The Leprous House and The New Stones

the leprous house

and the new stones

This important subject might at first glance appear to be concentrating on something which is negative. In one sense this may be true - however, it is an integral part of the subject that is dealt with elsewhere, link to

'the Lord's day' - 8th Vision.

The completed spiritual House of God is a work which is still progressing, and not all materials prove to be suitable for the Divine habitation through the spirit - link to

'2nd Timothy 2'

concerning "vessels..to honour, and..to dishonour..in (the) great house" of God. The choice as to which class we shall be found to belong is entirely our own, and the result will be revealed in the Day of Christ when He returns to the earth. And it is true that when we re-identify with the Truth, though it may involve a withdrawal process, it is a very positive thing.

References to the leprous house are found throughout the Bible, and the student will be rewarded with a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the great events which are being supervised by "the master of the house" - Mark 13v35. It is instructive at the outset to realise that 'stone' and 'son' are from the same Hebrew root word. This points us to the application which we should make - cp 2nd Corinthians 6v14-18.

We should realise at the outset that "the plague of leprosy" is representative of sin, as shown conclusively in Leviticus 13/14, where we see the detailed instructions set out for dealing with the various forms of this disease. As Robert Roberts writes: "A hopeless leper was to be put out of the camp ; a hopelessly infected garment was to be burnt ; a house to which plague returned after affected stones had been removed, and the rest of the house scraped, was to be "broken down". We can scarcely err in understanding this to mean (what is otherwise testified) that wickedness is only fatal when persisted in" -

Robert Roberts - 'The Law of Moses'

p.253/4.

Whereas the individual aspects of sin are set out in Leviticus 13 & 14v1-32, the next section includes instructions concerning how to deal with sin in our relations one with the other, in the House of God to which believers in the Truth belong. We can also discern an underlying prophecy which is set out below.

The subject is focalised in Leviticus 14v33-53. This "leprosy" or "plague" may be a 'dry rot' or similar fungal infection, which would corrupt the house. A fungus 'Merulius Lacrymans' has a reddish-greenish colour - cp.v37. Whatever infection is meant, the following process is to be employed in treating the infection, and we now look at these instructions:

1. If the infection is confirmed, v36, 37, the house is "shut up...seven days".

2. The priest inspects the house on the 7th day, and if the infection has "spread in the walls", he commands that "the stones in which the plague is (are) cast...into an unclean place without the city".

3. All residue of infection is taken away, and "other stones", which are clean, are used to replace the original ones which were removed.

4. "And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered; Then the priest shall come and look, and behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house : it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place". v43,44.

ON THE OTHER HAND

"And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed".

ATONEMENT FOR THE HOUSE

The procedure to be followed is set out in v49-53, and reference will be made to this during the exposition.

Firstly, however, we wish to set out a suggested prophetical import of the inspections and cleansings of the house, which will give us a reference frame for these important events.

Note that the initiator of the inspections is termed in v35 "he that owneth the house" - and the owner of the spiritual house of Israel is God. We can trace this application in various other places - link to

'proverbs' p.2…..'messages' p.3.

v33-38: THE FIRST INSPECTION

& QUARANTINE

Prophetically, this points to the work of the prophets, of whom God testifies in Jeremiah 7v25 -

"Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them". The result of these repeated inspections is shown in v26 - "Yet they hearkened not unto me, but hardened their neck: for they did worse than their fathers".

Jesus Christ spoke of the above & later events in a parable-see Matthew 2v1-6; Mark 12v1-5; Luke 20v9-12 - also see reference to this parable below.

The effort to identify and limit the spread of the infection was the purpose of the law. This condemned the sinner, but had no power to redeem - link to 'grace'. The "house" was to be "shut up...seven days" - i.e. a complete period. Paul speaks of those under the law of Moses as "shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed" - Galatians 3v23. This principle is applied to all outside of Christ in v22 (the word translated 'concluded' is the same as that rendered 'shut up' in v23). It needed the Redeemer to set us free from "the prison house", "the bondage of corruption", Isaiah 42v6, 7, 22; 61v1 (quoted Luke 4v18); Romans 8v21; Hebrews 2v15 - the endless cycle of sin and death universal since the Fall.

It is a sign of the mercy of God that a period is firstly given for an improvement, before sterner measures are taken for the preservation of the House of God. However it is obvious that failing a change for the better, there is no other option than to remove the infected stones and to replace them with clean stones, so that the building may be revealed in glory. This is the subject of the following section in Leviticus 14.

THE FIRST APPLICATION

OF THE REPLACEMENT

OF THE INFECTED STONES

v39-42:THE SECOND INSPECTION

AND CLEANSING OF THE HOUSE

BC721/605 onwards - the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities, when the infected nation was taken into "an unclean place" in the lands of the nations.

During the time of the captivity, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were some who made preparations for the next stage of re-building...the time came for the return from Babylon in BC539…"other stones" were placed in the spiritual house, when men like Ezra and Nehemiah led the way in the renewal process. Their books, together with those of Haggai and Zechariah, testify to the sterling efforts put forth.

v43-47:THE THIRD INSPECTION

AND CLEANSING OF THE HOUSE

AD30-70 - again the house became infected - "the plague (came) again, and (broke) out in the house". John the Baptist testified against those infected, & prophesied of their replacement by clean "stones" who would be "the children of Abraham". The matter was serious, & the "high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" Hebrews 6v20;7v21 made an urgent inspection of the house. And when He saw the corruption in the temple, He acted to limit the damage, testified against them, and prophesied of the imminent removal of the infected house into the lands of the Gentiles by the Romans. He also taught that clean stones would be used in regenerating the original House of God. Consider carefully the following:

Matthew 3v7-12; 23v33-39;

John 2v13-17; Luke 19v37-46; 21v5,6.

cp "the time of their (thy) visitation"

Jeremiah 8v12 and Luke 19v44.

THE SECOND APPLICATION

OF THE REPLACEMENT

OF THE INFECTED STONES

v39-42:THE SECOND INSPECTION

AND CLEANSING OF THE HOUSE

AD30-70 onwards - the infection was confirmed, & the nation was taken into "an unclean place" - .i.e. the Gentile lands throughout the earth. "Other stones" which were clean and non-infected were placed in the spiritual house. These were "lively (living) stones suitable for "a spiritual house" which were built on "the chief corner stone...which the builders rejected" - 1st Peter 2v5-7.

The parable referred to earlier is applicable also to this epoch in the later verses, where the rejection of the "Son" - "the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner" - resulted in their dispersal - Matthew 21v37-46; Mark 12v6-12; Luke 20v13-19.

The all-important question now was, would these new stones be able to withstand the corrupting influence of sinful human nature?

The verdict of history is that once again, the same re-introduction of the will of the flesh has resulted in renewed infection of this regenerated house.

Those who have recognized this, and desire to remain firmly founded upon the "foundation" of "Jesus Christ" and "the apostles and prophets" will "grow unto an holy temple in the Lord...an habitation of God through the spirit" - 1st Corinthians 3v11; Ephesians 2v20-22. But this is only possible if they keep themselves from the contamination so evident about them, even amongst those claiming to be followers of Christ. It is true that we all need forgiveness for our sins - "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" - Romans 3v23. But this indisputable fact cannot be used as an excuse to allow the contamination of sin to continue amongst us.

Infection (natural or spiritual) spreads by contact - whether such contact is direct or indirect:

cp Haggai 2v13,14; 1st Corinthians 5v6; Galatians 5v9; 1st Timothy 5v22; 2nd Timothy 2v16,17; 2nd John 10,11 - & this principle was taught clearly in the sin of Achan (='to trouble') and his family. Their judgment in "the valley of Achor (='troubled') was forever remembered in Israel - see Joshua 7 - link to 'fellowship'…..'2nd Timothy 2'.

However "the valley of Achor" will yet become "a door of hope...for my people that have sought me" says God in Hosea 2v14,15 & Isaiah 65v8-10.

It was necessary, because of the rejection (in the main) by the Jews, to (as pre-determined) preach the Gospel to the Gentiles (nations) - Acts 13v44-49; Col.1v25-27. The quality of our building will be "revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is" - Ephesians 2v13. Infected materials will perish.

Even as late as AD1847 onwards, renewed efforts by sterling men were made to replace the infected stones with those which were clean. However, once again the vast majority have become re-infected, necessitating the separation of faithful disciples from this evil - link to 'messages' - page 3 for prophecies relative to these last days.

They are now building the House, but enemies of the Truth have striven mightily to deny entrance to the ones wishing to participate in this noble enterprise. However, they cannot succeed, for our loving Heavenly Father has provided the "keys" to allow those wishing to enter into this great work to do so. Any attempt to deny them entrance cannot succeed - for the Scriptures have been made available to all, 2nd Timothy 3v16 - link to 'foundation' - 'statement'. And any attempt to frustrate this great work is doomed to fail, as on one notable occasion expounded here.

We now await the third and final inspection of the leprous house renovated with new stones by the ministry of Jesus Christ, His apostles, and those who have followed, throughout nearly 2000 years.

There is "a time to cast away (unclean) stones" - but also "a time to gather (clean) stones together" - Ecclesiastes 3v5. This noble work continues today.

"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end"-Heb. 3v6.

The "casting away" of the leprous Jewish stones will soon be followed by the "receiving" of clean ones, as both a national & an individual "life from the dead" - see 'the time of the end'.

Romans 11v15,25-27 cp Ezekiel 37v1-14,20-28.

v43-47:THE THIRD INSPECTION

AND CLEANSING OF THE HOUSE

This, the final inspection of the spiritual House of God, is almost due to take place - link to 'prophecy'. Soon "Jesus..an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"-Heb. 6v13-7v28 will return to examine the "living stones" which have been placed in the House of God. Sadly, some will have allowed "a fretting leprosy" - v45 (unrestrained "sinful flesh" - Romans 8v3-8) to continue in themselves &/or in their associations. But those within whom the word of God has dwelt richly will be pronounced as clean, and invited to enter that eternal House which shall abide for ever - John 14v1-3 - link to 'the Lord's day' - 8th Vision.

ATONEMENT FOR THE HOUSE

We noted earlier that a specific formula was set out for the cleansing of the house in Leviticus 14. We do not have the time to go into this in minute detail - it has been dealt with by others quite adequately, but let us notice one prominent feature. Two birds are used in the cleansing process. One is slain, and the blood used to "sprinkle the house seven times".

The other bird is "dip(ped) in the blood of the slain bird" & is afterwards "let go...out of the city into the open fields"*. Thus is made "an atonement for the house" - see v48-53.

Note one important fact:
THIS ATONEMENT WAS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE CASE WHERE "THE PLAGUE HAS NOT SPREAD IN THE HOUSE" - v48.

In this case alone "the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed".

(*the "Lord Jesus" was "brought again from the dead...through the blood of the everlasting covenant" Hebrews 13v20 - as pre-figured by the 2 birds - cp the 2 Passover/Firstfruits lambs & the 2 goats) - link to 'feasts'.

It is highly significant that the Lord Jesus Christ, "Who was delivered for our offences (cp the slain bird)...was raised again for our justification (cp the freed bird, which 'rose on the wings of the spirit')" - Romans 4v25. He was "esteem(ed)" as "stricken" - Isaiah 53v4,8 (= the same and related words in the Hebrew to the word translated as the "plague" of leprosy, both of a person and a house in Leviticus 13 and 14). But Isaiah tells us that it is "WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED" - v.5. The Hebrew word for "healed" is also used for the healing of the leper and the leprous house.

LET US, IN THE FEW DAYS LEFT TO US, TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS GRACIOUS PROVISION - SO THAT WHEN THE HIGH PRIEST APPEARS, WE SHALL BE PARDONED FOR THE LEPROUS FAULTS WE ALL HAVE BY THE NATURE OF THIS "SINFUL FLESH" - Romans 8v3…

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" - Romans 7v24,25mg.

"God (has) condemned sin in the flesh" - Romans 8v3.