Parsha
Tazria
Leviticus 12:1- 13:59
Please Pray this
Prayer
First before reading.
In the name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah
I pray for the
Spirit of Understanding
The Spirit of
Knowledge and
The Spirit of
Wisdom
As I read through this Parsha
Except in a leap years in the Torah cycle, the Torah
portion of Tazria is read together with the portion of Metz
The word tazria means she conceived which refers to
the law of purification after childbirth.
After the laws of tumah(Contamination)
that result from dead animals, the Torah turns to contamination that emanates
from human beings. The first subject to be discuss is that of a woman who gives
birth, because that is the beginning of life and therefore the start of the
decontamination process, otherwise call sanctification.
The creation of human life is
not a mystery, yet it is the most sublime phenomenon in the universe. By being
a source of life, man and woman become partners with Elohim, in the building of
the Kingdom of Heavens
Our human body is the vehicle by
which the soul that is place in it may used to achieve that lofty position as
Son of Elohim. This new life begins in a state of tumah, or contamination,
spiritual impurity, to show people that life is a process of sanctification.
Just as the day starts with darkness and end with light, so too must our lives
start in spiritual; contamination and end with Acceptance. Life is a process
for the creation of righteous sons for the Kingdom, or else what is the reason
for creation.
After this period of
contamination, the new mother begins the cleaning process, culminated by the
bringing of an offering.
Before she present the child for
blessing, she must cleanses herself of the contamination, but she still may not
consume sacrificial meat or terumah, because the mere absence of contamination
is not yet the fulfillment of man’s goal, it is the total absence.
Man’s aspiration must rise
higher than the elimination of the negative inclination of the flesh; they must
strive for positive spiritual achievement, known as the fruits of the spirit.
A human is not completely
cleanse until they come to the Sabbath rest, the Shekinah Glory, by the
offering that represent atonement for the past present and all future sins.
Today, it is customary for a
woman as soon as she feels well enough to leave home; she goes to a synagogue
and hears Kedushah, or a similar part of the service. It is also customary that
after forty or eighty days, depending on the child, when she would bring her
offering, her husband would be called to the Torah, as a symbolic represents of
the offering describe in this chapter.
These offering and ritual
symbolize that the birth inaugurates the beginning of the ongoing process of
raising up the new born child to a life of righteousness and holiness that will
enable EL YAHVEH to say you have fulfilled the entire purpose of creation.
Lev 12:1 And יהוה
spoke to Mosheh, saying, - Therefore in
order to fulfilled this He has given us specific instruction on how to live in
this world. Lets read and learn.
Lev 12:2 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘When a woman has conceived,
and has given birth to a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days, as
in the days of her monthly separation she is unclean. – The term as during the days of her separation
infirmity” is a time when a woman becomes tamei (ritually unclean or
contaminated). The same regulation as those of a menstruant, the Hebrew word
niddah means someone who is separated. She remains separated from any marital
relations and may not touch anything that must in a state of ritual purity,
such as the flesh offerings. This time period of self impose isolation is seven
days.
Lev 12:3 ‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his
foreskin is circumcised. –
On the eight day, the day of new beginning is when the new egg in her ovaries
begins the new cycle. A new potential for life is about to be created, that is
why a male child is circumscribed on the eight day.
Although
the command to circumcise was given in genesis 17:10 – 14, it is repeated here
again a further expansion of the original command. A male child must be
circumcised on the eight day, even if it falls on the Sabbath.
Lev 12:4 ‘And she remains in the blood of her
cleansing thirty-three days. She does not touch whatever is set-apart, and she
does not come into the
set-apart place until the days of her cleansing are completed. – For thirty three (33) days. After the end of
the first seven days, she is immerses in water to remove her nidah
contamination, following which she assumes a new status for the next
thirty-three days. Thus, there is a frothy day period, the seven day following
the birth and another thirty-three more days. In the latter days she is still
in a state of partial contamination.
In this
state of contamination, she does not touch anything that is holy, nor does she
get to enter the church so to speak. It might also possible for her not to even
touch her bible.
Lev 12:5 ‘But if she gives birth to a female child,
then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her monthly separation, and she
remains in the blood of her cleansing for sixty-six days. – There are a lot of people who talk about
equality, between men and women! Why would the Creator impose such a stringent
restriction if it were not for a reason?
Does the
birth of a female child impose a higher degree of contamination on the mother?
Or is it that the circumcision of the male child is also a form of blood
sacrifice for the mother? The female child and mother were to be in a state of
contamination for two weeks, and a further sixty-six days more in a partial
state of contamination.
The male
child is a representative of the Messiyah. It is the goal of every Hebrew girl
to bring forth a male child and that child would be the Messiyah, who would
save the people of Yisrael. A female child will never be the Messiyah, she will
never be circumcised.
Lev 12:6 ‘And when the days of her cleansing are
completed, for a son or for a daughter, she brings to the priest a lamb a year
old, as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering,
to the door of the Tent of Meeting. The woman shall bring two offering an elevation and a sin offering,
because she seeks atonement for two kinds of sin. The elevation offering for
thoughts of try to supplant her husband authority. The sin offering that all
women carry with them even today, as Eve learn in the Garden, to eat of the
Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, making their own decision.
Lev 12:7 ‘And he shall bring it before יהוה,
and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her
blood. This is the Torah for her who has given birth to a male or a female. – We must remember Gen 3:16 Unto the
woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow
thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall
be to rule thy husband, and but he shall rule over thee. These two curses place
over the woman in this verse as not been lifted, every time a woman perform
these two offering, the elevation and the sin offering, it is to help her
regain what she had lost in the Garden of Eden by Eve sin.
Lev 12:8 ‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb,
then she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as a burnt
offering and the other as a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement
for her, and she shall be clean. – Although the sin offering or service is performed first, as a
principle in Torah, the elevation offering is mention first. The reason is
always to state the objective, then the process of achieving that object last.
When she brings these offering to Yahushua, He will make the offering
on her behalf to EL YAHWAH. This is one of the few time that the woman does not
require a man to bring an offering for her, she must do it her self.
Chapter
13
We now enter into another level of understanding
the process of contamination. In Torah what we see in the natural as a
spiritual signification. The Redeem community need to understand this
principle, we will not run to the doctor for everything that hail us, we would
go to our ministers so to speak.
For hundreds of year the popular translation of
‘tzaraas’ has been leprosy, and it’s commonly accepted that the prevention of
the spreading of the disease’s was the reason for the quarantine of a suspected
victim of tzaraas and the exclusion from the camp of a confirmed contaminated
person.
The physical laws used to stop the contamination
are the same laws to stop spiritual contamination.
Lev 13:1 And יהוה
spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying, - EL YAHVEH
spoke the principles of spiritual contamination among the people, and how to
stop the spreading of those doctrinal contaminance within the body. When I
first start my group, we were meeting in a library, a few Karaite came into my
church, with their false teaching, I foolishly accommodate them until they
destroy the Assembly.
Verse 2 – 3 deals with the
process of verification. The first symptom of contamination is an obvious
discoloring of the skin. It is only the Kohen, the priest, the minister, a
mature believer, is authorized by Torah to diagnose the contamination. Unless
the Kohen makes this pronouncement, none of these laws apply; even through a
multitude of scholars and Kohanim recognize it as such.
First the Torah describes the
basic forms of contamination. Then the Torah goes on to discuss characteristic
that tend to appear in the different categories of contamination.
Lev 13:2 “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, a scab, or a bright
spot, and it shall become on the skin of his body like a leprous infection,
then he shall be brought to Aharon the priest or to one of his sons the
priests. – The swelling, or a bright spot are visible
character traits. This part of the skin is higher than the rest, or off a
different color, it usually draws attention to it self, because of the visible
manifestation it present.
When a man comes into your
gathering with certain false teaching, they will usually draw attention to them
selves. They usually think that they knew more than everyone else, a swellhead
as some would say. The Leader of the group is the one who must deal with it,
the same way we deal with a leprous infection.
The term “a man has on his
body”, is a term that mean: it is evident, it is apart of his demeanor, and it
is his garment, which is spiritually. This type of doctrine has a form of Torah
about them, yet they deny the truth or authority of Torah.
Lev 13:3 “And the priest shall look at the infection on the skin of the body. And
if the hair on the infection has turned white, and the infection appears to be
deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous infection. And the priest
shall look at him, and pronounce him unclean. – This verse uses natural items to portray a spiritual lesson. An
infected person is not infected unless there are two witnesses. At least two
dark hairs inside the affected area have turned white after the discovery of a
potential contaminance. What this means it that; we must look for more than one
evidence of spiritual contaminance.
The Priest must determine the
depth of the contaminance, when this is ascertained the person must be label as
contaminated. This must be done by a close examination of the individual
spiritual life. During the examination of the individual, it might be determine
that this is only a surface problem and not a deep-rooted problem. The next
verse speaks of the steps to be taken.
Lev 13:4 “But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and does not
appear to be deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the
priest shall shut up the infected one seven days. – After the investigation, the conclusion by the Priest determines
that the doctrinal contamination is only on the surface, and there is no
evidence of any deeper issues. That person must be secluded for seven days, in
that time period that person must be taken back to the Laver where that problem
must be dealt with by the Blood and the Water, that flows from the side of El
Yahushua.
Lev 13:5 “And the priest shall look at him on the seventh day and see, if the
infection appears to be as it was, and the infection has not spread on the
skin, then the priest shall shut him up another seven days. – Every seven-day that person should be examine, to see if there are
any spiritual changes. Sometime a spiritual contamination may take many levels,
or many forms, each must be dealt with individually, until the contamination is
removed.
Lev 13:6 “And the priest shall look at him again on the seventh day and see, if the
infection has darkened, and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the
priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab, and he shall wash his garments
and be clean. – After every seven
day of isolation and inspection by a qualified Minister, he should makes a conclusion,
to see if there are any progression or reduction in the infection. The Minister
or Pastor will make his assessment base on the level of contamination present
compare to the last examination.
As there are levels off
spiritual growth, there are levels of spiritual contamination. A person may
come to a minister and voice an idea that they have heard that is not spiritual
contamination. However, when that begins to say this is what I believe! Or this
doctrine is another form of the truth, when it is obvious that spiritual
contamination as taken place.
Lev 13:7 “But if the scab spreads further over the skin, after he has been seen by
the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again. – If the contamination has been worsened, since the last examination
seven days ago. The priest should examine the contaminated person again, in
order to determine the next course of action.
Lev 13:8 “And the priest shall look and see, if the scab has spread on the skin,
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean, it is leprosy. – Upon a closer examination of the individual, if the spiritual
contamination continues with the same course of action, then the priest or
pastor must pronounce that individual spiritual unclean.
Lev 13:9 “When the infection of leprosy is on a man, then he shall be brought to
the priest. – Every contamination that is on a man or woman,
it must be brought to the Priest or the Pastor. What manifest in the natural
has a spiritual equalivent behind it.
Lev 13:10 “And the priest shall look and see, if the swelling on the skin is white,
and it has turned the hair white, and there is a spot of raw flesh in the
swelling, - The Priest or the Pastor who minister at the
Laver, is to examine and counsel that person. He must examine the ailment that
infects that person. The hair turning white signify that that person opinion or
understanding of Truth has change.
Lev 13:11 it is an old leprosy on the skin of his body, and the priest shall
pronounce him unclean. He does not shut him up, for he is unclean. - If there are evidence of more that one hair turning white, if there
is expose skin, then it is an old leprosy. Raw skin is usually indicative of
someone who is very touchy, one that is very sensitive to criticism for
example. This is what Torah called old leprosy, an attitude that has been with
the individual for a long time. Regardless of the surface area, there is an old
festering underneath the apparently healthy skin.
There is a lot of believers
who seems ok on the surface, yet underneath, they are suffering from some form
of depression such as: Co-dependency, manic-depression only to name a few.
Lev 13:12 “And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy shall cover
all the skin of the infected one, from his head to his foot, wherever the
priest looks, - If the eruption, whatever it
was, covered all the skin from head to foot, it was no leprosy; for it
was an evidence that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped
itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is hope in the
small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely confess their sins, and
hide them not, there is no danger comparable to them that cover their sins.
Some gather this from it, that there is more hope of the profane than of
hypocrites. The publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before
scribes and Pharisees.
In one respect, the
sudden breakings-out of passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as
malice concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we shall not
be judged; if we see and own that there is no health in us, no soundness in
our flesh, by reason of sin, we shall find Healing in the eyes of YAHWEH ROPHEKAH. The priest
must take time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly.
Lev 13:13 then the priest shall look and see, if the leprosy has covered all his
body, he shall pronounce the infected one clean. It has all turned white, he is
clean. – The last two verses seem to be a contradiction
in terms. How can a person who is completely covered with leprosy be clean? The
sense of these two verses is implying that this person must be treated of if he
or she is clean and they must be left alone. They are too far-gone for any help
for them. Paradoxically, he is declared pure, even though tzaraas cover his or
her entire body.
Lev 13:14 “But the day raw flesh appears on him, he is unclean. – A person who exhibits the nature of been sensitive to criticism as a
contamination problem. Raw flesh is a very sensitive area when touch by
anything or anyone. When someone is easely provoke by the slightest incedent,
they are manifesting the nature of exposed flesh.
Lev 13:15 “And the priest shall look at the raw flesh and pronounce him to be
unclean – the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy. – It is the attitude that the raw flesh symbolizes that will determine
that the person is unclean. It is a contaminated attitude that must be dealt
with very quickly. Notice it is Torah that determines what is a contaminated
influence in our lives.
The priest must take
time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter looked
suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then seven days more,
that his judgment might be according
to truth or Torah. This teaches all, both ministers and people,
not to be hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing before the time. If some men’s sins go before unto judgment,
the sins of others follow after,
and so men’s good works; therefore let nothing be done suddenly, 1 Tim. 5:22, 24, 25.
If the person
suspected was found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes verse 6, because he had been under the
suspicion, and there had been in him that which gave ground for the suspicion.
Even the prisoner that is acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to
be washed in the blood and water that flow from Messiyah Side from our spots,
though they be not leprosy-spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin? though there are those who through grace are
innocent from the great transgression.
Lev 13:16 “Or when the raw flesh changes and turns white again, he shall come to the
priest. – The individual may not return to the Priest
unless there are significant changes in the behavior of this person. He or she
must submit to the priest every seven days for inspection. No matter how many
times the same affliction shows new signs of contamination or purity, it is
judge anew each time, until it is healed. This speaks of the progressive nature
of counseling; of washing by the blood and the water.
Lev 13:17 “And the priest shall look at him and see, if the infection has turned
white, then the priest shall pronounce the infected one clean, he is clean. – It is the priest along, who must determine the progress of the
individual in question. When the skin their righteousness begins to turn white,
it means that a new skin is been formed underneath, he may be proclaimed clean.
A new skin means a new disposition, a new way of thinking, and a departure from
the old way of thinking. A new covering for the fleshly nature.
Verse 18 – 23 elucidates a
spiritual point using the principle of inflammation. For the purpose of this
passage, any wound to the flesh, whether deu to illness or a blow, is known as
an inflammation. As long as it has not healed and is still oozing, it cannot be
adjudged a tzaraas, even if it may have some of the symptoms.
Once it is completely healed,
it is treated like the affliction described above. The verse below discusses
the intermediate state: when the wound has begun to heal and a thin layer of
skin has formed over it.
Lev 13:18 “And when the body has a boil in the skin, and it is healed, - The priest is describe here as
an instructed on what judgment to make if there was any appearance of a leprosy.
In an old ulcer, or bile, that has been healed. When old sores, that seemed to
be cured, break out again, it is to be feared there is a leprosy in them; such
is the danger of those who, having escaped the pollutions of the world, are
again entangled therein and overcome.
Lev 13:19 and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a bright
spot, reddish-white, then it shall be seen by the priest. –The degree of redness applies to all the conditions discussed earlier
in the chapter. As long as the primary color is one of the four basic whites, a
tinge of red does not change its status.
This redness refers to all
sorts of tzaraas affliction, not only to those of burns and wounds, in the
natural, but also affliction of the spirit of man. The Torah mentions redness
here, only in connection with inflammations and burns, because redness is most
common in such case, not because it applies only to them, but also in the
spiritual sense, redness is a point of spiritual contention, irritancy so to
speak.
Lev 13:20 “And the priest shall look and see, if it appears deeper than the skin,
and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean, it is a
leprous infection which has broken out of the boil. – The Pastor shall examine the individual closer, to see if the
irritancy is only on the surface or if there is a root cause behind it. A small
thing like a boil can easily turn into an infection. A rape of a young girl can
easily turn into a major source of Co-dependency later in the life of the
victim, if it is not dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Lev 13:21 “But if the priest looks at it and sees no white hairs in it, and it is
not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall shut him up
seven days; - Notice here that the Pastor,
the Counselor, took a precautionary step and seclude the victim another seven
days, to see if he had caught all the roots of the contamination. These
contamination are like weeds, one small root is all it take for it to resurface
it self; that why it is called contamination.
Lev 13:22 and if it has spread further over the skin, then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean, it is a leprous infection. –If after the first inspection and seven days later the contamination
as spread, then he or she must be label as contaminated.
Lev 13:23 “But if the bright spot stays in its place, it has not spread, it is the
scar of the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean. – If however, the symptom had not change, and it was detected as a scar
leftover from an injury, the Pastor shall pronounce him or her clean.
A person might show fear
because he or she was in a severe accident, but if the person displays an
unnatural isolation, that goes beyond the natural caution. Then that person can
be classified as an infected person. A person, who displays a phobia for germs
and refuses to go outside for fear of contracting such a disease, is one such
person.
Lev 13:24 “Or when the body receives a burn on its skin by fire, and the raw flesh
of the burn shall become a bright spot, reddish-white or white, - When a person receive a devastating lost of a love one this could be
classified as a burn on the skin as there are burns in the spirit.
If a sore spot develops in the
spirit, as a result from morning is ok. If however, the mourning continue over
an unusual long period of time, then the Pastor need to take a look at this
person, to see if the hair, the product of the flesh has change color.
Lev 13:25 then the priest shall
look at it and see, if the hair of the bright spot has turned white, and it
appears deeper than the skin, it is leprosy broken out in the burn. And the
priest shall pronounce him unclean, it is a leprous infection. - If their demeanor has change, then the mourning is much deeper that
the mere lost of a love one; it has become a sociological problem.
Lev 13:26 “But if the priest looks at it and sees there are no white hairs in the
bright spot, and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest
shall shut him up seven days. – If during a
close examination of the individual, the Pastor see, no evidence, or any
unusual problem beyond the normal mourning process, the priest shall give them
another seven day to make sure.
Sometime the abnormality of
the situation require time to manifest it self; therefore more time is given to
the individual, and during that time it will manifest it self like a weed if any
resideu of it remains.
Lev 13:27 “And the priest shall look at him on the seventh day. If it spreads
further over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean, it is a
leprous infection. – If after the seven days are
over and there is still evidence, there is a good chance that the person has
become unclean.
We must also remember that
during that period of seven days seclusion, the person is not necessary do
nothing. They would be undergoing intensive Torah counseling, to help reduce
the problem.
Lev 13:28 “But if the bright spot stays in its place, and has not spread on the
skin, but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn. And the priest shall
pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn. – If the new temporary attitude of the affected person begins to
subside in a normal way, then the Pastor or Counselor can proclaim the
individual clean.
Verse 29 – 39 elucidates the
law of contamination concerning the head or the faces. Contamination of the
head or faces is different from any of those that were describe previously. The
essence of the first affliction in this passage, which is known as nesek, is
that it causes a loss of hair in the middle of the scalp or the beard.
If the baldness appears at the
front or back of the head, the laws are different, and are found below in verse
40 – 43. The appearance of white hairs is not a proof of contamination in this
case. The only way this part of the body can be a host to contamination is if
they have hair loss and have the symptoms given in this passage.
A nesek can have two
quarantine periods and it can have two proofs of contamination; the emergence
of short golden hair or a spread of the affliction.
Lev 13:29 “And when a man, or a woman, has an infection on the head or in the beard,
- When anyone has a contamination on their scalp or
in the bread. These laws apply only to baldness in the areas where hair had
grown once; as long as hair is still there, the scalp and beard area are
subjected to the law of tzaraas.
The lose of the natural color
of the hair is a sure sign of spiritual contamination. When our natural
thinking process deviate from the normal realm of spiritual decency, when we
begins to think what is repulsive is now accepted as normal; this is the
meaning of the discoloring of the hair.
Lev 13:30 then the priest shall look at the infection and see, if it appears deeper
than the skin, and there is thin yellow hair in it, then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean, it is an eruption, a leprosy of the head or beard. – Two golden hair prove contamination only if they appear after the
onset of the baldness. Even prior golden hair is also proof of Contamination,
if the area later becomes bald. The golden hair will appear weak in statue than
the normal hair.
Lev 13:31 “But when the priest looks at the infection of the eruption and sees that
it does not appear deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then
the priest shall shut up the one with
the infection of the eruption seven days. – The
Pastor or Counselor must examine the thinking process of the person suspected
of the contamination. The presence of hair other than golden exempt the bald
patch from been a sign of contamination, even if the hair is an unnatural
color.
This person like all the other
must be separated for a period of seven days to investigate the spiritual
condition of the individual.
Lev 13:32 “And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection and see, if
the eruption has not spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the
eruption does not appear deeper than the skin, - If neither the symptoms or any sign of the contamination appeared
during the seven days of quarantine. However, if the bald spot either spread or
develop any golden hair, it would be tamei (unclean) as describe in verse 35 –
36.
Lev 13:33 then he shall shave himself, but the eruption he does not shave. And the
priest shall shut up the one with
the eruption another seven days. – He shall shave;
this means the removal or the reconsideration of our thinking process. We
obviously cannot shave the contaminated area since it is bald. Two patch of
hair should be left surrounding the affected to see if the contamination had
spread any further.
Lev 13:34 “And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the eruption and see, if
the eruption has not spread over the skin, and does not appear deeper than the
skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. And he shall wash his
garments, and he shall be clean. – Seven days later
the Pastor should again do a thorough investigation to see if the person who is
contaminated had shown any sign of improvement.
The washing of their garment
spiritually is to reconsider or spiritual walk. When a person becomes contaminated,
it is usually a result of our departure from Torah. It is because of our
repeated participation in that sin, that the contamination is developed to
signify that we have departed away from the Protection of Torah. Read again
Deuteronomy 28:15 on and see what it say about these very plague.
Lev 13:35 “But if the eruption spreads further over the skin after his cleansing, - This verse explain the principle that must be followed after a person
had been declared clean.
Lev 13:36 then the priest shall look at him and see, if the eruption has spread over
the skin, the priest need not seek for yellow hair, he is unclean. – The law is the same as if a golden hair had been found within the
bald spot. The priest must declare this person lost. There is no more that can
be done for them. If after speeking to the individual if he or she make no
effort to change, just leave them alone.
Lev 13:37 “But if the eruption appears to have stayed, and there is black hair grown
up in it, the eruption has healed. He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce
him clean. – If however, the symptoms appears to be
responding favorable and normality is returning to that person life, the
Pastor/counselor shall proclaim them clean.
Lev 13:38 “And when a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the body, white
bright spots, - A bright spot that appears
on a person skin is a sign that there are thing in a person righteousness that
the person had not dealt with, it is now coming to a point that what is
happening on the spiritual scale is now manifested on the physical scale.
We can sometime hide things in the spirit, but
it is more difficult to hide them in the natural. The whole purpose of illness
is to draw our attention to a more important issue, our spiritual life.
Cancer cannot survive in a
spiritual and physical clean body. Much like placing a corn seed on a table, it
will not grow; however if garbage and dirt covers the table the corn seed will
find a suitable environment in which to grow. So is cancer! When we are admonished
not to eat pork, which is a main staple in the western world: Egg and beacon,
there are no wonder an outbreak of cancer in our society. The environment has
been created for the cancer to be very prominent in our society.
Lev 13:39 then the priest shall look and see, if the bright spots on the skin of the
body are dull white, it is a white spot that grows on the skin, he is clean. – The Pastor will look and see the stage of progression the white spot
signify, before he renders his decision.
Verse 40 – 43 illustrates the
principal surrounding baldness at the back and the front of the head. In the
case were someone loses all the hair of the back half of his head, and of the
front half of his head, or his beard; the newly bald spot skin is treated like skin
anywhere else on the body, with one exception: the presence of or absence of a
white hair is immaterial, as noted in verse 29.
Lev 13:40 “And when a man loses the hair of his head, he is bald, he is clean. – If he is bald at the back of the head he is pure. The lost of hair is
not a contamination “nesek”, and he is not contaminated by virtue of short hair
and spreading as in verse 31 – 32.
The bald spot is contaminated
only if it develops one of the four shades of white, and the contamination is
proven by the appearance of healthy skin within the affected area.
Lev 13:41 “And if the hair has fallen from his forehead, he is bald on the forehead,
he is clean. – A person may loose their hair; they may lose
there way spiritually; however that does not mean that they are contaminated.
They are in what I would call a spiritual neutral state. This is what scripture
calls Luke-warm.
Lev 13:42 “And when there is on the bald head or bald forehead a reddish-white
infection, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead. – However, someone who has lost their way and a different hair start to
appear, it signifies that the contamination process has started. There is still
time to reverse the process.
Lev 13:43 “And the priest shall look at it and see, if the swelling of the infection
is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, as the appearance of
leprosy on the skin of the body, - When a person
is determine to be a leper, this usually means that they are too far gone, for
any hope.
Lev 13:44 he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him
unclean, without fail, his infection is on his head. – Since he is unclean, he now becomes a source of contamination to the
other people around him and he must be secluded outside the camp.
Verse 45 – 46 deals with the
isolation of the contaminated person. The list of tzaraas afflictions has been
concluded and the Torah goes on to the law relating to the behavior required of
the metzora, the contaminated person.
The rule of the isolation from
the community is given in the following two verses, and they apply to all the
case discusses in this chapter. The procedure of his cleansing ritual once his
affliction has healed is given in the next Parsha.
Lev 13:45 “As for the leper who has the infection, his garments are torn, and his
head is uncovered, and he has to cover his upper lip and cry, ‘Unclean!
Unclean!’ – The Torah wants the contaminated person “The
metzora” to conduct himself in a distinctive manner so that people will know to
avoid him or her. He must dress and acts like a mourner, to influence himself
and to grieve that he had allowed himself to deteriorate to the state that he
find himself in.
Lev 13:46 “He is unclean – all the days he has the infection he is unclean. He is
unclean, and he dwells alone, his dwelling place is outside the camp. – As part of his punishment and a warning to others, the harshest of
punishment is spiritual isolation. That is why El Yahushua said in the Garden
if it were possible takes this cup from Me, never the less let EL YAHVEH Will
be done.
The ultimate purpose for of a
punishment that fits the crime is to make the sinner aware of what he did and
what it has brought upon them. Such reflection should lead them to repentance.
Verse 47 – 48 categories of
garments and material that are prone to tzaraas. Wool and linen garments, and
all garments made by them. These material become tamei only if they have not
been dyed, and only if they are own by a Hebrew.
Warp and woof –the warp
consist of the thread that run across the length of the fabric. The woof
consists of the thread that crisscross at right angle through the warp. By
speaking of the warp and woof, which are not yet a finish fabric, but are ready
to be woven into one, the Torah teaches that finished threads of wool and linen
accept tzaraas.
Leather or hide used to make
garment of tent, it must be design for some particular use. Anything fashioned
of leather, any finished leather garments, or object.
These natural objects can
become contaminated, if for example they were gotten thought ill gains.
Lev 13:47 “And when a garment has an infection of leprosy in it, in a woollen
garment or in a linen garment, - This is the law concerning the plague of leprosy in
a garment, whether linen or woollen. A leprosy in a garment, with discernible
indications of it, the colour is changed by it, the garment fretted, the nap
worn off.
This in someone
particular part of the garment, and it increasing when it was shut up, and cannot
be gotten out by washing, it is a thing which is now altogether unaccountable. It
is a sign and a miracle in Yisrael, an extraordinary punishment inflicted by
the divine power, as a token of great displeasure against a person or family.
Garment in Scripture
refers to our covering, our righteousness, when there are false teaching in our
denomination, it is like an infection that must be delt with the same way as a
leprosy. There are many false teaching in the church, as there is spiritual
leprosy: such as Holy matrimony, Holy Communion, and many more.
Lev 13:48 or in the warp or in the weft of linen or wool, or in leather or in any
leather-work, - The process was much the same with that concerning a
leprous person. The garment suspected to be tainted was not to be burnt
immediately, though, it may be, there would have been no great loss of it; a
sentence must not be given merely upon a presumption, but it must be shown
to the priest.
Lev 13:49 and the infection shall be greenish or reddish in the garment or in the
leather, or in the warp or in the weft, or in any leather object, it is an
infection of leprosy and shall be shown to the priest. – When these signs are obvious it must be shown to the Pastor. This
would warrant a confession and a restoration of all ill gains object. Before,
spiritual restoration can be accomplished.
Lev 13:50 “And the priest shall look at the infection and shut up the infected one
seven days. – This seven-day is for one to learn the
significance of their actions. It is also a public display, that a certain
person was isolated for some contamination. Since contamination usually deals
with sin, it becomes public knowledge. However, after the sentence is served by
a person, that punishment must never be mention again by anyone for that person
had serve His and her punishment.
Lev 13:51 “And he shall look at the infection on the seventh day. And when the
infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp or in the weft, or in the
leather or any leather-work, the infection is an active leprosy, it is unclean.
– Seven days later the person is inspected again,
to see if the infection had spread to the garment, then the person has an
active contamination. Garment in this example speaks of our form of
righteousness. A compatible reference today would be our religious activity.
There are many garments today as there are religions. Those of us who wear
tassels on the ends of our garments. Num 15:38 "Speak to the Yisraelites and tell them: For
generations to come they must wear tassels on the corners of their clothes with
violet threads in each tassel. 39
Whenever you look at the threads in the tassel, you will remember all YAHVEH'S
commands and obey them. Then you won't do whatever you want and go after
whatever you see, as if you were chasing after false religion.
Lev 13:52 “And he shall burn that garment, or the warp or the weft, in wool or in
linen, or any leather object in which the infection is, for it is an active
leprosy. It is burned with fire. – The individual
will suffer financial loss for the contamination that came upon the garment
since it was gotten through ill means, since the garment must be burnt. The
warp and the weft represent our horizontal and vertical relationship, with the
CREATOR and with Man.
What ever the problem is with
either our horizontal or vertical relation is must be destroyed. That is why it
is burned with fire. Those thing that causes problems in our earthly and
heavenly relationship.
Lev 13:53 “But if the priest looks and sees that the infection has not spread in the
garment, or in the warp or in the weft, or in any leather object, - If, after a close
investigating, it was found that there was a leprous spot, it must be burnt,
or at least that part of the garment in which the spot was. If the cause of the
suspicion was gone, it must be washed, and then might be used. The
signification also was much the same, to intimate the great malignity there is
in sin: it not only defiles the sinner’s conscience, but it brings a stain upon
all his employments and enjoyments, all he has and all he does.
To those that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Tit. 1:15. And we are taught to hate even the garments that is spotted with the flesh,
Jude 23. Those that make their clothes, their righteousness servants to their
pride and lust may see them tainted with a leprosy, and doomed to the fire,
Isa. 3:18–24. But the ornament of the
hidden man of the heart is incorruptible, 1 Pt. 3:4. The robes of
righteousness never fret nor are moth-eaten.
Lev 13:54 then the priest shall give command, and they shall wash that in which the
infection is. And he shall shut it up another seven days. – After the examination and the Pastor determine that the contamination
had not spread into the garment, it must be wash in the Blood and Water that
flow from the Side of Yahushua, plus another seven day of seclusion.
This washing in the Blood and Water,
is the deliverance and the removal of the guilt of the owner. Then a further
seven days is require to see if a total deliverance had been made.
Lev 13:55 “And the priest shall look at the infection after it has been washed and
see, if the infection has not changed its appearance, though the infection has
not spread, it is unclean, and burn it in the fire – it is eaten away, in its
inside or outside. – What happen in the natural
has a spiritual counterpart. If the owner had not confess his or her sins and
make the proper atonement that the infection would not have continue or spread,
and continue to eat away at the fabric. The fabric should be burn in fire.
Lev 13:56 “And if the priest shall look and see that the infection has faded after
washing it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the warp, or
out of the weft, or out of the leather. – If the
Pastor/counselor sees that the infection had faded after repentance and
atonement, then he shall remove by tearing it out of the garment. This action
shows our willingness to remove the contamination, even at the expense of the
Garment.
Lev 13:57 “And if it is still seen in the garment, or in the warp or in the weft, or
in any leather object, it is a spreading infection. Burn it with fire, that in
which the infection is. – Even after the drastic steps
have been taken, a further drastic step of total destruction may be warranted.
Lev 13:58 “And if you wash the garment, or the warp or the weft, or any leather
object, if the infection has disappeared from it, then it shall be washed a
second time, and shall be clean. – A second stage
of washing is required for certain persistent contamination. For example a
person might steal the leather garment, and a contamination appears in it, an
atonement and restoration might not be enough, for there is an underlying root
cause to the problem. The second washing is to remove the underlying reason,
which could be selfishness.
Lev 13:59 “This is the Torah of the infection of leprosy in a garment of wool or
linen, or in the warp or in the weft, or in any leather object, to pronounce it
clean or to pronounce it unclean.” - This is the law
or the principle of the Ministry of the Pastor, who deals with these personal
issues facing all of us. The mature person who the pastor represent, would be
well capable of dealing with these issues at the Laver, that represent the
Blood and the Water that flow from the Side of El Yahushua.
This is a form of washing the
hands and feet of the believers, our works and our walks, as we strive for
perfection. May we all walk worthy of the mark of the higher calling?
Haftarah
Second Kings 4:42-5:19
2Ki 4:42 Now a man came
from Baʽal Shalishah, and brought the man of Elohim bread of the
first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his
knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people to eat.” -
He made a little food to go a
great way. Elisha had a present brought him of twenty barley-loaves and some
ears of corn, a present which, in those ages, would not be despicable at any
time, but now in a special manner valuable, when there was a dearth in the
land. It is said to be of the first-fruits, which was YAH’s due out of
their increase; and when the priests and Levites were all at Yerushalayim, out
of their reach, the religious people among them, with good reason, looked upon
the prophets as God’s receivers, and brought their first-fruits to them, which helped
to maintain their schools.
2Ki 4:43 And his servant
said, “What? Do I set this before one hundred men?” And he said, “Give it to
the people to eat. For thus said יהוה, ‘Eat and have some left over.’ ” – Having freely received, he freely gave, ordering it
all to be set before the sons of the prophets, reserving none for himself, none
for the hereafter. "Let the morrow take thought for the things of
itself, give it all to the people that they may eat.’’ It well becomes the
men of God to be generous and open-handed, and the fathers of the prophets to
be liberal to the sons of the prophets.
2Ki 4:44 And he set it before them, and they
ate and had some left over, according to the word of יהוה. - Though the loaves
were little, it is likely no more than what one man would ordinarily eat at a
meal, yet with twenty of them he satisfied 100 men. His servant thought that to
set so little meat before so many men was but to tantalize them, and shame his
master for making so great an invitation to such short commons; but he in YAH’s
name, pronounced it a full meal for them, and so it proved; they did eat, and
left thereof, not because their stomachs failed them, but because the bread
increased in the eating. YAHVEH has promised his church (Ps. 132:15) that he
will abundantly bless her provision, and satisfy her poor with bread; for
whom he feeds he fills, and what he blesses comes to much, as what he blows
upon comes to little, Hag. 1:9. Messiyah’s feeding his hearers was a miracle
far beyond this; but both teach us that those who wait upon YAHVEH in the way
of duty may hope to be both protected and supplied by a particular care of
divine Providence
Chapter 5
Two more of Elisha’s
miracles are recorded in this chapter.
I. The cleansing of Naaman, a Syrian, a stranger, from his leprosy, and
there,
1. The badness of
his case verse 1.
2. The providence
that brought him to Elisha, the intelligence given him by a captive maid verse
2-4.
3. A letter from the
king of Syria
4. And the
invitation Elisha sent him verse 8.
5. The method
prescribed for his cure, his submission, with much ado, to that method, and his
cure thereby verse 9–14.
6. The grateful
acknowledgments he made to Elisha hereupon verse 15–19.
2Ki 5:1 And Naʽaman, commander of the army of the sovereign of Aram , was a great man in the eyes of his master,
and highly respected, because by him יהוה had given deliverance to Aram
1. That he had been
very serviceable to his country. YAHVEH made him so: By him EL YAHVEH had
often given deliverance to Syria Israel
2. That he was very
acceptable to his prince, was his favorite, and prime-minister of state; so
great was he, so high, so honorable, and a mighty man of velour; but he was a
leper, was under that loathsome disease, which made him a burden to himself.
(1.) No man’s
greatness, or honor, or interest, or velour, or victory, can set him out of the
reach of the sorest calamities of human life; there is many a sickly crazy body
under rich and gay clothing.
(2.) Every man has
some but or other in his character, something that blemishes and
diminishes him, some allay to his grandeur, some damp to his joy; he may be
very happy, very good, yet, in something or other, not so good as he should be
nor so happy as he would be. Naaman was a great as the world could make him,
and yet the basest slave in Syria
2Ki 5:2 And the Arameans had gone out on
raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Yisra
As became a good
servant, she desired the health and welfare of her master, though she was a
captive, a servant by force; much more should servants of choice seek their
masters’ good. The Jews in Babylon
2Ki 5:3 And she said to her
mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Shomeron! Then he
would recover him of his leprosy.” – Elisha had not cleansed any leper in Yisrael (Lu.
4:27), yet this little maid, from the other miracles he had wrought, inferred
that he could cure her master, and from his common beneficence inferred
that he would do it, though he was a Syrian. Servants may be blessings
to the families where they are, by telling what they know of the glory of YAHVEH
and the honor of HIS prophets.
2Ki 5:4 And Naʽaman went in and reported to his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the
girl who is from the land
of Yisra Syria Syria
2Ki 5:5 And the sovereign of Aram Samaria Syria
See what Naaman did
upon this little hint.
1. He would not send
for the prophet to come to him, but such honor would he pay to one that had so
much of a divine power with him as to be able to cure diseases that he would go
to him himself, though he himself was sickly, unfit for society, the journey
long, and the country an enemy’s; princes, he thinks, must stoop to prophets
when they need them.
2. He would not go incognito,
in disguise, though his errand proclaimed his loathsome disease, but went
in state, and with a great retinue, to do the more honor to the prophet.
3. He would not go
empty-handed, but took with him gold, silver, and raiment, to present to his
physician. Those that have wealth, and want health show which they reckon the
more valuable blessing; what will they not give for ease, and strength, and
soundness of body.
2Ki 5:6 And he brought the letter to the
sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, which said, “And now, when this letter comes to you, see
I have sent Naʽaman my servant to you,
so that you shall recover him of his leprosy.” – He would not go without a letter to the king of Yisrael from the king
his master, who did himself earnestly desire his recovery. He knows not where
in Samaria Syria
2Ki 5:7 And it came to be, when the sovereign
of Yisra’ĕl read the letter, that he tore his garments and said, “Am I Elohim,
to kill and keep alive, that this man sends a man to me to recover him of his
leprosy? For consider now, and see how he is seeking an occasion with me!” – The alarm this gave to the king of Yisrael. He
apprehended there was in this letter, 1. A great affront upon YAHVEH, and
therefore he rent his clothes, according to the custom of the Jews when they
heard or read that which they thought blasphemous; and what less could it be
than to attribute to him a divine power? "Am I YAHVEH, to kill whom
I will, and make alive whom I will? No, I pretend not to such an
authority.’’ Nebuchadnezzar did, as we find, Dan. 5:19. "Am I YAHVEH,
to kill with a word, and make alive with a word? No, I pretend not
to such a power;’’ this great man, this bad man, is made to own that he is but
a man. Why did he not, with this consideration, correct himself for his
idolatry, and reason thus: Shall I worship those as gods that can neither kill
nor make alive, can do neither good nor evil?
A bad design upon
himself. He appeals to those about him for this: "See how he seeketh a
quarrel against me; he requires me to recover the leper, and if I do not,
though I cannot, he will make that a pretence to wage war with me,’’ which he
suspects the rather because Naaman is his general. had he rightly understood
the meaning of the letter, that when the king wrote to him to recover the leper
he meant that he would take care he might be recovered, he would not have been
in this fright.
We often create a
great deal of uneasiness to ourselves by misinterpreting the words and actions
of others that are well intended: it is charity to ourselves to think no evil.
If he had bethought himself of Elisha, and his power, he would easily have
understood the letter, and have known what he had to do; but he is put into
this confusion by making himself a stranger to the prophet: the captive maid
had him more in her thoughts than the king had.
2Ki 5:8 And it came to be, when Elisha the
man of Elohim heard that the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl had torn his garments, that
he sent to the sovereign, saying, “Why have you torn your garments? Please let
him come to me, so that he knows that there is a prophet in Yisra’ĕl.” – The proffer which Elisha made of his services. He was
willing to do any thing to make his prince easy, though he was neglected and
his former good services were forgotten by him. Hearing on which occasion the
king had rent his clothes, he sent to him to let him know that if his patient
would come to him he should not lose his labour: He shall know that there is
a prophet in Yisrael (and it were sad with Yisrael if there were not), that
there is a prophet in Yisrael who can do that which the king of Yisrael dares
not attempt, which the prophets of Syria cannot pretend to. It was not for his
own honor, but for the honor of YAHVEH, that he coveted to make them all know that
there was a prophet in Yisrael, though obscure and overlooked.
2Ki 5:9 So Naʽaman came with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the entrance of the
house of Elisha. – The short and plain direction which the prophet gave
him, with assurance of success. Naaman designed to do honor to Elisha when he
came in his chariot, and with all his retinue, to Elisha’s door. Those that
showed little respect to prophets at other times were very complaisant to them
when they needed them. He attended at Elisha’s door as a beggar for an alms.
2Ki 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him,
saying, “Go, and you shall wash seven times in the Yardĕn, that your flesh
might be restored to you, and be clean.” – Those
that would be cleansed from the spiritual leprosy must wait at Wisdom’s
gate, and watch at the posts of her doors. Naaman expected to have his
compliment returned, but Elisha gave him his answer without any formality,
would not go to the door to him, lest he should seem too much pleased with the honor
done him, but sent a messenger to him, saying, Go wash in Jordan seven
times, and promising him that if he did so his disease should be cured. The
promise was express: Thou shalt be clean. The method prescribed was
plain: Go wash in Jordan
2Ki 5:11 But Naʽaman became wroth, and went away and said, “See, I said to myself, ‘He
would certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the Name of יהוה his Elohim, and wave his hand
over the place, and recover the leprosy.’ – Because he had retired, at this time, for devotion, was intent upon his
prayers for the cure, and would not be diverted; or, because he knew Naaman to
be a proud man, and he would let him know that before the great EL all men
stand upon the same level.
2Ki 5:12 “Are not the Aḇanah and the Pharpar,
the rivers of Dammeseq, better than all the waters of Yisra’ĕl? Could I not
wash in them and be clean?” And he turned and went away in a rage. - Jordan belonged to Yisrael’s EL, from whom he was to
expect the cure, and not from the gods of Damascus
That Jordan Jordan
It is common for
those that are wise in their own conceit to look with contempt on the dictates
and prescriptions of divine wisdom and to prefer their own fancies before them;
those that are for establishing their
own righteousness will not submit
to the righteousness of YAHVEH, Rom. 10:3. Naaman talked himself into
such a heat (as passionate men usually do) that he turned away from the
prophet’s door in a rage, ready to swear he would never have any thing more to
say to Elisha; and who then would be the loser?
Those that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies. Jonah 2:8. Proud men are the worst enemies to
themselves and forego their own redemption.
2Ki 5:13 And his servants came near and spoke
to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had spoken to you a great matter,
would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash
Though at other
times they kept their distance, and now saw him in a passion, yet, knowing him
to be a man that would hear reason at any time, and from any body (a good
character of great men, and a very rare one), they drew near, and made bold to
argue the matter a little with him. They had conceived a great opinion of the
prophet (having, perhaps, heard more of him from the common people, whom they
had conversed with, than Naaman had heard from the king and courtiers, whom he
had conversed with), and therefore begged of him to consider: "If the
prophet had bidden thee to do some great thing, had ordered thee into a
tedious course of physic, or to submit to some painful operation, blistering,
or cupping, or salivating, Wouldst thou not have done it?
No doubt he would
have. And would you not submit to so easy a method as this, Wash
1. His own servants
gave him this reproof and counsel, which was no more disparagement to him than
that he had intelligence of one that could cure him from his wife’s maid, verse
3. It is a great mercy to have those about us that will be free with us, and
faithfully tell us of our faults and follies, though they be our inferiors.
Masters must be willing to hear reason from their servants, Job 31:13, 14. As
we should be deaf to the counsel of the ungodly, though given by the greatest
and most venerable names, so we should have our ear open to good advice, though
brought us by those who are much below us: no matter who speaks, if the thing
be well said.
2. The reproof was
very modest and respectful. They call him Father; for servants must honor
and obey their masters with a kind of filial affection. In giving reproof or
counsel we must make it appear that it comes from love and true honor, and that
we intend, not reproach, but reformation.
3. It was very
rational and considerate. If the rude and unthinking servants had stirred up
their master’s angry resentment, and offered to avenge his quarrel upon the
prophet, who (he thought) affronted him, how mischievous would the consequences
have been! Fire from heaven, probably, upon them all! But they, to our great
surprise, took the prophet’s part. Elisha, though it is likely he perceived
that what he had said had put Naaman out of humour, did not care to pacify him:
it was at his peril if he persisted in his wrath. But his servants were made
use of by Providence
They reasoned with
him,
(1.) From his
earnest desire of a cure: Wouldst thou not do any thing? When diseased
sinners come to this, that they are content to do any thing, to submit to any
thing, to part with any thing, for a cure, then, and not till then, there begin
to be some hopes of them. Then they will take Messiyah on his own terms when
they are made willing to have Messiyah upon any terms.
(2.) From the
easiness of the method prescribed: "It is but, Wash and be clean.
It is but trying; the experiment is cheap and easy, it can do no hurt, but may
do good.’’ Note, the methods prescribed for the healing of the leprosy of sin
are so plain that we are utterly inexcusable if we do not observe them. It is
but, "Believe, and be saved’’—"Repent, and be pardoned’’—"Wash,
and be clean.’’
2Ki 5:14 Then he went down and dipped seven
times in the Yardĕn, according to the word of the man of Elohim. And his flesh
was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. – The cure effected, in the use of the means
prescribed. Naaman, upon second thoughts, yielded to make the experiment, yet,
it should seem, with no great faith and resolution; for, whereas the prophet
ask him wash in Jordan seven times, he did but dip himself so many times, as lightly
as he could. However YAHVEH was pleased so far to honor himself and his word as
to make that effectual. His flesh came again, like the flesh of a child.
to his great surprise and joy. This men get by yielding to the Will of YAHVEH,
by attending to his institutions. His being cleansed by washing put an honor on
the law for cleansing lepers. WAHWEH will magnify his word above all his name.
2Ki 5:15 And he returned to the man of Elohim,
he and all his company, and came and stood before him and said, “See, now I
know that there is no Elohim in all the earth, except in Yisra’ĕl. And now,
please take a gift from your servant.” – Of
the ten lepers that our Messiyah cleansed, the only one that returned to
give thanks was a Samaritan, Lu. 17:16. This Syrian did so, and here
expresses himself.
Convinced of the power
of the EL of Yisrael, not only that he is YAHVEH, but that HE is EL alone, and
that indeed there is no EL in all the earth but in Yisrael, a noble
confession, but such as intimates the misery of the Gentile world; for the
nations that had many gods really had no EL, but were without EL in the world.
He had formerly thought the gods of Syria
2Ki 5:16 But he said, “As יהוה lives, before whom I stand, I do
not accept it.” And he pressed on him to accept it, but he refused. – Grateful to Elisha the prophet: "Therefore, for
his sake whose servant thou art, I have a present for thee, silver, and gold,
and raiment, whatever thou wilt please to accept.’’ He valued the cure, not by
the easiness of it to the prophet, but the acceptableness of it to himself, and
would gladly pay for it accordingly. But Elisha gracefully refused the fee,
though urged to accept it; and, to prevent further importunity, backed his
refusal with an oath: As YAHVEH liveth, I will receive none , not
because he did not need it, for he was poor enough, and knew what to do with
it, and how to bestow it among the sons of the prophets, nor because he thought
it unlawful, for he received presents from others; but he would not be beholden
to this Syrian, nor should he say, I have made Elisha rich, Gen.
14:23. It would be much for the honor of YAHVEH to show this new convert that
the servants of the EL of Yisrael were taught to look upon the wealth of this
world with a holy contempt, which would confirm him in his belief that there
was no EL but in Yisrael. See 1 Co. 9:18; 2 Co.
11:9.
2Ki 5:17 Then Naʽaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of
earth, for no longer is your servant going to make a burnt offering and
slaughtering to other mighty ones, but to יהוה. – Proselyted
to the worship of the EL of Yisrael. He will not only offer a sacrifice to the
Lord, in thanks for his present cure, but he resolves he will never offer sacrifice
to any other gods. It was a happy cure of his leprosy which cured him of his
idolatry, a more dangerous disease. But here are two instances of his weakness
and infirmity in his conversion:-
1. In one instance
he over-did it, that he would not only worship the EL of Yisrael, but he would
have clods of earth out of the prophet’s garden, or at least of the prophet’s
ordering, to make an altar of. He that awhile ago had spoken very
slightly of the waters of Yisrael verse 12 now is in another extreme, and
over-values the earth of Yisrael, supposing, since ABBA YAHVEH has appointed altars
of earth, Ex. 20:24, that an altar of that earth would be most acceptable
to him, not considering that all the earth is YAHVEH’s and the fulness thereof.
Or perhaps the transport of his affection and veneration for the prophet, not
only upon the account of his power, but of his virtue and generosity, made him,
as we say, love the very ground he went upon and desire to have some of it home
with him. The modern compliment equivalent to this would be, "Pray, sir,
let me have your picture.’
2Ki 5:18 “יהוה grant
forgiveness to your servant in this matter: when my master goes into the house
of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the
house of Rimmon; when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, יהוה, please grant forgiveness to
your servant in this matter.” – In
another instance he under-did it, that he reserved to himself a liberty to bow
in the house of Rimmon, in complaisance to the king his master, and according
to the duty of his place at court, in this thing he must be excused. He
owns he ought not to do it, but that he cannot otherwise not do it, but that he
cannot otherwise keep his place, protests that his bowing is not, nor ever
shall be, as it had been, in honor to the idol, but only in honor to the king,
and therefore he hopes YAHVEH will forgive him. Perhaps, all things considered,
this might admit of some apology, though it was not justifiable. But, as to us,
I am sure,
(1.) If, in
covenanting with YAHVEH, we make a reservation for any known sin, which we will
continue to indulge ourselves in, that reservation is a defeasance of his
covenant. We must cast away all our transgressions and not except any house of
Rimmon.
(2.) Though we are
encouraged to pray for the remission of the sins we have committed, yet, if we
ask for a dispensation to go on in any sin for the future, we mock YAHVEH, and
deceive ourselves.
(3.) Those that know
not how to quit a place at court when they cannot keep it without sinning
against YAHVEH, and wronging their consciences, do not rightly value the divine
favour.
2Ki 5:19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.”
And when he had gone from him some distance, - Those that truly hate evil will make conscience of
abstaining from all appearances of evil. Though Naaman’s dissembling his
religion cannot be approved, yet because his promise to offer no sacrifice to
any Mighty One but the EL of Yisrael only was a great point gained with a
Syrian, and because, by asking pardon in this matter, he showed such a degree
of conviction and ingenuousness as gave hopes of improvement, the prophet took
fair leave of him, and bade him Go in peace. Young converts must be
tenderly dealt with.
Brit Chadasha
Mattityahu “Matthew”8:1-4
The evangelist
having, in the foregoing chapters, given us a specimen of our Lord’s preaching,
proceeds now to give some instances of the miracles he wrought, which prove him
a Teacher come from YAHVEH, and the great Healer of a diseased world. In this
chapter we have, Messiyah cleansing of a
leper verse 1-4.
The first verse
refers to the close of the foregoing sermon: the people that heard him were astonished
at his doctrine; and the effect was, that when he came down from the
mountain, great multitudes followed him; though he was so strict a
Lawgiver, and so faithful a Reprover, they diligently attended him, and were
loth to disperse, and go from him.
They to whom
Messiyah has manifested Himself, cannot but desire to be better acquainted with
him. They who know much of Messiyah should covet to know more; and then
shall we know, if we thus follow on to know YAHVEH. It is pleasing
to see people so well affected to Messiyah, as to think they can never hear
enough of him; so well affected to the best things, as thus to flock after good
preaching, and to follow the Lamb withersoever he goes. Now was Jacob’s
prophecy concerning the Messiah fulfilled, that unto him shall the gathering
of the people be; yet they who gathered to him did not cleave to him. They
who followed him closely and constantly were but few, compared with the
multitudes that were but followers at large.
In these verses we
have an account of Messiyah’s cleansing a leper. It should seem, by
comparing Mk. 1:40, and Lu. 5:12, that this passage, though placed, by St.
Matthew, after the sermon on the mount, because he would give account of his
doctrine first, and then of his miracles, happened some time before; but that
is not at all material. This is fitly recorded with the first of Messiyah’s
miracles,
Mat 8:1 And when He came down from the mountain,
large crowds followed Him.
–
Mat 8:2 And see, a leper
came, and bowed before Him, saying, “Master, if You desire, You are able to
make me clean.” – The leper’s
address to Messiyah. If this happened, as it is here placed, after the sermon
on the mount, we may suppose that the leper, though shut out by his disease
from the cities of Yisrael, yet got within hearing of Messiyah’s sermon, and
was encouraged by it to make his application to him; for he that taught as
one having authority, could heal so; and therefore he came and
worshipped him, as one clothed with a divine power. His address is, Lord,
if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. The cleaning of him may be
considered,
1. As a temporal
mercy; a mercy to the body, delivering it from a disease, which, though it did
not threaten life, embittered it. And so it directs us, not only to apply ourselves
to Messiyah, who has power over bodily diseases, for the cure of them, but it
also teaches us in what manner to apply ourselves to him; with an assurance of
his power, believing that he is as able to cure diseases now, as he was when on
earth, but with a submission to his will; Master, if thou wilt, thou canst.
As to temporal mercies, we cannot be so sure of YAH’s Will to bestow
them, as we may of his power, for his power in them is unlimited
by a regard to his glory and our good: when we cannot be sure of his will, we
may be sure of his wisdom and mercy, to which we may cheerfully refer ourselves;
Thy will be done: and this makes the expectation easy, and the event,
when it comes, comfortable.
2. As a typical
mercy. Sin is the leprosy of the soul; it shuts us out from communion with ABBA
YAHVEH, to which that we maybe restored, it is necessary that we be cleansed
from this leprosy, and this ought to be our great concern. It is our comfort when
we apply ourselves to Messiyah, as the great Physician, that if he will, he can
make us clean; and we should, with an humble, believing boldness, go to him and
tell him so. That is,
(1.) We must rest
ourselves upon his power; we must be confident of this, that Messiyah can
make us clean. No guilt is so great but that there is a sufficiency in his
righteousness to atone for it; no corruption so strong, but there is a
sufficiency in his grace to subdue it. YAHVEH would not appoint a physician to
his hospital that is not every way qualified for the undertaking.
(2.) We must
recommend ourselves to his pity; we cannot demand it as a debt, but we must
humbly request it as a favor; "Master, if thou wilt. I throw myself
at thy feet, and if I perish, I will perish there.’’
Mat 8:3 And stretching out
His hand יהושע touched him,
saying, “I desire it. Be cleansed!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. – Messiyah’s
answer to this address, which was very kind.
1. He put forth
his hand and touched him. The leprosy was a noisome, loathsome disease, yet
Messiyah touched him; for he did not disdain to converse with publicans and
sinners, to do them good. There was a ceremonial pollution contracted by the
touch of a leper; but Messiyah would show, that when he conversed with sinners,
he was in no danger of being infected by them, for the prince of this world had
nothing in him. If we touch pitch, we are defiled; but Messiyah was separate
from sinners, even when He lived among them.
2. He said, I
will, be thou clean. He did not say, as Elisha to Naaman, Go, wash in Jordan
(1.) Here is a word
of kindness, I will; I am as willing to help thee, as thou art to be
helped. They who by faith apply themselves to Messiyah for mercy and grace, may
be sure that he is willing, freely willing, to give them the mercy and grace
they come to him for. Messiyah is a Physician, that does not need to be sought
for, he is always in the way; does not need to be urged, while we are yet
speaking, he hears; does not need to be feed, he heals freely, not for price
nor reward. he has given all possible demonstration, that he is as willing as
he is able to save sinners.
(2.) A word of
power, Be thou clean. Both a power of authority, and a power of energy, are
exerted in this word. Messiyah heals by a word of command to us; Be thou clean;
"Be willing to be clean, and use the means; cleanse thyself from all
filthiness;’’ but there goes along with this a word of command concerning us, a
word that does the work; I will that thou be clean. Such a word as this
is necessary to the cure, and effectual for it; and the Almighty grace which
speaks it, shall not be wanting to those who truly desire it.
Today we wash
ourselves in the Living Water that flows from the side of Yahushua, our
Messiyah.
Mat 8:4 And יהושע said to him, “See, mention it to
no one. But go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that
Mosheh commanded, as a witness to them.” – The
directions Messiyah gave him. It is fit that they who are cured by Messiyah
should ever after be ruled by him.
1. See thou tell
no man; "Tell no man till thou has shown thyself to the priest, and he
has pronounced thee clean; and so thou hast a legal proof, both that thou wash
before a leper, and art now thoroughly cleansed.’’ Messiyah would have his
miracles to appear in their full light and evidence, and not to be published till
they could appear so.
They that preach the
truths of Messiyah should be able to prove them; to defend what they preach,
and convince gainsayers. "Tell no man, till thou hast showed thyself to
the priest, lest if he hear who cured thee, he should out of spite deny to
give thee a certificate of the cure, and so keep thee under confinement.’’ Such
were the priests in Messiyah’s time, that they who had any thing to do with them
had need to have been as wise as serpents.
2. Go show
thyself to the priest, according to the law, Lev. 14:2. Messiyah took care
to have the law observed, lest he should give offence, and to show that he will
have order kept up, and good discipline and respect paid to those that are in
office. It may be of use to those that are cleansed of their spiritual leprosy,
to have recourse to Messiyah’s ministers, and to open their case to them, that
they may assist them in their enquiries into their spiritual state, and advise,
and comfort, and pray for them.
3. Offer the gift
that Moses commanded, in token of thankfulness to YAHVEH, and recompense to
the priest for his pains; and this for a testimony unto them; either,
(1.) Which Moses
commanded for a testimony: the laws were testimonies of YAH’s authority
over them, care of them, and of that grace which should afterwards be revealed.
(2.) "Do thou
offer it for a testimony, and let the priest know who cleansed thee, and how;
and it shall be a testimony, that there is one among them who does that which
the high priest cannot do. Let it remain upon record as a witness of my power,
and a testimony for me to them, if they will use it and improve it; but against
them, if they will not:’’ for so Messiyah’s word and works are testimonies.
Luka 17:11-19
Luk
17:11
And it came to be, as He went to Yerushalayim, that He passed through the midst
of Shomeron and Galil. –
We have here an account of the cure of
ten lepers, which we had not in any other of the evangelists. The leprosy was a
disease which the Jews supposed to be inflicted for the punishment of some
particular sin, and to be, more than other diseases, a mark of YAH’s displeasure;
and therefore Messiyah, who came to take away sin, and turn away wrath, took
particular care to cleanse the lepers that fell in his way. Messiyah was now in
his way to Yerushalayim, about the mid-way, where he had little acquaintance in
comparison with what he had either at Yerushalayim or in Galilee .
He was now in the frontier-country, the marches that lay between Samaria and Galilee . He
went that road to find out these lepers, and to cure them; for he is found
of them that sought him not.
Luk
17:12
And as He was entering into a certain village, He was met by ten leprous men,
who stood at a distance.
– The address of these lepers to
Messiyah. They were ten in a company; for, though they were shut out from
society with others, yet those that were infected were at liberty to converse
with one another, which would be some comfort to them, as giving them an
opportunity to compare notes, and to condole with one another.
They met the
Messiyah as he entered into a certain village. They did not stay till he
had refreshed himself for some time after the fatigue of his journey, but met
him as he entered the town, weary as he was; and yet he did not put them
off, nor adjourn their cause.
They stood afar
off, knowing that by the law their disease obliged them to keep their
distance. A sense of our spiritual leprosy should make us very humble in
all our approaches to Messiyah. Who are we, that we should draw near to him
that is infinitely pure? We are impure.
Luk
17:13
And they lifted up their voices, saying, “יהושע, Master, have compassion on us!” – Their request was unanimous, and very importunate : They
lifted up their voices, being at a distance, and cried, Yahushua,
Master, have mercy on us. Those that expect help from Messiyah must take
him for their Master, and be at his command. If he be Master, he will be
Yahushua, a Savior, and not otherwise. They ask not in particular to be
cured of their leprosy, but, Have mercy on us; and it is enough to refer
ourselves to the compassions of Messiyah, for they fail not. They heard
the fame of this Jesus (though he had not been much conversant in that
country), and that was such as encouraged them to make application to him; and,
if but one of them began in so cheap and easy an address, they would all join.
Luk 17:14 And having seen them, He said to them, “Go, show
yourselves to the priests.” And it came to be, that as they were going, they
were cleansed. – Messiyah Yahushua sent them to the
priest, to be inspected by him, who was the judge of the leprosy. He
did not tell them positively that they should be cured, but ask them go
show themselves to the priests. This was a trial of their obedience, and it
was fit that it should be so tried, as Naaman’s in a like case: Go wash in Jordan
As they went,
they were cleansed, and so became
fit to be looked upon by the priest, and to have a certificate from him that
they were clean. Then we may expect YAHVEH to meet us with mercy when we
are found in the way of duty. If we do what we can, YAHVEH will not be wanting
to do that for us which we cannot. Go, attend upon instituted ordinances; go
and pray, and read the scriptures: Go show thyself to the priests; go
and open thy case to a faithful minister, and, though the means will not heal
thee of themselves, YAHVEH will heal thee in the diligent use of those means.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he
was healed, returned, praising Elohim with a loud voice, - One of them, and but one, returned, to give
thanks. When he saw that he was healed, instead of going forward to
the priest, to be by him declared clean, and so discharged from his
confinement, which was all that the rest aimed at, he turned back
towards him who was the Author of his cure, whom he wished to have the glory of
it, before he received the benefit of it. He appears to have been very hearty
and affectionate in his thanksgivings: With a loud voice he glorified ABBA YAHVEH,
acknowledging it to come originally from him; and he lifted up his
voice in his praises, as he had done in his prayers.
Luk 17:16 and he fell down upon his face at His
feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Shomeronite. – Those that have received mercy from YAHVEH should
publish it to others, that they may praise YAHVEH too, and may be encouraged by
their experiences to trust in him. But he also made a particular address of
thanks to Messiyah: He fell down at his feet, put himself into the most
humble reverent posture he could, and gave him thanks.
We ought to give
thanks for the favors Messiyah bestows upon us, and particularly for recoveries
from sickness; and we ought to be speedy in our returns of praise, and
not defer them, lest time wear out the sense of the mercy. It becomes us also
to be very humble in our thanksgivings, as well as in our prayers. It becomes
the seed of Jacob, like him, to own themselves less than the least of YAH’s
mercies, when they have received them, as well as when they are in pursuit
of them.
Messiyah took notice
of this one that had thus distinguished himself; for, it seems, he was a
Samaritan, whereas the rest were Jews. The Samaritans were separatists from the
Jewish Assembly, and had not the pure knowledge and worship of YAHVEH among
them that the Jews had, and yet it was one of them that glorified ABBA YAHVEH,
when the Jews forgot, or, when it was moved to them, refused, to do it.
Luk 17:17 And יהושע answering, said, “Were there not
ten cleansed? But where are the nine? - The
particular notice Messiyah took of him, of the grateful return he made, and the
ingratitude of those that were sharers with him in the mercy, that he who was a
stranger to the commonwealth
of Israel
How rich
Messiyah is in doing good: Were there not ten cleansed? Here was a cure
by wholesale, a whole hospital healed with one word’s
speaking. There is an abundance of healing cleansing virtue in the blood of
Messiyah, sufficient for all his patients, though ever so many. Here are ten
at a time cleansed; we shall have never the less grace for others sharing
it.
How poor we
are in our returns: "Where are the nine? Why did not they return to
give thanks?’’ This intimates that ingratitude is a very common sin. Of the many
that receive mercy from YAHVEH, there are but few, very few, that return to
give thanks in a right manner (scarcely one in ten), that render
according to the benefit done to them.
Luk 17:18 “Was no one found to return to give
praise to Elohim, except this foreigner?” – How those often prove most grateful from whom it was least expected. A
Samaritan gives thanks, and a Jew does not. Thus many who profess revealed
religion are out-done, and quite shamed, by some that are governed only by
natural religion, not only in moral value, but in piety and devotion. This
serves here to aggravate the ingratitude of those Yisraelites of whom Messiyah
speaks, as taking it very ill that his kindness was so slighted. And it
intimates how justly he resents the ingratitude of the world of mankind, for
whom he had done so much, and from whom he has received so little.
Luk 17:19 And He said to him, “Rise, go your
way. Your belief has made you well.” - The great encouragement Messiyah gave him. The rest had their cure,
and had it not revoked, as justly it might have been, for their
ingratitude, though they had such a good example of gratitude set before them;
but he had his cure confirmed particularly with an encomium: Thy faith hath
made thee whole. The rest were made whole by the power of Messiyah,
in compassion to their distress, and in answer to their prayer; but he was made
whole by his faith, by which Messiyah saw him distinguished from the
rest. Temporal mercies are then doubled and sweetened to us when they
are fetched in by the prayers of faith, and returned by the
praises of faith.
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