Human uncleanness issues from birth and is intensified by sin, which is signified by leprosy.
According to the Old Testament, leprosy is the outcome of man’s rebellion against God’s authority, God’s deputy authority, God’s regulation, and God’s economy. This is confirmed by several cases in the Bible, such as Miriam’s rebellion against Moses, who was God’s deputy authority (Num. 12:1-10); the rebellion of Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, against Elisha’s practices (2 Kings 5:20-27); and King Uzziah’s rebellion against God’s regulation concerning the priesthood (2 Chron. 26:16-21).
Although leprosy originates from outside a person’s body with some kind of germs or bacteria, it is caused by these germs or bacteria entering into a person’s body and being mingled with his constitution, thus becoming a disease that comes from within his body, as illustrated by the cases of Miriam, Gehazi, and Uzziah. Miriam became leprous after she rebelled against Moses because he married a Cushite woman. Gehazi went behind Elisha’s back and received gifts from Naaman, a Gentile who was healed of leprosy; afterward, Naaman’s leprosy was transferred to him. Uzziah, as king, could not participate in the priesthood. When he rebelled against this regulation, he became leprous. In these three cases, leprosy first entered into the rebellious ones and then came forth from them.
Leprosy is a disease that is not easily cured and often results in death because it is mingled with man’s constitution.
Leprosy signifies the sin that dwells and does evil in man. The denotation of sin in the biblical sense is rebellion. Rebellion was invented, inaugurated, by Satan. Through the fall of Adam the very leprosy invented by Satan entered into us. “Through one man sin entered into the world” (Rom. 5:12a). This leprosy still remains in us. This is the reason Paul says, “If what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it out but sin that dwells in me” (7:20). Having entered into us, this sin, this leprosy, comes forth from within us as sins, offenses, and transgressions. Although sin comes from Satan, who is outside of man, it entered into man’s flesh and became mingled with man’s fallen nature. Hence, it is not easy to be cleared away; rather, it kills man.
Leviticus 13:45-46 speaks of a leper’s open confession of his leprosy to others. This indicates that a sinner should make an open confession of his sin.
Verse 45 says, “As for the leper in whom the infection is, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be let loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry, Unclean, unclean!” Here we are shown several aspects of the leper’s confession of his leprosy.
The tearing of clothes signifies that a sinner admits that he is bankrupt in morality; having his hair let loose signifies that he is utterly lacking in subjection to authority, being unruly and reckless; covering his upper lip indicates that whatever issues out of a sinner is filthy and contagious and that he should not be contacted; a sinner’s crying “Unclean, unclean!” indicates self-condemnation without ceasing.
Verse 46 says, “He shall be unclean all the days during which the infection is in him; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” Dwelling alone outside the camp signifies that, until he clears up his sinfulness, the one who has sinned should stay outside the church and be isolated from the fellowship among God’s people (1 Cor. 5:13).