JUSTIFICATION BY THE BLOOD
Leviticus 14:1-7
Introduction: We are justified on the basis of the Blood of
Christ. Justification by the Blood is a
New Testament truth and a reality for us today that accept Jesus. The New Testament and the grace of God is substance,
where as the Old Testament and the Law of God is a shadow. Hebrews 10:1
A.
This is a picture of the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
1.
When seven verses are one sentence, God is showing
there is just one main thought.
2.
Many principles but one primary truth comes forth.
B.
To understand the spiritual, we must understand
the natural.
1.
Look now at the natural order of events.
2.
We then can proceed to discover the spiritual truths.
C.
The leper was a man who was unclean.
1.
Due to his leprosy he was put outside of the fellowship
with God’s people.
2.
Because of leprosy he was forced to stay outside, even
though he was an Israelite.
D.
God provided a cleansing for the leper. Vs 2 [AMP]
1.
Note: He had been healed of the plague.
2.
Now he had to be ceremonial cleansed before coming back
into the camp.
3.
Note what the priest had to do. Vs 3
a.
He had to go outside the camp
b.
He checked the leper to see if he was healed.
c.
He went to a running stream in an open field.
4.
Items the priest brought with him.
a.
Two clean, living birds.
b.
A piece of cedar wood.
c.
A piece of scarlet clothe
d.
An earthen vessel and piece of hyssop
5.
The procedure the priest preformed
a.
Pulled the head off the first bird over the earthen
vessel
b.
The vessel was held over the running water
c.
The blood was allowed to run into the vessel.
6.
The living bird, the cedar wood, the scarlet cloth and
the hyssop were dipped in the blood of the dead bird.
a.
The priest then sprinkled the blood seven times
with the hyssop, on the leper.
b.
The man was then pronounced clean.
c.
Finally the living bird was released to fly away, still
dripping wet with the former bird’s blood.
II.
Consider the great obedience of the Old Testament priest.
A.
Think how foolish were some of the things they had to
do.
1.
No logical reasoning or explanation
2.
Yet with no hesitation they obeyed year after year.
3.
They had no revelation of what they were doing as we
have today.
B.
Throughout the word a person is instructed to do
certain things.
1.
In the natural it seems senseless.
2.
Imagine how Peter felt when the Lord told him to go
catch a fish and get money out of its mouth.
3.
An ax head flouting, a donkey talking, water sweetened
III.
Do not dismiss the details of this or any other sacrifice as
mere ritualism.
A.
Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “By every word - - -from the
mouth of God”.
B.
Let us examine the spiritual truths of this passage.
1. It takes only one day for the leper to be
cleansed. Vs 2
a.
Leprosy was a type of sin.
b.
We were all sinners
c.
It took only one day for us to be cleansed by the Blood
of Christ Jesus. Zechariah 3:9, “in one
day - - remove the sin”
2.
The priest goes “out side the camp” – Vs 2
a.
Our Great High Priest is making atonement for us.
b.
He “suffered without the gate” Hebrews 13:12
c.
Jesus went outside Jerusalem to cleanse us.
3.
The two birds
= Vs 4
a.
The two birds symbolize Christ.
1.
He is both the Priest and the Birds in this passage.
2.
Why two living birds?
3.
One killed to symbolize the Crucified Christ
4.
The other left alive is the picture of the Resurrected
Christ.
5.
That is why God commanded to take two birds
6.
The second bird was released only after the first bird
had been slain.
7.
The second bird was released in the blood of the first.
b.
The Resurrected Christ sprinkled His own Blood on the
Mercy Seat in heaven
1.
It was done before the Father in heaven after His
resurrection.
IV.
The characteristic of the birds, cedar wood, scarlet clothe,
earthen vessel, hyssop and running water.
A.
First notice the two birds.
1.
They were alive and clean
2.
Alive - - Jesus - -
Pilate - - Luke 23:15, “no fault – nothing worthy of death”
3.
He was life – John 14:6
4.
Clean - - 2 Corinthians 5:21
B.
Second, the cedar wood
1.
Symbolizes the cross
2.
Cedar wood was dipped in the blood of the dead bird
3.
The cross was drenched in the Blood of Jesus.
C.
Third, the scarlet cloth
1.
Scarlet pictures the blood
2.
The cloth pictures a covering - -- Leviticus 17:11 – Atonement
3.
This scarlet cloth was red, wet with blood
D.
Forth, the hyssop
1.
A small branch, not very strong
2.
Cannot support a heavy weight
3.
Yet it was capable of sprinkling blood
4.
Exodus 12:22 - - It was the hyssop that blood was
transferred from the basin to door.
a.
It was also used to sprinkle water
b.
A person must be clean to sprinkle water
c.
Yet it was capable of sprinkling blood
d.
Ephesians 5:25-26,
John 17:17
e.
After we have been cleansed by the Blood, we are set
apart by the Father.
f.
Ezekiel 5:23-26
g.
Hyssop represents faith
1.
By faith the Blood is obtained and maintained
2.
By faith we apply the Word of God to our lives.
V.
As Kings and Priest
A.
As the Royal Priesthood, the believer is able to
sprinkle Jesus’ Blood.
1.
Revelation 1:5-6,
1 Peter 2:9
2.
As the head of the home the father can apply the blood
to his family.
3.
The head of the household can sprinkle water, teaches
the Word.
a.
Jesus with His disciples - - John 15:3
b.
David prayed - - Psalm 51:7
B.
Fifth, the earthen vessel
1.
Represents the earthen body of humiliation that Jesus
walked in.
2.
The bird was killed IN the earthen vessel
a.
Jesus died IN His body
b.
Jesus gave the “Life of His Flesh” for the world
3.
Note: His body
was created by a supernatural act of God in the womb of a virgin.
a.
Yet it was a natural body as ours today.
b.
Earthen pictures of clay - - 2 Corinthians 4:7
4.
Jesus was natural, yet without sin or disease
a.
Jesus lived in perfect health
b.
As Jesus looked from heaven before His birth --
Hebrews 10:5
c.
Now we are justified, sanctified through His Blood –
Hebrews 10:10
d.
As the embryo formed in Mary’s womb, the Word entered
into it.
5.
Earthen also means frail.
a.
No way for us to experience the full presence of God
C.
Sixth: Running
water is the shadow. Hebrews
9:13-14
1.
The Eternal Spirit is the substance.
2.
Running corresponds to eternal
3.
Water is often a type of the Holy Spirit
4.
As the blood of the bird was shed over running
water:
5.
The Blood of Jesus was offered through the Eternal
Spirit.
6.
As the Blood was shed on the cross, the Holy Spirit
offered up the work of Christ before the Father.
7.
Three days later the Holy Spirit raised up or
quickened the body and Jesus presented Himself to the Father.
a.
Romans 1:4,
John 20:17
b.
The conscience is the voice of the human spirit.
c.
Our conscience is purged by the Blood of Christ.
d.
Therefore the demands of righteousness are
satisfied.
8.
The spirit is made alive to serve and worship the
Living God.
A.
Seven times blood was sprinkled.
1.
Seven is used over and over to show this.
2.
Seven is the Bible number of perfection or
completeness.
B.
When the Blood cleanses us, our sins are washed away.
1.
We are made completely clean
2.
The Father agrees with the sacrifice of Christ.
3.
We are pronounced clean at the throne of God.
4.
The legal demands of sin have been met.
5.
God pronounces us clean, clothes us with
righteousness.
6.
Gives to us eternal life
C.
The Holy Spirit bears witness with our human spirit.
1.
We are a child of God
2.
We have passed from death unto life
3.
JUSTIFICATION is pronounced from the throne before
regeneration occurs in the human spirit.
4.
We become accepted, {the beloved} of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
5.
We are admitted into the fellowship with God and
His people.
6.
Glory! No
longer are we excluded from the ‘camp’.
Conclusion: The living bird, dipped in the blood of the dead
bird, is released into the open field.
Jesus dipped Himself in the Blood, obtaining our eternal redemption.