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Jun 02, 2022 18:30pm

He Washes Us Clean

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New mothers were dying and doctors couldn’t figure out why. In the 1840s, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis was deeply concerned when he realized how high mortality rate was among mothers who had just given birth in their hospital. The hospital had two wings for maternity, one for the midwives and their students and the other for the doctors and their students.

The mortality rate for the midwives’ ward was around 30%, while the death rate was in the 90% for the doctor’s ward. Why the stark difference?

After much study and research, Dr Semmelweis concluded that doctors could not go deliver a baby right after completing an autopsy in the morgue. He instructed all doctors to begin washing their hands and soon, the mortality rate dropped dramatically.

Hand washing prevented the spread of germs.

God already knew this. He gave specific instructions to the children of Israel on how to cleanse themselves after coming in contact with a dead body.

“He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.” (Numbers 19:11-13)

The cleansing was for physical and symbolic reasons. Death was the ultimate result of sin, so anyone who touched anything that was dead became unclean, both spiritually and physically. A sacrifice had to be made and then a cleansing ritual would ensue. If it wasn’t done properly, the unclean person could be cast out and cut off from the camp.

It’s 2022 and we still can’t get the concept that washing your hands prevents the spread of germs. I was at the grocery store the other day and while in the restroom, two people walked out without ever washing their hands. Have we learned nothing since the 1840s?

Physically, our country needs purification. But we need it spiritually as well. As a sinner, I am defiled. I am nothing but filthy rags coming before a Holy and Righteous God. I am unclean. But God, in His incredible power and majesty, left His throne to come to this earth and wash me clean. He took on the sin debt of death that we owed. All of our filth and defilement was placed on His shoulders at Calvary.

Lord, wash me. I am unclean. I am unworthy. Only you can wash away the sins of my heart. Only you can take what is defiled and make it pure.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)