The Secret Flow of Sin from the Heart Typified in the Running Issue
TYPIFIED IN THE RUNNING ISSUE.
* r KNOW THAT Df MK, TSAT IS, W U kLESH, DWKLLETB yS0 GOOD THINO.’
Rom. sit IJJ.
CHAPTEPi XV.
iers. 1, 2, S. “And the Lord ppakc biuo iloa&i and to Aaron, eajtag. Speak unto the children of l8rae, and su unto them. When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. And this shall be his uncleanness m his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his unclcanness.”
Moses and Aaron are both addressed, as in the case of the disease of leprosy, xiii. 1. Wherever there is only a law laid down, Moses alone hears the voice. God speaks only to the lawgiver. But, in cases where disease is prescribed for by special rules, Aarou is joined with Moses. Is this because a priest — a high priest — ought to have much compassion, and might be more likely to learn compassion while hearing the tone of pity in which the Lord spoke of man’s misery?
This secret unoleanness, known only to the person’s self, represents the secret sins, or the secret, quiet, oozing out of sin from the natural heart — its flow of pollution while not a word is spoken, not an act done, not a motion in the eye of our fellow- men. The more disgusting the images, the more is it meant to express God’s extreme abhorrence of the sinful state; just as in 1 Kings xiv. 10, and elsewhere, indignation at the ungodly is expressed by most contemptuous language. Oh! that we felt the shame of sin! 0 1 to be confounded because of our inward hardness! Ashamed so as not to look up because of secret unbelief, secret pride, secret selfishness, secret lusts, secret painting of the walls with imagery!
Some think this disease was sent as a judicial punishment; for it is so referred to in 2 Sam. iii. 29; and Mark V. 29, calls it “/i«ar/|,” “a scourge.”
To a Jew it was the more hateful, as being pollution where the seal of circumcision had been. Indwelling sin thus shows its existence in closest neighborhood to the blood-sprinkling of Jesus.
The difference in the kind of the disease (ver. 3) does not change its polluting character. Sin may be flowing freely as a stream, or may be brooded over till the soul is like a stagnant pool — in any form it is hateful to the Holy One of Israel. The lively imagination of a gay, poetic mind is not less sinful when it scatters forth its luscious images, than the dull, brutal feelings of the stupid, ignorant boor. “Thou desirest truth in the inward parts.” “The righteous Lord lovfth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright” — his countenance shines in upon the cleansed, blood-sprinkled soul, gazing on its purity with true delight, while he turns away from the sickening sight of the unwashed conscience and the “sinner lying in his blood.”
Vers. 4, 5, 6, T, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. “Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and everything whereon he sitteth shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And he that toucheth the flesh of him that Imth the issue »ha11 waah hia clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And if he that hath the Lssue spit upon him that is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evea And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth anything that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that bearcth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and Ije unclean until the even. And the vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.”
We have already had occasion to notice the limited time” until eveny (Chap. xi. 25.) But let ns further observe, that under the law we seldom find immediate pardon. The legal ceremonies were thus like the pool of Bethesda — imperfect types of Christ. What joy there is in immediate pardon! To pass at once from hell to heaven, from the fatigs of Satan, the smoke of hell, the angry recrimination of a tossed conscience, and the dread of a frowning God, to the peace and love of the Saviour’s holy bosom! The law had a shadow of good things to come, but was not the very image of those things.
Again; let us notice that one touch conveyed unclcanness — s*full is the cup, that if shaken at all its pollution trickles over. What a glorious contrast have we in Jesus! He touches (Mark i. 41), and lo! the holy stream of health flows from him. Or another touches him, and disease flies away. (Mark v. 28.)
We are here taught the disgusting constancy with which our original, deep seated corruption will naturally discover itself. In all situations, towards all persons, at all seasons, this filthiness of the secret soul may be traced.
In ver. 4, the man is represented as unclean when he lieth down to sleep, or even to rest at noon.* Ah! yonder lies a sinner, and the very ground under him is accursed. His very pillow may shortly become a spear under his throat; just as Jonah’s rest soon became a tempestuous sea. A friend comes to see him and gently awakes him, but touches his couch in so doing, and becomes thereby unclean (ver. 5); for the man is all polluted. However amiable the friend you visit, yet if still in his unhealed corruption, your intercourse with him spreads its baleful influence over you. You have insensibly been injured by the contact. Oh! how we should watch our souls in mingling with a world lying in wickedness! Oh I how holy, how marvellously strong in holiness was Jesus! who breathed this polluted air and remained as holy as when he came.
If the man leave the spot, and another occupy it, that other has seated himself in the sinner’s place (ver. 6), and the memory of his sin is not gone. He is in contact with a polluted thing. As when one of us now reads the details of a sinner’s career, and our mind rests thereon, we are involved in his sin.
If a physician (ver. 7), or an attendant, touch the sick man’s flesh, he is in contact with sin, and becomes polluted. This legal consequence of any actual contact with the defiled, shows us, no doubt, the danger and hazard of even attempting to aid the polluted. It is at the risk of being ourselves involved in their sin. Therefore, it must be watchfully done, not boldly and adventurously. You breathe an impure atmosphere: proceed with caution.
* So ;rij?3 is used in 2 Sam. ir, 5, when Ishbosheth was reclining in the heat of the day.
If (ver. 8) any even accidental touch occur — as if the diseased man spit or sneeze, so as anything from him reaches the bystander, pollution is spread. An accidental word, a casual expression, an unexpected look, may suggest sin; and if it does, forthwith wash it all away ere evening comes. “Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath.” Leave no stain for a moment upon thy conscience.
When the man rides forth, lo! yonder is a sinner; and his saddle is polluted; and the mattress he spread on the floor of his tent for a temporary rest in his journey (ver. 10) is so polluted that the attendant who lifts it is defiled. Oh! sad, sad estate of man! In going out or coming in, in the house or by the way, his inward fountain of sin flows on unceasingly, and the Holy One of Israel follows him with his eye to mark him as a sinner.
Nay, if he put his hand forth (ver. 11) to touch any one — to give him a friendly welcome, or aid him in any work, he conveys pollution, unless he have first “rinsed his hands in water.” The sinner, who.se natural heart is still unhealed, cannot do even a kind act without sin — his only mode of doing so would be “washing in clean water.” And the vessels he uses (ver. 12) must be broken or rinsed in water; even as the earth, on which the sinner has stood as his theatre for committing evil, shall be broken in pieces by the fire of the last day (” all these things shall be dtssolved,^^ 2 Pet. Hi. 11), the trial by water being already past.
Vers. 13, 14, 16.” And when he Uuit hath an issue is cleansed of his issue, then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wa»h his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door
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of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest: and the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue.”
The time of cleansing is to be “seven days’’’ — a full time. During each of these days he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself “in running water,” — the emblem of the purity of the Holy Ghost. And it is the indwelling Spirit, like living water, that our corrupt heart requires in order to its sanctification. During seven days he thus declared his need of the Holy Spirit by his repeated washings. Then, on the eighth day he comes to receive “atonement” (ver. 15), as the means to his true purification. He brings two “turtle-doves, or. two young pigeons;” perhaps, because whatever difference might be made by circumstances in regard to the actions, or actual sins, of rich and poor, yet in regard to original sin and depravity of heart both are alike. Hence, the poor man’s offering of” turtles or pigeons’^ is fixed upon, bringing down the rich to the level of the poorest. And yet, perhaps, there is a farther reason — the turtle-dove, or the pigeon, being so frequently the emblem of purity (Song vi. 9; v. 12; Psalm lxxiv. 19), they may have been chosen in this case as reminding the offerer that personal purity is required in coming to God.
A full atonement is as much required for our inward, secret sins, as for open and flagrant sins. The sinful vision that our fancy spread out before us for a moment must be washed away by blood. The tendency which our soul felt to sympathize in that act of resentment or revenge must be washed away by blood. The hour, or minutes we spent in brooding over our supposed hard lot, must be redeemed by blood. The selfish wish we cherished for special prosperity in some undertaking that was to reflect its credit on us only, is to be washed away by blood. The proud aspiration, the sensual impulse, the world-loving eye our soul cast on earth’s glories, must be washed away by blood. The darkness, ignorance, suspicion, and misconception we entertain toward God and his salvation, must be washed in blood, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part (hidden region of the soul) thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” (Psalm li. 6.)
Vera. 16, IT, 18. “And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, (phall be washed with water, and shall be unclean until the even. The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.”
It is supposed that this law was intended to mark God’s holy abhorrence of uncleanness, even in the desire. Hence, he puts in the class of the polluted, any one who eevn accidentally discovered inordinate desire, married or unmarried. Indeed, so far was such a state of feeling from being overlooked by the Lord that he enjoins pollution to be attached to the very neighborhood thereof “Every garment and every vessel made of skin’* that comes in contact with the defiled man must be washed and held unclean until the even. And so with the persons, not casting off” the thought of their sad depravity, but all day long mourning over this fall, though known only to God; and using the wat.er which was the emblem of a cleansed and pure nature. “Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved; let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.” (2 Cor. vii. 1.)
Vers. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. “And if a woman nave an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days; and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. And everything that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean; everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whosoever toucheth anything that she sat upon, shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And if it be on her bed, or on anything whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it he shall be unclean until the even. And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.”
As in the case of the man noticed at the beginning of the chapter, so now, the same law is laid down in the case of the woman who has any issue. An issue of blood, such as that referred to here, brought the women of Israel from time to time into great trial. We may conceive her miserable state during the time she was ill. Separated from general society (for so Num. v. 2, seems to declare), she was like a leper. She was “a fear to her acquaintance.” Everything she touched became defiled; every one that touched her, even the very physicians (ver. 21) she went to consult, or who came (ver. 23) to see her when she could not visit them because of her distress, were unclean for a day after. Her husband himself (ver. 24) was in like manner separated from her, or polluted and defiled if he did not live apart from her. She was a living picture of the awful truth, that sin, however hidden to the view of men, is so virulent in its nature and tendency, that it dissolves every relationship, and sets apart the sinner for misery and sadness.
In chap, XX. 18, death is the penalty if this uncleanness were known and disregarded by the parties. But the treatment here seems severe enough, and we are led to inquire into tho cause. “Why is the woman’s case dealt with so severely? Perhaps to keep up the memory of” The Fall.^^ The woman was in the transgression. “Remember whence thou art fallen.” Our original sin, inherited from our first parents, is not to be forgotten. The Lord never forgets that time of the fall, even as he never forgets the day when the angels left their fir habitation. Of what parents have we come! See the rock out of which we were hewn! “Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite.”
Vers. 26, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. “And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her nncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto Iter as the bed of her separation; and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uucleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be cleansed ef her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord, for the issue of her undcanness.”
The case here referred to is such as that of the woman in Mark v. 29; an unnatural issue, called in that passage “a plague,” or “scourge,” as if it were something sent judicially. She is treated as in tho former cases, all the time this plague or disease lasts, though it should be twelve or twenty years. Every new view of these cases seems intended to impress on us the inward shame which we ought to cherish for our defilement. We may well be confounded for the secret loathsomeness of sin that no eye of man ever could have discerned.
Take the case of the woman in Mark v. 29, twelve years thus deeply distressed, groaning over her misery, living alone, in vain trying every physician, and keeping aloof from friends as much as possible, lest she should spread defilement on them by her presence. What a picture of a sinner! A sinner conscious of her nature’s fearful pollution, mourning over her weak and wicked heart, trying every remedy that man can suggest, yet still sad at heart, and her soul still running down with its new outflowings of sin. But one tells her of Jesus. She hears of his having, the night before, calmed the sea at its height of storm, and having gone over to the other side for the sake of saving one soul. She comes; she sees and hears him for herself, and is persuaded that he has the very fountain of life in his person. In this faith she touches the hem of his robe, as if to say, “He is full of love and power, even to the very skirts of his garment.” She brought no gift ;• for she had spent all her living already on physicians. She brought nothing like a begun cure; for she was “nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” She had not long-waiting to show as a plea; for she came only that morning. She had no repentance to offer; for hitherto her regrets were simply that she had in vain sought to other physicians. She had no love to allege; for she was only now coming to see what reason for love there was. She offered no prayer; she simply drew near, and placed herself in contact with the fountain pf life and healing! The result was immediate cure! Sin and grace met! and this is ever the singular result of their meeting. How often now, after presenting at Jerusalem her turtle-doves, would she walk at that sea-shore with the daughter of Jairus — who waa born the very year she took her disease, and who was raised from the dead the very same day that she was healed — and together would they sing and praise the Lord, one saying, “Who healeth all thy diseases,” the other responding, “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction.” (Ps. ciii. 3.)
When Jesus healed the leprosy and the issue of blood, was he not tacitly explaining the type couched under these diseases and their cleansing? Was it not like his healing the man at the pool of Bethesda? There was an emblem in it all, though he said not at the moment that this was what he wished to show. It was enough that - he had declared himself “come to fulfil the law.’’’’ They were thus warned to expect that his every action should tend in that direction. It is in reference to this chapter that Zechariah (chap. xiii. 1) calls Christ the “Fountain for uncleanness’^ (n’n?); and Isa. iv. 4, speaks of washing away” the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purging away the blood of Jerusalem,^^ by judgments that will drive them to this fountain. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!
Vers. 81, 32, 33. “Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, that they die not in their uncleannesc, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; and of her that is sick of her flowen>, and of him that hath an issue,* of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.”
No commandment of God is trivial; hence there is here a summary of all. The threatening, in- ver. 31,
* The force of the clause is, “even of any one that hat an ume, male or female.” As the masculine, Q’7’$’7> Oc°- ^7, is generically used for mankind, ao 3J>^ here.
teaches us that all our worship in the sanctuary must be offered with inward purity, as well as outward. We must be conscious to ourselves of having been cleansed. To come while aware of unremoved pollution, is to defile the tabernacle and expose ourselves to immediate curse. “The Lord our Grod is holy.” “Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably.” (Heb. ii. 28.)