Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

So far in the Leviticus Torah portions we have talked about what is clean and unclean in the eyes of the Lord.

We have been given guidliness (Mishpatim) of what to eat, how to do motherhood, how to server in the Tent of meeting

We must consider the holiness of God before we draw near to Him

There is a call to distinguish what is clean and unclean

There is a call to be clean=holy

Leprosy (צָרַעַת, tsara'ath; λέπρα, lepra).

An infectious skin disease.

The word often translated as “leprosy” in the Bible should actually be translated generally as “skin disease” because the exact type of skin disease is unclear; few, if any, of the cases mentioned align with the modern understanding of leprosy.

These skin diseases cause uncleanness to the one bearing the disease.

Biblical Relevance

The translation “leprosy” for צָרַעַת (tsara'ath) is still used in many translations, although what modern medicine calls leprosy is likely not the referent.

The NRSV (new revised standard version) gives a general indication of what the current state of translation for צָרַעַת (tsara'ath) is.

The newest variation of the NIV (2011) has deleted the word “leprosy” entirely from its translation in the Pentateuch and includes a footnote similar to that of the NRSV: “A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain.”

Leprosy seems to be the physical manifestaation of not being holy.

Guidelines regarding Skin Diseases according to the Bible

• The skin diseases are detailed in Lev 13.

If it is a new infection, the person is to be put in isolation for seven days, followed by an additional seven days if no change has occurred.

If there has been no change in the infection after 14 days, the person is considered to be clean.

If there has been any change, the person is considered unclean until the infection disappears (and thus indefinitely).

• Response to having a skin disease.

The priest’s role is significant, as shown in Lev 13 where 11 instances of “he shall pronounce him unclean” and seven instances of “he shall pronounce him clean” occur.

A mention of a person being clean or unclean without an announcement of the priest’s pronouncing it is rare.

(The word translated as “leprosy” is also used for clothing, and thus may refer to some sort of mold).

• Required actions of one pronounced unclean.

The diseased person must live alone outside the camp, wear torn clothes, keep his or her hair disheveled, cover his or her upper lip, and cry out “unclean, unclean” (Lev 13:45–46).

• In order to be considered clean, the person must go to a priest.

The official cleanliness ceremony includes cleaning of clothes, shaving of hair, and a ritual cleansing.

Additionally, at least one lamb—if the person was too poor for multiple lambs, birds could be used as a substitution—and flour and oil must be given as an offering (Lev 14).

Brenda Heyink, “Leprosy,” ed.

John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Presentation

Hebrew thought explains that the unclean cannot be clean at night time (in the dark), but “in (for) the day of his cleansing” vs 1- some other examples:

Pay attention to the mention of evening which actually means: WHILE IT IS EVENING

Also, cleaning happens by WATER which represents the WORD, Law of God

Cleansing happens in the morning:

“he shall be brought” also means his counterparts have to bring him - present him to the priest, because after the plague is removed the afflicted person will not want to bring what he is obligated to.

Vs 1

Another implication is that cleasing is available whenever the person wants to be made clean.

The person cannot attain purity unles it is by the word of the priest.

The priest has to go and meet the afflicted outside the camp, to heal

Notice in verse 1 the day of his cleansing is pronounce, but still needs to be healed

He is to bring an offering

As it has been established before, in other presentations, they brought Jesus during the feast of Sukkot.

We know Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, but did it really happen in the winter or perhaps a few months earlier, in the fall?

While the Bible does not specify the timing of Yeshua’s birth, like it does for His death and resurrection, we can determine its approximate timing:

Miryam (Mary) conceived when her cousin Elisheva (Elizabeth) was in her sixth month of pregnancy (Luke 1:24–26).Elizabeth probably conceived early in the fifth month of the Jewish calendar (Av or early July).

This is likely since the angel Gabriel appeared to her husband Zachariah while he was serving in the Temple as a priest in the division of Abijah (Luke 1:5), and advised him that Elizabeth would become pregnant (Luke 1:11–24).The Talmud and other historical sources reveal that the Abijah served during the last two weeks of the fourth month of the Jewish calendar (Tammuz), which is about late June.And the Bible says that after Zechariah came home from his service (in early Av), Elizabeth conceived (Luke 1:23–25).Nine months of pregnancy and another six months of Mary’s pregnancy (15 months total) brings us to the seventh month of the Jewish calendar (Tishrei), during which the Fall Feasts occur.

Yeshua may have been born at any time of this season, but it is interesting that the apostle John tells us how Yeshua is the Word that tabernacled among us.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt [eskēnōsen] among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

(John 1:14)

The word that John uses in Greek for dwell and tabernacle share the same root word, skéné.

“But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles [skēnopēgia] was near …” (John 7:2)

Through these Biblical, historical, and linguistic clues, we can come to a fairly educated guess that Yeshua may have, indeed, been born during the season of the Fall Feasts, which includes Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) occuring in September or October.

We know His family kept the feasts

Also, let us remember that leprosy comes as a result of slander as it happened to Miriam in Numbers 12.

This sin is done by chattering.

Birds also are compulsory for this leper’s purification because they, the birds, also chatter with a twittering sound

Just like in the case of Miriam, the leprosy stopped after 7 days

Head - purification of his mind

Beard - purification of his mouth

eyebrows - the purification of his perception

The priest brought the clean person who was unclean to the door of his tabernacle.

Jesus said I am the door

Jesus is the lamb

The thumb of his right hand - what he does

On the big toe of his right foot - any step he takes he will be clean

He will put it on the tip of his ear

We need to be made clean on the way we HEAR

Being set free, healed and cleaned not to do our own thing but to hear His voice to obey and serve Him.

We are called to have our ear nailed to the door to hear clearly

But the one who has not been made clean cannot hear

Summary

The leper has a condition or plague that can only be cured by God through the examination of the priest

Cleasing happens with water on the DAY the person is ready to receive it

Water represents the word/ law of God

To be clean is to be holy

Cleansing can only happen in the light, at day time, not while it is dark

When we are made clean we can hear the word of God