Leviticus 14

It seems that throughout history, the Lord used symbolism to teach the people -

"...every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God..."  (Book of Mormon | Alma 34:14)

...and to teach the people the principles, conditions, ordinances and covenants to the blessings of that atonement.

As part of my reading of the Old Testament, I am reading the Old Testament commentary by David J. Ridges.  As we read concerning the law associated with leprosy in Leviticus, we seegreat symbolism in the process of repentance.  I am including the comments of David J. Ridges for my own reference -

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 This shall be the law of the leper [the rules for being made clean; symbolic of serious sin and great need for help and cleansing] in the day of his cleansing [symbolic of the desire to be made spiritually clean and pure]: He shall be brought unto the priest [authorized servant of God who holds the keys of authority to act for God]:
3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp [the person with leprosy did not have fellowship with the Lord's people and was required to live outside the main camp of the children of Israel; the bishop, symbolically, goes out of the way to help sinners who want to repent]; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper [a bishop today serves as a judge to see if the repentant sinner is ready to return to full membership privileges];
4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed [the person who has repented] two birds [one represents the Savior during His mortal mission; the other represents the person who has repented] alive and clean, and cedar wood [symbolic of the cross], and scarlet [associated with mocking Christ before his crucifixion, Mark 15: 17], and hyssop [associated with Christ on the cross— John 19: 29]:
5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds [symbolic of the Savior] be killed in an earthen vessel [Christ was sent to earth to die for us] over running water [Christ offers living water, the gospel of Jesus Christ— John 7: 37– 38— which cleanses us when we come unto Him]:
6 As for the living bird [representing the person who has repented], he [the priest, symbolic of the bishop, stake president, one who holds the keys of judging] shall take it [the living bird], and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop [all associated with the Atonement], and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water [representing the cleansing power of the Savior's blood, which was shed for us]:
7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy [symbolically, being cleansed from sin] seven times [seven is the number that, in biblical numeric symbolism, represents completeness, perfection], and shall pronounce him clean [he has been forgiven], and shall let the living bird [the person who has repented] loose into the open field [representing the wide open opportunities again available in the kingdom of God for the person who truly repents].
8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes [symbolic of cleaning up one's life from sinful ways and pursuits— compare with Isaiah 1: 16], and shave off all his hair [symbolic of becoming like a newborn baby; having a fresh start], and wash himself in water [symbolic of baptism], that he may be clean [cleansed from sin]: and after that he shall come into the camp [rejoin the Lord's covenant people], and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off [symbolic of being born again]: and he shall wash his clothes [clean up his life], also he shall wash his flesh in water [symbolic of baptism], and he shall be clean [a simple fact— namely that we can truly be cleansed and healed by the Savior's Atonement].
10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish [symbolic of the Savior's perfect life], and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil [pure olive oil, symbolic of healing, of light from Christ, of the Holy Ghost— D& C 45: 55– 57— of the Savior's suffering in Gethsemane (the “oil press”) under the pressure and weight of our sins], and one log of oil.
11 And the priest that maketh him clean [symbolic of Christ] shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
12 And the priest shall take one he lamb [symbolic of Christ], and offer him for a trespass offering [an atonement], and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering [see Bible Dictionary, under “Feasts,” for an explanation of several types of “offerings” associated with ritual feasts] before the LORD:
13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering [the blood of the Lamb], and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear [symbolic of hearing and obeying the Lord] of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb [symbolic of actions, behaviors], of his right hand [the covenant hand; symbolic of making covenants with God], and upon the great toe of his right foot [symbolic of walking in the ways of God]:
15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven [symbolic of becoming perfect through Christ] times before the LORD:
17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering [among many possible symbols, one can be that, as we take upon us the cleansing blood of Christ through baptism, the Holy Ghost follows up by guiding us to hear, act, and walk in His ways]:
18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed [symbolic of being anointed in preparation for great blessings from the Lord]: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.
19 And the priest [symbolizing the Savior] shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.  (Ridges, David J. (2006-04-07). The Old Testament Made Easier -Part 2)

What great understanding can come as we contemplate the symbolisms taught by the Lord.