L
E V I T I C U S
CHAP. XV.
In
this chapter we have laws concerning other ceremonial uncleannesses contracted
either by bodily disease like that of the leper, or some natural incidents,
and this either, I. In men, ver. 1-18. Or, II. In women, ver. 19-33. We need
not be at all curious in explaining these antiquated laws, it is enough if we
observe the general intention; but we have need to be very cautious lest sin
take occasion by the commandment to become more exceedingly sinful; and
exceedingly sinful it is when lust is kindled by sparks of fire from God's
altar. The case is bad with the soul when it is putrefied by that which should
purify it.
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Ceremonial
Purification.
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B.
C. 1490.
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1 And the LORD
spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his
flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. 3 And
this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his
issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his
uncleanness. 4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is
unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. 5
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 6 And he that sitteth on any
thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 7 And he that toucheth
the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 8 And if he that hath the
issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 9 And what saddle soever
he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. 10 And
whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the
even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes,
and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his
hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water,
and be unclean until the even. 12 And the vessel of earth, that he
toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall
be rinsed in water. 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed
of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing,
and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be
clean. 14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the
priest: 15 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a
sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall
make an atonement for him before the LORD
for his issue. 16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from
him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the
even. 17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of
copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they
shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the
even.
We have here the law concerning the ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted
by running issues in men. It is called in the margin (v. 2) the running
of the reins: a very grievous and loathsome disease, which was, usually
the effect and consequent of wantonness and uncleanness, and a dissolute
course of life, filling men's bones with the sins of their youth, and leaving
them to mourn at the last, when all the pleasures of their wickedness have
vanished, and nothing remains but the pain and anguish of a rotten carcase and
a wounded conscience. And what fruit has the sinner then of those things
whereof he has so much reason to be ashamed? Rom. vi. 21. As modesty is an
ornament of grace to the head and chains about the neck, so chastity is health
to the navel and marrow to the bones; but uncleanness is a wound and
dishonour, the consumption of the flesh and the body, and a sin which is
often its own punishment more than any other. It was also sometimes inflicted
by the righteous hand of God for other sins, as appears by David's imprecation
of a curse upon the family of Joab, for the murder of Abner. 2 Sam. iii. 29, Let
there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or is a leper.
A vile disease for vile deserts. Now whoever had this disease upon him, 1. He
was himself unclean, v. 2. He must not dare to come near the sanctuary,
it was at his peril if he did, nor might he eat of the holy things. This
signified the filthiness of sin, and of all the productions of our corrupt
nature, which render us odious to God's holiness, and utterly unfit for
communion with him. Out of a pure heart well kept are the issues of life
(Prov. iv. 23), but out of an unclean heart comes that which is defiling,
Matt. xii. 34, 35. 2. He made every person and thing unclean that he touched,
or that touched him, v. 4-12. His bed, and his chair, and his saddle,
and every thing that belonged to him, could not be touched without a
ceremonial uncleanness contracted, which a man must remain conscious to
himself of till sunset, and from which he could not be cleansed without
washing his clothes, and bathing his flesh in water. This signified the
contagion of sin, the danger we are in of being polluted by conversing with
those that are polluted, and the need we have with the utmost circumspection
to save ourselves from this untoward generation. 3. When he was cured
of the disease, yet he could not be cleansed from the pollution without a
sacrifice, for which he was to prepare himself by seven days' expectation
after he was perfectly clear from his distemper, and by bathing in spring
water, v. 13-15. This signified the great gospel duties of faith and
repentance, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's
blood to our souls for our justification and his grace for our sanctification.
God has promised to sprinkle clean water upon us, and to cleanse us from all
our filthiness, and has appointed us by repentance to wash and make ourselves
clean: he has also provided a sacrifice of atonement, and requires us by faith
to interest ourselves in that sacrifice; for it is the blood of Christ his
Son that cleanses us from all sin, and by which atonement is made for us,
that we may have admission into God's presence and may partake of his favour.
19 And if a woman have an
issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart
seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean:
every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21 And
whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the even. 22 And whosoever toucheth
any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 23 And if it be on
her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he
shall be unclean until the even. 24 And if any man lie with her at
all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the
bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25 And if a woman have an
issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run
beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her
uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be
unclean. 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue
shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth
upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 27
And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even. 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall
number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young
pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. 30 And the priest shall offer the one for a
sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall
make an atonement for her before the LORD
for the issue of her uncleanness. 31 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.
32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose
seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 33 And of her that
is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the
woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
This is concerning the ceremonial uncleanness which women lay under from their
issues, both those that were regular and healthful, and according to the
course of nature (v. 19-24), and those that were unseasonable,
excessive, and the disease of the body; such was the bloody issue of that poor
woman who was suddenly cured by touching the hem of Christ's garment, after
she had lain twelve years under her distemper, and had spent her estate upon
physicians and physic in vain. This made the woman that was afflicted with it
unclean (v. 25) and every thing she touched unclean, v. 26, 27.
And if she was cured, and found by seven days' trial that she was perfectly
free from her issue of blood, she was to be cleansed by the offering of two
turtle-doves or two young pigeons, to make an atonement for her, v. 28,
29. All wicked courses, particularly idolatries, are compared to the
uncleanness of a removed woman (Ezek. xxxvi. 17), and, in allusion to
this, it is said of Jerusalem (Lam. i. 9), Her filthiness is in her skirts,
so that (as it follows, v. 17) she was shunned as a menstruous woman.
I. The reasons given for all these laws (which we are ready to think might
very well have been spared) we have, v. 31. 1. Thus shall you
separate the children of Israel (for to them only and their servants and
proselytes these laws pertained) from their uncleanness; that is, (1.)
By these laws they were taught their privilege and honour, that they were purified
unto God a peculiar people, and were intended by the holy God for a
kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement to them which was
not so to others. (2.) They were also taught their duty, which was to preserve
the honour of their purity, and to keep themselves from all sinful pollutions.
It was easy for them to argue that if those pollutions which were natural,
unavoidable, involuntary, their affliction and not their sin, rendered them
for the time so odious that they were not fit for communion either with God or
man, much more abominable and filthy were they if they sinned against the
light and law of nature, by drunkenness, adultery, fraud, and the like sins,
which defile the very mind and conscience. And, if these ceremonial pollutions
could not be done away but by sacrifice and offering, something greater and
much more valuable must be expected and depended upon for the purifying of the
soul from the uncleanness of sin. 2. Thus their dying in their uncleanness by
the hand of God's justice, if while they were under any of these defilements
they should come near the sanctuary, would be prevented. Note, It is a
dangerous thing to die in our uncleanness; and it is our own fault if we do,
since we have not only fair warning given us, by God's law, against those
things that will defile us, but also such gracious provision made by his
gospel for our cleansing if at any time we be defiled. 3. In all these laws
there seems to be a special regard had to the honour of the tabernacle, to
which none must approach in their uncleanness, that they defile not my
tabernacle. Infinite Wisdom took this course to preserve in the minds of
that careless people a continual dread of, and veneration for, the
manifestations of God's glory and presence among them in his sanctuary. Now
that the tabernacle of God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed
contempt, and therefore the law made so many things of frequent incidence to
be ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near to the
sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not approach without
great caution, and reverence, and serious preparation, and fear of being found
unfit. Thus they were taught never to draw near to God but with an awful
humble sense of their distance and danger, and an exact observance of every
thing that was required in order to their safety and acceptance.
II. And what duty must we learn from all this? 1. Let us bless God that we are
not under the yoke of these carnal ordinances, that, as nothing can destroy
us, so nothing can defile us, but sin. Those may now partake of the Lord's
supper who durst not then eat of the peace-offerings. And the defilement we
contract by our sins of daily infirmity we may be cleansed from in secret by
the renewed acts of repentance and faith, without bathing in water or bringing
an offering to the door of the tabernacle. 2. Let us carefully abstain from
all sin, as defiling to the conscience, and particularly from all fleshly
lusts, possessing our vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the
lusts of uncleanness, which not only pollute the soul, but war against
it, and threaten its ruin. 3. Let us all see how indispensably necessary
real holiness is to our future happiness, and get our hearts purified by
faith, that we may see God. Perhaps it is in allusion to these laws which
forbade the unclean to approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, Who
shall stand in God's holy place? it is answered, He that hath clean
hands and a pure heart (Ps. xxxiv. 3, 4); for without
holiness no man shall see the Lord.
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