Lit., flesh. So throughout this chapter. Our body is our being, our constitution. Hence, the discharges from our body are the discharges from our being or from our constitution. The uncleanness of the discharges from man’s body (vv. 2-3) signifies that whatever issues from man’s natural life, whether good or evil, is unclean (cf. Matt. 16:21-24; Rom. 7:18).
Lit., his body runs with his discharge, or, his body is stopped from his discharge.
Everything and anyone who touches man’s discharge is unclean (vv. 4-11), signifying that anything touched by or that touches the issue of man’s natural life is unclean. Because we were born in uncleanness (Lev. 12:1-8; Psa. 51:5) and are a totality of uncleanness, whatever issues out of our natural being as a discharge is both unclean and contagious, causing everyone, everything, and every place to be defiled.
Washing the clothes and bathing in water (vv. 5-8, 10-11) signify not only dealing with our outward living and behavior and all the media through which man’s natural life is contacted but also dealing with ourselves by washing in the water of life, the cleansing Spirit of life (John 7:37-39; Rom. 8:2), in the word of God (Eph. 5:26 and notes), purging away anything that is affected by our natural life.
Until the evening signifies coming to an end through death. Hence, the uncleanness being until the evening (vv. 5-8, 10-11) signifies that the uncleanness of the issue of man’s natural life should come to an end through the death of the cross that there might be a new beginning in resurrection. The way to be clean is to die by taking the cross of Christ and thereby entering a new day in resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:14-15).
This signifies that the created and fallen man (earthen vessel) should be broken, whereas the God-created humanity (wooden vessel) should be kept but needs to be rinsed. See note Lev. 15:111.
This signifies that the dealing with our natural life should be to the extent that our natural life is fully terminated (seven days) and that we should be cleansed with the word of God in His Spirit.
See note Lev. 14:102.
The offering of two birds, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, signifies that man living by his natural life needs not only the redemption of Christ to deal with his sinful nature but also the life of Christ that he may live a life that is absolute for God. Through Christ as our sin offering and our burnt offering the problem of the issues of our natural life is solved.
Not being separated from one’s uncleanness but dying in one’s uncleanness by defiling God’s dwelling place signifies that once a man who has been defiled by any issue of his natural life and who has not yet been separated from his uncleanness touches the church, thereby defiling God’s dwelling place, he will suffer death (mainly spiritual death). In order to keep from defiling the church by the uncleanness of our natural life, we need to remain in the death, resurrection, Spirit, life, and word of Christ.
