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A Little Bird Told Me
.
.
A little bird told me
that you love me
And I believe that you do
This little bird told me I was fallin'
Fallin' for no one but you
The little bird told me we'd be happy
And I believe that it's true
A little bird told me we'd be married
And I believe that it's true
So ran the popular song
a thought borrowed from the wisdom of King Solomon
..
Ecclesiasties
10: 20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in
your bedroom,
because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may
report what you say.
But our study will reveal the lesson that comes from two little birds
.
Leviticus 14 (
NIV )
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "These are the
regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing,
when he is brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the
camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin
disease, 4 the priest shall order that two
live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for
the one to be cleansed.
5 Then
the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a
clay pot.
6 He is
then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the
scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over
the fresh water.
7 Seven
times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and
pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields.
The scene is Mount Sinai. The Israelites, out of Egypt and on their way to the Land of Canaan, receive 613 laws from their God. These Laws deal with religious, civil, social and domestic matters. There are laws concerning food, animal welfare, idolatry, farming, you name it !! And laws concerning health.
Chapter 13 speaks of the diagnosis of a diseased person ; Chapter 14 of that persons cleansing and restoration.
( 1 ) THE DIAGNOSIS
The word Leprosy, used in the King James version, could embrace a wide field of skin diseases psoriasis, eczema, ring-worm, boils but it may also include leprosy.
Leviticus 13: 1
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
2
"When anyone has a swelling or a rash
or a bright spot
on his skin that may become an
infectious skin
disease,he must be brought to Aaron the priest
or to one of his
sons who is a priest.
3 The
priest is to examine the sore on his skin, and if the
hair in the sore
has turned
white and the sore
appears to be more than skin deep,
it is an
infectious skin disease.
When the priest
examines him, he shall pronounce
him ceremonially
unclean.
A careful examination is made by the Priest. If the disease is contagious, the Israelite
must dwell outside the camp.
Lev. 13: 45 "The person with such an
infectious disease must wear
torn clothes, let
his hair be unkempt, [4]
cover the lower part
of his face and
cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!'
46 As
long as he has the infection he remains unclean.
He must live
alone; he must live outside the camp.
But there is hope
!!! As long as he has the infection !!
The leper may be miraculously cured .. as was like Miriam
and Naaman in the Old Testament
or like those who received the Saviours healing touch in the New Testament.
Or the disease may run its course and the contagion will disappear.
In which case the Israelite may return to the camp of
Gods People. But first
a unique ceremony !
.
(2) THE UNIQUE
RITUAL
Two birds are
taken. One is slain , the other is dipped in its blood and set free ! ( 14:
1-7) And the Israelite is sprinkled with the blood of the slain bird
seven
times.
All of which reads strange to us
unless we are familiar
with the Book of Hebrews . For these Old Testament incidents concerning the
priesthood and the sacrifices are Divinely-designed illustrations of New
Testament truths. They were written
for our admonition. ( 1 Corinthians 10:11) They were shadows pointing to the reality
a reality which was revealed when the Lord
Jesus came and died for sinners.
Which leads us to the NEW TESTAMENT APPLICATION
(a) THE NEED FOR SALVATION
Leprosy is to the body what sin is to the soul. The cleansing and restoration of the leper
illustrates the cleansing and restoration of the sinner to God.
Like leprosy , sin is
. >
*Insidious
it starts insignificantly. One small spot
.
( Lev.13:2)
*Progressive
It spreads
the mind , the emotions , the
will ,
all becomes infected.
*Benumbing
A
leper loses feeling in his infected parts.
And that which once troubled the conscience eventually fails to do so.
*Infectious
.. for no man liveth unto himself. ( Romans
14:7) And we either influence others to
godliness
or sin.
* Isolating
the Leper was placed outside the camp of Gods
people. And the sinner is separated from God.
The verdict of Scripture is that All have sinned
(
Romans 3:23) But there is hope
..
(b) THE BASIS OF SALVATION
The two birds picture the Saviour. He who came from
Heaven died and rose again. ( Romans 4:25)
Without the resurrection we would have no Gospel to
preach. No forgiveness oif sins. No hope of Heaven. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus displayed God the Fathers
acceptance of His Sons atoning sacrifice.
His blood was shed
for sinners.
And that live bird soaring heavenward, dipped in the blood of the other,
is a reminder that our Risen Saviours blood pleads before the Fathers throne
that salvation has been provided. The price of our redemption has been paid
.
(c ) THE APPROPRIATION OF SALVATION .
Because the Lord
Jesus died for the sins of the world, ( 1 John 2:2) everybody was not automatically saved. Each individual must
personally submit to Him, as Saviour and Lord.
And this, too, is illustrated for us in Leviticus 14.
12
"Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt
offering, along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the LORD as a
wave offering. 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where
the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering,
the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy.
14 The
priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the
lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand
and on the big toe of his right foot.
15 The
priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own
left hand, 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and
with his finger sprinkle some of it before the LORD seven times. 17
The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the
right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the
big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.
18 The
rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be
cleansed and make atonement for him before the LORD .
* The blood
of a sacrifice is applied to the right ear, thumb and big toe. It is a reminder
that we are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb to hearken to His voice , to serve Him faithfully and walk
in His steps!
( 1 Peter 2:21)
* The oil
, ever a symbol of the Holy Spirit, is likewise applied to ear , thumb and toe.
He, the Spirit of God, will help us live the Christian life.
The Holy Spirit
will enlighten us to understand
Gods Word , empower us to serve
Him aright
and enable us to
walk the way a Christian ought to walk !
.
Matthew 8:1When
he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A
man with leprosy came and
knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me
clean."
3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am
willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
And he who comes to the Lord Jesus with a soul, diseased
by the leprosy of sin, and on the basis of His atoning death and resurrection
can hear the same promise of cleansing and restoration.
.
Skipping
Thru Leviticus
..
..
As far as Christians are
concerned, Leviticus is one of the
least studied, least read , least preached on books in all of Scripture ! Yet
2 Tim 3:16 says all Scripture
is profitable. There are many New Testament passages that cannot be rightly
understood without an appreciation of what is taught in this Book. There are nearly 100 verses in the Book of
Hebrews that can only be understood if we have studied Leviticus !
* The Key Text is Leviticus
19:2
Ye shall be holy, for I the
LORD your God am holy ! And this is
repeated in 1 Peter 1:15-16.
Note the progression of
thought
Genesis spoke of Ruin
by the fall
Exodus showed us Redemption by the blood
Leviticus reminds us Righteousness is required !
OUTLINE
Chapter 1-7
Holy Presentations ( offerings )
Ch. 8-10
. Holy Priesthood
Ch. 11-27
Holy People
.
Whereas the Book of Exodus revealed the way of pardon for the
sinner
..
Leviticus reveals the way of purity for the
saint.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Th THE AUTHOR Liberal theologians tell us it was written by some unknown
priest they call P about 500 B.C.
Bible-believers say that it
was written by Moses
which the book itself claims over 50 times ( 1:1; 3:1
etc, etc.) and which the Lord Jesus
verified !! (Matthew 8:2-4)
THE PLACE The contents
of Leviticus do not advance the history of the nation. They are laws
given over the space of one month
whilst the Israelites camp at Mnt. Sinai.
THE TITLE
The book gets its name from
the fact that it contains regulations mainly for the tribe of Levi. Levi was
one of the twelve sons of Jacob ( Israel)
appointed by God to be the tribe
from which came the priests and priests helpers.
A priest was the
go-between twixt man and God. He approached God on mans behalf.
THE TYPOLOGY
All this finds an anti-type
in the ministry of our High Priest , the Lord Jesus. ( Hebrews 3:1)
And we who are Christians
are also described as priests, called upon to offer spiritual sacrifices to our
God. ( 1 Peter 2:9)
Likewise the five different offerings reflect the various
aspects of our Lords sacrifice.
The seven Feast Days reveal
something of Gods plan through-out the Christian era.
Whilst the actual Mosaic laws are not binding on Christians ,
there are spiritual lessons there-in of
lasting importance.
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LAWS CONCERNING
THE OFFERINGS The most complete description of our
Saviours atoning work anywhere given in Scripture ! (J.S. Baxter : Explore
the Book p. 117)
Ch. 1
Burnt offerings
( Total surrender !)
Ch. 2
Meal Offerings
( Purity of Service )
Ch. 3
Peace offerings
.( Serenity !)
Ch. 4-5:13
Sin offerings
( Substitution )
Ch. 5:14-6:7
Trespass
Offerings
.( Satisfaction )
Only to be offered at appointed place ( Ch. 17; Deuteronomy
16:16)
THE PRIESTHOOD
Their Parentage.
Ch. 8:2
Their Garments .
Exodus 28.
Their Fitness .
Ch. 21-22
Their Consecration
Ch. 8-9
Their Obedience Ch. 10
Nadab & Abihu !
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THE SET TIMES
(Ch 23. )
Weekly Sabbath
The Passover
The Feast of Unleavened
Bread First month
Barley
harvest commences.
The Feast of Firstfruits
The Feast of Weeks (
Pentecost ) Third month
Wheat harvest commences
The Feast of Trumpets
The Day of Atonement ( & Ch. 26) Seventh month
End of harvest season.
The Feast of Tabernacles
.
Year of Jubilee ( Ch. 25)
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Food laws (Ch. 11)
Hygiene
( Ch. 12-15)
Sundry laws
.. re. Leprosy , Idolatry ,
Immorality , Death penalty ; Cursing a parent ; Vows ; etc. etc .etc
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MODERN DAY ALLUSION
Leviticus 15:2,11-13
running water !
Leviticus 17:11
blood .
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SOME NEW TESTAMENT ALLUSIONS
.
Leviticus 4:32-33
.
John 1:36
The Lamb
Leviticus 12: 6-8
. Luke
2:22-24
... turtle doves
Leviticus 16: 17
.
.
Hebrews 1:3
.. alone !
Leviticus 17:11
Hebrews
9:22
..
shed blood !
Leviticus 19:18
.Matthew
5:43 !
... Love
Leviticus 19:19
.2
Corinth. 6:14-15 .
. Mixed seed
Leviticus 21:10
Matthew
26:65
.. torn garment
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CONCLUSION To ignore studying any part of the Old Testament is to
rob ourselves of the spiritual treasures there for us. And that even includes
the book of Leviticus ! Amen .
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Now to the Israelites God gives
the laws they must
obey
If they want His rich blessings
to fall on them each
day ;
Laws of the offerings to bring
and laws concerning
food;
Of feast days and of hygiene too
and all for their
own good !
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