The Candid Christian

As I read Leviticus chapters 14 and 15, two questions stayed with me:

• Why would God say He Himself put mildew in people’s houses?
• Why did God warn that uncleanness could defile His Tabernacle and lead to death?

At first glance, these chapters can feel distant from modern Christian life. They are detailed, physical, and ceremonial. But when read carefully—and in light of the New Covenant—they reveal timeless truths about God’s holiness, His dwelling place, and our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

God Exposes What Is Unclean in Order to Heal (Leviticus 14)

Leviticus 14 focuses on the cleansing of skin diseases and even contaminated houses. One striking phrase is when God says He may put mildew in a house (Leviticus 14:34). This tells us something profound about God’s character.

The mildew was not random. It spread, penetrated walls, and rendered a house unclean. God required inspection, isolation, and sometimes even demolition of the house. Why?

Because God would rather expose hidden decay than allow His people to live in danger.

The purpose was not punishment, but protection and restoration. If the mildew stopped spreading, the house could be cleansed and restored. But if it persisted, it had to be removed entirely.

Spiritually, this teaches us that ignored corruption—when left unchecked—spreads. God lovingly brings hidden things into the light so that healing can occur.

Uncleanness and God’s Dwelling Place (Leviticus 15)

Leviticus 15 addresses bodily discharges and ceremonial uncleanness. These conditions were not always sinful, but they affected a person’s ability to approach God’s presence.

The chapter ends with a sobering warning:

“This is how you will guard the people of Israel from ceremonial uncleanness. Otherwise they would die, for their impurity would defile my Tabernacle that stands among them.” – (Leviticus 15:31, NLT)

God’s concern was not shame—it was life. His presence dwelt in the Tabernacle, and unaddressed uncleanness endangered the people. These laws were acts of mercy designed to preserve reverence for God’s dwelling place.

What Changed—and What Didn’t—Under the New Covenant

Under the Old Covenant:

• God dwelt in a physical Tabernacle
• Uncleanness restricted access to His presence

Under the New Covenant:

• We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)
• God no longer lives among us—He lives within us

What changed is the location of God’s dwelling.

What did not change is God’s holiness.

Holiness is no longer ceremonial; it is internal and relational. Jesus made it clear that true defilement comes from the heart (Mark 7:20–23). The apostle Paul reminds us not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

Why This Matters for Us Today

Leviticus 14–15 reminds us that God cares deeply about His dwelling place.

Today, that dwelling place is:

• Our hearts
• Our bodies
• Our private lives
• Our thought patterns and habits

God exposes what is unclean not to condemn us, but to restore intimacy and life. Persistent, unrepented sin doesn’t remove salvation—but it affects fellowship, spiritual sensitivity, and fruitfulness.

We don’t pursue holiness to invite God in.

We pursue holiness because He is already in us.

Final Reflection

Leviticus 14 and 15 teach us that:

• Hidden decay matters to God
• Uncleanness spreads when ignored
• God’s instructions are acts of mercy
• Cleansing always precedes restoration
• God values closeness, life, and reverence

What once guarded a physical Tabernacle now invites us to honor the Holy Spirit who lives within us.