What is Fullers' Soap? How is it related to COVID?

 I learned a new insight this morning from my scripture reading from Malachi 3:1-4.

"For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap;..." 

I know about the refiner's fire but what is fullers' soap? I found this blog which is quite helpful:

"After a bit of digging, I found that a fuller was the individual who would take the raw, filthy wool from sheep and purify it using a variety of techniques, including an extremely harsh soap that would ultimately help to make it clean. It was an undesirable job. It was dirty work. It took a great deal of effort to make it white.

Trials in our lives require us to use fuller's soap. Fuller's soap can be an apology. It can be healing from a physical affliction. It can be mending a broken relationship. It can mean paying whatever price needs to be paid to make something right. Sometimes, we carry fuller's soap with us daily, continually. Its abrasiveness is painful, horrible, tough, and gut-wrenching. It is also desirable, stimulating, empowering, and necessary. Don't be afraid to use fuller's soap, for in it you will find healing."

I did a little more digging myself and this is what I found:

In the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition translation which is more of a literal translation of the Vulgate, Fuller's soap is translated as Fuller's herb. Fuller's Teasel Herb (Dipsacus Fullonum L. – Fullonum Herba) is native to Eurasia and North Africa and is also known as wild teasel. It has prickly leaves and stem and pinkish or purplish flower. Fuller's Teasel was originally grown to be used in the wool industry. It makes me wonder if it was used as soap at the time of Malachi.

Now you can find Fuller's Teasel Herb as a tea product from Amazon!!

The New Testament reading today is from Hebrews 2:14-18:

"¹⁴ Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death." 

Going through this COVID-19 pandemic isn't easy. I see a lot of fear in people. I myself haven't been afraid. I know if I catch this virus I will suffer and maybe die from it. I have learned that if it comes it is still good for me. I will really learn what it means to suffer and what it means "to offer it up". COVID seems like the Fullers' Soap. It serves to clean off a lot of dirt in our lives so we will be white as wool (Revelation 1:14 and Isaiah 1:18) to prepare us for that blessed day! We can learn from Jesus. He has already gone through suffering and death for us!

"¹⁷ Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested."