（利14 ）大麻疯与美物 Mildew and good things (Leviticus 14)
(ChatGPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale, 中文在后面）
In Leviticus 14:34, the Creator speaks to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land,”…
There is a Jewish legend about this verse (Vayikra Rabbah 17:6 https://www.sefaria.org/Vayikra_Rabbah.17.6?lang=bi
), which discusses hidden treasures within the walls of the house, relating it to a hint in Deuteronomy 6:11: “houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide…”
Let’s imagine the experience of an Israelite upon entering the Promised Land and moving into such a house.
The new owner of the house moves in from the wilderness to the Promised Land, transitioning from a tent to a house, finding shelter from the elements, feeling grateful. He hangs scriptures on the doorposts, following Deuteronomy 6:6-9, “…write them on the doorframes of your houses…”
However, soon after, the house seems afflicted with a “mildew.”
Following the biblical instructions (Leviticus 14:36), the new owner commands, “Empty the house so that the priest can inspect it. If the mildew in the house is found to be harmful,…”
He then informs the priest, saying, “I have seen something that looks like mildew in the house.”
The priest examines and finds, “…greenish or reddish depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall.” So the house is quarantined for seven days,
The owner prays fervently for the healing of his house within seven days.
However, after seven days, the affliction remains and spreads on the walls. The owner follows the biblical instruction (see Leviticus 14), commanding, “Take out the stones with the mildew and throw them into an unclean place outside the town.”
Additionally, he orders, “scrape off the plaster and discard it in an unclean place outside the town.”
He then replaces the stones and replasters the house.
The owner prays earnestly again, hoping that after this renovation, the affliction will not return.
However, “the stones with the mildew…spread, and the house is unclean,” and the affliction recurs. The priest concludes that the house has leprosy, and according to biblical law, it must be torn down.
The owner doesn’t understand why his prayers were not answered, but since the house was not built by himself but given by the Creator, the Lord gives, and the Lord has the right to take away. This man now removes the scripture nailed to the doorframe and, following biblical guidance, demolishes the house.
Unexpectedly, when the walls are torn down, hidden treasures of gold and silver emerge, far more valuable than the demolished house!
In joy, the Israelite asks the priest, “Why didn’t the scripture mention finding treasures when demolishing the house?”
The priest responds, “Perhaps the Lord wants us to obey His commandments out of faith in Him rather than for the sake of finding treasures, this way, there may be greater unseen rewards.”
Later, the Israelite builds a larger, more suitable house, and hangs scriptures on the new doorframes.
Indeed, the Lord’s plans are always good!
From this story, we learn many lessons:
- The Lord has the right to take, as everything is given by Him.
- When the Lord takes, it is often to give something better. Although the value of gold and silver treasures surpasses that of bricks and stones, the most meaningful treasures are heavenly, as they hold value even in the afterlife.
- Even when things repeatedly don’t meet our expectations, we should follow the Lord’s teachings, as they conceal greater blessings.
- We should follow the Lord’s commandments out of love and faith in Him, rather than solely for the sake of rewards.
- The repulsive “mildew” and the desirable “good things,” represented in the quoted Bible verses earlier, show that seemingly opposite things can both serve the Lord and benefit those who love Him. This concept also has New Testament support (”…all things work together for good to those who love God…”, Romans 8:28).
（利14 ）大麻疯与美物
在利未记14:34节，造物主对摩西亚伦说，“你 们 到 了 我 赐 给 你 们 为 业 的 迦 南 地 ， 我 若 使 你 们 所 得 为 业 之 地 的 房 屋 中 有 大 麻 疯 的 灾 病 ，”…
关于此节有一个犹太传说（Vayikra Rabbah 17:6）https://www.sefaria.org/Vayikra_Rabbah.17.6?lang=bi
，讲到这房屋的墙里有迦南人暗藏的宝物， 并说这与申命记6:11的暗示有关：“有 房 屋 ， 装 满 各 样 美 物 ， 非 你 所 装 满 的 。…”
我们想象一下，当一个以色列人来到应许之地，分到了这个房屋以后，会是什么样的经历。
房子的新主人从旷野来到了应许之地， 从帐篷搬进这房子，可以躲避风雨， 心里充满了感恩。他在房子的门框上，挂上了圣经经文，这是为了遵循申命记6:6-9，“我 今 日 所 吩 咐 你 的 话 都 要 记 在 心 上 ，… 又 要 写 在 你 房 屋 的 门 框 上 …”
然而不久之后，房子好像长了“灾 病” 。
房子的新主人按圣经的教导（利14:36）， “吩 咐 人 把 房 子 腾 空 ， 免 得 房 子 里 所 有 的 都 成 了 不 洁 净 ，” 然后（利14:35） “去 告 诉 祭 司 说 ， 据 我 看 ， 房 屋 中 似 乎 有 灾 病 。” 祭司发现，（（利14:37） “…在 房 子 的 墙 上 有 发 绿 或 发 红 的 凹 斑 纹 ， 现 象 洼 于 墙 ，” 于是（利14:38）“把 房 子 封 锁 七 天 。”
主人为他的房屋祷告，希望主让它七天內痊愈，
然而，七天后，灾病还在，并且在墙上发散了，主人就按照圣经的教导（参见利14）， “吩 咐 人 把 那 有 灾 病 的 石 头 挖 出 来 ， 扔 在 城 外 不 洁 净 之 处 。”，
也 “ 叫 人 刮 房 内 的 四 围 ， 所 刮 掉 的 灰 泥 要 倒 在 城 外 不 洁 净 之 处 ，”
又 “ 用 别 的 石 头 代 替 那 挖 出 来 的 石 头 ， 要 另 用 灰 泥 墁 房 子 。”
主人又为房子向主恳切祷告，希望“挖 出 石 头 ， 刮 了 房 子 ， 墁 了 以 后”， 灾病不再回来，
然而“他 挖 出 石 头 ， 刮 了 房 子 ， 墁 了 以 后 ， ” 灾 病 “在 房 子 里 又 发 现 ，” 并且发散了。祭司判断这房屋得了大麻疯，认为按照圣经规定，只能把这房屋拆掉。
房子的主人不明白为什么他的恳切祷告屡次没有得到应允，但是房子既然不是自己盖的，而是造物主赐的，那么赏赐的是祂，收取的也是祂，于是这个以色列人把钉在门框上的经文取下来，按圣经教导，把这房子拆掉了。
没想到，当墙壁全部拆除时，隐藏的金银财宝出现了，其价值远高于拆除的房屋！
高兴之余，这以色列人问祭司，“为什么圣经上没说拆了这房屋就能发现宝藏啊？”
祭司说，“这可能是主让我们要因着信祂而行诫命，而不是为着得财宝而行诫命，这样可能会有更大的看不见的奖赏”。
后来，这以色列人新建了更大更适用的房子，又在新门框上挂上了圣经的经文。
原来，主的安排都是好的！
我们在这个故事里，学到很多功课：
1。主有权利收取，因为万有都是祂赐予的。
2。主收取，往往是为了赐予更好的东西。虽然金银财宝的价值已经远胜过砖瓦木石，但最有意义的财宝，其实是天上的财宝，因为它们可以在来世也有价值。
3。即使事情屡次不符合自己的期望，也要遵循主的教导，因为主的教导隐藏着更好的福分。
4。要为爱主、相信祂而遵循主的诫命，而不要单纯为了得奖赏而遵循主的诫命。
5。令人厌恶的“大麻疯”，与令人向往的“美物”，这两个看似截然相反的东西，分别出现在前面引用的两节圣经经文中，表示相反的东西都能为主使用，使爱祂的人得益处。这样的观念也是有新约根据的 （“…万 事 都 互 相 效 力 ， 叫 爱 神 的 人 得 益 处…”，罗8:28）。