‘A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged Him on his knees” ‘If you are willing, you (alone) can make me clean…’ Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man: ‘I am willing- He said- Be clean! Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured’ (Mk 1:40-42)
Leprosy is a disease that has been known since biblical times. It is contagious but not easily transmitted. It passes on thru the body fluids of an untreated person to another. It causes skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness that gets worse over time. Skin lesions are the primary external sign. Left untreated, leprosy can be progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. In advanced stages the nose becomes flat due to destruction of nasal cartilage. The sound during speech is changed and the face is totally disfigured. People with long-term leprosy cannot use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury because they lack feeling in those areas.
For thousands of years, there was no treatment known for leprosy. There is treatment now but it is effective only if started early. Prevention consists of avoiding close physical contact with untreated people.

In the Bible, leprosy is a type of sin (Lev 13 and 14).
Man is born a sinner. In Greek, the word ‘sin’ is defined as ‘missing the mark, going astray, to do wrong, to break the law of God’. Sin is transgression and lawlessness. Sin separates us from God. Sin is falling short of the glory of God.
Just like with leprosy, sin disfigures man, it makes him ugly. God is a Holy God and we are called to be holy like Him. Holiness is beauty. The devil uses seduction to attract his victims into his net. Seduction is a necessary crime to manipulate, to make a man fall into sin. If the victim could see the ugliness of sin, he will run away from it. Just remember this: sin is ugly like a monster!
Just like with leprosy, sin weakens the will of man. The closer the temptation, the less power you have to run away from sin. Flee fornication! Do not be interested or curious to see how the devil operates. Run while you can! Treasure your soul! Be jealous over your testimony, dear Believer! It is the most expensive thing you possess. It is your weapon and your crown.
Just like with leprosy, in sin the heart becomes hardened. You lose any feeling for others. You lose any desire to love, to have compassion and to help another. Your conscience is damaged. It becomes harder and harder to say ‘sorry’. You cannot feel their pain; you don’t care about others. You quarrel and become violent. Repentance becomes a strange and impossible word. The deceitfulness of sin brings about this hardness and wickedness of heart.
Just like with leprosy, sin is incurable. There is no human cure available for sin. Some try going to church and become religious, others ignore the problem…but nothing works, nothing removes the guilt of sin from the heart of man. The stain, the ugliness, the deceit, the shame is there, destroying the man who was created to be in the image of God.
In the Old Testament, there was no cure for leprosy. Occasionally Jehovah Rapha will manifest and grant a miracle of healing to a leprous. Then the priest will offer two birds as a sacrifice to God. One will be killed and its blood mingled with water. It will be used for cleansing the man who was healed. Then gradually, the man can come back to his house. The second bird will be dipped in that same water with blood and released, to fly free and happy. This is a beautiful picture of the Cross, how the Blood of the Lamb has set us free from sin and shame.
The Holy Spirit is the only Person who can open our eyes to convict us of sin and of the need for salvation. God can use men to preach the truth, but until the Holy Spirit applies the truth to our conscience, we remain ignorant of our need of God. The Holy Spirit work is peculiar. If you have not experienced it, then it is impossible to describe it to you. True repentance of sin is the most difficult and painful experience a man can encounter in this life. The feeling is like seeing hell, touching death…all false hope vanishes and I stand naked before God…I see myself as His enemy and traitor….No hope… No prayer can be said for the mouth is too weak to utter anything. No one can stand on his feet. For the first time you accept the verdict: guilty! Falling at the feet of Jesus and pleading for His mercy with groans that only the Holy Spirit can utter, that is the only thing you can do….
Tested counsel: Do not make it easy for a sinner arrested by the power of the Holy Spirit. Leave him in the hands of God! Let him cry and let him plead for mercy. It may take hours or days…But the moment will come when the peace of God shall descend and cleanse, heal and save his soul…I have witnessed this miracle of life with many…
‘What can wash my sins away? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!’
Do you rejoice as you read these words? Can you say Amen! Do you identify with them? Do you have a burden to pray that souls be saved? Do you hate sin? Are you dead to sin? Do you love righteousness and holiness? Do you pay the price to be like Jesus?
Then blessed are you, for you are free! Gove God all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!
(in the picture, an Indian widow, former leprous patient, saved by the Lord Jesus, worships Him!)