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Reading through certain passages in the Old Testament can sometimes leave us wondering how they apply to our lives today—the book of Numbers will certainly give us a taste of that. But every day, I ask the Lord for insight and understanding, seeking an application that will encourage me to be the man He is calling me to be. Today’s reading from Leviticus 14 and 15 may seem like one of those sections where direct application is hard to come by. Chapter 14 continues with the laws regarding leprosy, specifically the process for becoming ceremonially clean, while chapter 15 focuses on bodily discharges—both topics feel far removed from our daily reality. But, as always, God’s Word is rich with meaning, and we can praise Him for some repeated themes we encounter.

One of those themes that stands out again today is God’s impartiality—His deep love and desire for all people, regardless of their status, to come to repentance. As 2nd Peter 3:9 reminds us:

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

We see this reflected in chapter 14, where allowances are made for those who are poor. Instead of requiring the costly sacrifices of two male lambs and one ewe lamb (v. 10), those with fewer resources were permitted to offer turtle doves or pigeons (vv. 21–22) so that no one would be left out. His desire to forgive is evident in the way He provides a way for everyone to be restored.

Then we get to chapter 15 and the laws concerning bodily discharges. If you’re like me, you may find yourself wondering how in the world this applies to us today. For one thing, the distinction between a man’s discharge in verses 2–3 and the seminal discharge mentioned in verses 16–18 is not clear. As I began reading the passage I thought the discharges were referring to seminal, only to realize that could not be when I read the latter. And then outside of the woman in the New Testament who suffered from a bleeding disorder for years, I don’t personally know of anyone who deals with something like this today.

So, what do we take from this? The key insight for us is recognizing a major paradigm shift—one that makes these ceremonial laws obsolete today. That shift is found in the main theme of Scripture: Jesus Christ. Just as Christ made formerly unclean foods acceptable (Acts 10:15), just as He made lepers clean (Matthew 8:1–4), so too has He made a change in these ceremonial laws. Jesus provides continual atonement for us—moment by moment—as He is the living sacrifice whose effectiveness is perpetual. When we are in Christ, the barriers of uncleanness are no longer what separate us from God. That doesn’t give us a free pass to sin, but it does give us an opportunity to praise Him for our salvation and live in gratitude for the cleansing He has provided.

Takeaway: Praise God today because He made a way for YOU and patiently waited for your repentance. And praise Him because we no longer live under the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament as Jesus's sacrifice is forever effective. We have reason to praise the One who has made us clean once and for all.