In biblical times, if a man or woman had trouble with bodily fluids, they were considered unclean; everything they touched, slept on, or sat on was considered unclean and must stay outside camp. Once healed, they must make an offering to cover their sin. It was quite a ritual of washing their body, clothing, and anything else their body touched. Understanding this law clarifies the story of the woman who had fought for twelve years to become healed of her bleeding. I bet she was tired of not being accepted in society and living outside the city. She shouldn’t have been near Jesus that day or around the other people. With all the crowd surrounding Jesus, imagine how many people touched her and are now considered unclean. She was desperate and knew her only chance to become healed was to touch Jesus’s garment, not making him unclean, but only the tiny part of his hem. Thank goodness for a loving Savior; he called her out, but only to show the crowd how strong her faith was.
We are so fortunate that we do not have to follow the law of Moses with all the ritual cleansing and sacrifices and that we are part of the new covenant that only requires that we have faith and trust in Jesus. Not only that, but I’m grateful for how loving Jesus treats us, especially when we take advantage of him by sullying his garments every time we sin. Every word I read in Leviticus makes me more grateful for our Savior.
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. Leviticus 15:31
And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Luke 8:48
No comments:
Post a Comment