How many of out there would like to skip the book of Leviticus when you read through your Bibles? And maybe the last half of Exodus, all of Numbers, and parts of Deuteronomy to boot?

If you answered "yes" to the above, then you are not alone. All of those rules and regulations about a system that is no longer in effect can be pretty dry reading. But if you do persist in forcing yourself to read the book, you will eventually come to a part, in the 13th and 14th chapters of Leviticus that seems even more senseless than the rest. These chapters outline the protocol for dealing with disease-not human disease, although that is addressed as well, but diseases to your house, to your clothing, and even to your cooking pots!

"If any clothing is contaminated with mildew - any woolen or linen clothing . . . It is a spreading mildew and must be shown to the priest." (Lev 13:47, 49 NIV)

"When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give you as a possession, and I put the leprous plague in a house in the land of your possession, and he who owns the house comes and tells the priest, saying, 'It seems to me that there is some plague in the house . . .'" (Lev 14:34-36 NKJV)

When I recently read these passages, I admit that I silently rolled my eyes. I'm a firm believer that there isn't anything in the Bible that doesn't have some kind of relevance to us today, but what possible meaning can there be in learning how to deal with diseased houses and clothing??? "Lord," screamed out my mind, "You mean for me to skip over this, right?"

No answer was immediately forthcoming, so I skimmed on down the page, taking in all the dry details of what the Israelites were supposed to do when their houses and clothing were disease. I didn't get very far, however, before I sighed again: "Lord?"

No answer. Again. And I closed the book.

But God wouldn't let it go. The next morning He brought me back to Leviticus 13 and 14. This time however, meaning jumped out of the pages. I was ecstatic. Once again God was proving to me that EVERYTHING, yes EVEN LEVITICUS 13 AND 14, are in the Bible for us TODAY!

Here's what I learned.

I would encourage each of you to read through Lev. 13:47-59 and 14: 34-53, but for the purpose of keeping this devotional short, I will summarize what it says: If spots of mildew (leprosy in some translations) are found on the walls of the house or on a garment or cooking pot, the priests are called in to examine them. The priests are given very specific instructions, but to simplify, the items were generally put into isolation for 7 days and then reexamined. If the mildew or "leprosy" has spread, the spot would be eliminated by removing stones from the wall of the house or by cutting the affected piece out the fabric. Again, isolation is recommended, and then again, the priests must examine the "diseased" item. If the mildew continues to spread, the house or garment must be destroyed. If not, then a ceremonial cleansing is performed, and the house or garment is returned to normal use.

Houses and garments are often used in the New Testament as illustrations of the Christian life. We are told that our bodies are a "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:19), and "We are His house" (Heb. 3:6). We are also advised as to what we should put on everyday, as to how we should dress: "put on the armor of light." (Rom 13:12 NIV); "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Eph 4:24 NIV); "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Eph 6:11-12 NIV); "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Col 3:12 NIV); and "over all these virtues put on love" (Col 3:14 NIV).

Friends, our "house" is our hearts, the place where God lives, and our "clothing" is our emotions, our character traits and our "flesh"!

If God were to come and stay at my literal house, I would want Him to feel welcome and at home. I would definitely do a major clean-up before He arrived. I might think about hauling a lot of stuff off to the dump, I would probably do some painting to cover over the pen marks, the puppy scratch marks, and all the other traces of defects, and I might even go through my library of books and videos. I would also most definitely take a shower and put on nice clothing.

Why?

Because it would be such an honor to have God my house!

Isn't it just as much of an honor to have God in our hearts? If the walls of our body-house are spotted with the mildew of selfishness, greed, and pride, how can God feel comfortable there? If we are constantly clothed with our sinful nature, which is so neatly described by Paul in Colossians: "anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips" (Col 3:8 NIV), will God, who lives in our house, be glorified?

The book of Leviticus admonished the Israelites to examine their houses and clothing for spots; but even more importantly, it reminds us to examine our heart-houses and our spiritual clothing!

And what should we do when we find "spots" on our heart-houses and spiritual clothing?

Join us next Saturday for Diseased Houses and Clothing, Part 2!

God bless you all as you search out your spiritual spots!

Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, Author, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets, www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/ , Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .