Leprosy צָרַ֫עַת

We are rolling into chapter thirteen of Leviticus with our word for today. צָרַ֫עַת skin disease, leprosy. It is used 35 times in the Old Testament, 21 times in our chapter more than half the uses. Let’s start with our chapter since it is also the first time it is used in the Bible. Leviticus 13:1-3 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of צָרָ֑עַת leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of צָרַ֖עַת leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean. The rest of the chapter instructs the priests how to deal with this skin disease. While it’s true that our greatest needs are spiritual, God still has the physical well-being of His people at heart. We also find our word used to include not only various skin diseases but even mildew. Leviticus 13:47-49 When there is a case of צָרָ֑עַת leprous disease in a garment, whether a woolen or a linen garment, in warp or woof of linen or wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin, if the disease is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin or in the warp or the woof or in any article made of skin, it is a case of צָרַ֖עַת leprous disease, and it shall be shown to the priest. Leviticus 14:34-35 When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of צָרַ֔עַת leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house.’ But there’s more to this than simply a description of symptoms and ceremonies. In Scripture, disease is one of the images of sin. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Isaiah 1:5-6 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. Jeremiah 30:12 For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous. Mark 2:17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. We can learn what sin is like and how God wants us to deal with it. We must look beyond Moses to Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, who was wounded that we might be healed. I’ll close with this great passage Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.