Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a curable bacterial infection which affects the skin, peripheral nerves, and upper respiratory tract. It is not highly contagious and is easily treated. We don’t hear much about this disease these days, but in Jesus’ time, it was a much- feared disease for which there was no cure. A person with leprosy had to be separated from the population. To make things worse, it was viewed not only as a medical condition, but as a mark of spiritual impurity or a punishment for sin. (Just a side note – in the Bible, the term leprosy was used loosely and was often used for other skin diseases).
Read Luke 5:12-16. Jesus was approached by a man with leprosy. Most people of that time would have run away in fear, but Jesus did not. The man fell on the ground before Jesus and begged for healing. Read the specific words the man said. Notice that the man did not question whether Jesus could heal him. The man already knew, in his heart, that Jesus was able. He had no doubts about Jesus’ ability.
What the man said to Jesus was “If you are willing”. The man understood that this was a matter of God’s will. Do we bring our requests to God in prayer in this manner (I John 5:14-15)? Do we say, “God, if it be your will, would you please do….? Many times, we are sick or we pray for others who are sick. Sometimes God heals us and sometimes He does not. God does all things according to His purposes (Rom 8:28, Heb 2:4). It is hard for us to understand that God may have a higher purpose which is served when someone is sick or dies than would be served if healing occurred. Some things we will never understand until we meet Him in Heaven, but we must accept, through faith, that His will is always being done.
What do the following scriptures tell us are reasons for illness:
- Psalm 38
- 2 Cor 1:3-5
- 2 Cor 12:7-10
- 1 Pet 1:6-8
- Job 1:8-10
Verse 13 tells us that healing this man was His will and He orders the leprosy to be clean. The leprosy submits to His authority and immediately leaves the man. It is important to note, here, that in the Bible, leprosy is often symbolic of sin. This story about the man with leprosy is a picture of our salvation. Just as the man came to Jesus in belief and asked to be cleansed from his leprosy, we must come to Jesus in belief and ask to be cleansed of our sins. Jesus was willing to cleanse the man of his leprosy, and He is willing to cleanse us of our sins (I John 1:9. 2 Pet 3:9).
In verse 14, Jesus tells the man not to tell others about what happened, but rather to go and show himself to the priest and fulfill the requirements of the law. In the Old Testament (Lev 14:1-32), God had given to Moses extensive directions to be followed when a person was healed from leprosy. These rules were mostly concerning ritual cleansing and animal sacrifices and tied into the symbolism of having been cleansed from sin. Jesus’ death and resurrection had not yet occurred and so the rituals of the Law were still something to be observed, and Jesus encouraged the man to do so.
Verses 15-16 tell us that news about Jesus spread and crowds of people came to hear His teaching and to be healed. It then goes on to say that Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to pray. Don’t miss this trait of our Lord. He loved the people and ministered to them, but He also loved to find time to be alone in prayer with the Father.
Mark 1:42-45 gives us more detail on this. It tells us that the man did not obey Jesus in this matter. Though Jesus told him not to tell others about this, he went out and began to speak of it freely, spreading the word. As a result, Jesus became unable to enter towns openly without being mobbed. Today, we call this celebrity syndrome where movie stars and athletes, etc. cannot do normal things like shopping or going to public places, etc. They lose their ability to live normal lives. Jesus was trying to avoid this. He did not come to earth to become a celebrity healer. We will see Him, throughout the Gospels, asking folks not to tell others about being healed, but people tend to talk and crowds always followed our Lord. Even in a time without mass media, He was famous.
Record Psalm 150:2 in your journal.
Responding to God: Praise God for His love and His willingness to minister to our needs. Thank Him for your salvation. Acknowledge that He is always able, but that we must accept the boundaries of His will. Confess your sins to God and seek His forgiveness. Commit to regular times of prayer and the study of His Word.
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