Also notice the similar language
14:45 the stones Zechariah 5:4
14:45 the timber Zechariah 5:4
14:45 carry them forth Zechariah 5:4

There is much ritual involved in the cleansing of the leper under the Law. The significance of these elaborate involvements has been touched upon elsewhere. But, as with all things under the Law, they point forward to Christ.

However, contrast the quick and simple procedure of the cleansing of Naaman (a gentile) from leprosy (2Kin 5:6-14) with that under the Law.  Interestingly, no Israelite leper was cleansed at the time of Elisha, just Naaman (Luke 4:27).

Christ fulfils Isa 61:1-2 (cf. Luke 4:18-19) and then refers to Naaman (Luke 4:27).
Leprosy = sin.  This can be washed away through faith and baptism into Christ.  Both Jews and Gentiles are eligible to be cleansed by Christ. The cleansing procedures under the Law and the incident of Naaman pointed to that.

14:38    That the shutting up of the house has spiritual overtones is seen in the way that Isaiah uses the language – Isa 24:10 – when speaking of the state of  Jerusalem.

The leprosy of the house, as described in this chapter, has direct bearing on the two occasions when Jesus cleansed the temple.  For fuller explanation see my note for John Chs. 2 & 3, Oct. 11th. 

Lev 14:3-11, 13-23, 25,28,32,39,42,47,48,49,53.

V3 - Perhaps this reminds us of how the saints will be examined or judged by Christ before being allowed entrance to the Kingdom of God on earth when Christ returns a second time. V4 - 2 animals (could this echo Christ's flesh crucified and his resurrection to a body free from the bondage of sin and death so that true believers both Jew and Gentile might be similarly redeemed?), wood perhaps reminds us of the cross, scarlet yarn (perhaps reminds us of the thread in Rahab's window Josh 2:18) perhaps an echo of the sacrifice of Christ and the protection it offers, hyssop (John 19:29) perhaps reminds us of the purification of Christ's sacrifice. V5 - killed over fresh water perhaps echos baptism or that Christ was the living water in a body of flesh (the clay pot). V7 - the number 7 perhaps refers to spiritual perfection or spiritual completeness and possibly the millenial day of rest; cleansed of disease reminds us of the saints being cleansed of sin on the 7th day of rest. The bird released perhaps suggests no longer being bound by sin and death. V8 - washing clothes (2Cor 5:2-4) reminds us of baptism and being clothed in righteousness and being cleansed from sin and death and then allowed into the kingdom of God on earth. V9 - on the 7th day (millenial day of rest?). V10 - 8th day perhaps refers to immortality, a new beginning and a cutting away of the flesh (circumcision ritual was done on the 8th day) and perhaps echos the period after the millenial day of rest when all sin and death is totally overcome and Christ turns the kingdom over to God his father; we have mention of males without defect which perhaps echos Christ along with the mention of flower and oil which perhaps echos the anointed bread of life. V11 - The priest pronouncing one clean perhaps echos Christ judging and allowing entrance to the kingdom and eternal life. V13 -  The slaughtered lamb in the holy place echos the sacrifice of Christ which was most holy. V14 - This reminds me of Peter Forbes Lev 8 2007 comment and perhaps we have reference to imperfections in our hearing, doing and walk in Christ being cleansed assuming we run the good race and endure till the end (1Cor 9:24-27) - even so we need sacrificial mercy as all are unworthy/unclean. V19 - Sacrifice for sin and atonement from uncleanness. V22 - Again we have the concept of 2 animals as in v4 and also that God doesn't demand more than we can offer. V28 - the oil is mixed with the blood and perhaps echos the future anointing of the saints when Christ returns following in the paths of Christ's own anointing. V32 - Refers to individual cleansing but note that sin can be infectious. We can help or hinder each other in our wanderings to the promised land. V39 - on the 7th day (millenial day of rest?) the priest (echo of Christ?) shall return to inspect (judgment day?) the house (the body of true believers?). V42 - The house of God when Christ returns to the earth will only have clean stones/saints. V47 - those allowed in the kingdom will have clean raiment and be clothed in righteousness and be washed/baptized with water and the word of God. V48 - Again, there will be a day of judgment, a day when those called will be examined by Christ, and we must be on our guard particularly in these last days to not be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, to not let our love grow cold, and to not let sin grossly infect the community of true believers (2Tim 3:1-5). V53 - there will be a 'purification' process when Christ returns to earth,  a day of judgment with the elect cleansed of sin and death thanks to Christ's who offered his life for the sins of many. As Isaiah 53:12 prophesied of Christ ..."he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors".

14:11    The only way in which the priest could make the leper clean’ was by pronouncing upon what he could see. He could not effect any actual physical change in the leper. This contrasts with Jesus who did actually remove leprosy – Mark 1:39

V.4 The cedar wood mentioned here was not cedar, like that from Lebanon which would later furnish the temple.  In the wilderness, it would probably have been one of the several types of juniper that is found there.

14:3 Notice that the priest does not cure the leprosy. All he can do is to pronounce on the condition. Jesus, by contrast, could heal leprosy – Matt 8:2-3

Psalm 115 Glory was to be given to God (v1) because His servants are blessed (15) by contrast to the inability of the idols of the nations to do anything (vs 4-7). So Israel - and we - should appreciate who is worthy of worship. The idols of our lives are as valueless as the idols of the nations around Israel.

Psalm 116 Isaiah (55:3) as God calling for His servants to listen to Him so that He can bless His people./ This echoes the psalm (78:1) where there is a call to listening to the Law. In this psalm we have the reverse. The Lord listens to His servants. This is why David blessed his God (v1). He realised that God listened to him! Now isn't that wonderful! The creator of the universe will listen to us - so shouldn't we want to listen to him?

116:3 The only other place where sows of death is found in the Old Testament is Psalm 18:4,5 and 2 Samuel 22:6 Which speak of David's feelings at the uprising of Absalom and Ahithophel. We might think this Psalm is from that time as well. However whenever the Psalm was written we have to think about the 'sorrows of death' in what way is death a sorrowful vent for the one who has died? Surely it is because the one who has died is no longer able to praise his God.

115 - In speaking of glory being given to God and not man (:1-2) and then speaking about man's idols (:18) we see that God is telling us that those who make idols are, in fact, seeking honour for themselves.

116:16 The statement 'I am the son of thy handmaid' speaks of Jesus and Mary - his mother. It is Jesus who, in the ultimate sense, offered 'the sacrifice of thanksgiving' (:17)

115:14 The promise of an increase in children is an indication that the promise to Abraham was going to be fulfilled in them ‘I will make of thee a great nation’ (Gen 12:2)

116:1-8  This could easily describe Jesus’ state of mind around the time that he was in the garden of Gethsemane and the trials. If this is so then :1 ‘supplications’ could answer to ‘supplications’ (Heb 5:7) which speaks of Jesus’ prayers.

In Psalm 116 David is greatly distressed. He calls out to the LORD in his trouble, and the LORD delivers him. There are some clues as to what the trouble was in verses 3 and 11. In v11 David uses the word "haste". The only place where this word occurs in the history of David is in 1Sam 23:26, where David hasted to get away from Saul. It was on this occasion that Saul's armies completely surrounded David, and were about to capture and kill him. In verse 3 of the Psalm David says "the pains of Death have surrounded me..".

Being surrounded by an army intent on killing you is no easy deal. Let's be clear about it, this was certain death. God had allowed David to fall into the hands of his captor, but He did it for a reason. What was that reason? What was so important to God, that He was prepared to put His servant David through such a dreadful trauma in order to achieve it?

"I Love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, THEREFORE I will call upon Him as long as I live" Psa 116:1-2

God had trained David to Love Him.

115:2   The Psalmist’s concern is that the ‘heathen’ might not see that God is working in the world. So his prayer is that idol worship will cease and be seen for what it is worth – that is it is worth nothing.

115:9-10The call to Israel and the house of Aaron to ‘trust in the Lord’ contrasts man’s natural inclination – that is to trust in himself. This point, therefore, follows on from verse :1 where the glory should be rendered to God and not to man. The man who trusts in himself also sees himself as the one who deserves the praise, not the God who made him.

Psa 115:16 NIV "The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to man." This agrees with Matt 5:5 which states, "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth."

116:13 This is probably a reference to the drink offering.  See Num 15:3-5.

116:13 The ‘cup of salvation’ that David speaks of contrasts with the ‘cup of fury’ – Isa 51:17and speaks of the ‘cup of blessing’ – 1Cor 10:16

ch 8 - Paul had been greatly concerned to collect money fr the 'poor saints in Jerusalem' (Romans 15:26). Some ecclesias had been very generous. Corinth, it seems, was a little tardy. However Paul is more concerned with the spirit of giving than the money itself. This is because the giving marked fellowship with the sufferers. The collection for the poor saints was a way of uniting the Jewish and gentile believers.

ch 9 - Whilst we might not think that talking about collecting money is something which we should do extensively the apostle spends a lot of time in 2 Corinthians doing just that. The Corinthians had said that they were willing 12 months ago (9:2). So they had actually, so to speak, 'vowed a vow' (Ecclesiastes 5:4) So Paul is discussing dishonesty in the Corinthians, not simply money.

8:15 The quotation from Exodus 16:18 is used to demonstrate that the benefit in giving is not the actual amount that is given. This is because it is the spirit in which the gift is made and not the amount that matter for 'God loveth a cheerful giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7)

9:2 and 8:10 The mention of 'a year ago' indicates that it appears that there was not a great sense of urgency in the collecting of money for the brethren in Jerusalem. Maybe this apparent lack of concern for the immediacy of the problem was because there was another issue at stake - fellowship. In giving to the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem the gentile Corinthians fellowshipped the suffering of their Jewish brethren - and we know that the issue of integrating gentiles into a predominantly Jewish community - the Christians - was a real problem.

2Cor 8:5 In keeping with our comments in earlier years. We notice that the Macedonians 'gave their own selves'. Paul had been seeking for money for the poor saints in Jerusalem. The Macedonians went beyond what was requested. Giving money, for most of us, is quite easy. Giving of our time is far more difficult. If you doubt that then reflect on the problems encountered when help is needed to performs some task.

2Cor 9:7 We might have thought that Paul would say 'as he is able' but no it is according to a man's desire, not his ability that a man's liberality is measured. Consider the poor widow who cast in her all Mark 12:44

8:4  That there is more to the giving that the money was clearly seen by the brethren and sisters in Macedonia who asked Paul to ‘take … the fellowship of ministering’. The example of the Macedonians is cited to encourage the Corinthians to look beyond the money to what it showed. The lesson for us is that if all we give is money with no regard to sharing in the task for which we give the money we are missing the point abut generosity.

9:1 In saying ‘touching the ministering …’ Paul is following the pattern of 1 Corinthians where he works through different things either raised by the Corinthians or seen appropriate by himself (1Cor 7:1, 8:1, 12:1, 16:1)

It’s very good to read Paul’s kind words about the Corinthian Ecclesia’s generosity in 2Cor 9:1-2,12-13. To be new in the Truth, but still to feel so keenly about Brothers and Sisters in other countries, speaks very well of the Corinthians' love. Yes, we know that the Ecclesia had gone through huge problems, but their love was there. They felt a part of an international brotherhood, and were prepared to help when needed. In the same way, our Sunday collections are a valuable part of our service to Christ.

8:11 It seems that the Corinthians had gave verbal assent to the idea of giving money, but their verbal assent had not been translated into action. It is better not to make a promise than to make the promise and not keep it – Ecc 5:5 We do well to take heed to the warning in our own lives.

8:1-3  By telling the brethren and sisters in Corinth of the ‘liberality’ of the churches in Macedonia’ he is encouraging them to emulate those brethren. Emulation was a feature of Corinth – ‘I am of …’ – but it was not good. So here Paul is giving them a good example to emulate.

8:9 Paul is encouraging the Corinthians by citing the example of others. How often are we encouraged to greater things when we think of the actions of others?

More than enough

The phrase in 9:7 "purposes in his heart" appears to link to 2Kin 12:4. Here the temple of God had fallen into disrepair, and a call went out for people to give willingly for its upkeep. This money went towards the hire of those who did the repair work, and to purchase materials (2Kin 12:14-15). Back in Corinthians, Paul had reminded the church that they were the temple of the living God (6:16), and so they were responsible for the upkeep of that temple, the group of believers.

By invoking the picture of the Exodus in 8:15 Paul explained that God had provided more than enough for everyone, it was just a matter of distributing it evenly. How often do we assess our own needs and find a surplus? If so, where does that surplus go? The lesson from Exodus is that it should be re-distributed, not stored up (Exo 16:16-20).

8:12 The aw of Moses makes abundant provision for the poorer amongst the nation to still make an offering to God. If they were unable to bring, for example, an animal, birds or even meal was acceptable – Deut 16:17 – this is the principle that Paul is laying before the Corinthians.