If it feels to you like we’ve spent a lot of time talking about leprosy, you’re not alone. I’ve commented before that Leviticus is where Bible reading plans go to die, and I imagine a lot of it has to do with the repetitive nature of the rituals and cultural dissonance between us and the ancient Israelites. However, amidst the detailed laws and rituals, there lies profound significance that often goes unnoticed. For instance, the silence of the scapegoat explained can reveal deeper truths about community, atonement, and the struggle with sin. This exploration invites us to reflect on our own conflicts and the ways we seek redemption.
Leprosy is part of that issue. If someone has a version of leprosy today, they go to their doctor, pick up some cream from their local pharmacy, apply to affected areas, and call it a day. Leviticus’ emphasis on isolation, cleansing rituals, sacrifices, and priestly intervention seem borderline irrelevant to us today.
But I think that “distance” is why we don’t appreciate Leviticus as we should. And, if we’re being honest, why we abandon it so frequently. When we don’t take the time to understand what’s happening, we rush through the material, claim it as unimportant, and move on. All we’re left with is memories of skin rashes and unblemished goats.
I sympathize with one writer who talked about the guilt associated with failing to keep up with Bible reading plans. If we keep a checklist mentality with Bible reading, then missing a day or week or month feels like a colossal, sin-filled failure.
That’s not the way it should be. Bible study should always be more about quality than quantity. It’s just one of the reasons why we’re nearly two years into this project and just now about to finish Leviticus. At this rate, it’ll be another twenty years before I finish.
And you know what? That’s okay with me. Spending an hour or so every day in God’s Word studying verses that I’ve overlooked is one of the best ways to spend my mornings. I hope that’s how you feel too.
Fortunately, I think God understands how difficult some of this Text is, too. If you look at different markers in the Bible, it seems there are points where the Text summarizes what was just discussed. It’s almost as if God is saying, “I get it, that was tough. Here’s what you need to know.”
One such marker happens (in my opinion) at the end of Leviticus 14. After two chapters discussing leprosy, two chapters of cleanliness vs uncleanliness, and several more to go in the future, Leviticus 14:54-57 sums it all up: “This is the law for any mark of leprosy…to teach when they are unclean and when they are clean.”
Is there anything more important than that? If God is holy, and we, because of our sins, are unholy, then we should absolutely learn what makes us unclean in the first place. And, of course, what can make us clean. Understanding the path to restoration is crucial for our spiritual journey. Through repentance and faith, we can grasp why unclean status is temporary, allowing us to embrace a life of purity and divine connection. It is this transformative process that empowers us to move from remorse to renewal, reflecting the holiness of God in our lives.
The Israelites needed to learn this lesson. God wanted a purified people for Himself—then and now—so it makes sense they become grounded in this before they truck too far out in the desert.
We need to learn this too. So many people operate today in spiritual filth, ignoring sins and living however they want to, all the while calling themselves God’s people.
If they were God’s people, they would learn the difference between clean and unclean. Their lives (and mine) would reflect this understanding. We would avoid things that make us spiritually unclean, like sin (Romans 6:1).
As Leviticus 14:57 puts it: “This is the law of leprosy.” It’s not about spots and rashes—it’s about clean and unclean. How to recognize the difference and what to do about it.
And despite three thousand years of history between us and them, it’s still a lesson we can all learn from today
