Leprosy in the Modern Believer:
A Rampant Infection that is Killing the Congregation
I recently read the story of Annie Hortense Crawford who died in 1930. Her death was the result of the tiniest splinter that allowed things that were unseen to enter in and overtake her body and destroy it with infection. Just think there you are raking your yard and all of a sudden you get a splinter in your hand from the rake handle. No big deal, right? Until you end up dead because of the infection that is caused by that little nuisance.
We often do things that seem to not matter in the grand scheme of things at the time, for instance trick or treating as a child. However that action opens the door for influences that go far beyond the simple act of make believe and candy. We as believers, allow things to get to us and enter in that may seem benign at the time but can have catasphrophic end results. The bible talks about leprosy being found in the house, not just on people. I want to show that leprosy or an infection is something that is running rampant within the body of the modern day believers. Sometimes the infections that take root have nothing to do with what we have done, but rather what was done to us or things we witnessed.
How can the modern believer, who is blood bought, spirit filled and sanctified be leprous you ask? It is actually pretty easy when you consider the idea that people only surrender what they are caught with and not everything that is there. Also consider the things that are there that are unrevealed to us, for instance childhood trauma that we have blocked from our minds, or thought we had put behind us. We go about our daily lives doing whatever we want and never really considering the impacts that the smallest things have in our lives. I want to look at what the scripture tells us about leprosy and how to deal with it and what principles to apply.
Leviticus 14:33-45.
33 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house.’36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean. And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37 And he shall examine the disease. And if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface,38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the disease has spread in the walls of the house,40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease and throw them into an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the inside of the house scraped all around, and the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city.42 Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other plaster and plaster the house. 43 “If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, 44 then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a persistent leprous disease in the house; it is unclean.45 And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them out of the city to an unclean place.
Canaan = H3667 = lowland comes from H3665 = Kawnah = to be humbled, subdued, brought into subjection, to bend the knee = so canaan can also mean the land of humility or subjection
So we know that we are shown physical things in order to teach us spiritual lessons, or spiritual implications
I have taught many times that Egypt is the land of sin/ bondage. This comes from the meaning of the Hebrew word “Mitsrayim”
By that same logic Canaan means humbled, or under subjection, so it is really the land of Humility.
We are the temple or house of YHWH and as such we need to be under constant evaluation or inspection to ensure that we are not defiled or leprous.
John Eckhardt in his book “Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Living Free” said this:
“All of us have need of inspection and even deliverance from time to time. There are no exceptions as we grow in Yah and in our discernment, we can begin to understand when we need spiritual victory and certain areas of our lives. Many times as Believers we can sense hindrances in our lives that keep us from living fully in the spirit. Deliverance is an ongoing process in the life of a Believer. It is a gift to us from Yah to keep us from being tormented by the enemy and living in our own cycles of bondage. When these problems begin to surface in our lives, we feel as if we are not successful, we may feel depressed, rejected, separated from Yah, and so on. This is what the enemy wants but we have the help of the Holy Spirit who can reveal to us the areas that we need to be set free from”
So when I first learned EMS we had to learn how to treat injuries based on a triage plan
Quick inspection / primary
Blatant life threats deal it with immediately to avert immediate death
Detailed inspection / secondary
This a deeper dive looking for things that can cause death in the long run
Temporary fixes with meds; ie prayer and fasting, the Word, assembly attendance
Ongoing inspection / wellness checks
Continued revist of previous inspections
Reevaluation of meds effectiveness
When a person overcomes cancer do they just go on with their life and never see that cancer Dr again?
We need to constantly be doing self examination, holding ourselves under the microscope of the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the signs of leprosy/ plague in the walls and foundation of our lives.
The word “plague” is the Hebrew word nehgah H5061 and it means to be stricken or wounded. The word “leprosy” is the Hebrew word tsawrahath H6883 and it means malignant in other words cancerous.
When something is found we stop and pray looking for growth of those things. We want to identify the source of it growth and fuel so that we can cut it off
we scrape, the word “scrape” here is the Hebrew word Kawtsaw H7096 means to cut off, it implies an action requiring work and even pain as we cut the source of the plague away for our house.
After it has been removed we stop and watch again. We are looking for return growth or a new source. Sometimes when we deal with something we find that what we thought was the root was just an offshoot and not the real root. However with its removal the real root will be revealed allowing it to be dealt with. If it is found it is called, in the text, Fretting.
We must tear down everything and even uproot the foundation and start from scratch. Why you ask well, Fretting is the Hebrew word Mawar H3992 it means bitter. We have heard about the root of bitterness being very difficult to deal with as it compromises everything it touches. We can NOT allow everything we touch to be contaminated by the root of bitterness.
If we leave the root of bitterness to remain unchecked it will become cancerous in us and spread throughout us and then everyone we come in contact with. How many of us have ever been around someone that is just negative and or nasty? How did that affect you and the other that were around this person? That is how the root of bitterness works. That is why we must be so aggressive in dealing with this spiritual leprosy that is running around in a lot of circles completely unchecked. Many are walking around stricken with this cancer unknowingly spreading it to everyone they come in contact with.
The laws of biblical leprosy have spiritual applications. Traditionally, the rabbis have used these laws to teach about the grievous sin of evil speech (lashon hara)
What is it that makes a leper so unique that the Torah says [in Leviticus 13:46], "He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp"? His gossiping separated a husband from his wife and a man from his neighbor. Therefore the Torah said, "He shall live alone." (b.Arachin 16b)
The association between evil speech and leprosy is derived from the story of Miriam's leprosy (Numbers 12). Miriam was punished with leprosy for grumbling against her brother Moses. The sages inferred from this that biblical leprosy was a punishment for the sin of an evil tongue
The sages taught that the word metzora (leper) is derived from a combination of the Hebrew words motzi, which means "wellspring" or "source," and the Hebrew word ra, which means "evil."
What is the source from which evil springs? It is the tongue! Therefore, one who speaks evil is a spiritual metzora. James the brother of Yeshua probably knew this interpretation. He alludes to it in his epistle where he compares the tongue to a wellspring:
James 3:1-12
Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also. Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Yah and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of Yah. Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both saltwater and freshwater.
Who has ever tasted ocean water?
Average sea water is 3.5% salt
You can still find life here, but there are many things that will not grow a lot of bacteria and algae will not grow in salt water
Fresh water is .05% salt or less
all kinds of life including bacteria and algae
Dead sea is 33.7% salt
No life that is why it is called the dead sea
We see that blessings or upright/righteous speech is called fresh water also called living water
We also see that salt water is used in reference to cursing or evil speech
Proverbs 18:1-10,20-21
1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion. 3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace. 4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook. 5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice. 6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts. 9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction. 10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
The two wolves
The story features two characters: a grandfather and his grandson. The grandfather explains to his grandson that there are two wolves fighting within him, which is an image that serves as a metaphor for the man’s inner sense of conflict. The conversation between the two men goes like this:
“I have a fight going on in me,” the old man said. “It’s taking place between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” The grandfather looked at the grandson and went on. “The other embodies positive emotions. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. Both wolves are fighting to the death. The same fight is going on inside you and every other person, too.” The grandson took a moment to reflect on this. At last, he looked up at his grandfather and asked, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee gave a simple reply. “The one you feed.”
Now the Talmud, while not biblical in any way, has some commentaries that are insightful. Those on this section of Leviticus are some of those.
There was a merchant going from city to city selling a “potion of life.” Rav Yannai, a great sage, heard about this merchant who said he had the miracle cure to life and asked to see what he was selling. Rav Yannai welcomed the merchant into his home and said, “I hear you have traveled around the world saying that you have the potion for life. What is it?” The merchant opened up the Book of Psalms, written by King David, and showed Rabbi Yannai the verse that reads, “Who is the man who desires life and loves days that he may see good in them? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking negatively. Refrain from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalms 34:13-15) The merchant said, “This is what I’m selling.” Rav Yannai became very animated and said, “I have read this verse many times, but not until this very moment did I realize how simple its message is.”
The sages explain that lashon hara - negative, evil speech - is the worst form of darkness there is. Evil speech is most commonly understood as speaking negatively about someone else, which is the most obvious, worst level of lashon hara. However, there are numerous ways to speak lashon hara; sometimes we talk about ourselves in negative ways, and sometimes we say things in anger.
If we were asked which is worse - walking up to someone and slapping them on the face, or having dinner with a friend and speaking badly about another person - most of us would say that the slapping is much worse. However, King David tells us that lashon hara is worse… worse than almost any other negative action we can do. But, why?
The sages explain that the person who slapped someone can go through a process of teshuvah/ repentance, which allows for the removal of any darkness that we have brought upon ourselves. It is a two-step process; first is clearing the physicality of the action by asking the person who we hurt for forgiveness. Second is the spiritual aspect, which is about bringing enough Light into our soul so that the darkness drawn by the negative action is removed.
The seed for pain and suffering in our world was planted when the snake, the negative side, spoke lashon hara about the Creator to Eve and then to Adam in the Garden of Eden in the portion of Beresheet.
Because Adam and Eve listened to the words of the serpent, they fell.
Therefore, when we speak negatively about others or about ourselves, we go back and reconnect to the power or seduction of the serpent, the seed of darkness of our world. This puts a shell/ barrier of negativity around our soul that prevents any Light from entering it.
Think about the parable of the seeds for a moment
The stony, thorny and hard grounds did not allow the seed of YHWH to take root and thrive in life
This is what happens to us when we participate in evil speech, whether it against someone else or ourselves
Going back to our meds a min. If someone is diabetic and takes meds for their blood sugar does that give them the ability to eat all the sugar they want without repercussions? No, because all that sugar blocks the effectiveness of the medication. Same as evil speech blocks the effectiveness of the Word of Yah in your life
The Sages says that the word metzora, or tza’arat, is often translated as “leprosy,” and when translated into Aramaic is called segiru, which means “closed off.” This indicates to us that the portions of Tazria/Metzora are not about the physical ailment, but rather concern for a spiritual ailment which we all suffer from in one degree or another - being closed off from the Light.
The Sages explains that the Torah uses the word nega - Nun, Gimel, Ayin - to connote darkness, leprosy, or segiru, being closed off from the Light of the Creator.
We must deal with whatever is closing us off from the Light
Remove the leprosy This removal process begins with the continual inspection and recognition of things that don't line up with the Word of Yah. You must have a desire to change from what you presently are to what YHWH planned for you to be. Begin by laying aside any weights or sins that are wearing down or creating a barrier to your walk with YHWH. Also note that nowhere in scripture does it say that this process will be pleasant. In fact it states that it will be very painful.
So how do we use this in the application of the removal of spiritual leprosy, and what is spiritual leprosy? To understand this let’s investigate this by looking at the conversation between Jesus/Y’shua and Nicodemus.
John 3:3 “Yeshua answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of YHWH.”
Now the Aramaic uses a different term for “Born again” it uses the term “Born from the Beginning”
Born again Literally means from the start as Adam who was born into perfection without sin this refers to the Ruach HaKodesh birthing the image of Elohim or Perfection into the Spirit of man the term born-again can be rather misleading as though being born once more or a rebirth rather than experiencing the indwelling of the Perfection of YHWH
So many think that being born again is salvation and that once they have this they have arrived. If this is the case why are we told to work out our salvation daily with fear and trembling?
If being born again means to be born to the beginning then what did Adam have that we are missing? Let’s look at the creation of Adam.
Genesis 1:26-28 “And YHWH said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So YHWH created man in his own image, in the image of YHWH created he him; male and female created he them. And YHWH blessed them, and YHWH said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
What did Adam have that we are missing? Adamic authority/dominion and not just that authority, but the understanding and application of that authority.
So part of what is being awakened is the authority that we were created to have in the beginning
But what does that mean to be created to have in the beginning?
What does it mean to be created in the image of YHWH?
Image = a copy, likeness, equivalent to
Genesis 2:7 And YHWH formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Formed from the dust
Have you ever tried to form dust or do anything with dust?
Yeshua gave an eye to the blind man by spitting in the dust of the earth and putting it in the eye socket of the man.
Touch DNA and DNA from the spit
He breathed the breath of life
You ever see your breath form a little cloud in front of your face on a cold morning, what causes that? Moisture in your breath.
Mucosal DNA
So we (Man) were a copy of YHWH in the beginning until sin entered in.
Genesis 3:14-16 And YHWH said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
So we see instructions of how childbirth and other things were to happen now that sin had come in and caused a change. This alludes to there was another way that was intended to be done before sin caused a change.
Flesh was altered by sin in other words there was a corruption to our DNA due to sin
At this point all of humanity was infected with a genetic defect, a corruption that is inherited down through the generations.
This is that spiritual leprosy, we all have it in some form or another. We call it sin and it is what separates us from our Creator, YHWH
How do we correct our sin issue? Can we correct our sin issue?
There is only one cure for this, a blood transfusion. Once the blood of the Messiah is applied we are saved right?
Think about this way, why do we teach classes to people now about bloodborne pathogens? Because the Blood carries life and death.
Did you know that the red blood cell is the only component of blood to carry DNA? It is also the only part to carry oxygen. So when you breathe in air.
Let's stop there for a second. Where did the first breath of Man come from?
From YHWH, are you promised your next breath?
So every breath we breathe is ordained by YHWH.
Ok that was just a side note. What is the Ruach HaKodesh?
So the Ruach is the breath of YHWH
Are some things beginning to click for you?
We will come back to this before we get to far down this trail
Romans says we are all sinners and fallen short of the Glory of YHWH
But are we to remain sinners? Are we just sinners saved by grace? While we were sinners saved by grace, we were never meant to stay sinners once we had that encounter.
Rebuild a fresh Foundation by replacing your old Thoughts with new thoughts centered on the inspired word of YHWH. Renew your mind by the transforming of your mind with the Word. Each new truth you learn and put into practice in your daily walk with YHWH is a new stone laid on the foundation of your life, creating a strong spiritual house. How does the bible address this?
John 8 talks about the women caught in the act of adultery what was Yeshua’s final instruction to her
John 8:11 She said, No man, Master. And Yeshua said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
So the term “go” do you hear that as a suggestion or as a command?
Command right now the question we have to answer is would Yeshua give a command for you had no hope of being able to fulfill?
Lets answer with scripture
Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Messiah which strengtheneth me.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
So How do we do this? How do we do all things? How do we become more than conquerors?
So once the Blood is applied we have to do something in order to not make the application of the blood to be of no effect.
Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of YHWH. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as YHWH hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Present your body = present your flesh as a living sacrifice
Reasonable service = I mean He died for you to be set free so the least you can do is give your corrupted flesh to Him, you know the thing that is killing you
Do NOT be conformed to this world. What does that word conformed mean?
Conformed = to be similar in form or likeness, agree
Now wait a minute, how can we be in the likeness of the world if we were created in the likeness of YHWH? Because of the genetic disorder of sin in our flesh.
If we feed and do things to sustain our flesh we will begin to look more and more like the world
The flip side of that coin is if we feed and do things to sustain our spirit we will begin to look more and more like YHWH.
Renew our minds how do we do that
Well we are given clues right here, what in scripture is called good, acceptable and the will of YHWH? Answer is the Word of YHWH.
So it seems that we are given a prescription for anti-rejection meds to keep our flesh at bay and to keep it from rejecting the blood of Messiah. It is the Word.
How many here believe once saved always saved is false doctrine?
If that is the case why do we live our lives like we believe it. We are to work out our salvation daily with fear and trembling. That means there is daily action required on your part to ensure your salvation.
The word is alive and teeming with everything we need to overcome this world and every obstacle it throws into our path.
So what do we call this thing that we are trying to live? Our Faith, right I mean that how we say we live right? by faith.
So how do we get faith?
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of YHWH.
Jude vs 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourselves in the love of YHWH, looking for the mercy of our Master Messiah Yeshua unto eternal life.
So here we are again at the Word of YHWH
The word is called the bread of Life
Sweet like honey
Jeremiah 23 says the Word is like a Hammer that break the rock to pieces
Jeremiah also says the Word is like a fire and elsewhere in Jeremiah it says it is like a Fire shut up in my bones
Does anyone know where your red blood cells are made?
That's right in the bones
So the cells that carry the breath are created in the bones where the Word is shut up like a fire
So when we take in the Word we are creating an atmosphere that brings healing and restoration to our very soul.
We are using the Word to crucify our flesh.
Romans 8:1-10 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah Yeshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Ruach (Breath). For the law of the Ruach (breath) of life in Messiah Yeshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, YHWH sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Ruach (breath). For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Ruach (Breath) the things of the Ruach (Breath). For to be carnally (Fleshly) minded is death; but to be spiritually (Ruach/Breath) minded is life and peace. Because the carnal (Flesh) mind is enmity against YHWH: for it is not subject to the law of YHWH, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please YHWH. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Ruach (Breath), if so be that the Ruach (Breath) of YHWH dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Ruach (Breath) of Messiah, he is none of his. And if Messiah be in you, the body (Flesh) is dead because of sin; but the Ruach (Breath) is life because of righteousness.
What was the first thing Yeshua told the woman back in John 8 neither do i condemn you
Where does the idea of adultery come from?
Lust? Lying? Murder? Stealing? How about every sin you can think of? Answer is the Flesh.
The Word is the answer to what ails you, it will change your life if you allow it and take it as the great Physician prescribed it to you.
Restore the house with new materials, new thought processes, or perspectives, new friends, new relations and new directions.
Don't be afraid of losing
old ways of doing things
old ways of thinking or even speaking
old friends/family
YHWH will give you
A new way of doing things
New mindset, a new way of thinking and talking
New friends/family the family of YHWH
In conclusion I think it is clear to see that sin or leprosy is a serious issue that is not something that is dealt with just one time. It is something we must deal with daily and crucify our flesh daily. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:27
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
We must bring discipline to our lives in the way we deal with the sin/leprosy of this world. His WORD is key to everything that we will ever need to succeed in the Kingdom.
I will leave you with these quotes;
“First, read the Word of YHWH. Second, consume the Word of YHWH until it consumes you. Third, believe the Word of YHWH. Fourth, act on the Word of YHWH." Smith Wigglesworth
“YHWH’s Word in the mouths of men and women, will resurrect dead things to life and birth answers to seemly impossible situations”
Think about that, let that penetrate your soul, or as another Pastor friend of mine says, “marinate in that a while”.
