This
is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the
tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, and every open
container without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.
“Anyone
out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone
who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave,
will be unclean for seven days.” Numbers 19:14-16
Remember,
they didn’t have anti-bacterial soap and a fresh supply of running water at
their disposal. If someone died from a
plague or disease, anyone who touched that person could spread that disease and
all of the Israelites could die very quickly.
These rules were necessary and kept the people’s minds on good, hygienic
practices.
Plus,
there was a spiritual lesson too. Sin
equals death, so when they touched death, they needed to be cleansed. This physical practice reminded them of a
spiritual practice of confession and atonement which cleansed a person
spiritually.