Leviticus 14:10-20 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

Final rites of readmission.

By the series of final rites of restoration recorded in these verses, the leper once more took his place as one of a holy nation admitted to the presence of God: he was "presented before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle," etc. ( Leviticus 14:10 ). His formal acceptance at the house of the Lord, and entrance again on the privileges of the peculiar people, reminds us that our entrance, whether in the first instance or after backsliding and return, upon the fullness of sacred privilege must be—

I. ATTENDED WITH HUMILITY . The leper was to bring his sin offering, which must be slain in the holy place ( Leviticus 14:13 , Leviticus 14:19 ). Over the head of the animal he was to confess his sin, and then, with his guilt thus transferred, the blood of the sin offering atoned for past wrong. All approaches to God by the human spirit should be accompanied with a sense of unworthiness. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" ( Matthew 5:3 ).

II. IS THE SPIRIT OF CONSECRATION . The leper was to bring his burnt offering as well as his sin offering ( Leviticus 14:13 , Leviticus 14:19 , Leviticus 14:20 ). By this he symbolically presented himself wholly unto the Lord, laid himself on the altar of sacred service. When we turn, or return unto God it must be in the sprat' ' of full, unreserved dedication. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, our reasonable ( i.e. rational, spiritual) service" ( Romans 12:1 ).

III. IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKFUL JOY . The leper was to bring "three tenth deals of line flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil" ( Leviticus 14:10 , Leviticus 14:20 ). This was a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, rendered under a sense of deep indebtedness for Divine bounty. It was certainly suitable enough in the case of the leper, whose malady had been removed by the healing hand of God. Nor is the consciousness of our deep indebtedness, the presentation of our utmost thanks, one whit less becoming, less demanded and required of God, when we come to his house, or to the table of the Lord, after months or years, or a life of absence, negligence, estrangement, it should be with hearts overflowing with holy gratitude and. sacred joy that we present ourselves before him.

IV. WITH A SENSE OF GOD 'S FULL ACCEPTANCE OF OUR WHOLE HEART AND LIFE . There was one very significant ceremony through which the leper who was being cleansed had to pass: the priest was to put some of the blood of the trespass offering upon the tip of the right ear, and the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot ( Leviticus 14:14 ). Afterwards the priest did the same thing with the oil, pouring the remnant of the oil upon the leper's head ( Leviticus 14:17 , Leviticus 14:18 ). The application of the blood of atonement to these bodily extremities indicated God's acceptance of the leper throughout the entire man; every part of him was now holy unto the Lord; even every part of that bodily frame which had been the very picture and type of all uncleanness. The application of the oil denoted that the leper was thenceforth to regard himself as God's accepted servant in every sphere of human action; he was to be:

1 . A reverent waiter and watcher before God, eagerly learning his will.

2 . An active, industrious minister, doing his work in every way open to him.

3 . A conscientious exemplar, walking in the ways of the Lord blameless. We, too, returning unto God, pleading the blood of the Lamb, offering ourselves unto him, reverently rejoicing in his mercy, are to understand and realize that