Matthew 8-10
Ok, I'm guilty, I love the movie Braveheart. But that's about as close as I ever want to get to a leper. Today, we call it Hansen's Disease after the doctor that researched it and discovered the bacteria that causes it. Whatever you want to refer to it as this disease terrified humanity since ancient times and is still a major problem in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Leprosy does not kill, but it also does not seem to end. It lingers for years degenerating tissue and deforming the body.
Leprosy begins in the skin and nervous system and then spreads to the extremities. Patients with leprosy present with twisting of the limbs, thickening of the outer ear, collapsing of the nose and the characteristic claw hand. Damage to the optic nerve is possible. However, the worst symptom of the disease is a partial or complete loss of the sensation of pain. The inability to feel pain increases the likelihood that they may be injured without being aware. This can be so severe that there are documented cases where, overnight, while asleep, patients have had their fingers chewed off by rats. Pain was given to us to so that we know when something is hurting us to prevent further damage.
Leprosy begins in the skin and nervous system and then spreads to the extremities. Patients with leprosy present with twisting of the limbs, thickening of the outer ear, collapsing of the nose and the characteristic claw hand. Damage to the optic nerve is possible. However, the worst symptom of the disease is a partial or complete loss of the sensation of pain. The inability to feel pain increases the likelihood that they may be injured without being aware. This can be so severe that there are documented cases where, overnight, while asleep, patients have had their fingers chewed off by rats. Pain was given to us to so that we know when something is hurting us to prevent further damage.
Thousands of years ago leprosy was already a problem. In the wilderness, Moses was given the procedure to determine healing from this dreaded disease. It is an incredibly complex and thorough troubleshooting plan. Because it is such a horrible condition, the Law is thorough to be absolutely certain of whether a sore is leprous or not. Only the high priest was able to make that decision and declare someone clean or unclean which was decided solely on the physical appearance of the skin. It did not matter what you thought, or said, or believed. Those things did not have the power to classify one as 'clean' under the old covenant.
Today, under the new covenant, we look at the symbolism of leprosy in the Bible. The disease correlates with sin in our lives. A single, small spot on the skin is a sin that we do not repeat over and over again. Frequently, when we sin it is repeated many times over and eventually becomes a problem just as full blown leprosy can turn a life upside down. Just as the high priest was the only one who could examine and declare cleanliness, our Great High Priest is the only one that can declare us clean. Proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives he gives us salvation and the opportunity to be restored to our original state; clean. There is just no other way to do it. Is there sin in your life that only Christ can declare clean? He's happy to do it for His sheep if only you will ask.