Welcome to chapter by chapter, four year journey through the greatest book given to the human race, the word of God, the Bible. And we get to go through it chapter by chapter, seven minutes a day, seven days a week. Join us each day and share it with others so they can join this journey that will be life changing. We'll stop at unexpected places on the journey and be challenged. Some verses will create awe and wonder. We'll have chapters that will be instructive and in others we'll find joy and comfort. We will occasionally be convicted and want to change, but all in all, the journey will be worth it. Once in a while we may take a detour on the journey and hear from some of God's servants on their favorite passages from a chapter of scripture and let them give you their insight. Every journey needs a small detour occasionally. The best way to get the most from this podcast is read the chapter we're discussing before or after. It's his word that transforms. You'll find more and see more than I can ever articulate. Welcome to chapter by chapter and today's chapter is Leviticus 15. Unclean is contagious. Leviticus 15 gets personal. As you start to read this chapter from the beginning, it will be very uncomfortable with the topic it presents. Don't despair. I believe there's a lot more to it than discussing some very sensitive topics. As you're reading about discharges from the human body, it's rather awkward. It's not hard to see the main theme as you plow through somewhat apprehensively, hoping no one asks you what you're reading. The recurrence of words and phrases is always the clue to that which is deeper than the surface. In Leviticus 15, the clues are here in abundance. 33 times in 33 verses, the word unclean appears and we learn a valuable lesson that unclean is contagious. Leviticus 15, 27 says, likewise, whoever touches them shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. When a person is unclean, they are cautioned to be careful of infecting others with their uncleanness because it is contagious. Now we dig below the surface. I know this may sound silly, but indulge me with this thought. If you're wearing a pair of gloves and put them in the mud, the mud it touches never becomes gluvvy. Clean gloves don't make the unclean clean. However, the mud makes the gloves muddy. It's such a silly example, but this is Leviticus 15. You never read the clean making the unclean clean when they come in contact. Over and over again, the unclean can contaminate the clean. This is the huge lesson for us. Unclean is contagious. Ten times the words touch and unclean appear together in Leviticus 15. If you are ceremonially clean, you are cautioned not to touch anything that is unclean. The word touch means proximity to, so warning not to get too close to that which is unclean. In the New Testament, the number one use of unclean is an adjective connected to something from hell. Unclean is used to describe a spirit from hell. It's called an unclean spirit throughout the gospels, and Jesus dealt severely with these renegade devils from hell that would contaminate the human soul. We see in the life in the ministry of Jesus that unclean isn't a label to be assigned to people, but it is a spirit to be cast out of them. That is what Jesus did every time he came in contact with an unclean spirit. He knew unclean is contagious. What about today? Do we come in contact with unclean spirits from hell? I can tell you this much that I know, that I have come in contact with people with an unclean spirit. Am I speaking about a person with a devil from hell? No, I'm speaking about a person that has gone through hell and then hell has gotten to them. They've been hurt, betrayed, attacked, slandered, and have not dealt with it biblically. And now the injustice done to them has infected their soul. They allowed someone's unclean attacks and words to infect their spirit. I've seen it happen over and over again. I've witnessed an offended person relaying to another close in proximity their words of hurt with great intensity that it now makes the other person unclean. How? Have you ever heard someone's offense story and it starts to make you not like the person they're speaking about? Their unclean spirit just infected you. The person they are speaking about never did anything to you, but now you just don't like them. Watch out for people with an unclean spirit. Why? Unclean is contagious. The Apostle Paul walks through dangerous relationships and companions in 2 Corinthians chapter 6. At the end of it, he sums it up by calling this unholy connection unclean and warns about getting too close to it. This is what Paul says, verse 14, As you read this list of the unclean that wants proximity to you, it's pretty sober. Unbelievers, lawlessness, darkness, belial and idols. Paul says, don't touch those things. Unclean is contagious. There is a time each year you hear a lot about the flu. What is the flu? It is medically known as influenza and according to the U.S. government centers for disease control and prevention, the flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent this illness according to the centers for disease control and prevention is by getting a flu vaccination each fall. This virus is contagious and it spreads in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from person to person, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means that you can pass the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. The precautions are interesting on how to prevent this contagion. We are told to avoid close contact with people who are sick and those who are infected are told to get medication and stay out of contact so as not to spread the virus. Spiritually speaking, this is exactly what happens to so many of us. We have been infected with unclean thoughts and mindsets and instead of getting help, we start spreading it through conversation droplets. Many who have been clean are now unclean and if you are unclean, get help. There's hope. Leviticus 15 tells us that the unclean can cross over to the clean and if you are clean, stay cautious. Be sober-minded and protect yourself relationally from unclean conversations. Paul tells us it's in proximity to a conversation that you will hear uncleanness. He says this in Ephesians 5-4, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks. Be sober to filthiness and celebrate when you hear the giving of thanks. How come? Because unclean is contagious. Thank you for joining chapter by chapter. Every chapter from the greatest book, the Bible, the Word of God, seven minutes a day, seven days a week. We'll see you tomorrow.
