinned? Q: Were human bodies changed under the curse? Q: If someone had leprosy, was it necessarily their fault? Q: What are the results of the curse? A: Disease, cancer, heart attacks, pain, volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods CJB Romans 8: for the creation was made subject to frustration- not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it. But it was given a reliable hope 21 that it too would be set free from its bondage to decay and would enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God's children will have. 2

3 The entire created world was subjected to a miserable state of bondage. CJB Romans 8: We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons- that is, to have our whole bodies redeemed and set free. The created world is looking forward to being set free from the curse. Q: When will that happen? Our bodies are looking forward to being free from the curse, complete redemption. Q: When will that happen? Q: Why do people suffer? 1. Self imposed- due to their own sin a. CJB 1 Corinthians 11: So let a person examine himself first, and then he may eat of the bread and drink from the cup; 29 for a person who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 This is why many among you are weak and sick, and some have died! b. Other examples of suffering due to our own sins? 2. Victim of another person s sin a. Joseph, due to his brothers sin b. Murder c. Drunk driver 3. Indirect result of Adam s sin a. Natural disaster- Volcano b. Disease and death- Leprosy c. Animal viciousness- Bear attack 4. Satan/demon attacks a. Job b. CJB Luke 8: For Yeshua had ordered the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It had often taken hold of him- he had been kept under guard, chained hand and foot, but had broken the bonds and been driven by the demon into the desert. 30 Yeshua asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he said, because many demons had entered him. Q: What does God hope to accomplish through suffering? Q: Are we able to break free from our fallen condition in this life? Identification of Sin and Steps to Take The priests were given detailed instructions on how to identify leprosy and steps to take with lepers. We have been given instructions about identifying sins and what steps to take in regard to sins. 3

4 1. Instructions on how to identify sin in our lives a. CJB 2 Corinthians 13:5 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living the life of trust. Test yourselves. Don't you realize that Yeshua the Messiah is in you?- unless you fail to pass the test. b. CJB 1 Corinthians 11:28 28 So let a person examine himself first, and then he may eat of the bread and drink from the cup; c. CJB 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 And it matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or by any human court; in fact, I don't even evaluate myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against me, but this does not make me innocent. The one who is evaluating me is the Lord. d. CJB Psalm 139: Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me, and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is in me any hurtful way, and lead me along the eternal way. 2. Instructions on what to do with identified sins a. ALW 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. b. CJB Psalm 32:5 5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, "I will confess my offenses to ADONAI"; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. NAU c. Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. 3. Instructions on what to do about sins identified in the church a. CJB James 5: My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, and someone causes him to return, 20 you should know that whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save him from death and cover many sins. b. CJB Galatians 6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won't be tempted too. c. CJB Matthew 7:3-5 3 Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye but not notice the log in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the splinter out of your eye,' when you have the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother's eye! 4. Instructions about isolation a. CJB Matthew 18: "Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault- but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 If he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation can be supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to hear them, tell the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector. b. CJB 2 Thessalonians 3:6 6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. c. CJB 2 Thessalonians 3: Furthermore, if anyone does not obey what we are saying in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed. 15 But don't consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.. 4

5 Questions with Comments: Q: Can you catch leprosy from other people? A: Modern day leprosy is caused by slow growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae (Hansen s Disease). It is not highly contagious. Symptoms include skin lesions that are lighter than the normal skin color. Lesions have decreased sensation to touch, pain, and heat. Muscle weakness and numbness of the hands, arms, legs, and feet are also symptoms. Effective medications exist. It is not necessary to isolate people with leprosy. (Medline Plus, Leprosy update: , Q: What would we do without pain? Philip Yancy explains in his book, Where is God When it Hurts (1977) how not having pain sensation is worse than having pain sensation. He learned much from Dr. Paul Brand who worked with leprosy patients. Hansen s disease affects the nervous system because the leprosy bacterium attacks the nerves. When lepers lose their sense of pain, disfigurement often occurs because they burn themselves drastically without feeling it or allow bodily afflictions to continue without treating them because there is no pain. In other words, pain is a device to alert the human to stop doing something or take care of a body part before it s too late. Q: Does mental pain and anguish alert us in a similar way? Q: Was leprosy described in Leviticus the same as modern day leprosy? A: In the Old Testament, the instances of leprosy most likely meant a variety of infectious skin diseases, and even mold and mildew on clothing and walls. The precise meaning of leprosy in both the Old and New Testaments is still in dispute, but it probably includes the modern Hansen s disease (especially in the New Testament) and infectious skin diseases (Dr. Alan Gillen, , Answers in Genesis, Biblical Leprosy: Shedding Light on the Disease that Shuns answersingenesis.org/biology/disease/biblical-leprosy) Q: Do we learn from suffering? It was only when I lie there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually, It was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes, not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but through every human heart, and through all human hearts. So, bless you, prison, for having been in my life Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 5

6 Conclusion 1. Identify sin in your life. 2. Confess your sins. 3. Go to Yeshua for restoration. 4. Avoid sin like the plague. 5. Trust God to work good out of suffering. 6. Look forward to a new body and new earth. 6

Mark 1: Background: What is leprosy:

Mark 1: Background: What is leprosy: 1 Mark 1:40-45 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, If you will, you can make me clean. 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, I will;