He took our place

 In Mark 1:40-45, we are told about a leper that Jesus heals.  Of course, there are lots of lessons to take from this incident, but I want to look at one verse.  Jesus tells the man not to tell anyone about what happened, but verse 45 says, "But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere."  

Did you see that?  Jesus had to stay in unpopulated areas.  A leper was considered unclean and, therefore, unfit for society.  A person with leprosy had to live in the unpopulated areas.  Now that the man was healed, he could go into the city, the populated areas, because he was now clean (once he had visited the priest and done as the law commanded).  Jesus had been in the towns and cities, the populated areas, but, because He chose to heal this man, He now needed to stay in the unpopulated areas because He was being mobbed.  Jesus traded places with the leper.  He physically chose to live where the leper had lived so that the leper could live where He had lived.  

This is such a great illustration for us.  Jesus lived where we live so that we could later live where He lives.  He took our place by taking our sin onto Himself and then taking the punishment for it.  Jesus willingly gives His life up so that we can have life.  Jesus took our place.  From the beginning, the plan has been for Him to give things up so that we could have everything we don't deserve - hesed. 

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