Garments are for covering the human body. In the Bible our garments signify our outward conduct, our daily living. Leprosy in a garment (13:47-59) signifies the sins expressed in one’s outward living and conduct.
Leviticus 13:49-52 shows that if the greenish or reddish infection was spreading in the garment and became a malignant leprosy, the garment had to be burned in fire. Becoming a malignant leprosy signifies that the sin which is spreading within a person by eating up his flesh is becoming worse and worse. Burning the garment in fire signifies eliminating the sinful and filthy living and conduct. When we discover that something sinful in us is becoming worse and worse, we should eliminate it by “burning,” that is, by dealing with it strongly by applying the cross of Christ.
If the infection had not spread in the garment, then the garment had to be washed (vv. 53-54). This signifies dealing with the suspected weakness in one’s living and conduct. It may not be clear whether a certain thing is a real sin or a suspected sin. In such a case it is sufficient to wash the garment. This is to deal with a matter by applying the washing Spirit of God, who is likened to water for washing.
“After the article with the infection has been washed, the priest shall look at it; and if the infection has not changed its appearance, even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You shall burn it in the fire; it is a leprous decay, whether the bareness is on the inside or on the outside” (v. 55). A leprous decay signifies the corroding sin that is becoming worse and deeper, indicating that a person has no change in appearance through repentance and confession. This is the kind of sin that can take over a person, devouring and swallowing him up. Hence, this kind of sin should be “burned” by fire, as in the previous case of the garment with malignant leprosy.
“If the priest looks, and if the infection has faded after it was washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment or out of the skin, whether from the warp or from the woof” (v. 56). This signifies the eliminating of a suspected weakness in one’s living and conduct. The fading of an infected spot in a garment after washing is a sign of healing, of recovery. Nevertheless, the faded spot should be torn out of the garment. This indicates that we need to cut off, to have a thorough dealing with, our suspected weakness.
Verse 57 speaks of the infection reappearing in the garment after the infected spot has been torn out of the garment. This signifies that one’s weakness, after being dealt with and eliminated, comes out again. Then it has to be burned in the fire. This means that it has to be dealt with and eliminated completely by applying the cross of Christ.
“The garment...which you shall wash, if the infection has departed from them, shall be washed a second time and shall be clean” (v. 58). Washing the garment a second time after the infection has departed through washing signifies that one’s weakness, having been dealt with, should be dealt with further, a second time.
The six points concerning the cleansing of the leprous garment show that we need to repent, confess, deal with certain matters, and eliminate certain matters. If we would live a normal, proper, holy Christian life, we daily need to repent, confess, deal with our actual and even suspected weaknesses, and eliminate these weaknesses from our conduct.