“As for the live bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, the scarlet, and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean” (Lev. 14:6-7a). This signifies that the Lord’s perfect redemption not only causes man to be cleansed objectively in his position, but also causes man to experience subjectively in the Holy Spirit the Lord’s suffering in shedding His blood in His noble, high, and lowly humanity, and to experience His death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification. All these matters are implied in the type.
In 14:6 four things-the other bird, the cedar wood, the scarlet, and the hyssop-were dipped in the blood of the killed bird. I believe that these four things were bound together, that the scarlet was a thread that bound together the bird, the cedar wood, and the hyssop and made them into a bundle. This bundle was then dipped in the blood of the killed bird that this blood might be sprinkled seven times on the leper who was to be cleansed.
The Lord’s redemption, His noble, high, and lowly humanity, and His resurrection, ascension, and glorification are all implied in this type. We have seen that the cedar wood typifies Christ’s noble and high humanity, and the hyssop, His lowly humanity. The slain bird, of course, signifies His redemption. What signifies His resurrection, ascension, and glorification? His resurrection is signified by the other bird, the live bird. These two birds signify Christ in two aspects-in His death and resurrection. On the one hand, as signified by the killed bird, He was killed. On the other hand, as signified by the live bird, He was resurrected. The dying Christ became the living Christ through resurrection. Christ’s ascension is signified by the live bird’s flying, soaring, in the air. The Lord’s glorification is signified by the scarlet, which implies kingship. Christ is glorified in His kingship. Christ was humbled in His incarnation, shamed in His crucifixion, and glorified in His kingship. Therefore in this one type we see the all-inclusive Christ, for here we have His humanity, which is both high and lowly, His redemption, and His resurrection, ascension, and glorification.
“He shall let the live bird go free over the open field” (v. 7b). This signifies that the living Christ causes the cleansed sinner not only to die and resurrect but also to experience His ascension. These have all been accomplished for us by Christ, and we only need to experience and enjoy them. In the crucified Christ, the killed bird, we died. Now in the resurrected Christ, the live bird, we are soaring in ascension. We have been freed, and there are no frustrations.
I say once again that to expound this type we need the knowledge of the entire Bible. This is proper theology, biblical theology. Biblical theology has much to do with the leprosy in Leviticus 13 and 14. If this theology were not involved with our leprosy, we would be altogether separated from God. He would be God, having nothing to do with us, and we would be lepers, having nothing to do with Him. But biblical theology is involved with our leprosy, and God can be seen in the typology in Leviticus 14:4-7. In this type we see the Lord’s redemption and the saving power in His resurrection. We have been redeemed by the crucified Christ, and now we are in the resurrected Christ, soaring in the air with Him.
“He who is to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean” (v. 8a). This signifies that, on the one hand, a sinner who is to be cleansed needs to experience Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension and, on the other hand, he needs to bear the responsibility himself to deal with and cut off all that is of his old living and natural life.
The leper who was to be cleansed was required to shave off all his hair. The hair of the head signifies man’s glory. Almost everyone can find an area in which to boast, to glorify himself, to make a display before others. This is typified by the hair of the head.
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