SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 12
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. [Luke 8:43-44]
According to the reading from Leviticus [see also Leviticus 15:25-33], this woman would have been unclean for twelve years.
In addition, by touching Jesus, He too would be unclean.
As a result of sin, the childbirth process is under a curse [Genesis 3:16].
But women are assured that they forgiven and saved through childbirth [see 1 Timothy 2:15].
All of life has been cursed for both men and women; here women are assured of their forgiveness.
This purification period allowed the woman quiet time to recuperate.
Its interesting, I never thought of this positive side to the cleansing time until I read it in the commentary.
Uncleanness, and other parts of the curse, cause sickness, social breakdown, misery.
These are all aspects of the curse of sin.
And its contagious, it affects the whole community.
A woman’s hope for cleansing, according to these laws, comes from the priest.
This reminds us of the woman touching Jesus, and being healed.
He is the ultimate high priest, the one through whom all cleansing, healing comes.
I cannot think of any personal applications for today’s passage.
Indirectly, it speaks to my own uncleanness, and my need to come to the priest (Jesus) for cleansing.
By spiritually reaching out to Him in prayer, though my sins are red as scarlet, they shall become white as snow [Isaiah 1:18]
PRAYER: Lord, I know some of the stains in my life. Help me to honestly confess them to You, and to receive Your pardon and Your cleansing love.
Once again, purification laws. This law is for the people and comes after which animals were unclean.
All was infected by since, even the generations yet unborn. The new life was also infected by sin and must be made whole through the blood of the ‘lamb.’ Man’s sin goes from one generation to the next, but all is made whole, a possibility to follow the command to the commission to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth by the cleansing of blood. A new beginning. A new possibility. New Life.
Once again I am reminded that my life, my story, my actions, my being has impact upon the next generation. I too need to bring a sacrifice – a sacrifice of praise to my Saviour for all that He has done for me. AND the next generation must see that living relationship I have with the Father so that they too will be ‘clean’ by the blood of Christ and live always for Him.
Chorus
Ten unclean and nowhere to go.
Ten men cleansed as clean as snow.
One returned to give God thanks,
But nine went away.
1. Ten men, lepers in a Hebrew town.
Ten crying: “Lord, won’t you please come down.”
No hope near ‘til one fine day,
Jesus of Nazareth passed that way.
2. “Lord make me clean,” was their single cry.
“See, how the whole world passes us by.
No man’s home will take us in!”
Then Christ bent down to touch their skin.
3. God gives gifts to us every day,
Favors His people in every way;
Hope restored and pain relieved –
Do you ever give thanks for a gift received?
4. Thank you Lord, for the summer sun,
For sight and song and good deeds done,
Faith and family and loving friends,
For the day that begins and the night that ends.