This morning my meditation went a very different way than normal. Hopefully this in encouraging to those that are experiencing sickness and disease this flu season. The following is a direct extract from my journal...
It seems like a lot of sickness is going around, and people are under it. Lord, we pray that You would bring healing and health to our friends and families.
Its interesting that I was just thinking about the homes, and people sick within them, and I sat down to read scripture. I thought I heard 1444, and spent a bit of time looking to see if there was a book with a 14:44, and Leviticus seems like the only one. Anyway, this particular section has to do with the cleansing of a house from disease, mold or mildew. The original Hebrew word is the same as what is translated leprosy in the body, but for the home it can mean mold, mildew, or some other plague of sickness.
Leviticus 14:48-53 NIV
“But if the priest comes to examine it and the mold has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the defiling mold is gone. [49] To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. [50] He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. [51] Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. [52] He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. [53] Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean. ”
I was reading the Matthew Henry commentary about this and was interested in the symbolism of the birds, the cedar, the yarn and the hyssop. The blood of the first bird, is as one would expect, a prophetic symbol pointing towards Jesus death and atoning sacrifice. God said the life was in the blood, so this is bringing life into the house. The cedar wood is very resistant to any rot or molding, and is symbolic of a new wholeness and resistance to disease that is long lasting and even permanent. The hyssop produced a fresh fragrance that rid the house of even the scent of sickness or disease. The scarlet yarn is indicative of life and wholeness returning, as leprosy turned the affected areas white, the yarn signifies the return of wholeness and wellness (think rosy cheeks). Finally the second bird is released into the air, and this is symbolic of the new life and freedom that is evident once sickness is lifted and purged from the house.
This whole process was one of temporary atonement. Jesus provides for us the only permanent and everlasting atonement. Romans 3:24-25 NIV ..."and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness,...". Concerning the permanence of Jesus' atonement, the author of Hebrews writes: Hebrews 7:27 NIV " Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."
So, if cleansing and purification is available under the old covenant, how much more is it available under the new covenant, with Jesus as the perfect sacrifice. The old testament provides insight into the fullness of God's promises that are available through Jesus, and clearly that which He accomplished is better and eternal.
I believe that Lord wants to encourage those of us who are experiencing sickness and disease in our homes to look to Him and to lay hold of the promise of a purified, sickness-free home. Lord, come and cleanse and purify our homes, our families and our lives.
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