We saw last time that any disease which disfigured the skin could be called -sara'at,- and anyone who had such a disease would be quarantined - separated from the community.--This was not due to contagion -there is no mention of that in the text-, but rather it focuses again on proper function. Internal diseases are not in view. For that matter, contagious diseases are not in view. Rather, the focus is on visible diseases. Israel must be clean in order to worship God and partake of holy things. Therefore Israel must be visibly pure.--If a person has a visible disease, then he is rendered unclean, and must be put out of the community.--The picture here is that of the corruption of the flesh - quite literally- The outward and visible corruption of the flesh symbolizes humanity's problem. How can corrupt flesh come into the presence of a holy God----The point is that raw flesh - leprous disease - these unclean skin diseases - are the undoing of creation - a returning to the barren wasteland - the -formless and void- - of Genesis 1 -before God spoke----That's why the unclean person must dwell outside the camp. He is to dress in a manner that makes clear from a distance that he is unclean. Since touching an unclean person rendered you unclean, Moses puts a certain responsibility on the unclean to protect others from becoming unclean. The unclean person lives alone.--This is why we need to understand chapter 14 - because how can the leper be made clean----How can that which is unfit for the presence of God become fit---

-Sung Psalm- 5---Psalm 5 is part of a group of five Psalms -Psalms 3-7- that explore the theme of refuge.--Psalm 2 ended, -blessed are all who take refuge in you.- So during Advent we are looking at these songs of refuge---In verse 11 we now hear -let all who take refuge in you rejoice.---The word translated -refuge- in verse 11 is found 25 times in the Psalter-15 times in book One -the first 41 Psalms---But it's not just about the word -refuge.- If you look at Psalms 3-7, you will notice that only Psalm 5 and Psalm 7 actually use the word refuge, but all five of them focus on the same idea.--David cries out for deliverance in Psalm 3, describing Yahweh as a -shield about me.- In verse 4, he speaks of how Yahweh answered him from his holy hill. And notice the result- When God answered David's prayer, he lay down and slept-he had found refuge in the care of the Lord.--Psalm 4 calls upon God to hear the prayer of the godly, including, -in peace I will both lie down and sleep- for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.---Psalm 6 likewise calls out to God for deliverance. Verses 6-7 speaks of how he floods his bed with tears every night- without the deliverance of the Lord, he has no strength. But then in verses 8-10 he declares that the Lord has heard his plea, and therefore his enemies will be driven back.--Psalm 7 starts by declaring, -O Yahweh, my God, in you do I take refuge - save me from all my pursuers and deliver me----These five Psalms of refuge will set us up for Psalm 8 -on Christmas morning- - the Son of Man who has dominion over all things-

Why does God give to Israel such a detailed procedure for identifying skin disease-- We use the term -leprosy- - but what we call leprosy today didn't exist in Moses' day.--The word translated -leprosy- in this passage means simply to be struck,-and by implication means to be struck by God.--Any disease which disfigured the skin could be called -sara'at,- and anyone who had such a disease would be quarantined - separated from the community. This was not due to contagion -there is no mention of that in the text-, but rather it focuses again on proper function.--Internal diseases are not in view. For that matter, contagious diseases are not in view. Rather, the focus is on visible diseases. Israel must be clean in order to worship God and partake of holy things. Therefore Israel must be visibly pure. If a person has a visible diseases, then he is rendered unclean, and must be put out of the community.---The picture here is that of the corruption of the flesh - quite literally- The outward and visible corruption of the flesh symbolizes humanity's problem. How can corrupt flesh come into the presence of a holy God----You can see here how Leviticus understands clearly that the fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Our problem is not just sin- Our problem is not just a -soul problem- - our problem affects even our bodies...

-Sung Psalms- 3 - 4---Sometimes it's really dark. Sometimes you wonder, -will I really wake up in the morning--- Will there even be a morning----Listen- there was a day when Jesus lay down and slept - when he died - and was laid to rest in a tomb. But did Jesus stay dead-- Did he remain in the grave-- No- God raised him from the dead - he rose again from the dead---And because Jesus has been raised from the dead, therefore the power of darkness has been broken.--The Light always shines in the face of Jesus- And so in your dark nights - when you cannot sleep - remember Jesus, who lay down and slept, and woke again, because the LORD sustained him...

We saw last time that any disease which disfigured the skin could be called "sara'at," and anyone who had such a disease would be quarantined - separated from the community.This was not due to contagion (there is no mention of that in the text), but rather it focuses again on proper function. Internal diseases are not in view. For that matter, contagious diseases are not in view. Rather, the focus is on visible diseases. Israel must be clean in order to worship God and partake of holy things. Therefore Israel must be visibly pure.If a person has a visible disease, then he is rendered unclean, and must be put out of the community.The picture here is that of the corruption of the flesh – quite literally! The outward and visible corruption of the flesh symbolizes humanity's problem. How can corrupt flesh come into the presence of a holy God?The point is that raw flesh – leprous disease – these unclean skin diseases – are the undoing of creation – a returning to the barren wasteland – the "formless and void" – of Genesis 1 (before God spoke!)That's why the unclean person must dwell outside the camp. He is to dress in a manner that makes clear from a distance that he is unclean. Since touching an unclean person rendered you unclean, Moses puts a certain responsibility on the unclean to protect others from becoming unclean. The unclean person lives alone.This is why we need to understand chapter 14 – because how can the leper be made clean?How can that which is unfit for the presence of God become fit!?

[Sung Psalm: 5]Psalm 5 is part of a group of five Psalms (Psalms 3-7) that explore the theme of refuge.Psalm 2 ended, "blessed are all who take refuge in you." So during Advent we are looking at these songs of refuge!In verse 11 we now hear "let all who take refuge in you rejoice."The word translated "refuge" in verse 11 is found 25 times in the Psalter-15 times in book One (the first 41 Psalms)But it's not just about the word "refuge." If you look at Psalms 3-7, you will notice that only Psalm 5 and Psalm 7 actually use the word refuge, but all five of them focus on the same idea.David cries out for deliverance in Psalm 3, describing Yahweh as a "shield about me." In verse 4, he speaks of how Yahweh answered him from his holy hill. And notice the result: When God answered David's prayer, he lay down and slept–he had found refuge in the care of the Lord.Psalm 4 calls upon God to hear the prayer of the godly, including, "in peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."Psalm 6 likewise calls out to God for deliverance. Verses 6-7 speaks of how he floods his bed with tears every night; without the deliverance of the Lord, he has no strength. But then in verses 8-10 he declares that the Lord has heard his plea, and therefore his enemies will be driven back.Psalm 7 starts by declaring, "O Yahweh, my God, in you do I take refuge - save me from all my pursuers and deliver me!"These five Psalms of refuge will set us up for Psalm 8 (on Christmas morning) – the Son of Man who has dominion over all things!

Why does God give to Israel such a detailed procedure for identifying skin disease? We use the term "leprosy" – but what we call leprosy today didn't exist in Moses' day.The word translated "leprosy" in this passage means simply to be struck,and by implication means to be struck by God.Any disease which disfigured the skin could be called "sara'at," and anyone who had such a disease would be quarantined - separated from the community. This was not due to contagion (there is no mention of that in the text), but rather it focuses again on proper function.Internal diseases are not in view. For that matter, contagious diseases are not in view. Rather, the focus is on visible diseases. Israel must be clean in order to worship God and partake of holy things. Therefore Israel must be visibly pure. If a person has a visible diseases, then he is rendered unclean, and must be put out of the community.The picture here is that of the corruption of the flesh – quite literally! The outward and visible corruption of the flesh symbolizes humanity's problem. How can corrupt flesh come into the presence of a holy God?You can see here how Leviticus understands clearly that the fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Our problem is not just sin! Our problem is not just a "soul problem" – our problem affects even our bodies...

[Sung Psalms: 3 & 4]Sometimes it's really dark. Sometimes you wonder, "will I really wake up in the morning?" Will there even be a morning?Listen: there was a day when Jesus lay down and slept – when he died – and was laid to rest in a tomb. But did Jesus stay dead? Did he remain in the grave? No! God raised him from the dead – he rose again from the dead!And because Jesus has been raised from the dead, therefore the power of darkness has been broken.The Light always shines in the face of Jesus! And so in your dark nights – when you cannot sleep – remember Jesus, who lay down and slept, and woke again, because the LORD sustained him...

In Leviticus 10, Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire - and died, as fire came out from the LORD and consumed them.--In Leviticus 16, we are told that the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died -suggesting that they may have tried to go into the Most Holy Place-.--Chapters 11-15 form something of an interlude to that narrative. These laws about the clean and the unclean are all about how Israel can approach a holy God- Aaron and his sons are supposed to distinguish between the holy and the common - and between the clean and the unclean.--Holy - is that which is devoted solely to God-Common - is that which is for man'' use--And within the -common- there is yet another distinction---The Clean - is suitable for-moving toward the holy place-The Unclean - is unsuitable for-moving away from the holy place--And as we saw last time, there is another category as well---The Abomination - that which is detestable - connected with idolatry and death.--So where does childbirth lie in these categories--

-Sung Psalm- 2---Psalm 2 starts by asking a question, and this question provides the backdrop for the entire Psalm. -Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain-----Remember that the Psalmist is writing this at a time when Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests. Israel was supposed to mediate the blessings of God to the nations. But the nations did not seem very interested in receiving God's blessings. The kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord, And the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and his anointed.--The nations are not coming to Jerusalem, beating down the door to hear the Word of the LORD- they are coming to Jerusalem, beating down the door to destroy the Lord's Anointed king---But the Psalmist understands that the Davidic king, sitting on David's throne, is the embodiment of Israel. All that God has promised to Israel is going to be fulfilled in their anointed king.- -God laughs at the enemies of Israel, because he has established the Son of David in Zion. And the dominion of the Son of David is going to extend to the whole earth.--Because the Son of David is also the Son of God...