Let’s continue on the second sign that God gave to Moses. The purpose of
understanding these signs are to see that God will ultimately bring everyone
back into the fold. Jesus will leave the 99 and go get the ONE that can’t seem
to find her way back.
Exodus 4:6-8 gives us the second sign.
6 And the Lord furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand
into your bosom.” So he put his hand into his bosom, and
when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.
7 Then He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again.” So he
put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of
his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
8 “And it shall come about that if they will not believe you or
heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness
of the last sign.”
Leprosy is a symbol of death (mortality) in the Bible, because it was a disease
in which people died a slow death. Some have said that leprosy is a symbol of
sin, but that is not precisely the case. When the mortality was translated into
action (Moses hand), then and only then did it represent sin. Sin is the action
that proceeds from death in one's heart.
We sin because we are mortal. Mortality is the “disease” or weakness on
which we sin. We read in Rom. 5:12,
12 Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into
the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed
through into all mankind, on which all sinned.
Paul tells us here that sin entered the world through Adam's sin, and that His
sin was imputed to all of us, making us all liable for his sin. Therefore, the penalty
for his sin was passed down to all of us, and that penalty is death, or mortality.
To put it in more formal terms, Adam's sin was imputed to us; but death was
infused into us. Thus, we do not have a sinful soul that dies; we have a mortal
soul that sins. And then, as a result, the wages of our own personal sin is the
second death, for we are judged by our works.
The law of lepers in Leviticus 14 provides us with the explanation of this second
sign given to Moses. No doubt when the revelation first came, Moses did not
understand its meaning. But later, when he was given this law, surely he
remembered that frightening experience when he saw his own hand leprous.
The leprosy is associated with the heart, for Moses' hand did not become leprous
until he had put it into his bosom. His heart was in the condition that was passed
down to him from Adam. His heart was death-ridden, mortal, or leprous. It
translated into action—his hand—as sin.
God was showing Moses the condition of all mankind.
In the law of lepers in Leviticus 14, we find the basic principles by which we are
able to overcome death and come into immortality. If a leper is healed of leprosy,
he was to show himself to the priest for inspection—that is, a double witness on
earth. The purpose of this double witness was to confirm his healing so that he
could become part of the congregation (Church) on a fellowship level.
It required two birds, usually doves, to cleanse lepers. The first one was killed in
an earthen vessel. The second dove was dipped (smeared) in the blood of the
first one and let loose into the open field. See Lev. 14:1-7.
The leper himself was to be baptized seven times with water, as we read in
verse 7,
7 He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be
cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean,
and shall let the live bird go free over the open field.
We are given only one actual illustration of this law in the Old Testament. It is
the story of Naaman the Syrian general, who was a leper. He came to the
prophet for healing, and the prophet told him to follow the law by being
sprinkled seven times with water from the Jordan river (2 Kings 5:10).
Naaman was angry at first, but when he complied, he was healed (5:14).
We find people being healed of leprosy in the New Testament as well. In
Matthew 8:3, Jesus healed a leper. Jesus then told him in verse 4 to comply
with the law,
4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one;
but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the
offering [the two birds] that Moses commanded, for
a testimony [witness] to them.”
Also, keep in mind that the priest would not have presumed to baptize them
or to pronounce them clean unless God had already healed them of leprosy.
That was the purpose of the inspection. This was the rule so that the priest
did not baptize or pronounce anyone clean unless God had already healed
him.
In regard to the second sign given to Moses, we find that Moses was told to
put his leprous hand back into his bosom. When he withdrew it, he found that
it was whole again. What does this mean? It is a sign of resurrection, passing
from death into life.
It comes in two forms or phases: the first is when God imputes life to us, even
as He imputes righteousness to us. Imputation is defined in Romans 4:17,
“calling those things which are not as though they were.”
In other words, God calls sinners righteous, and He calls mortal ones immortal.
He calls what is NOT as though they were. This establishes our legal standing
before God as righteous and immortal, even though we continue to sin, to
sicken, to age, and to die.
The second phase is where the legal standing becomes fully appropriated into
actual experience. This is the point where actual resurrection from the dead
takes place, and where corruption puts on incorruption (1 Cor. 15:53).
And so, if the people do not believe the first sign, which was given to mankind
at the cross, they may believe at the time of the second sign—the resurrection
of the dead. In that day, the overcomers will be raised incorruptible and
immortal. The work of evangelism will take a quantum leap, as these overcomers
bear witness of the Word to all parts of the earth. Romans 8:19,
19 For the earnest expectation of the CREATION waiteth
for the manifestation of the sons of God.
In that day, the Word will go forth from the new Mount Zion and from the New
Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3; Heb. 12:22). Representatives of all nations will come to
learn of His ways, and the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of
our Lord and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15). The great Stone Kingdom will grow until
it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth (Dan. 2:35).
In that day, many will believe this second sign that was given to Moses. Though
most of the people did not believe the first sign, they will believe the second.
But this is not all, for many throughout history have lived and died without ever
hearing of Jesus Christ or having opportunity to believe either sign. Is there no
sign for them? Yes, that is the third sign given to Moses.
Wow, you have to admit we have an awesome God!
To be continued:
Logabe