AFTER washing his clothes the leper was to shave off all his hair. To an Israelite, used to a beard and a fine head of hair, this would be a great reproach; in fact in the law of Moses they were told not to “make baldness upon their head,” nor were they to shave off the corner of their beard (Lev. 21:5; 19:275They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. (Leviticus 21:5)
27Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. (Leviticus 19:27)). But in the case of the leper that which was his natural comeliness and glory as a man all had to come off. He was not to spare anything in which any impurity might lurk.
This would be very humiliating to the man, but we need to put self, and all that springs from self under the sharp edge of the Word of God. The cleansed leper would be an object of reproach and shame, but how much better to be cleansed and to be back among the Lord’s people in spite of reproach, than to be outside the camp, defiled and all alone, crying “Unclean!”
The believer also, cleansed by the blood of Christ, is also called upon to bear reproach and shame through being identified with the despised and lowly Jesus; but oh, how much better to be saved and enjoying the fellowship of God’s dear people, even amidst the reproach of this world. May we know more of what a privilege it is to share the reproach of Christ, who bore our sin and shame on the cross.
Then in verse 9 we learn that this purifying goes on to the end of our life down here. The blood of the slain little bird was sprinkled but once, but on the seventh day the man was to shave off not only his head and beard but eyebrows too; also he was to wash his clothes again and bathe his flesh in water.
This tells us that a Christian needs that continual washing of the Word to be cleansed from the defilements of this world. How wonderful for us that we have a Father who applies the Word to our souls and to our ways in the power of the Spirit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.
If we as Christians go on with the Lord, we shall get to know Him better, we shall want to be more like Him and less like the world. Therefore we shall realize more the need of that constant cleansing of the Word, applying it continually to our walk and ways.
The leper could not go home yet, but soon we shall be at home in the glory. There will be no need of washings up in that heavenly city, for there will be no defilements up there. All will be pure and holy, in the presence of God our Father and of Him who died to bring us there.
ML-03/19/1972