BE HOLY, BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY

Passage: Leviticus 14:1-9

Key verse: 45

NIV

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

14 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:(A) 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.(B) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[a](C) 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop(D) be brought for the person to be cleansed.(E) 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.(F) 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.(G) 7 Seven times(H) he shall sprinkle(I) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.(J)

8 “The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes,(K) shave off all their hair and bathe with water;(L) then they will be ceremonially clean.(M) After this they may come into the camp,(N) but they must stay outside their tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day(O) they must shave off all their hair;(P) they must shave their head, their beard, their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves with water, and they will be clean.(Q)

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 14:3 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 7, 32, 54 and 57.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Laws for Cleansing Lepers

14 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. (A)He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go (B)out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, 4 the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live[a] clean birds and (C)cedarwood and (D)scarlet yarn and (E)hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh[b] water. 6 He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 And he shall (F)sprinkle it (G)seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall (H)let the living bird go (I)into the open field. 8 And he who is to be cleansed (J)shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean. And after that he may come into the camp, but (K)live outside his tent seven days. 9 And (L)on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair, and then he (M)shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 14:4 Or wild
  2. Leviticus 14:5 Or running; Hebrew living; also verses 6, 50, 51, 52
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Consecrate yourselves and be holy (11:44-47)

Chapters 11-15 tell us that God demands cleanness and purity of his people. The regulations about clean and unclean animals were canceled by Jesus (Mk 7:14-23). But the principle is still valid. God wants us to have pure hearts, clean hands and chaste bodies. Letting our minds dwell on lewd things makes us unclean. God wants us to consecrate ourselves to him.

2. The purpose of ceremonial cleansing (12:1-15:33)

No person is an island. Each life affects the lives of others. Chapters 12-15 describe how unclean persons may be cleansed and restored to the community. Jesus' parents obeyed the regulations of chapter 12. Sin is an infectious disease. No person's sinful life is only a personal matter. He influences society. So the community must take seriously both contagious diseases and moral pollution. The priest was responsible for keeping the community clean.

Prayer: Lord, purify my heart and life by the blood of Jesus. Help us to stop the moral pollution of our times.

One Word: Be holy as God is holy