A few weeks ago in Bible study we were in Leviticus 13 and
14 where it talks about the law of the leper. We noticed how the leprosy was a
picture of our sin, and because of our sin we were pronounced unclean and
separated from God. But what I want to focus on here is not the leprosy itself,
but rather the cleansing process. In Leviticus 14:1-7 it says - "Then the Lord
spoke to Moses, saying, "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of
his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go
out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the
infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, then the priest shall give
orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and
hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. The priest shall also give
orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. As for
the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet
string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the
bird that was slain over the running water. He shall then sprinkle seven
times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him
clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field.""
The first thing I want to point out is that in order for a leper to be declared clean, the priest first had to come outside the camp. In order for us to be cleansed from our sin Jesus, our Great High Priest, had to come to us. Because of our sin there was no way we could come anywhere near Him. But He came to us. He didn't have to, but because of His love for us and His desire to have a relationship with us He came to us. He took on human flesh and "Demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) He stepped out of eternity and came to us because we could never approach Him otherwise. In Hebrews 13:12-13 we read - "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach."
The next thing I want to point out is the idea of the water and the blood used for cleansing. As for the blood, Romans 5:8-9 says - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." The blood of Christ has justified us and saved us from the wrath of God. Ephesians 1:7 says - "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." Through the blood of Christ we have redemption and forgiveness. And Ephesians 2:13 says - "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." The blood of Christ has enabled us to draw near to God. This idea is also talked about in Hebrews 10:19-22 which says - "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
The significance of Christ blood is talked about in many other New Testament passages as well, but the idea of cleansing with water is far more rare. We do however read about it in Hebrews 10:22 and in Ephesians chapter 5. When we think of water in New Testament terms, we often think of baptism. But baptism is an outward confession of our faith and, while it is important, it doesn't have anything to do with cleansing.
In Ephesians 5 it talks about the washing of the water of the Word. And the context of that passage is very interesting. In verses 25-32 it says - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church."
The washing of the water of the word is how Christ purifies His bride. As it says in this passage, we are not only His bride but also His body. The verse that is quoted in that passage is found in Genesis two where it talks about Adam and Eve. Now, you'll remember that God made Eve from Adams rib (Genesis 2:21-22). So, in a sense, she was both his body and his bride. Adams wife came from his side. In the same way Jesus, the second Adam, created a bride for Himself from His own side. We, the church, are fashioned into the bride of Christ by the cleansing of His blood and the washing of the water of the word. In John 19:34 it says - "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out." From His own body He is fashioning for Himself a bride. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her. As Paul said when writing this "This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church." I don't understand all this, but I know that we can rest in the finished work of Christ, knowing that He loved us and gave Himself for us.
What a Savior!
The first thing I want to point out is that in order for a leper to be declared clean, the priest first had to come outside the camp. In order for us to be cleansed from our sin Jesus, our Great High Priest, had to come to us. Because of our sin there was no way we could come anywhere near Him. But He came to us. He didn't have to, but because of His love for us and His desire to have a relationship with us He came to us. He took on human flesh and "Demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) He stepped out of eternity and came to us because we could never approach Him otherwise. In Hebrews 13:12-13 we read - "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach."
The next thing I want to point out is the idea of the water and the blood used for cleansing. As for the blood, Romans 5:8-9 says - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." The blood of Christ has justified us and saved us from the wrath of God. Ephesians 1:7 says - "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." Through the blood of Christ we have redemption and forgiveness. And Ephesians 2:13 says - "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." The blood of Christ has enabled us to draw near to God. This idea is also talked about in Hebrews 10:19-22 which says - "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
The significance of Christ blood is talked about in many other New Testament passages as well, but the idea of cleansing with water is far more rare. We do however read about it in Hebrews 10:22 and in Ephesians chapter 5. When we think of water in New Testament terms, we often think of baptism. But baptism is an outward confession of our faith and, while it is important, it doesn't have anything to do with cleansing.
In Ephesians 5 it talks about the washing of the water of the Word. And the context of that passage is very interesting. In verses 25-32 it says - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church."
The washing of the water of the word is how Christ purifies His bride. As it says in this passage, we are not only His bride but also His body. The verse that is quoted in that passage is found in Genesis two where it talks about Adam and Eve. Now, you'll remember that God made Eve from Adams rib (Genesis 2:21-22). So, in a sense, she was both his body and his bride. Adams wife came from his side. In the same way Jesus, the second Adam, created a bride for Himself from His own side. We, the church, are fashioned into the bride of Christ by the cleansing of His blood and the washing of the water of the word. In John 19:34 it says - "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out." From His own body He is fashioning for Himself a bride. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her. As Paul said when writing this "This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church." I don't understand all this, but I know that we can rest in the finished work of Christ, knowing that He loved us and gave Himself for us.
What a Savior!
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