Washing and other potentially contaminated materials and surfaces are central to the biblical testimony in biblical hygiene and quarantine laws. (See Lev. 13-15.)

Saints of old had to take these laws at face value by faith. There was no way they could understand how bacteria and viruses and other matters of uncleanness existed and multiplied. We really could not understand the quarantine laws until the invention of the microscope. Viruses are after all, invisible to the human eye. In modern times we know a lot more about how diseases spread, so we have personal hygiene rules that cause us to wash our hands and clean surfaces. This is a proper application of the quarantine laws of the Bible.

The Bible is the first in ancient literature to speak of handwashing. But handwashing to restrain the spread of disease is a fairly modern idea. Hungarian doctor, Ignaz Semmelweis is known as the father of hand washing. In 1846 he observed that women giving birth in his maternity ward were much more likely to get a fever and die if treated with unwashed hands. He had the midwives wash their hands and the death rate dropped. 

Today, we are told that washing hands is very effective in stopping the spread of disease. The Centers for Disease Control says, “Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.” The CDC has even named October 15 “global handwashing day.” When the CDC says, “wash your hands and don’t touch your face,” they are advocating a biblical principle.

In the Bible, radical cleansing processes were prescribed, just like in modern hospitals. In Leviticus 17:15-16, every person who touches something which has died is required to wash himself and his clothes. Cleaning is required for plaster and stones in houses. The Law also gave priests the authority to tear down a sick house if they could not make it a healthy place to live after a process of trial and error. 

These laws set a precedent for washing and taking other measures if you come into personal physical contact with disease. So, washing your hands after you shake hands with someone who is infected is appropriate. It is the Christian thing to do. If you are the one infected, then you should not be touching others. Love protects. 

Today I want to talk about maintaining good hygiene. Washing potentially contaminated materials and surfaces is central to the biblical testimony. In the biblical hygiene and quarantine laws in Leviticus 13 through 15. Now saints of old had to take these laws at face value by faith. There was no way they could understand how bacteria and viruses and other matters of uncleanness existed and multiplied.

And we really couldn't understand the quarantine laws until the invention of microscopes. Viruses are invisible to the human eye. So in modern times we know a lot more about how diseases spread so we have personal hygiene regimens that cause us to wash our hands and clean surfaces. This is a proper application of the biblical quarantine and hygiene laws. I've heard it said that the Bible is the first in ancient literature to speak of hand washing, But hand washing to restrain the spread of disease is a fairly modern idea in secular society.

A Hungarian doctor, Ignaz Semmelweis, is known as the father of hand washing in 1846. He observed that women giving birth in his maternity ward were much more likely to get a fever and die if treated with unwashed hands. So he had the midwives wash their hands and the death rate dropped. So today we're told that washing hands is very effective in stopping the spread of disease. That's why the CDC says, and I'll quote, washing your hands is easy and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.

Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community, from your home and workplace to child care facilities and hospitals." The CDC even named October 15th as Global Hand Washing Day. So when the CDC says wash your hands and don't touch your face, they're actually advocating a biblical principle. Because in the Bible, radical cleansing processes were prescribed just like in modern hospitals. In Leviticus 17, 15 through 16, every person who touches something which has died is required to wash himself and his clothes. Cleaning is required for plaster and even stones in houses.

The law gave priests the authority to tear down a sick house if they could not make it healthy after a pretty long process of trial and error. These laws in the Bible set a precedent for washing and taking other measures if you come into personal contact with disease. So washing your hands after you shake hands with someone who is infected is appropriate. It's the Christian thing to do. I don't think Christians should do it obsessively.

But if you're the one infected, then you