Scriptures

Leviticus 14:1 to 15:33
2 Kings 7:3-20
Hebrews 13:4
Matthew 9:20-26
Luke 17:1-37

This torah portion, Metzora, is a continuation from the last parsha, Tazria. We recommend reading the Tazria Torah portion and corresponding study first before Metzora’s as it contains much of the background material for this study. Tazria may be found at: www.sheepfoldgleanings.com.

In the last lesson we learned about tzarat, the Hebrew word for a skin condition originating from within a person who has spoken lashan hara, evil or slanderous words about others. We learned that when one did this a rash or infection would appear on the belongings or body of the gossiper. We learned what caused this condition and how to contain it. This week we will learn about the process of cleansing from the tzarat affliction.

We are learning the ways of the priesthood, about holy and unholy ways and clean and unclean practices. YHVH has called us to be a holy priesthood who will walk in Yeshua’s, Presence. In Leviticus we are reading His instructions for daily living and how to stay in His blessings and provisions for our life. By His grace, YHVH has put in each of us a supernatural, built-in warning system to let us know if we are outside His provision and blessings. By this we can discern when we have missed the mark. Tzarat, or afflictions, are evidence that we are out of YHVH’s order in some way and need to return to Him.

Staying inside Torah protects us and binds the Enemy. Stepping outside Torah looses the Enemy’s ability to operate in our lives and we become prey for his attack. What is staying inside Torah? Staying inside His commandments, the realms that lead to Life, and eating of the Tree of Life, Yeshua, the Living Torah. Outside Torah means being exposed to a realm that could lead to death. This is partaking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That tree may look good but evil lurks behind the false attraction and false fruit. YHVH desires to be our covering. That is why He has given us the applications for life. Our covering is Yeshua. He is the love, fullness and the goal of Torah.

In Leviticus, YHVH is teaching us to discern between clean and unclean, holy and unholy and about His Sabbath’s and moedim (feast days). Leviticus also teaches us how to remain IN His principles that govern life to give us the maximum benefits from His blessings. He wants us to be blessed abundantly. YHVH is teaching us what hinders His blessings or what may stop them altogether. Stepping outside His realms of life for us can hinder His anointing and blessings and cause us challenges and dis-ease. In many cases we cause our own failure. We tend to lay all the blame on outside influences (people, places or things) or on the Enemy, without taking any responsibility for the choices we ourselves have made in coming into agreement with the Enemy. We bind ourselves in the choices and decisions we make that take us outside the Torah, YHVH’s teaching and instructions for our Life!

The fruits of the sinful nature “are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told youin time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  (Galatians 5:18-21).

In His mercy YHVH helps us when we innocently sin or miss the mark (of obedience to Torah). In the case of King Saul, he chose to speak evil against David and after many warnings YHVH allowed him to enter the realm of death to show him his errors. King Saul left himself wide open to influencing forces. In concordance with YHVH’s established laws of cause and effect, Saul’s disobedience cut him off from the guidance and communion he had formerly enjoyed with YHVH and left him prey to mental and emotional breakdown, a disease of the mind and soul. This was something Saul brought on himself (1 Samuel 18:10).

We need to take responsibility for our own walks and not blame others for our failures and poverty. We need to step into a walk of commitment to YHVH’s ways. The bride makes herself ready and will come in garments without spot or wrinkle to the wedding supper with her Bridegroom. Many miracles happened in the Scriptures through those who repented and changed their direction and associations to conform to YHVH’s ways. Once they repented they entered into mikvahs (immersions in water) for status change from an unclean realm to a clean realm. After, they were anointed with oil then offered praises of thanksgiving to YHVH. Only Yeshua, YHVH in the flesh, is our Savior and Deliverer. Only He can heal; it is not the person with the healing ministry that heals.

We need to give up the desire for fruit of the sinful nature that grows on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is this fruit that gives Ha Satan legal right to our lives. We need to close all door points and not be tempted by our sinful nature anylonger. It is finished!

YHVH has prescribed a lasting healing process for all those who come to Him by faith and who apply the ritual application of life: recognize this sin within, take responsibility for it, repent, anoint, and wash. This is a procedure in the walk of sanctification called redemption. In the time of Yeshua, there were over two hundred mikvah pools in front of the Temple, many of which can still be seen today. This act of the believer is a freewill offering to YHVH and an ongoing purification process (Leviticus 5-7). Ceremonial washing is taught all through the Brit Chadasha/New Testament. The people who practiced the ritual application of the Torah knew the value of change of status. It was not only for a physical cleansing but for a spiritually cleansing also, the cleansing of the soul! (See reference section for scriptures on mikvah).

They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and they became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although YHVH had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and they did the things YHVH had forbidden them to do (2 Kings 17:15).

When they knew YHVH, they glorified him not as YHVH, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:21).

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Yeshua (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Each one is tempted when, by HIS OWN EVIL DESIRE, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive your selves, DO what it says (James 1:14-22).

And even when you were dead (in) transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross; despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it (Colossians 2:13-17).

Yeshua made a way for us through His death and blood shed on the cross. Now we choose to walk in that life. It is not what we believe that will make the difference but what we do. Obedience to His Word and the pursuit of that in our hearts as a lifestyle is what really counts and brings the blessings.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:9).

In this parsha we are learning how to be cleansed from tzarat affliction. We must apply the Torah for consecration. The fact that we have these diseases on us is testimony we have not obeyed and applied Torah in our lives. We know Yeshua has made the way. But does this mean we don’t apply the Torah, the teaching and instruction of YHVH in our life? Because Yeshua came to earth, does this mean that YHVH’s teaching and instruction is no longer valid or applicable today? Yeshua’s death at the cross set us free from the law of sin and death and opened up to us the law of life for the first time. This is what He came to give us. That law of life is recorded in the Tanakh/Old Testament and taught in the Brit Chadasha/New Testament. We have now been given life through the Living Torah, Yeshua. He gave us the words for life and He will not separate His Word from Himself. His Life is contained in His Word. We need to apply, by faith in His faithfulness, what He said to receive healing and life (John 4:1-42).

We need to be finished with the sinful nature and all its design to bring separation and death into our lives.

We are all priests today (1 Peter 2:9). Let us learn what brings us into the realm of life. Remembering this is not for salvation purposes but rather is to do with blessings (good health included) and what bring us into His Presence. If we continue to feed ourselves the unclean and the unholy we will make ourselves sick and bring contamination upon others and ourselves. Not following YHVH’s ways will separate us from Him.

If you fully obey YHVH your Elohim and carefully follow all His commandments I give you today, all these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey YHVH your Elohim. However, if you do not obey YHVH your Elohim and do not carefully follow all His commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you (Deuteronomy 28).

Faith brings the birthright; obedience brings the blessings.

Leviticus 15 Discharges Causing Uncleanness

The three things that contaminate YHVH’s children are lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life (1 John 2:16). These all have to do with idolatry in us. Unforgiveness, gossip and slander are the enemy’s tools. Ha Satan’s name means slanderer, accuser of the brethren. We are a living temple of the Holy Spirit. If we gossip, slander or argue causing disagreements and dissension, what does this say about us? We not only contaminate ourselves but others at the same time. In so doing we actually speak for Ha Satan allowing his kingdom to rule and reign in us not Yeshua’s kingdom.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?” “Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels.” “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” (James 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:14, 23; Titus 3:9).

2 Kings 4:42 to 5:19 Naaman Healed of Tzarat

Naaman, a great commander in King of Aram’s army, had a tzarat or skin affliction. He heard of Elisha through an Israelite woman in his household who knew of the prophet of YHVH. Elisha shared that YHVH’s Word would heal him if he obeyed it. Naaman was told to mikvah/immerse himself seven times in the Jordan River to restore his flesh. We see in Scripture what kind of a man Naaman was by his response to the suggested treatment for his healing and what had caused his skin condition in the first place.

But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of YHVH his Elohim, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy/tzarat. Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage (2 Kings 5:11-12).

Naaman’s illness was rage. He was haughty, full of pride and anger. Naaman resented the humiliation and declined the cure. He was exhibiting tzarat emissions that contaminated his own body. How many of us realize that when we harbor pride, anger and rage we contaminate ourselves with sickness and disease? Later Naaman changed his attitude, chose Life and humbled himself, dipping/immersing himself seven times in the Jordan River. He came up healed and restored, becoming clean with skin like that of a young boy. Naaman applied Life then completed the ritual application of the law in obedience to YHVH’s Word. He repented and took a mikvah. This obedience sanctified and made him clean and whole again.

Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve (Jeremiah 32:19).

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15).

When He [Yeshua] had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Yeshua put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Yeshua said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them" (Matthew 8:1-4).

Yeshua, the living water, healed the tzarat person. Yeshua instructed him to complete his cleansing by following the Law of Moses and applying the ritual application of Torah. This would have involved approaching the priest with a freewill offering and immersing/immersing in water for status change. This course of action completed the cleansing and healing process that set this man truly free.

Yeshua heals a man with leprosy and cautions him to not tell anyone, saying to him, “But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded for your cleansing (and status change), as a testimony to them” (Mark 1: 40-45). The man did not obey Yeshua, but ran and told everyone the news. Was his healing completed?

Applying Torah works. We want Torah, the teaching and instruction of Yeshua, the Incarnate Torah, to guide us. Yes, we are cleansed by His blood and saved. Remember, though, His instructions are not for salvation purposes but for consecration, holiness and redemption. These instructions are for BELIEVERS who come to Yeshua for healing. We all know believers, who are still blind, lame, have tzarat emissions, are deaf and have died early. If we learn to apply Torah in our lives and share this with others who may have innocently touched the realm of death, would the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers be cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead will be raised to life?

We are the poor, blind and lame because we have left and not obeyed the "gospel" and "good news" of YHVH, a two-fold message of His teaching and His salvation, both that give us life. Sin still resides in us. Adam and Eve were told not to touch the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17).

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is unclean and leads to death. When Adam and Eve touched it, we all touched it. Thus sin entered the world. We are told by YHVH we must master sin, not have our sinful nature master us.

So YHVH said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it" (Genesis 4:6-7).

Come out from among them and be separate, says YHVH. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says YHVH Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 6:17 - 7:1).

The gospel was originally the Word YHVH gave Moses at Mount Sinai. These instructions were to help us walk out our redemption in the covenant YHVH gave us. Unfortunately in many churches and synagogues Moses is no longer taught each week. That is why many are sick and dying among us (1 Corinthians 11: 27-30). If we do not master the sin within, we are lured by it and contaminate ourselves by the pollutants we think on or that which we hear. We have not applied YHVH’s instructions to our lives. And yet the Mashiach/Messiah Yeshua did not discard His instructions but brought them to a fuller understanding so we could embrace and walk in them. Can we imagine not using the Torah, when Yeshua is the Incarnate Torah?

It is time to revive the instruction booklet (Mosaic Covenant) and apply it to our lives in agreement with Yeshua, thereby fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant and taking hold of our full inheritance and redemption (Galatians 3:16). Not through man’s interpretation that brings legalism and more death, but by the Life-giving Spirit of His Word, Yeshua, El Shaddai, the healer of our souls. May we truly elevate our neighbors and not slander them. May we truly reach out and share life with everyone around us and see the Life of Yeshua, the Incarnate Torah, heal all the people who come to Him today.

The Laws of Separation For Blessings: Niddah

Two realms are in the woman’s monthly flow. Life and death. YHVH says that the woman is to be separate for a full seven days during this time. This separation is as much for the man as it is for the woman and carries prophetic imagery of the millennial Kingdom as seven days also represents 7000 years. Honoring the woman during her week is very important while she dedicates her separation time to YHVH. This time is called niddah in Hebrew. This is not legalism or man’s teaching, but a commandment from YHVH for our health.

Just as we learned about clean and unclean foods, the niddah time has a clean and unclean side to it also. The blood carries life-giving properties to the body and also flushes out all impurities (death) from the body. If the woman’s egg is not fertilized it dies and must be flushed from her body. The woman’s monthly flow is that flushing and cleansing process to keep the reproductive system clean and healthy. YHVH commands the man and woman not to have marital relations during the seven days of cleansing. It is a consecration time. In marriage, if this process is violated it can lead to contamination that can spread not only through the woman’s reproductive system but into the man’s reproductive system as well. Breaking this commandment can be the result of many diseases such as ovarian, breast and prostate cancers.

At the completion of the woman’s flow, she is to have an immersion in water/mikvah for change of status from the unclean realm to the clean realm. By applying the ritual application of the Torah in her life, the cleansing process is complete and her monthly cycle begins all over again. The majority of couples who follow this wonderful time of blessings have very strong marriages. If you have never entered into the realm of Niddah, may we encourage you to do so; the blessings are worth it!

Leviticus 14 Rite of Purification

In the law of metzora, the door leading back to YHVH is through repentance and forgiveness. Throughout Leviticus 14, YHVH uses water for purifying. Five times the Hebrew word chata is used, in English meaning cleansing and purifying, and five, a reference to YHVH’s grace (a well understood concept in the Hebrew culture). Remembering from the first study in Leviticus, chata, or chatas, was a reference to the sin offering. This sin offering was required to atone for any unintentional sin that caused defilement in others and in the individual. Water is an extremely important cleansing agent from contaminants that hide in our souls (mind, will and emotions). Water is used in conjunction with Yeshua’s blood, the atonement that covers us.

The objects mentioned in this Torah portion - cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop - are the same ones used in the red heifer water purification in Numbers 19. The cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop were mixed with the water and blood of the offering and sprinkled over the person seven times as part of the ritual application of the law for status change. Yeshua fulfilled the use of these objects in ritual application at His death and has now made the change of status available to us through His sacrifice by the water and blood that flowed from His heart upon His death. It is the water and blood that cleanses us and removes the enmity (our sin) that stood between Yeshua and us.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (John 19:33-34).

Born again is a Hebrew expression used when a person went into the mikvah, the water cleansing, for status change. When one rose out of the water they shouted “Born again!” signifying that change had been made from the unclean realm to the clean realm, from the tamei/unclean realms to the tahor/clean realms.

I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, "You must be born again" (John 3:5-7).

You must have a change in status.

This is the one who came by water and blood – Yeshua. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: The Spirit, the Water and the Blood; and the three are in agreement (1 John 5:8-9).

May YHVH himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Messiah, Yeshua (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Selah.

Shabbat Shalom,
Carl and Julie Parker

Mikvah Instructions: For a mikvah, use a fresh body of water (lake or river) that has an in flow and an out flow of fresh water. If you do not have access to a body of water we suggest these following instructions: First, pray a prayer of repentance and forgiveness, remembering any known or unknown sins in your life. Ask for a cleansed heart and an infilling of the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit as you rededicate yourself to Yeshua. Next, anoint yourself with oil, then choose one of the following: 1. Fill tub with water, leave the tap running and pull drain as you submerge under. 2. Run the shower, put stopper over the drain until the water is 2" deep. Leave shower on, sit and pull stopper, letting the shower flow water over you.

Mikvah/Rachets references in the Brit Chadasha/New Testament: Strongs #G2512 "katharismos" Mark 1:44; Luke 2:22; 5:14; John 2:6; 3:23-25; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Peter 1:9; James 4:8

More References to mikvah in the Brit Chadasha/New Testament: Matthew 3:11; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 28; Mark 16:16;John 1: 31; Acts 2: 36-39; Acts 2: 41; Acts 8:12, 35-38; Acts 9: 18; Acts 10:37,47-48; Acts 13:24; Acts 16:15; Acts 16:33; Acts 18:8; Acts 19: 4-5; Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:32; 1st Peter 3:21; Romans 6:4-7; Ephesians 4: 5; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:27.

References:
Discovering Wholeness by Dr. Cheryl Townsley, N.D.

A More Excellent Way: Spiritual Roots of Disease by Henry W. Wright

Mikvah STBM

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