Recently we have seen stories of homosexual abuse of Boy Scouts juxtaposed against a proud announcement by a mainline Church of the appointment of a Lesbian Bishop. Meanwhile the Catholic Church is still reeling from the abuses of cabals of homosexual priests while other Churches are rushing to embrace homosexual ministers.
God help the children.
The Catholics and the Boy Scouts are victims of evil men, but what we are seeing in those churches which encourage sexual sin is far worse. It is the result of a rebellion against the Word of God which began in the 19th Century with efforts to deny the authenticity of the Bible and has been carried forward to a repudiation of Christian teaching and morally. These false prophets speaking against the Word of God have infiltrated our churches and seminaries, and are welcomed by an adulterous and perverted generation.
As people of prayer we know that we are engaged in a spiritual battle with the dark spiritual focuses of rebellion and perversion. We can recognize the Spirit of Jezebel, which was exposed in the Church of Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-27) as a false prophet of sexual immortality poisoning a loving church and producing spiritual death for her followers. We can also look to God’s word for guidance, and there is a powerful scriptural roadmap in Numbers Chapter 12.
This passage records a rebellion of Aaron and Miriam against the word of God given to Moses. The Lord came down and rebuked Aaron and Miriam, saying “Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:8). This is also God’s rebuke to the modern churches which have denied the scriptures.
The Lord then punished Miriam by covering her with Leprosy. This is a terrible disease which mars the features and causes parts of the body to fall off. And, because it is contagious, lepers had to live alone and outside of the camp of God’s people (Leviticus 13:45).
Leprosy is in fact a picture of the rebellious Church. Like the lepers, these churches have lost parts of their bodies as many Christians have left them for more faithful Churches. Other Christians and even foreign affiliates of the rebellious U.S. Churches followed Paul’s admonition not to associate with an immoral brother and expel evil from the Church (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). Like the leper who cannot enter the camp, the rebellious churches are considered to be apostate, outside of the fellowship of the faithful.
Miriam’s story did not end with her leprosy, and we hope that the same will one day be said of the rebellious churches. Aaron repented of his sin and then both Aaron and Moses prayed for Miriam’s healing. The Lord heard their prayer but required that Miriam be confined outside of the camp for seven days, saying “If her father had spit in her face would she not have been in disgrace for seven days?” (Exodus 12:14). The entire company of Israelites waited for her seven days to be completed and received her back before they moved on.
Like Aaron, we should be ready to repent of our own rebellion, and like Aaron and Moses we should earnestly pray for healing of the leprous church. Like the Israelites we should wait in hope for the repentance of the leprous church. We should remember what Paul said in his second letter to the Corinthians at chapter 2, v 5-8, about forgiving and comforting the repentant brother whom he had ordered to be ostracized in the first Corinthian letter. Like the Israelites and Paul, we should welcome the rebellious churches back into full fellowship when they repent.
We also know of many who have been called to remain in the leprous church to bring back the Word of God to their churches. This is a difficult assignment and it is good for us to remember that all Christ asked of the Jezebel infected Church of Thyatira was to reject the immoral teachings and hold on to what they have. We especially pray for encouragement and endurance as they stand for righteousness.
Let us stand with them for the healing to the leprous church and restoration into the body of Christ.
“The body is not meant for sexual immortality but for the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 6:13