In this episode we continue studying the book of Leviticus. In this episode God gave Moses laws for cleansing lepers.

The priest were required to kill a bird in an earthen vessel, then dip a live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed. Then the live bird was set free.

The live bird represented the leper and the bird that was killed represented Christ, who would be slain to cleanse his people from the leprosy of sin.

Moses was also given instructions for cleansing leprosy from houses when they arrived in the land of Canaan.

If a house had leprosy, it was cleansed but if the leprosy spread after it was cleansed it was torn down. Every piece of it, from the timbers to the stones and the dust from the mortar was taken outside the camp.

If the leprosy did not return or spread after being cleansed a sacrifice was made to make atonement for the house and the house was made clean.

We note that a house could refer to a city or a nation. As Jesus called the city of Jerusalem a house. A house that would be left desolate because they rejected him.

Desolate means waste, to be destroyed by violence.

Here’s the text.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Matthew 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Jerusalem was laid waste and destroyed by the Romans, fulfilling Christ’s words.

Jesus once declared that the city of Jerusalem was a house with people in it.

The house had been delivered, cleansed and set free from an evil spirit but because they rejected him, the house remained empty. The evil spirit would go out and get spirits more evil and stronger than he was, and their condition would be worse than before, because they rejected him. A house will either be occupied by the Holy Spirit or the unholy spirit.

Since they rejected him, they would have no one to defend them and protect them from those devils, when they returned to take over the house.

Here’s the text:

Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Matthew 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Matthew 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Thayer’s says, generation means, men of the same stock, the successive members of a genealogy, metaphorically a group of men like each other in endowments, pursuits, character, especially in a bad sense, a perverse nation, the whole multitude of men living at the same time.

Jesus said of that generation’s leaders, that Satan was their father, and they copied their father's behavior. As a people, that generation lived to please the flesh.

They followed after the doctrines of men instead of the word of God and for this they would be destroyed.

Although a house, a city, a nation or a generation of people could be left desolate. It was not God’s will.

Jesus said, he came to save men’s lives, not destroy them.

Like the city of Nineveh a nation, or a generation of people could be saved if they repented of their sins.

The apostles acknowledged man's sinful state. That we as a people or generation are prone to wander away from God and prone to sin.

But they also acknowledged we have a savior, a deliverer, a High Priest and an Advocate who died to set us free from sin and from evil spirits and their fretting leprosy.

And if we go to our High Priest, we will find mercy in the time of need. So the writer of Hebrews says.

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We can find mercy and grace in the time of need but this requires us to admit we have a need.

Jesus will cleanse us from sin and deliver us from devils but it all begins with us confessing to God that we have not obeyed his commandments. And that we need him to cleanse us from our sin and give us the will to obey him.

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.