The Old Testament contains so many laws that it can be confusing. Some of them, like the Ten Commandments, are still accepted by the church, while others seem like they can't possibly apply to the believer of today. Some of the laws seem to have been written to protect the health of the Israeli community, while still others don't make any sense at all.

Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16). If that's true, then why does our Bible we have all these old laws that don't seem to make any sense? How is something that we can't even understand instruct us?

When we find something in the Bible that doesn't make sense, there is often a symbolic meaning hidden there. This is most common in the books of the prophets, but it is equally true in other parts of the Bible.

In the book of Leviticus, chapter thirteen, God gives the people of Israel various laws about dealing with skin diseases, specifically dealing with leprosy. It appears that was a great concern in those days, and God was giving the priests some tests to use in diagnosing the seriousness of whatever possible skin diseases the people might have. more than anything, this appears to be one of those places where God is trying to protect the health of the people.

Chapter fourteen gives a rather complicated series of rituals to be performed in the case of one who has been healed of leprosy. In fact, this is one of the most complicated "purification rites" written anywhere in the Bible. The fact that it is so complicated captured my attention. It's obvious that leprosy was something grave in biblical times, but why such a complicated ritual?

In biblical times, the people understood grave sicknesses, such as leprosy, to be a sign of God's judgment on a person. This was even true in the time of Jesus; His disciples asked Him:

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. ² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? ³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

John 9:1-3

For our purposes, at this moment, it's irrelevant whether or not these sicknesses were God's judgment. However, taking a moment to look at it from their perspective, we can se that it makes sense to treat the healing as something major, and have such a purification rite.

Given all that, what really captured my attention, was the symbolism contained within this ceremony. Let's take a moment to read what it says:

Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: ⁵ And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: ⁶ As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: ⁷ And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

Lev 14:4-7

There are five different ingredients mentioned in these verses. Each of them holds a symbolic meaning:

• Birds - there were only two types of birds used for sacrifices, they were the dove and the pigeon. Both of them can be seen to represent the Holy Spirit. God used the symbol of a dove to represent the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus when John baptized Him.

• Cedar wood - the cedar tree represents faith. NASA has discovered that the Cedar of Lebanon is the only tree that cannot be uprooted, or knocked down by winds, or earthquake. True faith cannot be moved by anything.

• · Scarlet - the color scarlet represents blood, specifically the blood of Jesus. It was also a color in many societies that was reserved for royalty.

• Hyssop - the hyssop was used in the first Passover to paint the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel of the houses. The hyssop plant is interesting in that when the stalk is broken, water comes out. So, when they painted the blood, they were actually painting blood and water. After Jesus died on the cross, a soldier put a lance in his side, causing blood and water to come out. So, the hyssop represents Jesus' death and resurrection.

• Running water - in the Bible, water always represents the Word of God. Running water is active and moving, just as the Word of God needs to be active and working in our lives.

These five ingredients symbolize the five ingredients that are necessary in our lives if we expect God to heal us. He does nothing in our lives without faith. We need the understanding of what the Word of God says about something in order to have that faith. It is the Holy Spirit who actually does the work of healing in us. Finally, all of this is based upon the redemptive work that Jesus wrought in His blood, upon the cross.

It doesn't matter if the healing is a physical healing, an emotional healing, or a spiritual healing, the same five ingredients are needed. God doesn't always do things the same way, but He always uses the same recipe.

Many times, people pray for healing, and don't receive it. Then, they go to God asking, "Why didn't you heal me?" as if God had done something wrong. It isn't that God did something wrong, it's that we did. We left out part of the recipe. We left one of these ingredients out of the equation, then wondered why we didn't get the answer we were looking for. God didn't make the mistake, we did.

All healings are a process. In the natural, God has given our bodies the ability to heal themselves of a large number of infirmities, wounds, and other problems. Our immune system is constantly fighting against infection and disease. When a bacteria, or virus enters into our body, it immediately comes under assault, with the intent of destroying it before it can cause harm.

In the spiritual, when we pray for someone to be healed, there is a process as well. Sometimes that process is very short, but other times it happens over a series of days, or weeks. When it happens instantly, we call it a miracle, but that doesn't really make the slower healings any less of a miracle.

Here, in Leviticus, chapter 14, we find a process as well. The people who were cured of these skin diseases didn't just jump back into their normal lives, as if nothing had happened. They had to go through a process of restoration.

The first part of their restoration process was to demonstrate that they were healed. The priest was commanded to go to where this diseased person was living outside the camp, and verify that the person was healed (Lev 14:3). It wasn't enough that they said they were healed, a responsible, trained, person had to investigate and verify their healing.

Sometimes, we're a little too quick to accept it when someone tells us they are healed. By faith, we should be quick to accept what they say. But, on the other hand, we should seek confirmation from a competent authority. Why? So that nobody can degrade the testimony, saying that the healing which God brought about didn't really happen. In fact, the best person to verify the healing is the doctor who declared the person sick. That way, it's a testimony to him as well.

Once the priest declared that the person was healed, they were permitted to return to the camp. But, they couldn't live inside their tent, they had to live outside of it for seven days.

And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

Lev 14:8

The washing of the person, and his clothes seems rather obvious. It was probably a health measure to insure that whatever had contaminated them wasn't still on their body, in their clothes, or in their hair. But, what about living outside of the tent for seven days? Why couldn't they just go home?

By being required to live outside of their tent for seven days, the person became a living testimony to their family, friends and neighbors that God was doing an active work of restoration in their lives. Every time someone would pass by, they had the opportunity to testify of what God was doing for them. Even if they didn't do it with words, just there presence there would be a reminder to all of God's miracle working power.

It is important that we remember all the great things that God has done for us. The purpose of giving a testimony (as opposed to a testidemonio) is to build up other's faith in what God can do for them. We should constantly recount to ourselves, and to others the great things which God has done. That way, our faith is built up for the great things that He is going to do.

At the end of the week, the individual is to wash and shave again, and the priest performed another cleansing ceremony for them.

And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD… ¹⁴ And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot… ¹⁶ And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD ¹⁷ And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering

Lev 14:12-17

Okay, that's all pretty complicated, and we really don't do things like that today, so what's the point of bringing it up? The interesting thing about this passage is that this ceremony, especially the part of putting the oil and blood on the right ear, right thumb, and the big toe of the right foot, is that there is only one other place in the Bible where we encounter a ceremony like this, that is when Moses consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests over Israel (Lev ch 8). Nowhere else do we see this action taking place, not even for anointing the kings.

God doesn't do anything by accident, nor by coincidence. If He commanded the same type of ceremony in two different places, He did so because He was trying to send a message to the people.

What type of message does this ceremony send? It sends a message of consecrating, or ordaining someone to a particular type of work. Let's take a moment to look at some of the specific symbolism that's included in this ceremony:

• Blood (from a sacrificial lamb) - always speaks of the covenant. All of the Old Testament sacrifices were done for the renewing of covenant. We don't do that because Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God, became the last sacrifice. Our priesthood, as believers, comes from the sacrificial work that He did on the cross.

• Oil - in the Bible oil is probably one of the most well known symbols, that of the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. By applying the blood and the oil together, we see that the anointing comes from the covenant.

• Sprinkling Oil Seven Times - sprinkling is an act of spreading something out, or sending it forth. This action speaks of sending fourth the anointing before the Lord. The number seven is considered the "number of the Lord" and is a number of completion. More than anything, this understanding comes from the story of creation, and that God rested on the seventh day.

• Anointing the Right Ear Lobe - this symbolizes the thought life. By anointing the ear with both blood and oil, it symbolizes not only the anointing power of the Holy Spirit, but bringing the thoughts captive to the covenant with God.

• Anointing the Right Thumb - this symbolizes the person's actions. Since most people are right-handed, the right hand symbolizes the person's strength. Again, they are being brought into subjection to the covenant, but also being anointed to do the work of the Lord.

• Anointing the Right Big Toe - the toe symbolizes the person's walk. It is impossible to walk normally without the big toe. The priest's walk must remain consecrated to God. He must watch over his heart and not allow himself to leave the path of righteousness.

By performing this ceremony over a person who has been cleansed of skin disease (leprosy) the priest is consecrating that person to a priesthood. What type of priesthood? One in which he can minister to others suffering from the same problems he just went through.

It is impossible to minister very effectively to people in areas where we don't have any experience. The old joke is "how can a Catholic priest, who supposedly has never been married, or in relation with a woman, minister to a marriage?" The answer is that they can't. Oh, they can repeat some things they've heard, or read, or been taught, but they can't really help the person, or minister to their problems. Why? Because they don't have the background and experience to relate to them.

Likewise, many ministers and believers have a great problem ministering to an alcoholic, or a drug addict, or a prostitute, or a terrorist. Why? Because the experiences of their lives are so far removed from our own. That we can't relate to them. All we can do is give them platitudes, wimpy prayers, and scripture verses. But, we have no ability whatsoever to share with them how the Lord has helped us overcome their problem.

Someone who God has set free from drug addiction has an insight into the spiritual, emotional, and physical problems of the drug addict that the rest of us can't possibly understand. Likewise, a prostitute who has been converted knows the emotional anguish of other prostitutes in a way that nobody else can understand. Once these people have been truly set free by God, they can be mighty instruments in the hands of God.

Let's take it out of the realm of what most people consider grave sins, and look at it from the viewpoint of something that isn't of the person's own doing. How about cancer? Any pastor can pray for a member of their church who has cancer. But, only those who have experienced cancer can truly talk to the person about what they're feeling.

Or, how about dealing with a woman who has been raped? How can a male pastor minister effectively to that woman. He doesn't have any idea what she's experienced, how it has affected her, the changes that her experience has caused in her, and the suffering she is experiencing on a daily basis. But, another woman who has been through the same experience and been healed in her heart can reach into her pain and sorrow to help her receive the same healing.

God never has desired that His people go through bad experiences, but He has always taken advantage of the bad experiences we have had to go through. The oft quoted "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28) applies here. All things means all things; the good, the bad, and the ugly as well. All things work together for good. No, this doesn't mean that the bad things are good, nor does it mean that God brings bad things into our lives; it means that God brings good things to pass out of the bad things that happen in our lives.

One of the good things that God brings our of our bad experiences is the opportunity to work a miracle in our lives and hearts. These experiences allow God to touch us in a way that can only be described as supernatural. For this, God justly receives the glory.

But, there's more that comes out of these bad experiences of life. That is the priesthood that God brings about in the lives of those people who have become "more than conquerors through Him that loves us" (Rom 8:37). If we look at this verse in context, we find that the verses before it talk about tribulations, famine, persecution, and being slaughtered. Not a single pleasant experience, but lots of struggles and fights. Nobody gets to be a conqueror without a fight. But, here it talks about not just a conqueror, but more than a conqueror. Who is that? One who has not only won the battle, but put what they gained in the battle to good use; using what they've learned to help others get the victory.

God has allowed us to go through the various experiences we have all had in life so that we could gain by them. As I have written on other occasions, it is not the wonderful times in our lives, where everything is going good, which cause us to grow, it is the times when we are in problems and suffering. As a father, God doesn't desire to see us suffer, but He will permit it so that we turn to Him and receive of His grace. We must always remember, "his grace is sufficient for us"

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Cor 12:9

Look at what Paul says there. God Himself told Paul that His (God's) grace was sufficient for all of Paul's problems. But, He didn't stop there, He explained to Paul why that was true. That it is through the areas of weakness in Paul's life that God's great strength is made most manifest. Paul was overjoyed by this, saying that he would glory in his sickness, problems, and the attacks of the enemy he was receiving. Why? So that the power of Christ might rest upon him.

We too need the power of Christ to rest upon us. We too need to experience his marvelous grace in our struggles. It is only through the working of that grace that we can come through the other side as victors. It is only through that grace that we are made "more than conquerors."

While it is great to be made more than a conqueror, it is better to be made a priest. The conqueror can glory in his victory, but the priest helps others receive the same victory. Through the afflictions of life, God has intended to make us a "kingdom of priests" (Rev 1:5) so that together we might "edify the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:12-13).

Where is your own personal area of priesthood? What have you experienced, and overcome that you might be able to minister to someone else. Don't try and minister from someone else's victory, minister from your own. Let that which the grace of God has wrought in you become a blessing in the life of someone else.