Leviticus 13

Healing in the hidden places

Happy Thanksgiving!

The priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of the body; ~ Leviticus 13:3

Have you ever felt like something inside you needed healing, yet you were afraid to let anyone see it? Leviticus 13 may appear to be a long chapter about skin disease, but its message reaches far deeper. God used the priest’s careful examination to show His people that healing begins when what is hidden is brought into the light. As we pause during Thanksgiving, a day filled with gratitude and reflection on God’s goodness, it becomes a powerful moment to thank Him not only for blessings that are visible, but also for the healing He quietly works in the hidden places of the heart.

Even today as a child of God, He invites us to allow Him to see the places in our heart that feel tender, wounded, or difficult to face. He does this not to shame, but to heal.

1. God invites us to bring our hidden struggles into His presence

In this chapter, the people were told to bring any issue on their skin to the priest. Nothing was ignored, and nothing was too small. God wanted anything harmful to be seen so it could be addressed.  Now I know that the areas I keep hidden tend to grow heavier with time. When I finally bring my secret frustrations, fears, or insecurities to God, I begin to feel the weight lift to give space for His peace.

You can begin by acknowledging what you have been trying to hide. Bring it into God’s presence in honesty. Tell Him what has been troubling you. As you gather with loved ones for Thanksgiving, take a moment to thank Him that He welcomes you just as you are.

2. God shows us that healing takes time and careful attention

The priest did not diagnose instantly. He waited, watched, and examined carefully. Healing was a process, not a rush. In my own journey, there have been areas of my heart that God healed slowly because He knew I needed time to grow through the process. That is when I fell His love and patience. He never hurries me. He stayed close and guides me one step at a time.

Start with patience. Give yourself time as God works in your heart. When healing feels slow, remind yourself that God is doing something deeper. On Thanksgiving, take a moment to thank Him for the quiet, steady ways He has carried you even when the healing seemed slow.

3. God invites us to release what holds us back so He can fully restore

When something on the skin was harmful, God instructed the people to separate temporarily so the condition would not spread. The purpose was restoration, not punishment. Sometimes God asks me to step away from unhealthy patterns or influences because they keep me from being whole. Even when it feels uncomfortable, letting go has always led to a deeper peace.

Ask God what may be hindering your growth. Allow Him to show you what needs to change. Choose obedience even when it stretches you. Thank Him today for the courage He gives you to release what is harmful so He can restore what is good.

Today I want to encourage you to open your heart to the God who sees you with compassion. He is not afraid of your wounds or your struggles. As you bring your hidden places into His presence, as you trust Him in the slow work of healing, and as you release what holds you back, He will restore you fully. You are deeply loved, seen, and wanted by the One who heals and makes all things new. Let this Thanksgiving remind you of His faithful presence in every season of your healing journey.

Today’s scripture reading: Leviticus 13

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 

2 “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his body like a leprous sore, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. 

3 The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body; and if the hair on the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore. Then the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean. 

4 But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the priest shall isolate the one who has the sore seven days. 

5 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day; and indeed if the sore appears to be as it was, and the sore has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall isolate him another seven days. 

6 Then the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and indeed if the sore has faded, and the sore has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scab, and he shall wash his clothes and be clean. 

7 But if the scab should at all spread over the skin, after he has been seen by the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again. 

8 And if the priest sees that the scab has indeed spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

9 “When the leprous sore is on a person, then he shall be brought to the priest. 

10 And the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the swelling on the skin is white, and it has turned the hair white, and there is a spot of raw flesh in the swelling, 

11 it is an old leprosy on the skin of his body. The priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not isolate him, for he is unclean.

12 “And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the one who has the sore, from his head to his foot, wherever the priest looks, 

13 then the priest shall consider; and indeed if the leprosy has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean who has the sore. It has all turned white. He is clean. 

14 But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. 

15 And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him to be unclean; for the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy. 

16 Or if the raw flesh changes and turns white again, he shall come to the priest. 

17 And the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the sore has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean who has the sore. He is clean.

18 “If the body develops a boil in the skin, and it is healed, 

19 and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest; 

20 and if, when the priest sees it, it indeed appears deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore which has broken out of the boil. 

21 But if the priest examines it, and indeed there are no white hairs in it, and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days; 

22 and if it should at all spread over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore. 

23 But if the bright spot stays in one place, and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24 “Or if the body receives a burn on its skin by fire, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white or white, 

25 then the priest shall examine it; and indeed if the hair of the bright spot has turned white, and it appears deeper than the skin, it is leprosy broken out in the burn. Therefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore. 

26 But if the priest examines it, and indeed there are no white hairs in the bright spot, and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days. 

27 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has at all spread over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore. 

28 But if the bright spot stays in one place, and has not spread on the skin, but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn. The priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn.

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on the head or the beard, 

30 then the priest shall examine the sore; and indeed if it appears deeper than the skin, and there is in it thin yellow hair, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a scaly leprosy of the head or beard. 

31 But if the priest examines the scaly sore, and indeed it does not appear deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale seven days. 

32 And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the sore; and indeed if the scale has not spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the scale does not appear deeper than the skin, 

33 he shall shave himself, but the scale he shall not shave. And the priest shall isolate the one who has the scale another seven days. 

34 On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scale; and indeed if the scale has not spread over the skin, and does not appear deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean. 

35 But if the scale should at all spread over the skin after his cleansing, 

36 then the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the scale has spread over the skin, the priest need not seek for yellow hair. He is unclean. 

37 But if the scale appears to be at a standstill, and there is black hair grown up in it, the scale has healed. He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 “If a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the body, specifically white bright spots, 

39 then the priest shall look; and indeed if the bright spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is a white spot that grows on the skin. He is clean.

40 “As for the man whose hair has fallen from his head, he is bald, but he is clean. 

41 He whose hair has fallen from his forehead, he is bald on the forehead, but he is clean. 

42 And if there is on the bald head or bald forehead a reddish-white sore, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead. 

43 Then the priest shall examine it; and indeed if the swelling of the sore is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body, 

44 he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his sore is on his head.

45 “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 

46 He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

47 “Also, if a garment has a leprous plague in it, whether it is a woolen garment or a linen garment, 

48 whether it is in the warp or woof of linen or wool, whether in leather or in anything made of leather, 

49 and if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a leprous plague and shall be shown to the priest. 

50 The priest shall examine the plague and isolate that which has the plague seven days. 

51 And he shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, in the leather or in anything made of leather, the plague is an active leprosy. It is unclean. 

52 He shall therefore burn that garment in which is the plague, whether warp or woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, for it is an active leprosy; the garment shall be burned in the fire.

53 “But if the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has not spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, 

54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the plague; and he shall isolate it another seven days. 

55 Then the priest shall examine the plague after it has been washed; and indeed if the plague has not changed its color, though the plague has not spread, it is unclean, and you shall burn it in the fire; it continues eating away, whether the damage is outside or inside. 

56 If the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has faded after washing it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, whether out of the warp or out of the woof, or out of the leather. 

57 But if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a spreading plague; you shall burn with fire that in which is the plague. 

58 And if you wash the garment, either warp or woof, or whatever is made of leather, if the plague has disappeared from it, then it shall be washed a second time, and shall be clean.

59 “This is the law of the leprous plague in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or woof, or in anything made of leather, to pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean.”

Journal:

• What hidden struggle is God inviting me to bring before Him today?
• Where do I need patience as God continues His healing work in my life?
• What is God asking me to release so I can experience deeper restoration?
• What am I especially thankful for this Thanksgiving regarding the healing God is doing within me?