LEPROSY

Oxford Dictionary: “Leprosy is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. Leprosy is now mainly confined to tropical Africa and Asia.”

Levíticus 13 has 59 verses explaining the laws about leprosy. If any part of a person’s body was swollen or had a scab or spot that could possibly be leprosy they had to be taken to the priest for examination. If the priest detect leprosy the person was considered unclean and had to live outside the camp. A leper had a very sad and lonely life. 


Leviticus 13:45-46 MEV
The man who has the leprous disease shall have torn clothes and disheveled hair; and he shall cover his mustache and shall cry, "Unclean, unclean." [46] All the days that he has the disease, he shall be defiled. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone, and he shall live outside the camp.


Naaman, the captain of the Aramean army, got leprosy. The prophet Elisha sent him to wash seven times in the Nile River and Naaman was healed. Only a miracle from God could save Naaman. Afterwards Naaman acknowledged that the God of Israel was the only God and he wanted to bless Elisha with a gift. Elisha refused to accept the gift. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, was greedy and took the gift and consequently Gehazi became leprous.

2 Kings 5:9-10,14-15 KJV
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. [10] And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
[14] Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. [15] And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

In the New Testament Jesus healed 10 lepers - Luke 17:11-18. All 10 lepers went from unclean to clean. They could now go and show themselves to the priest and be declared clean. The one leper, a Samaritan, decided to turn around and glorify God for his healing. He fell at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him. Ten lepers were cleansed, but only was made whole and/or was saved.

Luke 17:14-19 KJV
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. [15] And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. [17] And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? [18] There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. [19] And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Luke 17:19 TPT
Then Jesus said to the healed man lying at his feet, “Arise and go. It was your faith that brought you salvation and made you whole.”

Whole: Strong’s G4982 - sózo - “to save, rescue, deliver, to heal, by extension to be in right relationship with God”

The priest could only declare that the men were now clean. The men were now ritually clean and could be part of the community again. It was a perfect picture of the shortcomings of the Law. Jesus could save them and make them whole. It is a reminder that we should be careful about having a religious mindset. Gehazi also taught us to be careful where we make money.

Jesus is all about relationship - Immanuel - God with us. If you need healing then Jesus is your answer. Reach out to Him, have a thankful heart and make Jesus your best friend. Jesus wants to make you whole.