RevolutionaryHope

      When an angel came to Mary with the announcement that she would bear a Son, who was in fact, "the Son of the Highest", Mary was very bewildered by such a possibility. The angel explained and concluded by saying, "For with God nothing will be impossible." (Lk. 1:35-37). 

     This Sabbath reading portion is a double-titled portion: Tazri'a-M'tzora. Tazri'a means "She bears seed", and M'tzora means "infected one". One of the infections from which the LORD offers a remedy in this Sabbath reading portion is the leprosy infection: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest." (Lev. 14:1-2). The priest would accept the sin offering, "and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness." (v. 19). The verses 3-9 describing the cleansing offering and practice to be done are full of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, too many to document here. The presence of the *aleph-tav in written Hebrew indicates the presence of Jesus to us, because He identified Himself with the *aleph-tav in the Book of Revelation (see *note at the bottom of the page for details). This is also confirmed by the healing of lepers by Jesus many generations later as recorded in the Gospels.

     There is an important thing to know about this cleansing of leprosy which the LORD prescribes to the one afflicted in the Law given to Moses: leprosy was an incurable disease. This is the modern definition of leprosy: "Leprosy- lepra tuberculosa - a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacillus leprae and characterized by the formation of growths in the skin, mucous membranes, peripheral nerves, bones and internal viscera, producing various deformities and mutilations of the human body and usually terminating in death." Death is still the usual outcome according to this definition even though leprosy is now treated with medicine.

     The first documentation of the disease was recorded in ancient Egypt and was attributed at the time to the infection of the waters of the Nile River.  It is believed to have spread to other nearby nations from there. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases. Today, it is estimated that 2-3 million people are permanently disabled because of leprosy, with India having the greatest number of cases.

     Even though leprosy was a sure death sentence at the time of Moses, the people of God were able to be cleansed through *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega offerings as given in the Law and ministered through and under the oversight of the priest. Before this, the world had never known this hope and promise regarding the cleansing of leprosy, and the deliverance from certain death.

     There was a prophet in Israel, Elisha (meaning "God is salvation"), who had received a double portion of the anointing that his spiritual mentor, Elijah, had upon his life. Elisha lived in Samaria in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Both Elisha and his mentor, Elijah, were not prophets in the sense that they received the prophetic Words of the LORD and recorded them in a book as Isaiah and Jeremiah did. Instead, these prophets prophesied primarily through the deeds that they did from the hearing of the Word of the LORD to them. Elijah and Elisha brought the Kingdom of God into the earth by doing His works.

     At this same time, there was a great and mighty man of valor, Naaman (na'aman/na'em - pleasantness/pleasant, beautiful, sweet, delightful, lovely, show gracious favor toward), a man of integrity, who was the commander of the enemy Syrian army. He was also a leper. Naaman had an Israelite slave in his household who had been brought back as a captive to Syria as a young girl after the Syrians had gone on raids into Israel. (2 Kings 5:1-2). This Israelite slave girl said to Naaman's wife: "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." (v. 3). Even his captive slave admired Naaman and cared what happened to him. It was as a consequence of this true statement of a little captive slave girl from Israel that Naaman, the Syrian commander, received the news of hope.

     Naaman went to his master, the king of Syria, and told him what the captive Israelite slave girl had said. The Syrian king told Naaman to go to Israel to seek out this prophet, and the king would send a letter to the king of Israel. Naaman took with him large amounts of gold and silver, as well as clothing, prepared to pay for his healing. This letter from the Syrian king to the king of Israel told the king of Israel to heal his servant, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Naaman, of leprosy. The king of Israel was shocked by (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-letter and went into mourning, tearing his clothes and saying, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy?...see how he seeks a quarrel with me." When Elisha heard about the distress of the king of Israel, he told the king not to tear his clothes but to send the Syrian, Naaman, to him, "and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (v. 4-8). Elisha was telling the king not to be a messenger of hopeless mourning regarding this event.

     When Naaman came to Elisha's house with his horses and chariot, Elisha would not even come out of his house to speak with him! The prophet sent a servant out to give Naaman this message: "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." (v. 9-10). It is interesting to know that the cleansing of leprosy according to the Law given to Moses, requires that the one suffering from leprosy to be sprinkled seven times. (see Lev. 14:7).

     At first, Naaman was offended and "furious" by the strange instructions and the manner that the instructions had been given to him, but his servants respectfully suggested to Naaman that he might as well do it: "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (v. 11-14). Naaman and all of his aides returned to Elisha, and Naaman said to the prophet: "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant." However, Elisha refused the gift, saying: "...I will receive nothing." 

     The miraculous healing of Naaman the Syrian's leprosy could have been a turning point in the enmity between Syria and Israel. However, the corrupt action of Elisha's servant seems to have impacted upon that possibility as we will see.

     As Naaman left, Elisha's servant, Gehazi (gehazi/gay'/geva - "valley of vision"/steep valley/pride, lift up), pursued (radap - pursue, chase, persecute, harass, pursue ardently, run after a bribe) Naaman and asked for silver and garments on behalf of the prophets, which Naaman gladly gave to him. Elisha perceived in the Spirit what his servant had done and asked Gehazi: "Is it time ('et/'ada - a fit or proper time, an opportunity, a certain time/adorn oneself, to attack in a hostile manner) to receive (laqah - lay hold of, take in the hand, take possession of, take in marriage, accept, receive, capture, seize, procure) money and to receive clothing, olive groves, and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?" Elisha then said to his servant, Gehazi: "Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.' And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow." (v. 15-27). Considering the meaning of the Hebrew laqah above, could it be possible that receiving the wealth of the Syrian commander also meant receiving or "being married to" the means by which that wealth, as Elisha described it above, was acquired? Abraham, generations earlier, also refused to accept the spoils that were offered to him that were captured in battle by the king of Sodom because it would rob God of the glory He had in Abraham's life. (see Gen. 14:21-24). Perhaps these deeper issues require careful and obedient discernment through the Holy Spirit.

     At a moment that was meant to glorify God for His gracious deliverance of Naaman from the death sentence of leprosy, a moment powerful to pull down spiritual strongholds over a man and even possibly over his nation, Gehazi used that moment to enrich himself.

     From Elisha's question to his servant, it also seems that this miraculous healing came at a pivotal time and purpose in the will and plan of God that would affect something very important. Not long after this miracle healing took place and the inappropriate acceptance of Naaman's gift by Gehazi, it is recorded in scripture that the king of Syria went to war against Israel (see 2 Kings 6:8) and besieged Samaria in a severe and desperate famine (see 2 Kings 6:24-25). 

     The healing of leprosy was a revolutionary, powerful and gracious provision of God beyond all worldly knowledge that was placed into the hands of Israel, for their benefit and even for the benefit of those outside of Israel as the LORD would use it. It was even more importantly a prophetic representation of the ministry of Jesus Messiah/Christ, who healed the unhealable and cleansed the uncleanable, thereby giving hope to the hopeless. All of these things were foretold by the prophets of God. (Ex. 4:6-7, Ps. 51:1-2, 7, Ezek. 36:25, Acts 10:15). As His servants, we are called to have a deeper discernment and understanding regarding this treasure of hope that has been given to the world through Jesus Messiah/Christ, especially at this time.

     If you would like to learn more about our revolutionary hope in Jesus Messiah/Christ, you can pray with me: "Father of all life, You miraculously and sovereignly injected hope into the world that was filled with hopelessness. You provided this hope to point us to the coming of Your Son, Jesus, regarding whose birth the angel said: "...with God, nothing will be impossible." Help me, Lord, to be guided by Your Holy Spirit in discerning Your miraculous works. Help me, Lord, not to question or speak against or judge Your works of salvation, healing and deliverance that You have brought to someone's life. Each one that You touch is part of Your plan for salvation in the earth. I never want to call common what You have sovereignly made clean, but I want to be instead a living "AMEN!" of celebration. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

 *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

     

Assumptions&Expectations

           This week's Sabbath reading portion has a combined title of Tazri'a and M'tzora, meaning "She bears seed" and "Infected one". The reading portion includes Leviticus 12 through Leviticus 15. These chapters deal with purification from uncleanness after childbirth, the purification from the uncleanness of bodily discharges, and the identification and cleansing process for an outbreak of leprosy. It is interesting that leprosy can break out on the skin, on garments and even on the walls of houses according to these scriptures. 

     The source of the portion titled Tazri'a comes from Lev. 12:1-2: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman has conceived (zara -sow, yielding, sower, bearing, conceive, seed, to become pregnant, to scatter, disperse) and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean (tame' - unclean, defile, pollute, become impure) seven days..."

     The source of the second portion titled M'tzora comes from Lev. 14:2: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper (sara/tsawrah - to be diseased of the skin, leprous/to scourge, to be stricken with leprosy, a scourge that also was used to describe diseases) for the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought to the priest." We can see the connection to the healing power of the Messiah/Christ since His scourge marks or stripes provided our healing and cleansing from unrighteousness according to Isa. 53:4-5 and 1 Pet. 2:24-25. Jesus was known for His cleansing and healing of lepers by both touch and spoken word. (see Lk. 5:12-16 and Lk. 17:11-19). Jesus also healed a woman who had been unclean from an incurable blood flow for twelve years. (Lk. 8:43-48, see also Lev. 15:25-27).

     It is interesting to note the similarity of the Hebrew words zara, the one who "bears seed", and sara, the leprous "infected one". This is something to think about.

     It is interesting also to see how the LORD challenges our perceptions through His Word. Along with the description of the leper and leprosy that we read in the Leviticus chapters of this week's Tazri'a Sabbath reading portion, we are also given two unusual accounts involving lepers. Can God use a leper to teach us His precepts? The answer, as we will see, is "yes".

     In the first account from 2 Kings 5:1-16, the chapter opens, saying: "Now Naaman (na'aman/na'em - pleasantness/be pleasant, beautiful, sweet, delightful, lovely, agreeable, show gracious favor toward, my darling, delightful friend, of pleasant words), commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper (sara - see above)." (v. 1). 

     Naaman's name has a wonderful meaning, and this Syrian commander is described in Hebrew scripture in a very complimentary way, although he, as a Syrian commander, could not really be considered as a friend to Israel. Syria was an aggressive nation and a threat to the safety of Israel. In fact, Naaman had a young girl captive, taken from her home in Israel, serving in his household. It is this Israelite captive that suggested to Naaman's wife that there was a prophet in Samaria (Israel) who could and would heal her master of leprosy. She was referring to the prophet Elisha. When Naaman heard this report of the Israelite captive, he went into the king of Syria, his master, and the king told him to go to Israel with an official letter to the king of Israel. Naaman also took with him much silver and gold and ten changes (halipa/halap - a change of garments, changing course of life, relief from death/change, renew, sprout again, revive, alter, to show newness, pierce through or change) of clothing. (v. 2-5).

     The verse above notes that it was ten changes of clothing. In the Hebrew alphabet, the letter yod also stands for the number ten. Yod represents the hand and means "a deed done, a finished work." The Hebrew word used in this verse for "ten" is eser/asar, meaning "ten/tithe, give a tithe, to become wealthy, rich, to prosper, be happy." These ten changes of clothing as expressed in Hebrew represent the idea that a work of newness and deliverance is to take place, a change in Naaman's course of life, a relief from death.

     The letter from the king of Syria to the king of Israel is amusing: "Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy." (v. 6). When the king of Israel read (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the letter from the king of Syria, he was shocked. He said, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to heal him of his leprosy?" He thought the king of Syria's letter was a trap intending to seek a quarrel and attack Israel, and the king tore his clothes in grief. (v. 7). Elisha (meaning "God is Salvation"), the man of God, heard what had happened with the king of Israel and told the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him (Naaman) come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (v. 8).

     No earthly king had the power or authority to cleanse a leper, but there is a heavenly king who was and is well able to do so.   

     Naaman, the Syrian commander, went by his chariot and horses to the door of Elisha's house, but the prophet wouldn't even come out to him! Elisha sent a servant out instead to tell Naaman, "Go and wash in the Jordan (River) seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." Naaman was furious and in a rage at being treated in this manner and then being given these ridiculous instructions to dunk himself in a river! He had expected the man of God to come out to him, call on the name of the LORD his God, wave a hand over him and then Naaman would be healed. (v. 9-11). Naaman's assumptions and expectations of how his healing would come about had not been fulfilled because God had other plans. However, Naaman's servants convinced him to try the remedy that the prophet had said: "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (v. 13-14). Naaman returned to the prophet's house and declared: "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel...", and he offered the prophet a gift which the prophet refused. (v. 15-16).

     Naaman was a most powerful and honored man in Syria, yet he was willing to listen to a foreign servant girl, and then, even though he was furious, he listened to the servants that he had taken with him to Israel, and he found not only his healing, but His God, the true and only God. His assumptions and expectations would have gained him nothing, but his humility and obedience gained him everything, even newness of life instead of death.

     In another reading portion from this double-titled Sabbath, the Syrian army had laid siege to Samaria (Israel). In this siege, a severe famine had overwhelmed Israel. The starvation was so great that people were committing abominations in order to have something to eat. The king of Israel was horrified at hearing this and tore his clothes and wore sackcloth. He blamed Elisha the prophet, seeking his death because the LORD had not delivered Israel from this terror. The king's assumptions and expectations had not been met by God. However, God was not finished with Israel and Syria. When the king's servants came to Elisha's house to arrest him, the door was barred, and Elisha prophesied to a lord, who was there to represent the king, that the famine would be broken by the next day. This seemed an impossibility to this lord. How could this be possible? (2 Kings 6, and 2 Kings 7:1-2).

     Who would expect that the LORD would use four lepers to break the famine? The LORD had sent a delusion upon the large Syrian army, that caused them to believe that they were outnumbered and about to be destroyed. They ran away in a panic leaving all of their camp intact with all of their supplies, but no one in Samaria knew that the Syrians had fled. There were four lepers (sara - see above) at the gate of the city of Samaria in Israel. They had to dwell outside the wall and gate because of their leprosy. They were starving also and decided to go to the camp of the Syrians and surrender themselves to them. Perhaps, they thought, the Syrians would feed them. Perhaps the Syrians would kill them, but they were dying anyway so what did they have to lose? (2 Kings 7:3-4).

     The fact that there were four lepers is important. Four is the number of the letters of the LORD's name, YHWH. The word, four in Hebrew is arba/raba and not only means the number four and its forms, but it also means four-squared, as is the City of God that will descend from heaven (see Rev. 21:16-17), and it also means to be down on all fours. The number four is also represented by the Hebrew letter daleth, ד, which carries the meaning "a door, a path, a way of life, movement into or out of." We were about to see a spiritual door open and a movement of God.

     The four lepers in this account arrived at the Syrian camp to find it abandoned, but with their supplies left behind. The lepers went into the tents and ate their fill. They found silver and gold and clothing and hid those valuables. Later, they said among themselves: "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent...Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household." (v. 8-9). They returned to the city and cried out to the gatekeepers regarding what they had found at the Syrian's deserted camp. The gatekeepers passed the message to the king's household. However, the king was suspicious of this news and thought that the Syrians were setting a trap to draw them out of the city and attack them. (v. 10-12). A slave/servant of the king begged him to send a few men out on horses to see if the lepers' report was true. The king listened to his servant and agreed and the report of the empty Syrian camp was confirmed: "Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians," The famine was broken just as the prophet Elisha had prophesied. (v. 13-16).

      Again we see a man of power, in this case the king of Israel, listen to the advice of a slave/servant. Who would have expected the LORD to use these means, a panicked enemy army, the "unclean" (lepers), and the plea of a slave/servant to break both an enemy siege and a famine at the same time?

     In a final Sabbath reading portion from M'tzora, "infected one", we are surprisingly taken to Malachi Ch. 3. Only this time, the ones who are "infected" or "unclean" are the priestly tribe of the LORD - the Levites. They are not infected with leprosy as a disease, but they are infected with spiritual uncleanness. In such a condition, they spread that uncleanness to the offerings that pass through their hands to the LORD from His people. The prophet Malachi brings the Word of the LORD to His priestly tribe: "Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me...Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. 'But who can endure (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? (see also Jesus' similar warning to His disciples, Lk. 21:34-36). For He is like a refiner's fire, and like launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, as in the former years." (Mal. 3:1-4). Another prophet told us that if the priests are unclean, then the people become unclean in their knowledge of the LORD. (see Hos. 4:6-9).

      After reading this double-titled Sabbath portion for this week, I had to give serious thought to what I had found. Although physical or spiritual "uncleanness" may infect an individual or a whole people, from the most renown to the most common, the LORD in His compassion, has made a provision for repentance, cleansing, healing, and deliverance. Sometimes we create spiritual formulas by which we expect the LORD to move, however, assumptions and expectations that limit the LORD are part of this infection of uncleanness and may cost lives. Prophets were killed, and the Son of God was crucified because of man's wrong assumptions regarding how the LORD would move or not move. These days before Jesus Christ's return will be perilous, and assumptions and formulaic expectations may not be the way to deliverance in the end. The LORD's thoughts and ways are not like ours, as the scriptures say (Isa. 55:8-11), and we see some examples of that here in these Sabbath reading portions. Those who allowed for the possibility of the unlikely, the unexpected, or even the impossible saw miraculous deliverance.

     If you would like to know more about the unexpected concerning the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Lord of all, You know and declare the end from the beginning. You desire that Your people know You and know Your salvation, Your Son, Jesus, the Messiah/Christ. Let my ears and eyes be open to the guidance of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Let my mind and my heart be open to Your workings on my behalf. Protect me from deception and delusion, but let my spirit be open to the way that You have provided for my life and salvation. Cleanse me from all uncleanness and purify me through Your Word and Spirit. Let me not reject those whom You have chosen to move through because they do not conform to my assumptions of who may be used by You. Let me not reject a way to healing and deliverance because it does not conform to my expectations. I thank You that in Your love for Your people, You tell them to follow You. I pray for this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Cleansed

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is M'tzora, meaning "Infected one". This year this particular reading portion, which comes from Leviticus chapters 14 and 15, occurs on the Sabbath called Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath, which is the Sabbath before Passover, which occurs next week. Keeping that in mind, we will see how this M'tzora reading portion will help to prepare us for the coming Passover. The first verse of Lev. 14 says: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper (sara- to be diseased of the skin [flesh], stricken with leprosy, to scourge, to strike down, one stricken or smitten [see Isa. 53:4], scabbed) for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest."

     Leprosy is a condition of the flesh. For those who are called to walk in the Spirit of God, we understand that we are not to walk in the flesh or its cravings which lead to death. Paul wrote that in his flesh, nothing good dwells, but in his own strength, he is unable to change this (Rom. 7:18-20). However, as Paul continued to write about the sin in his flesh, or spiritual leprosy, he also asked the question: "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" His answer to his own question is Jesus Christ (Rom. 7:22-25). We see that within the Hebrew meaning of the word "leper", is "to scourge", "one stricken or smitten". The Roman scourge marks that covered Jesus' body, front and back, were for the healing of the spiritual leprosy of our flesh. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, the Servant of God: "Surely He has borne (nasa- bear, lift up, take away, carry, forgive, endure, be swept away) our griefs (holi/halal - sickness, calamity, disease, grief, an evil/profane, pollute, stain, defile, wounded, desecrate, pollute oneself, to violate a covenant, to wound, bore through or pierce) and carried (sabal - to bear a load, drag oneself along, to carry a heavy burden) our sorrows (makob/ka'ab - pain, sorrow, anguish, affliction, pain of soul/hurt, mar, feel pain, a sorrowing soul, afflict); Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isa. 53:4-5). Jesus was scourged, stricken and smitten with our spiritual leprosy in order to carry it away from us and heal us.

     The Gospels tell us that Jesus had the authority to cleanse lepers: "...behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then He put out His hand and touched (aptomai/apto - to attach oneself to, to adhere to, cling to, to fasten fire to a thing/to fasten to, set on fire, light, kindle) him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately the leprosy left him. And He charged him to tell no one, 'But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded." (Lk. 5:12-13, see also Lk. 17:11-19). The disciples of Jesus were also sent out with His commands, including the command to "cleanse the lepers". (Mt. 10:5-8). Jesus could have just spoken the Word and the leper would have been healed, but He touched the leper. As we see above in the Greek meaning of the word, this wasn't a simple touch, but Jesus adhered Himself to the leper, and cleansed him with spiritual fire. Are we, His disciples, ministering to the spiritual lepers in this same manner? We will see more about this cleansing fire later.

     Jesus also healed a woman who was afflicted with the same affliction, a continual bloody discharge, as is mentioned in this Sabbath's reading portion from Lev. 15:25-28. The woman who encountered Jesus had the discharge for twelve years and was therefore considered to be "unclean" according to the Law of Moses. She had not found healing anywhere else although she had spent all of her money to do so. She was healed by touching (aptomai, same as above) the hem/fringe/specially knotted tassels (tzitzit) of His garment (tallit - prayer shawl) (see Lk. 8:40-48). Jesus felt the healing power flow out of Him to her.

     Our starting verse in Lev. 14:1 above talked about the day of the leper's cleansing. The word "cleansing" in Hebrew, tahora/tohar/tasher, means much more than we would think. It means: "purifying, cleansing, blood of purification, purity of heart/purifying, clearness, glory, luster, brightness, splendor, majesty/to be clean, pure, purge, purifier, to be bright, shine, uncontaminated, morally innocent, holy, wash oneself with water, perfect, miraculously freed from leprosy, to become clean and pure as opposed to the filth of leprosy." The cleansing associated with leprosy is also associated with the bright, shining, splendor, majesty, holiness and perfection of the glory of God, according to the Hebrew root word meanings above. This glory is the root or source of the cleansing, as well as its result. The cleansing that cleanses the leper is by the power of God. Sometimes, I find that often we view this kind of cleansing as something determined and accomplished by ourselves. We want to decide what needs to be cleansed, and how and when it will be cleansed. In an opposite manner, David's prayer to the LORD was: "Purge me...Wash me...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Ps. 51:7, 10). David put his cleansing into the hands of the LORD.

     Even the disciples had difficulty understanding the difference between the sovereign work of God in cleansing and ineffective "self-help" religious ideas. Just before the day of the Passover feast, Jesus, our Passover Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29-36), had a meal with His disciples. Judas had already decided to betray Jesus, and Jesus knew that He was about to leave this world and go the Father. Jesus got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing and wrapped Himself in a towel (lention - linen cloth [see info Shroud of Turin], towel or apron). He poured water in a basin and began to wash (nipto - to cleanse) His disciples' feet and wipe (ekmasso - wipe off, wipe away, to handle or squeeze away) them with the towel. When Jesus got to Simon Peter, Peter was reluctant to be washed by His Master, saying, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" Jesus answered him: "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." Peter said to Jesus: "You shall never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Peter then agreed to be washed whole-heartedly. (Jn. 13:1-9). Again, Jesus physically touched and cleansed them, and wiped the filth away.

     We see this kind of sovereign cleansing again in the reading portion of this Sabbath that is directly related to Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath that precedes Passover. This reading is from Malachi 3: "But who can endure the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, see note below) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire (es - fire, burning, fiery, flaming, heat, altar-fire, splendor, brightness) and like launderers' (kabas - to wash by treading with feet, also in the sense to purge from sin) soap (borit/bor/barar - alkali used in washing, something having a cleansing property/cleanness of hands, purity/chosen, clean, manifest, bright, purge out, make shining). He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, see note below) sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness." (v. 2-3). This prophecy is directed towards the (Messianic, see note below) priesthood of God, which will be cleansed and refined, purified and purged by the LORD Himself.

     It is interesting that included in the tradition of the Passover Seder, or meal, hands are washed twice under flowing water during the course of the meal. As we can see by the reading selections for this Sabbath before Passover, the theme of the LORD is "cleansing". Passover is not only observed by the Jewish people, but because of its relationship with the blood of the Lamb many Christians also observe Passover. The blood of the Passover Lamb painted on the door frames caused the angel of death to pass over the houses of the Israelites leaving them untouched, while at the same time, the plague of the death struck all of the first born of the Egyptians. Because of this final plague of the LORD, the Israelites were set free from slavery in Egypt. see (Ex. 12:5-14, 29-33). Our Communion, or Lord's Supper, came to us as Jesus revealed the meaning of Passover's Lamb (Himself), bread and wine to His disciples (Mt. 26:26-29, 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

     Passover is often viewed and observed in a tradition-based manner as a memorial of a past miraculous deliverance by God's Might, rather than of His continuing present-day power. We are assured by God's Word that He is not a relic confined to the past, but He also inhabits and miraculously works in our present and our future. From this Sabbath reading portion for the Great Sabbath before Passover, the LORD said: "For I am the LORD, I do not change...Return to Me and I will return to you." (Mal. 3:6-7, see also Heb. 13:8). Passover was also a prophecy of the Lamb of God to come, the Messiah/Christ Jesus (see Jn. 1:29-36), whose blood would deliver us from sin and death and, as we can see from our study above, Passover is still full of the deliverance power of God. Who else but God can cleanse us of the vanity and death of our mortal flesh?  This could be why God wanted Passover to be remembered throughout all future generations. Passover is still working on our behalf. As Passover is observed this year, whether by Jews or Christians, we must understand the meaning of that doorway painted with the blood of the Lamb and approach it reverently with head bowed. It is a doorway of power as well as past, present-day and future faith (Jn. 10:7-10). Through the blood-stained doorway is Spirit and life. Outside the doorway is flesh and death. It is a doorway that, as we enter through it, we enter by the life and the blood that was shed for our deliverance. Let us take this opportunity to ask and allow the Lord to do a Passover work in us - to purge us, wash us, and create in us a clean heart and a steadfast spirit, as David prayed. Let us return to the LORD, and He will return to us. 

     *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     If you would like to learn more about the cleansing of God, you can join me in my prayer: "Father God and LORD of all, You have commanded Your people to remember Your Passover. You still deliver Your people by Your mighty right arm. You sent Your Passover Lamb, Your own Son, Jesus, to deliver us from the death of our own sins and flesh. By Your Holy Spirit, which You sent to lead me into all truth, teach me to walk in the knowledge of Your Passover and to teach future generations that You still deliver. As I pass through the blood-stained Doorway that You provided for me, into Your covenant of Spirit and eternal life, let me put all other things aside, and seek Your cleansing. Forgive me, Lord, when I have limited Your Passover to the past and tradition, and not recognized the eternal power of Your Passover. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Passover Lamb. AMEN."