Leprosy was terrifyingly bad news.  The Bible uses the term 'leprosy' to include a variety of skin conditions which God knew could spread from person to person.  Leviticus 13:1-46 reads like a dermatological textbook, so that the priests (who were also the public health officers of Israel) could make a diagnosis.  But there was no effective treatment, no antibiotics and no steroids.  The only action that could be taken to stop the disease being passed on, was isolation.  Lepers were put into lockdown.  In Jesus' day lepers were not allowed into town, could not live with their families, were not allowed to join in public worship.  If they walked down the road they had to wear a mask and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean’, to warn travellers not to get close to them (Leviticus 13:45).

Leprosy became a picture of sin. Like sin, there was no known cure; it ruined the individuals, cutting them off from family and fellowship, and excluding them from God's house.  They became beggars who could not support themselves, and their best efforts were met with rejection.  There was simply no hope or comfort except the company of other lepers. Enter Jesus: who has come to save sinners (Luke 15:2).  Jesus forgave sinners (Luke 7:47-50).  In these verses we see how He used the physical example of leprosy to demonstrate that He was the Saviour.  It was certainly a potent illustration for the man was covered in disease.

This leper did not shout out ‘Unclean!’  He believed that Jesus had the only answer to his problem and wanted Him to come close (Psalm 69:18-20).  He begged Jesus to listen and asked if the Saviour was willing to deal with him, because nobody else could.  Jesus did come close; so close as to touch the leper, thereby making Himself religiously unclean.  He declared that He was willing to heal and commanded the disease to go.  And the man's skin was restored to normal.

That is how Jesus treats sinners who dare to abandon their isolation and come to Him.  He sees them through love instead of disgust.  He comes close to all who ask for mercy and cleansing, and He alone has the power to forgive sins.  Instead of rejection, self-confessed sinners find acceptance and a welcome from Jesus as His real power takes all their sin away.  See www.crosscheck.org.uk to know more, and share the message with your friends.  Like lepers, many people today feel locked out of God’s kindness, coping as best they can by themselves.  They would love to be forgiven and to start a new life, but they are ashamed, afraid God will reject them.  Quite the opposite!!  If that is true for some of your friends or colleagues at work, do tell them the good news!