Leviticus 13, Psalms 15–16, Proverbs 27, 2 Thessalonians 1

Date	Version	Reading Plan
@April 9, 2024	ESV (2016)	M’Cheyne Plan 2024

Leviticus 13

Leviticus 13:45–46 (ESV) 45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

This chapter is primarily centered around laws regarding leprosy, priestly examination and cleanness vs. uncleanness. Following the descriptions of various diagnostic criteria, the leprous person is addressed specifically in how they were to go about living while they had the disease. As the FSB states, there were three main directives:

First, the person must show the outward signs of mourning—wearing torn clothes, having disheveled hair, and covering their mouths or upper lips (compare Lev. 10:6; Lev. 21:10–11; Ezek. 24:17, 22). Second, they were to call out that they were unclean to warn others to stay away. Third, they had to live outside the camp.

Psalms 15–16

Psalm 16:1–2 (ESV) 1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

David’s heart for the Lord here is remarkable. He realizes—as we all should—that preservation and refuge are found only in God. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). David declares to the LORD that He is his Lord. Interestingly, David uses both the Hebrew name of God, “YHWH”, as well as “Adonai”, a title of God that emphasizes His Lordship. It is the one, true God on which David places his trust and confesses that He is the source of everything good within him.

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:19 (ESV) 19 As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

The heart of a man is the direct reflection of who he is at the most foundational level. Through any bravado or posturing, it is from this place alone that the real fruit is borne. Jesus made it clear when He addressed His disciples, that “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:38).

2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (ESV) 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

Paul speaks of the punishment and eternal destruction awaiting those who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus. All of this will be because they are completely severed from the Lord’s presence and the glory of His might. For those who have believed on Him, the Lord’s Day will be one of marveling and delight, but for those not, it will be the first day of eternal conscious torment and everlasting isolation, a complete removal of joyful fellowship with Him and others.

Carson on Psalm 16

[Referring to Ps. 16:2] The text will trigger in some minds other “apart from” passages. Perhaps the best known is John 15:5, where Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (italics added). Apart from the vine, we branches bear no fruit; and apart from him we “have no good thing.”

The connection Carson makes here to John 15:5 is helpful in bolstering our understanding that we are woefully incapable of having or doing any good thing apart from God. Our capacity for good is only from that which God chooses to do within us. Let it be for us that we see His good work and ceaselessly praise Him for His grace in our lives.

Justin Houtz