Scripture, wbe.t God permits is often represented as bis dcing; e.nd evils that Satan inflicts me.y require the power of God to remove. I. WHAT ABE WE TO UNDERSTAND BY THE HOUSE? 1. There is the obvious literal meaning. It is e.n ordinary habitation (differing, indeed, from the tents in which the Israelites sojourned in the wilderness), composed of stones, and mortar, and wood, and plaster. 2. It must also have a moral interpretation. (1) If in the person leprosy has a twofold meaning, viz. a literal and moral; and if the garment plagued with leprosy has a moral e.s well as e. literal meaning, so, by parity of reason, must the house. (2) It cannot be supposed that for sanitary reasons simply the leprosy in the house should occupy the space it takes in the Scriptures. (3) Over and above the sanitary regulations, we find regulations for the ceremonial cleansing, in which are sacrifices and sprinklings," to make an atonement for the house" (vers. 48-53). 'l'hese in other cases e.re admitted to have reference to the provisions of the gospel for moral purposes, and therefore should be so considered here. 3. It should be taken to represent a community. (1) It is used sometimes to describe afamily. Thus we read of the" house of Cornelius," and of Noah saving" his house" (Acts x. 2; Heb. xi. 7). (2) It is also used to express a lineage. Thus we read of a long war raging between the" house of Saul" and the" house of David" (2 Sam. iii. 1). (3) The larger com- ruunitv of a r1ation is called a "house." Thus we read repeatedly of the " house of Israel/' the "house of Judah," and Egypt is spoken of as the "house of bondage" (Deut. viii. 14). (4) An ecclesiastical co=unity is in like manner described as a house. Paul speaks of the " house of God, which is the Church of the living God " (1 Tim. iii. 15; see also Heb. iii. 2-6; x. 21; 1 Pet. iv. 17). 4. A leprous house is a demoralized community. (1) Thus a family of wicked persons, or in which are members scandalous for irreligion and vice, is morally a leprous house. Such was the house of Eli. (2) A lineage of wickedness also is a leprous house. Such was the house of "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin." Such that of Omri. (3) A nation given to idolatry such as Israel became before the Assyrian captivity, and Judah before the Babylonish, may be regarded as a leprous house. So are modern nations demoralized by atheism, infidelity, sabbath desecration, drunkenness, and dissi- pation, leprous houses. (4) A Church holding out the poison cup of "damnable heresy" to intoxicate nations, encouraging vice by "induli::ences,'' and "red" with the "blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus," is a house fearfully smitten with the ple.gue of leprosy. II. WHAT TREATMENT SHOULD IT RECEIVE? 1. The leprosy should be reported to the f)riest (vers. 34, 35). (1) The Priest is Christ, to whom we must carry all our concerns in prayer-domestic, political, ecclesiastical. The voice of suffering cries to him for judgment upon oppressors (Jas. v. 4), and the voice from the e.shes of the martyrs loudly imprecates judgment upon their persecutors (Rev. vi. 9-11). (2) Faithful ministers of Christ should be apprised of the symptoms of the pla11:ue of heresy or immorality, the.t they might use their good offices and influence to stop the mischief. (3) Any of the spiritual priesthood, persons of recognized sanctity o.nd probity, might be informed of the spreading of moral leprosy, whether it be in the family, or Ste.te, or Church. 2. Warning should be given to those concerned. (1) The priest himself gives the warning. 'l'he premonitions of Jesus aro written in his Word, It tells us of days of judgment upon nations, upon Churches, upon individuals. (2) Faithful ministers of Christ will utter his words. No false notions of "charity" will prevent them from sounding the alarm. (3) 'l'he use of the warning is to he.ve everything removed from the leprous house before the priest's inquisition for judgment; for what- ever ho finds in the unclean house will be concluded to be unclean (see Rev. xviii. 4). 3. It will be duly inspected. (1) Christ moves in all communities, though unseen, and more particule.rly amongst the ce.ndlesticks, or Churches. His eyes are as flames of fire, searching into all secrets of the II reins and hearts" (Rev. i. 12-16, 23). (2) 'l'ha light of God's Word should bo let in to discover the heresy the.t may plague any Church, and to rebuke the laxity of discipline which me.y connive e.t licentiousness (Rev, ii. 14-16, 20-23). 4. It will be shut up for seven days. (1) The priest him- self withdraws. Jesus cannot abide in a foul community. (2) Whoever enters it during this interval becomes unclean (ver. 46). Where Jesus cannot abide, his people should not go. (3) He that lieth in the house or eatetli in it shall wash his clothes 282 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [OH, :fi. 1-30,
(ver. 47). Fellowship in such a community compromises righteousness. What is the condition of those who are perverted to heresy I 6. Efforts towards a ref01·mation should be made. (1) Where the plague may appear superficial, the place must be scraped; where it has eaten deeply, the stones affected must be removed and new ones substi- tuted, and the whole plastered afresh ... (2) However painful the process, the sere.ping of discipline must be endured (Job xxn. 23). There must be an excision of scandalous offen?ers (1 °?r, v. 13). 6. Tl1e se~uel. (9 If the plague remain throu!l:h the days of tnal, breakmg out afresh, notw1thstandmg the efforts for reformation when the case is hopeless, then comes the visitation of judgment. The house is dem~lished and the wreck carried outside the city to an unclean place (see Rev. xxii. 15). (2) If the reformation has proved successful, the house abides. 'l'he ceremonies of the shedding and sprinkling the sacrificial blood (vers. 48-53) show that salvation is through faith in the merits of Christ. To those merits we are indebted for a present and an everlasting salvation.-J. A. M.