Leviticus 13 - 15

Ceremonially Unclean
The three chapters of today's reading deal with subjects - sores, infections, skin diseases, mildew, and bodily fluids.  I find it remarkable that matters deemed relevant today by modern science where effectively dealt with based on faith in God back then.  Because the children of Israel were living in a wilderness and primarily in tents travelling to the promised land, the potential for rapidly spreading diseases to have a deleterious affect on the entire community had to be mitigated with strict rules.


In many ways, instructions the Lord had Moses provide to his followers were a form of risk management.  Someone in authority, the priest, would assess the risk, and then, if necessary, quarantine the threat.  While it was not a sin to have a skin rash, it was a sin to expose others to it.  These laws acknowledged the possibility of contagious diseases and provided methods to prevent a devastating epidemic.

Once again, the wisdom of the Lord provides for not only the spiritual quality of life but also the natural quality of life.  


May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.