Jesus Broke Quarantine

This can’t happen, the Old Testament strictly forbids anyone having contact with someone who has a contagious disease!

Leviticus 13:45-46  Now the leper on whom the sore is…shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’    He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. 

Take Jesus to jail, He is not using wisdom – I can’t believe

Just wanted to post…trying to be ‘diplomatic’ but will probably fail.   Just a thought to the church.   I  ‘most likely’ will have several with opposing views get upset with me…but if it causes even a few to pray…so we can get the same direction from the Lord…than it would have been well worth it.

This post in is not about being reckless and having all of us give giant bear hugs to every stranger we meet on the street (although the shock of it would probably send that virus ‘c’  straight to the abyss)  🙂

To me-and I hope to several of us…using wisdom is going to the Lord, getting His direction on ‘all’ the scriptures-and then applying the right scripture in the correct manner for the problem we are facing.   In other words, the correct medicine (scripture) for the correct sickness (or problem in life)  Matt. 4:4  

 2 Timothy 2:15   Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, correctly handling the word of truth. (giving to us the correct scripture for our life circumstance). 

Sometimes we will deal with a situation one way- another time-  in a completely different manner.    In both cases, however, we need to be within the guidelines of the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

As mentioned in the title, Jesus broke the quarantine of the Old Testament that was issued for those with leprosy.   In. Matt. 8, Jesus reached out ‘and touched’ the man with leprosy  -who was ordered to ‘dwell alone’  ‘stay outside the camp’ (sooo sad)  so others would not receive the disease.   Jesus could have caught the disease Himself and worse… even spread it to others!!  Some would say… shame on Him.

The teachers of the law in that day…the religious leaders –one group being the Pharisees, set up ‘extra rules and regulations’ that were never meant to be taught in the same manner as the Word.  This made their walk with God such a regimented task.  It was never meant to be this way-He is our loving Father-and our relationship should always reflect this.

Matthew 22:37-39  Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
³⁸  This is the first and great commandment.
³⁹  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Jesus cut short their excessive rules and regulations and summarized it this way

Matthew 12:11-12   Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? ¹²  How much more value then is this man than a sheep?  Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees could break their rules to save the pocketbooks and get back their livestock…Jesus however says… ‘how much more valuable is this man!’  Jesus then broke their traditions and healed a man whose hand had leprosy.   He too was restored back to health, society, and his family 🙂

There are indeed quarantine laws in the Old Testament, but other commandments also give us direction in life.  Thus we need to apply ‘every word’  God gives us!

Matthew 4:4   “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “

As the prior scripture explains, the ‘greatest commandment’ is loving the Lord with all your heart soul and mind…but ‘also’ loving your neighbor as yourself.  

This is important, Jesus was not ‘breaking the law of quarantine.’ Jesus was just being led by the Father, who was guiding Him… for this particular situation (healing the leper)-use this particular scripture. 

 I am not sure if this was the verse, but it had to be along the lines of Love your neighbor as yourself…kinda thing.   In other words, there are times to quarantine, and there are times to love your neighbor as yourself-and reach out to help them.  In this case, touching the leper, reaching out to help him, -loving our neighbor as ourselves, yes breaking quarantine –overruled the other verses on keeping isolated, simple as that.

Jesus says in John 5:19  , “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Jesus saw (was led) to reach out and touch the man…seeing the healing.   Quarantine is indeed a law in the Old Test. .Lev. 13:45-46,  but so is loving your neighbor as yourself Deut. 6:4-7 …the Father simply showed Jesus which one was the correct choice in this particular circumstance.

Praise God Jesus was able to hear from the Holy Spirit!   Because of this, in another instance, Jesus saved the life of a woman that was about to be brutally stoned to death.   See, How Should We Preach 

Guidelines on life, quarantines, regulations by man can be a good thing.  It is ok to use them-even very important at times.

Romans 13:1   Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

 When Jesus however-got a Word from His Father to break quarantine,  He did just that-and a man’s life was spared-and no…Jesus did not spread leprosy to the community.

But…that was Jesus for heavens sakes! 

You say…that was ‘Jesus’ and He got His healing…and we are not Jesus…and do not have His faith.

Let’s see what the Word says ..

John 14:12   “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Instead of seeing how much we ‘can’t’ do because of quarantine, let’s follow the Word and see how much we ‘can do’ in Jesus.  

But I don’t have His faith, in fact, my faith is barely on the charts!

James 2:18   ” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

If we take the two verses above…and a balanced view of the word, Jesus knows our limitations.  As James explains …sometimes faith is increased…by our works, by being ‘obedient’ to Him…our faith increases.  

The Lord is not asking for us to recklessly go out and gather with every leper and ‘c’ virus patient -and share fountain drinks with them.

…and forsake all concerns and cautions.   The Lord is, however, asking us to be able to hear His voice, and be obedient to any direction that He commands us to go…whether it is approved by man or not!

Last time we checked…

Jehovah God is still alive and guides us 

Proverbs 16:9   A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

Psalm 32:8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Isaiah 30:21   Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,”

Jehovah God is still alive and can protect us

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 

Isaiah 54:17  no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. 

Psalm 17:8-108 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. 

Isaiah 41:10-11 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

If we as a church hear from the Lord…and He is telling us we need to gather-as they do in communist countries that are risking their lives-to pray, worship and seek salivation and healing for their people…then this is exactly what we need to do.

If the Lord tells me-keep praying together…jail or no jail I guess I’m going to the ‘big house’ 🙂   We know this, the ultimate authority is God-not man.

Proverbs 19:21   There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’S counsel–that will stand.

Acts 5:29  But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.  

 Yes, we desire to follow the government’s direction, they are established by the Lord for us to be under their protection and authority.  As long as they do not stop us from serving the Lord,  following their guidelines is what the Lord desires.   See Gods Political View 

It bothers me to no end  however that many pastors are  ultimately giving out the wrong  message…many  are basically claiming…let’s automatically follow every guideline from man…that’s wisdom,  ‘always’ putting ‘safety first’.   Let’s be wiiiisssseeee.

Ok, if safety is ‘always’ the first priority for a Christian,  let’s go out and ‘correct’ those believers in other countries, risking their lives to gather together and pray for others –so the Spirit will touch others’ lives so they can be healed and saved.   You go first…I’ll let their words spoken in the Lord’s conviction settle this matter.

 Our God is alive, He communicates to His children.  Questions of whether we should gather or not because of quarantines can be easily answered.

We simply pray…and ask….Father-do you want us to continue with services…if so, in what way.  If not, we stop!    We get our answer,  and those in unity with the Holy Spirit…will have complete unity in the answer…sooooo simple!  Our question answered and direction is given.   How difficult is this?? 

John 10:27  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

1 John 4:6  We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.

Pastors-true wisdom is hearing from the Lord, getting His direction- seeing if man’s guidelines are in accordance with His will.  We hear from Him to see if and how He wants us to follow man’s directives.   I really do not want to hear from pastors saying wisdom is anything but!  Wisdom is not trying to give us instructions on what ‘we think’ is correct or safe or anything else.     If I am going to ask wisdom from man…it would be from those Christians mentioned above…who were willing to give everything –to risk everything for the sake of helping the lives of others.

When all is said and done, it’s about hearing from the Lord and following what He has shown us. 

This was driven home to me at the mission.   We never resolved any theological disagreements at Bible college.   At the mission, however, those who were addicted to crack cocaine…had to hear and receive what they needed from God-or many of them would die…plain and simple.   When they cried out to the Lord for truth…we heard from the Lord-in ‘all’ the areas we needed-including Biblical theology and direction for our daily lives.   We were simply hearing from the Lord because they were humble enough to be guided by Him when He spoke to them.   This was not about winning a theological argument, but about staying alive ‘In Him’.

Psalm 25:9   He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Spiritual unity in the Holy Spirit brings about theological unity, it never works in reverse.   Spiritual unity brings about directives for all of us, including directives for our daily lives-which will absolutely include…Lord do we break quarantine –if so, in what way.   Those who are united ‘in Spirit’ will get a unified answer, those who are not…-you got it, will not.   Like those of us in Bible college…we could never be unified in directions from the Lord cause we had not yet learned how to hear His voice.  We could have all learned from those crying out to the Father at the mission,-those with addictions, depending on Him for life-giving direction and strength.

 Wisdom does not mean we automatically follow the rules of those in authority or take no risk.   It means we will follow the infinite wisdom of our Father in heaven.  Pastors, if you are truly hearing from the Lord, those who are doing the same will have the same answer…which includes answers on following quarantines -and other directives for the church.   The Holy Spirit is truth, He will not teach conflicting directives.

John 16:13   However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

1 John 4:6  We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.

Only then, can we say-we have wisdom, because our church is following under the guidance and protection of our Lord-because we are ‘hearing from Him’.   This applies not only to the quarantine but in every area of our life.   Sometimes we make things way too complicated 🙂   Following in His will is our complete answer to all of life’s questions.

EPH. 3:14-21

When I think of the wisdom and scope oh His plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God, some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth, that out of His glorious unlimited resources, he will give you the might inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as your trust in Him. 

May your roots go down deep into the soil of Gods marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand, as all Gods children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is, and to experience this love for yourself, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.. and so at last, you will be filled with God Himself.

Now glory be to God, who by the might power at work within us is able to do far more than we would even dare to ask or dream of.  Infinitely beyond our highest prayers desires thoughts or hopes. May He be given the glory forever and ever through the endless ages because of His master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ.  Amen

 Please see Our Road with God P1, P2

God bless, Bill