Did you know that the leper in ancient time could not dwell with his family? They were sent far from other people because of leprosy.
By the way, what is leprosy?
It is a contagious disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, the leper could not dwell with or mix with other people because the disease could be transmitted to them.
One day the Lord passed by a place after His Sermon on the Mount; many people had followed Him because of His miracles. When He came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed Him. “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, Lord. if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” Matthew 8:2. The leper was eager to be healed by the Lord. He believed and trusted Him. Jesus did not hesitate, “Jesus put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Matthew 8:3
“The work of Christ in cleansing the leper from his terrible disease is an illustration of His work in cleansing the soul from sin. The man came to Jesus was ‘full of leprosy.’ its deadly poison permeated his whole body. The disciples sought to prevent their Master from touching him; for he who touched a leper became himself unclean. But in laying his hand upon the leper, Jesus received no defilement. His touch imparted life-giving power. The leprosy was cleansed. Thus it is with the leprosy of sin,—deep-rooted, deadly and impossible to be cleansed by human power. ‘The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.” Isaiah 1:5–6. But Jesus, coming to dwell in humanity, receives no pollution. His presence has healing virtue for the sinner. Whoever will fall at His feet, saying in faith, ‘Lord if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,’ shall hear the answer, ‘I will; be thou made clean.’” –The Desire of Ages, p. 266
You may be a leper also and you cannot stay with the people of God. Why? You may say, “I am ok! I don’t have any problem with my health.” Yes, maybe it is true that you may not be a leper in a physical sense but in your spiritual life you may be a leper. Do people know that their spiritual lives may be sick with leprosy? With the leprosy of the love of this world, are you fit to inherit the new earth that God has promised for His people?
Brother and sister, if any of you may have spiritual leprosy, approach the healer, Jesus Christ, and request Him to save you and heal you from the leprosy which you may have. Don’t hesitate, but approach Him with faith like the leper who asked Him to cleanse him of his leprosy.
“In some instances of healing, Jesus did not at once grant the blessing sought. But in the case of leprosy, no sooner was the appeal made than it was granted. When we pray for earthly blessings, the answer to our prayer may be delayed, or God may give us something other than we ask, but not so when we ask for deliverance from sin. It is His will to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and to enable us to live a holy life. Christ ‘gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.’ Galatians 1:4. And ‘this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we have the petitions that we desired of Him.’ 1 John 5:14–15. ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:9.” –The Desire of Ages, p.266
My dear reader, do you have the leprosy of sin? Today if you will tell Jesus simply, “Oh, My Jesus, if Thou wilt, You can make me clean.” Then He will put His hand upon you, saying, “I will, be thou clean.”
Tony Nampoina
BAMI Student – Madagascar