Don't Do the Dew

Leviticus 13: 49-62

So even if you're pronounced "clean" your clothing might not be. And not unclean in the this is third day I've worn these jeans, they're starting to smell bad kind of unclean- more like go and burn those jeans before their retched-ness is spread throughout the community. You know, that kind of unclean.

So, the clothing is treated pretty much like people were in the last section. If they have mildew, take them to the priest, and he checks them out. He'll isolate it for seven days and then re-examine. If it's spreading, it's time to hit the tunic sale at JC Penney's- oh and you have to actually burn the infected piece of clothing.

If it hasn't spread, you can wash the clothing (what a novel idea). Then seven more days in isolation. If the stain hasn't changed, it goes to the fire. If it has faded and not spread, you can just tear that part of the clothing out. So you can keep the shirt, there'll just be this pesky hole when you wear it.

If the spot shows back up, into the fire.

It seems perhaps that this clothing quarantine can be looked at as a metaphor. At the risk of seeming a brimstone spewer- maybe the message is without Jesus, who can permanently cleanse our stains (that whole "whiter than snow" idea)- we're destined to a future in fire.

Or maybe it's marketing for Israelite laundry detergent.