Thur.’s Devo - Cleansing and Salvation

Read: Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12 The purification ceremony was the same for cleansing of leprosy or mildew. Skin diseases and mildew were pictures of sin and the purification ceremony was a picture of the cross. *** The answer is to bring sin to the cross and the blood of Jesus through the Holy Spirit will cleanse your heart and promise you salvation. *** The process was this: the person who was healed of leprosy would come before the priest with two live birds, a stick of cedar, some scarlet yarn and a hyssop branch. One bird would be slaughtered over a clay pot filled with freshwater. The other things would be dipped in the blood of the bird and be sprinkled seven times on he person being purified. The other bird would be released in the open field. *** All of this was a picture of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The dead bird with all the props of crucifixion were killed. The live bird represented the risen Christ who took our sins from us. *** On the eight day, the person who was seeking cleansing would bring their offering to the priest like we bring our sins to Jesus. The priest would then take the offering which would be two of the same animal … preferably two lambs. One would be sacrificed for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering. The offering that was offered for the sin offering would be drained of its blood and the priest would put some of the blood in his left hand. With his right finger he would dip it in the blood and apply it to the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe of the right foot of the person being purified. These places would represent the things he heard, the things he did and the person’s walk - all these would be purified. Then the priest would do the same thing with the oil to seal these places with the Holy Spirit. The last thing he would do was to put the remaining oil on his head to cover his mind and thoughts of the person. *** The priest would then present the sin offering and the burnt offering to God to purify the person who was healed and he would be pure. *** The eighth day represents the eighth millennium when we will begin a new era and all will be cleansed and there will be no evil on the earth. Satan would have been thrown into the lake of fire along with sin and death. It will be a millennium of cleansing the earth and all the people. Jesus’ work on the cross will be completed and we will begin a new day. In Mark we see that there is no rest for the weary. The disciples had just gotten back from their missionary journey and told Jesus all about what happened. Jesus knew they needed some time to rest and refuel and suggested they go somewhere and rest. They tried to get in a boat and escape the crowds of people clamoring for something from them but Jesus had compassion on them and stopped and taught for hours. *** The disciples were hungry and suggested that Jesus send the crowd away to eat but Jesus had other plans. He asked them what they had and the he took the five loaves and two fishes and fed the 5,000 men along with their families. They picked up the 12 baskets of left-overs and must have left them to the poor because they got on the boat with nothing. *** Jesus sent them across the water while he went up on a mountain to spend time with his Father. *** They couldn’t get a break. A storm rose up and Jesus crossing the water “Jesus style” and stepped into the boat and calmed the water. They then were on the other side where they had been previously kicked out of town because of the demoniac. Now, the town had seen and heard the testimony of the demoniac and understood who Jesus was or what he could do. They met him with all their sick and he healed them. Lord, thank you for making a way for us to be cleansed and whole. May we walk in holiness and the righteousness you purchased for us.