Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1-15:33

Tazriah / Metsora

The main theme of the portion this week is the terrible disease of leprosy. Modern medicines are able to deal with this, by the grace of God, but in both Moses' day and Yeshua's day, only God could intervene to cleanse the leper.

One needs to go back to the Fall of Adam and Eve to begin to understand why such diseases exist. In this fallen world God has allowed such things so that we might seek Him who alone can answer our deepest needs. The healing of the man born blind in John 9 shows that God brings about circumstances to show our need of Him, and to glorify Himself and His Son, Yeshua.

Revealing the Messiah

In Moses' day, a leper had to ‘self-isolate’ (in modern terminology!) and warn others by declaring himself unclean. If he was healed by God, the priests made careful checks before declaring him clean and able to re-join the community of Israel.

It was the same for the lepers whom God led to Yeshua for healing, such as is recorded in Matthew 8:1-4. Yeshua healed by the power of God and told the cleansed leper to do what Moses had instructed by going to the priests.

Just as in the healing of the man born blind, so it was for the lepers. Their healing confirmed that Yeshua was the Messiah, the Son of God, doing only what God could do. He confirmed this when John the Baptist sent messengers to question Him as to whether He was the Messiah. Yeshua answered by referring to the Messianic signs: “The blind see, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt 11:1-5).

Plagues are Invitations

These passages seem especially relevant today as the entire world is beset by a plague that presently has no cure. Just as with leprosy, modern medicine may soon step in with an antidote (whether we realise that this will be by God's grace or not). Meanwhile, surely, God is inviting us to seek Him. Whether by miracle or by the wisdom to produce a vaccine, He is inviting the world to know Him through our Saviour, Yeshua HaMashiach, as the one who alone can fulfil what is humanly impossible.

Those who seek God for help in the present crisis will not only learn about the cleansing of lepers and other such illnesses, but find the path of repentance and forgiveness, leading to the inward cleansing of the heart and to eternal life. Moses paved the way for the revelation of Yeshua, whose call to a needful world continues to our day. Let this be our prompt for prayer this Shabbat.

Author: Dr Clifford Denton