Daily Bible Portion – 4 of 7
"INFECTED ONES"
(Weekly Reading>>Leviticus 14:1-15:33, 2 Kings 7:3-20, Hebrews 13:4, Matthew 9:20-26, Luke 17:1-37)


Discharges Causing Uncleanness
(Leviticus 15)

The three things that contaminate God's children are lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). These all have to do with idolatry in us. Unforgiveness, gossip and slander are the enemy's tools. Satan's name means slanderer. He is the accuser of the brethren. If we gossip, slander or argue causing disagreements and dissension, what does this say about us? We not only contaminate ourselves but others at the same time. In so doing we actually speak for Satan.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrel. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." (James 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:14, 23; Titus 3:9).

Naaman Healed From The Unclean Realm
(2 Kings 4:42 to 5:19)

Naaman, a great commander in King of Aram's army, had a tzarat or skin affliction. He heard of Elisha through an Israelite woman in his household who knew of this prophet of God. Elisha shared with Naaman that God's Word would heal him if he obeyed it. Naaman was told to immerse (baptism) himself seven times in the Jordan River to restore his flesh. We see in Scripture what kind of a man Naaman was by his response to the suggested treatment for his healing and what had caused his skin condition in the first place.

2 Kings 5:11-12 "But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, 'Indeed, I said to myself, He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy/tzarat. Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?' So he turned and went away in a rage."

Naaman's illness was rage based. He was bitter, haughty, angry and full of pride. As a result he resented the instructions and declined the cure. He exhibited verbal tzarat emissions bringing contamination to his own body. How many of us realize that when we harbor pride and bitter rage and anger we contaminate ourselves with sickness and disease? Later Naaman changed his attitude, humbled himself and immersed (baptize) seven times into the Jordan River. He came out of the water clean with skin like that of a young boy. Naaman applied the ritual application of the law (instructions). He was healed in his repentance and his obedience to Yahweh's instructions. This sanctification made him clean and whole again.

Jeremiah 32:19 "Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve."

Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.'"

Matthew 8:1-4 "When He [Jesus] had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Yeshua put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Yeshua said to him, 'See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'"

The healing powers come from the Word. According to John 1:1 we see what the word is.

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Then John also reveals and confirms to us the identity of Jesus.

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus is the Word of God. The voice of God which was in the beginning with God the one whom formed the heaven and earth. He is the living instructions, words, commandments of God.

Psalms 33:6 "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."

This is confirmed in the third verse of Genesis.

Genesis 1:3 "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

God commanded or instructed light by His voice and there was light. Jesus confirms His identity in person by saying:

John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness(sin), but shall have the light(word) of life."

The light of life is His Words, His instructions for life. Not to walk in darkness but in Light.

Deuteronomy 28:58-59 "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance."

Paul reminds us that the blessings and curses are still with us today.

1 Corinthians 11:28-30 "That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died."

If we choose to walk contrary to Gods words or instructions then we openly invite a host of illnesses upon us and our children. These sicknesses in the physical also represent the spiritual relm where our illness eventually results in death. Both the physical death and spiritual death. The "Good News" is that we can return to Him. That is to repent. Return to the Word which we know as Jesus and the Word will heal our afflictions and save us if we choose to follow Him.

Psalms 107:20 "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."

continues tomorrow...