According to The Free Dictionary's Medical Dictionary, Leprosy is officially a slowly progressing bacterial infection that affects the skin, peripheral nerves in the hands and feet, and mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and eyes. Destruction of the nerve endings causes the the affected areas to lose sensation. Occasionally, because of the loss of feeling, the fingers and toes become mutilated and fall off, causing the deformities that are typically associated with the disease.
The picture above is one of the more mild pictures of leprosy. It is contagious. This is why those who had it in Biblical times were required to live apart from the rest of society. Thankfully, we now have a cure (but obviously must be used to be effective).
Why am I thinking about leprosy?
Because I read about judgment in Isaiah. Here's a verse from Isaiah 23 that deals with the fall of Tyre.
The LORD of hosts has planned to defile the pride of all beauty, To despise all the honored of the earth.
Here's a few verses from Isaiah 24:
The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word. The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statues, broke the everlasting covenant.
A thought came in my head that I know is something many think. Why can't God just let people be to do what they want to do? Yeah, they aren't following Him, but hey, that's their choice. Just let them enjoy their choices.
God loves people too much to let that happen.
When we choose flesh stuff -- like power and lust and greed and living for self and such -- we are bit by bit being eaten up from the inside out. These flesh choices are like spiritual leprosy. They are a lie. They don't ever help us be who we were created to be. Instead they make us dependent on them until we become what we've chosen.
God loves us too much to sit by and let that happen. He can't force us to do the right thing but He can make the wrong thing mighty uncomfortable.
For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life (Galatians 6:8)
If we could see inside our souls we would instantly want what God wants for us (I think anyway).
But we can't so we have to trust something or someone.
God is the one I choose.