Ear, Thumb, Toe

Scripture:

Leviticus 14:13-18 He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. (14) The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. (15) The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand, (16) dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the LORD seven times. (17) The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. (18) The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed and make atonement for him before the LORD.

Observation:

Why did Aaron and his sons need to be cleansed and set apart? Although all the men from the tribe of Levi were dedicated for service to God, only Aaron's descendants could be priests. They alone had the honor and responsibility of performing the sacrifices. These priests had to cleanse and dedicate themselves before they could help the people do the same.

The ceremony described in Leviticus 8 and 9 was their ordination ceremony. Aaron and his sons were washed with water (Leviticus 8:6), clothed with special garments (Leviticus 8:7-9, 13), and anointed with oil (Leviticus 8:12). They placed their hands on a young bull as it was killed (Leviticus 8:14-15), and on two rams as they were killed (Leviticus 8:18-19, 22, 23). This showed that holiness came from God alone, not from the priestly role. Similarly, we are not spiritually cleansed because we have a religious position, reputation, or title. Spiritual cleansing comes only from God. No matter how high our position or how long we have held it, we must depend on God for spiritual vitality.

Application:

How does this apply to me? We see the practice of placing some of the blood of the sacrificial animal "on the tip of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot" in Leviticus 14:14 and 14:25 in the cleansing ritual of one who has experienced healing of a skin disease. Though the situations calling for this ritual are dramatically different, the symbolism is intriguing in both. If one considers the ear a symbol of hearing, the thumb a symbol of working, and the toe a symbol of walking, one can regard this action as indicating that priests (and later cured "lepers") are now commissioned and established to listen to God, to work for God, and to walk with God.

Every morning and evening, I pray over my wife and kids and I plead the blood over their right ear, right thumb and right toe. This is believing God to protect their minds, their work (what they do this day), and their walk.

Moses would then apply anointing oil, which is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, over the blood on the priests right ear, right thumb, and right toe. This is symbolic of the Holy Spirit responding to the blood and giving us the strength to keep our minds pure, our work holy, and our walk righteous.

I believe strongly in the importance of pleading the blood of Jesus over our loved one's: body, soul and spirit as well as over their mind, work and walk. There is power in the blood of Jesus, and the person of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the Holy Spirit always honors the blood of Jesus!

Prayer:

"Lord, help me to understand the importance of the blood of Jesus in my every day life. I recognize the need to apply the blood to my body, soul and spirit. Help me also to be reminded to apply the blood to my right ear, right thumb and right toe. I want to be everything that you want me to be. Right now, I plead the blood of Jesus over my children's (call them by name) body, soul (emotions) and spirit (where they commune with God). Also, I plead the blood of Jesus his/her mind, work and walk. The following prayer is something I want to learn to pray daily:

God be in our minds and in our understanding.
God be in our eyes and in our seeing.
God be in our mouths and in our speaking.
God be in our hearts and in our living.
God be in our ears and in our hearing.
God be in our hands and in our doing.
God be in our feet and in our walking.
God be with us now in our departing.

I ask this in Jesus' name, amen!"