NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

Mold can be a huge problem, especially if you are highly allergic to it; as I am. When we hit this passage of Leviticus in our bible study I laughed out loud. I was thinking about the fact that even thousands of years ago God was already addressing all the problems of mold that we would be experiencing in the world today.

I should have known.  He thinks of everything that we need.

Mold issues might still be a huge problem; but we serve a HUGE God.

Nothing is impossible with God.

Still; as human as we are; most of us panic if someone even mentions the word “mold!”

I have vivid memories of a time long ago when my daughter called me in a panic because she had just moved into a beautiful new apartment and then discovered she had mold in the air conditioning system. Her landlord was in deep trouble. She wasn’t going to stand for it; and it wasn’t long before lots of action was being taken to clear that place of any problems. Nobody wants to be breathing air contaminated with mold!

People hate mold for good reasons.

The best way to cure a mold problem is to get rid of it – F-A-S-T and permanently.

Don’t take my word for it; just read God’s advice in Leviticus.

ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS LISTEN

Mold can make your home impossible to sell.  It can cause you severe health problems.  Mold can make you deathly ill; but not if you choose to read Leviticus and follow God’s practical advice to the Children of Israel in combating the “mold” problem. God never leaves his children in a bad situation. He was preparing them for the worst case scenarios. All they needed to do was listen.

Does that ever happen though? How many times do humans actually listen?

No need to call in the mold-busters yet! God knew this was going to be a problem; and He gave us all the solutions way back when; even before anyone living with the problems of mold today had even been born.

Want to know something even better than that?

God didn’t just solve the mold problems with the instructions that He gave to the wilderness priesthood; He used those same solutions given to those old Israelites to paint us an amazing and symbolic picture of how He was going to solve ALL of the rest of our problems forever.

The mold and the skin diseases were just physical problems. There were going to be HUGE spiritual problems in the world too. The spiritual mold problems might even turn out to be a whole lot worse than the physical mold problems. God was using the physical situations that happened long ago to teach us how to handle the spiritual situations of our own day.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the ongoing bible study we have called COME AS A CHILD. Today we will be studying Leviticus Chapter 13:47-59; and it is all about “mold.” UGH!!!

Thank you for joining us anyway!

If you missed last week’s lesson; you may review it here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/skin-diseases/.

DISCERNING CLEAN AND UNCLEAN

Long ago the Apostle Paul proclaimed that all scripture is given to us by inspiration and is profitable for our reproof and correction and training in righteousness. This obscure little chapter of Leviticus is no different in that respect. It has so much to teach us about living within the ways of The Kingdom of Heaven.

Again; we seem to find ourselves discussing what is “clean” and “unclean.”

What is clean is considered holy; what is unclean is NOT considered holy.

Anything unholy cannot appear before God.

So what is an “unclean” person supposed to do?

An unclean person should basically follow the same instructions given to those ancient people wandering in the wilderness; go to the High Priest for discernment of your next move. In those days the high priest was Aaron. Now we have a perfect High Priest; one that totally understands us; one that will reign over God’s Kingdom for all eternity. His name is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is able to cleanse us from the inside out.  He knows what to do with the moldy places of our souls.   He can make the unclean things within our hearts become clean again. Without Him though; this would be impossible. The Children of Israel were living in the days before Christ actually walked the earth. Still; without their complete knowledge or understanding; He was right there with them every step of the way; only in a different form than we are familiar with; and He was teaching them how to live.

BACK IN THE DAYS OF MOSES

This situation of being “unclean” would have been a HUGE problem back in the days of Moses; and it actually still is a problem all the way up until our present times.

Who wants to be excluded from worshiping with the congregation of God? No one that I know of!

Who wants to be cast outside the camp to live alone without the contact of others?

How terrible that would be.

THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

This thought of not being allowed to be a part of the congregation of God makes you think of the Psalms of David and how much David valued congregational worship. We hear of this in the reading of Psalm 27:4; “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I shall seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.”

The very first “House of The Lord” on this earth was found in the wilderness tabernacle during the times of Moses. If someone had a contagious disease or if they were wearing clothing that was contaminated with germs (mold or fungi that would spread diseases) they would be excluded from the congregational worship. They would not be allowed to come near anyone else.

This would have been horrible and terrifying to most people. The tabernacle was their ONLY access to God. To be outcast meant they would be hopelessly excluded from God’s presence.

How strange it is to think that God can use even skin diseases and mold to teach us these basic foundational things that we need to know in order to belong inside His Kingdom.

We have studied how people can have clean and unclean skin; according to whether or not they have been infected (usually with leprosy in the ancient times.) Infections are contagious and could not be allowed to manifest among the people that were coming and going at the wilderness tabernacle. If a person’s skin contained unclean qualities they were isolated and kept to themselves until this unclean condition cleared up.

DIRTY CLOTHES AND AN UN-KEPT BED

The same thing could happen, not only with people; but to the clothes they wore and the bedding where they slept. In those days the people often slept on leather mats that could roll up and be carried easily when they traveled. Their clothes were usually made from linen or wool, it was either woven or knitted together. They did not have manufactured cloth like we do now. I do not have time to go into all the details in this lesson today; but there are qualities in linen and wool that are astounding.  It is really a fascinating subject; but for now – we only need to consider that God explained to them and instructed them about how to tell if wool or linen was contaminated; and also leather.

If a person was unclean (or infected with a contagious disease) the germs from the disease could absorb into the fabrics of their clothing and/or bedding. If others came near these contaminated objects they might become infected too. If a person was unclean people had to stand six feet from them in order not to catch their disease. This precaution wasn’t intended to be hateful to the infectious person; it was intended to protect the uninfected person.

There was one exception to this occurrence; Jesus.

Jesus had the power and ability to heal lepers. He freely touched them and healed them.

In the case of the children of Israel in the wilderness; contact had to be stopped or the diseases would take over the whole camp. There were ways for the priest to determine if a spot on a garment of wool or linen or a piece of leather was infectious and contagious. The whole chapter thirteen of Leviticus gives us God’s instructions and practical ways of looking at something and being able to identify and know if it was unclean or clean, and whether or not something must be isolated and kept outside the camp; or allowed to continue being among the people.

SYMBOLISM

The obvious sometimes isn’t so obvious.

There is so much symbolism about Kingdom life found in this passage.

Disease and decay came into the world because of the sins of mankind. They are symbolized by the unclean garments that must be either cut out or completely burnt up.

Holiness and goodness come from God. The items that are determined to be “clean” are the ones that contain the good and holy things of God that may be used without causing death and decay and be useful for the purposes of life.

A CHILD OF GOD MUST BE KEPT CLEAN

If a person, or even their garments, was considered “unclean” they were excluded from entering the holy tabernacle of God.

You cannot carry the results of sin into the presence of God.

Anything “unclean” affects the holiness of a substance. Whether it is your heart or soul, or your physical body; God wants you to be “clean.”

A CHILD OF GOD MUST BE CLOTHED IN HOLINESS

You must be clothed in proper and clean garments also.

Clothing is a covering.

The covering of the spirit of a Christian is the covering of the blood of Christ. This brings redemption from the things that are “unclean” which God is unable to look upon.

A person wearing “unclean” clothes cannot be allowed to come into contact with holiness.

Maybe you have been saved; but you have sinned again. This is symbolically akin to a physically healthy person putting on a garment contaminated with a contagious disease.

The practical physical solution is that the garment must be removed and burned and the person must put on clean clothes after he has bathed.

There are also spiritual solutions to unclean living. Giving your confessions to God is like removing dirty garments and bathing. When your confessions are made and God has heard and forgiven you (because of the mediation of Christ) you are once again considered clean and/or pure.

ONLY THE PURE

Only the pure will be allowed into the Kingdom of God at the end of the age when all judgments will be given. Only those who are properly clothed in clean, white garments will be allowed inside The Kingdom of Heaven for the wedding feast of The Lamb.

Have you confessed your sins lately?

If not you are in danger of spiritual leprosy.

Are you keeping your garments clean, pure and white?

The Bride must always be making herself ready for the wedding. She must be preparing for the return of the groom.  The time must not catch her undressed; or wearing the wrong clothing.  Even in her waiting, the Bride must always be presentable to the groom because He could come for her at any given moment.

The Church (those that believe in and trust in Jesus) is the Bride of Christ.

One day He is returning to take The Bride to be with Him.

All members and parts of the Church should constantly be making sure to keep short accounts with God.

THE HOLY GARMENT THAT COVERS THE FILTHY RAGS OF SIN

In the latter days to come; there will be a resurrection of the dead.  Within the pure grave-clothes of the souls of those called holy is a supernatural power that is called resurrection power.  Resurrection power is clean and holy.  Resurrection power should be automatically evident within the lives of those who have made the conscious choice to be covered by the blood of Christ. Their “garment” is uncontaminated and holy; it is clean because He is clean and not because of anything that they have done. This holy, resurrection power is eternal and it dwells within us when God’s Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  This resurrection power can cure infections of the spirit and make it clean.

On the other hand; without such a covering there is only death and decay. The wages of sin is death. It is impossible to conquer sin, either before or after death without the blood of Christ as a covering. This is the very blood covering that MAKES resurrection possible. Without it; there is only death and destruction for all eternity.

WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?

Everyone has a choice.

You get to pick your own garments.

Your chosen garments will be brought and displayed before the Priest for examination and judgment.

Those who are declared “clean” will be allowed inside for the feast at God’s Table where a great wedding will be taking place.

Those who are declared “unclean” will be cast outside and cannot enter into the great banquet. They will be cast out forever. There will be torment and gnashing of teeth.  They will forever be removed from The Presence of God.

The effects of the sins of mankind must be dealt with (one way or the other) for them to be allowed into the congregation that stands before God in eternity.

When you are living in the wilderness and your skin is contaminated with disease; there are only two things that can be done. It is the same when your clothes are contaminated. They can be washed and cleansed and then re-examined. If they remain clean they can return to normal use. However; If any part of them remains unclean, whatever part of them that will not come clean must be permanently removed. The part or the whole that cannot be made clean must eventually be burned in fire.

HOW TO BE RESTORED

Spiritual leprosy cannot be allowed to enter God’s Kingdom. It is too contagious and it is not good for the whole body.  The contagious disease of sin on the earth will not be allowed to continue whenever Christ returns for the second time. All sin will be removed and the earth will eventually be made new. A restoration will take place; very similar to the restoration of a person’s soul after they have come to the saving knowledge of believing and following Jesus Christ.  Death and decay will be wiped out and abundant life will prevail.

A physical mirror of this pattern and process is reflected in the instructions that God is giving to the priesthood of Israel for the people to obey and follow.

What they were doing physically in ancient times became a pattern of what we must do spiritually in these future generations.

We must come clean.

We must become holy.

We must be living in righteousness before God.

The only way we can even come close to achieving this in our fallen humanity is through the mercy and grace of a spiritual covering of the precious blood of Christ. We must become clothed in His righteousness in order for God to have mercy on us. That way there will be no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus.

Salvation is the only answer to the spiritual leprosy of this fallen world.

ONLY THE SCARS REMAIN

I have come to love the words found in Leviticus 13:23; “But if the bright spot remains in its place and does not spread, it is only the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.”

Have you ever heard such beautiful words as these?

Maybe you don’t have scars from your sins; but I do.

I have many scars and they serve as visible and spiritual reminders of what those sins I walked away from did to me.

Those ugly, horrid sins made me unable to approach the presence of God. They also held me at bay from the love that I needed to receive in order to be able to love my fellow-man. They built a wall around me that would not let me enter into The Kingdom of Heaven.

WHAT GOD HAS CALLED CLEAN

But then Jesus came and forgave me and took the punishment I deserved. He declared me “clean.” What God has called “clean” let no man call “unclean.”

Jesus totally changed the way I look at the scars of my sins.

Now when I see the scars; I see love and mercy and kindness and grace. I see the face of God in those scars. It is the face of a God that has called me “clean.”

If you have not experienced this cleansing and you still feel that wall around you today; just bow your head right where you are and ask Jesus to forgive you and save you from your sins.

You too can exchange those ugly sins for some beautiful scars that will remind you of God’s love all through the days of your life; and like those ancient people who went bravely before the priests of Israel; you can hear those words that say “You are clean; come into your Father’s Kingdom and live forever more in His love.”

You don’t want to wait until that day of resurrection arrives.

You want to come right now; in this present moment into the grace of God that lasts forever and ever.

Fear will not know you anymore.

You will never be condemned again.

You will always be accepted into the congregation of God.

You will be declared a child of The King.

Those scars that were so ugly before will become beautiful reminders.

There will no longer be a need to live “outside the camp.”  You will be loved and accepted in The Beloved!

 

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