Last week, while doing my studies in Mosaic law, I read about a detailed procedure for a leper who might be healed. This is covered in 2 chapters of the Bible, Leviticus 13 and 14. All the procedures surrounding lepers and any hope they had of returning to normal society rested with the priest, who would confirm they were healed after a period of time and offerings made.
Having just read about the complex law of lepers, I read in Henry’s children’s Bible the story of Jesus and the 10 lepers.
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 NIV
So here we see, the lepers have faith, and although they are not allowed to approach Lord Jesus, they know He can heal them. “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
The miracle happens as Jesus hears them, it is instant. He sees them and sends them off, but I want to say here He would not have sent them if they had not already been healed. Their cry, their prayer was in that moment answered. But still, to return to society, they needed the cleansing the priest must confirm.
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
Can a healing be so immediate and at the same time so subtle that you, in the moment, don’t realize it has happened? 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God. This fellow had gone to the priest not realizing he was well, only when he was disrobed saw his skin and realized his suffering was over.
The remainder of the story speaks to a miracle that only one of 10 knew enough in his heart to praise God for and give thanks to Jesus for delivering the miracle.
Jesus, in His day, attempted to operate under the laws of the Jews that Moses had delivered. This is one of those examples.
The 3 key points of this are
- The Lord God is listening; He wants to heal us. He both hears our cry and sees us, in that He gives us the instructions we are waiting for.
- Healing can be subtle, immediate, instantaneous, and we may not immediately notice that we have been blessed.
- 1 of 10 remembers to praise God with a loud voice for the miracle. Praising God for a miracle reminds others that God lives, and that we are receiving His blessings, that He is actively responding to our needs and the cry of our heart.
One of my favorite psalms of praise:
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.
Beautiful the situation, joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Psalm 48
