Exodus 19:10, commentary and pictures

God directed Moses to have Israel spend two days setting themselves apart and washing their clothing to be ready, for on the third day He would come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. To be sanctified meant to turn from worldly work to devotion, humbling themselves with fasting and prayer, putting away sin, and cultivating a sense of God's holiness. No one could even listen to the proclamation of the Ten Commandments without clean bodies and clothing freed from all impurity, for everything approaching Him must be holy and free from defilement. The requirement made bodily cleanliness a recorded act before meeting God, showing He is holy, will not bear iniquity, and is a God of order who delights in cleanliness and cares for physical as well as moral well-being. The same cleansing is required no less of His people now, who must keep body, clothing, mind, and home clean and pure and separate from the world as He prepares them for translation to heaven.

Sinai Setting and Covenant

The command belongs to the time soon after Israel's encampment at Sinai when Moses climbed alone up the steep path to meet God at the cloud marking Jehovah's presence. At that time Israel was to be taken into a close and peculiar relation to the Most High, to be incorporated as a church and a nation under the government of God. Through the divine message carried to the elders and their answer pledging to do all the Lord had spoken, they entered into a solemn covenant accepting Him as their ruler and becoming in a special sense the subjects of His authority.

After Israel promised as a nation to obey Him, the people were to be sanctified today and tomorrow and wash their clothes and be ready against the third day. For on the third day the Lord would come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai to speak His holy law in their hearing. Bounds were to be set about the mount, and the people were warned not to go up into the mount or touch its border, on pain of certain death by stoning or shooting, whether beast or man. Only when the trumpet sounded long were they to come up to the mount. Moses went down from the mount, and the people washed and obeyed according to the command and drew near on the third day.

God descended upon the mountain wrapped in a cloud of glory to speak the ten precepts of His holy law. He stood upon the mount surrounded by a retinue of angels, speaking out of the thick darkness that enshrouded Him. He purposed to make the giving of the law a scene of awful grandeur in keeping with its exalted character, accompanying its proclamation with manifestations of His power and glory to impress profound veneration for the Author of the law. Everything connected with the service of God was thus to be regarded with the greatest reverence. The people of Israel were overwhelmed with terror and shrank away from the mountain in fear and awe, asking Moses to speak with them rather than have God speak with them lest they die.

This public revelation from Sinai came after deliverance from Egyptian slavery by mighty power despite the opposition of Pharaoh. It gave Israel evidence that God was in the mount, a God who would not bear iniquity, and that He who had delivered them to give them a new knowledge of Himself was truly God, the Creator of heaven and earth. It was meant to preserve them from the nations' idolatry and from falling into total apostasy. It called them to keep the law first given in Eden.

The nineteenth chapter with the greater portion of the twentieth chapter and Exodus 31:12-18 proves that God has sanctified the Sabbath and gives a plain Thus saith the Lord for keeping the seventh day. The seventh day is the memorial of creation, blessed and sanctified as a day of rest after six days of creation work, and the Lord is the only true God who demands that His people be obedient to His Word. This instruction of Exodus 19 and 20 is of great importance, to be often repeated and sacredly observed. It is to be read before congregations and printed just as it reads in small books and pamphlets and leaflets and placed in the hands of those who plead for Sunday laws, with no discussion over the Sunday question. Giving this word throws the burden of responsibility upon those who reject it, so that opposition is against the specifications of the word and the controversy is with God, and all who turn aside from a plain Thus saith the Lord will be condemned. The law given at Sinai presents obedience to all of God's commandments as the highest education, for true education means obedience to all of God's commandments and standing on the Lord's side at a time when every device is used to draw people away from truth and righteousness.

Preparation Commanded

For two days the people were to sanctify themselves and wash their clothes to be ready against the third day, when the Lord would come down in sight of all the people upon the mount to speak His holy law in their hearing. The washing was required lest there be impurity in clothing and about their persons as they came up before Him, with bounds set about the mount and careful obedience and freedom from impurity required in that sacred nearness. Moses went down from the mount and the people washed their clothes according to the command of God and obeyed and drew near on the third day. The command was both a sanitary measure and a religious regulation, reflecting that order and cleanliness are laws of heaven.

Sanctifying for those two days meant setting themselves apart by refraining from worldly work and concerns and care, turning thoughts to devotion and cultivating devotional thoughts. As Moses pointed out their sins they were to devote themselves to humiliation, fasting, and prayer, putting away sins that their hearts might be cleansed from iniquity. They were to cherish an abiding sense of the holiness of God whose voice they were soon to hear, and to occupy the intervening time in solemn preparation to appear before Him. The preparation joined this inward devotion with clean persons and garments, showing that cleanliness and reverence matter in worship.

Person, bodies, and clothing were to be freed from all personal impurity and uncleanness, and all uncleanness was to be put away and removed from the encampment and camp. Impurity was not tolerated when the Lord was among them and in His presence, and disobedience was punishable by death. They were to come with clean bodies and clean clothes to hear the proclamation of the law, making personal cleanliness a requirement for approaching God.

When the Lord came down the place was consecrated by His presence and all the people were cleansed and sanctified to meet Him. The mount was sanctified by bounds put around it under warning that man or beast touching it would surely be put to death. He came in a thick cloud so that His glory would not destroy the people.

God's Holiness Revealed

The command to sanctify the people and wash their clothes gave Israel evidence that God Himself was in the mount, the God who had delivered them from Egyptian slavery to give them a new knowledge of Himself and who was truly God, who would not bear iniquity. He was to come down in sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai on the third day to speak His holy law in their hearing, with bounds set about the mount and warning not to go up or touch its border. Speaking out of the thick darkness that enshrouded Him as He stood upon the mount surrounded by a retinue of angels, He made known His law with manifestations of power and glory to impress profound veneration for its Author. That Author so revealed is the Creator of Eden and of heaven and earth, a great and mighty Creator.

The washing was required lest there be impurity in clothing and about their persons as they came up before the Lord to hear His law declared. It showed that God is holy, that His work is sacred, and that everything connected with His work must be holy and free from impurity and uncleanness, with all defilement put away from those approaching Him. It showed He is a God of order who wants order and cleanliness with His people, for order and cleanliness are laws of heaven.

The direction to set the people apart for two days and have them clean their garments made bodily cleanliness an important, specifically recorded act before meeting God. It was not commanded only because He is pleased to see His children in clean apparel, but to impress them with His purity and to show that He cares for their physical well-being as well as their moral well-being. The same God who commanded Israel to wash and put away all impurity from the encampment because in passing by He would see any uncleanness is passing by homes today and sees unsanitary conditions and lax methods, and He will not sanction impurity in the home now.

Cleanliness and Reverence Taught

Jehovah required Israel to cleanse their clothing and come with clean bodies before they could so much as listen to the proclamation of the Ten Commandments from Sinai. Before they gathered to hear God proclaim the law they were to wash themselves and their clothes, and to prepare by cleansing themselves and washing their clothes as part of being sanctified to meet Him. Personal cleanliness and freedom from impurity about person and clothing was made a requirement for approaching Him and hearing His voice, and impurity was not tolerated in His presence, with disobedience punishable by death. This preparation joined bodily and outward cleanliness with readiness to meet God, and teaches that cleanliness in body and clothing matters in approaching holy things and reflects the purity He desires in His people.

The command to set themselves apart, refrain from worldly work and concerns, turn thoughts to devotion, and wash clothes teaches that cleanliness and reverence matter in worship and that orderly, clean presentation is required before Him. The washing was required lest there be impurity in clothing and about their persons as they came up before the Lord, teaching that He is holy and His presence and service require cleanliness, order, and reverence. Care in outward preparation also made a right impression on the people, giving them an exalted idea of God and His requirements, and helped them respect God and His sacred service. As a great and mighty Creator and God of order who wants order and cleanliness with His people, He can be honored or dishonored by the apparel of those who appear before Him, giving especial directions about dress, service, and cleanliness. Decency and neatness are compatible with reverence for God, and to treat them as pride misrepresents the command.

Everything connected with His work must be holy and free from impurity and uncleanness, and all defilement must be put away from those approaching Him, to be regarded with greatest reverence as holy. When the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai the place was consecrated by His presence and all the people were cleansed and sanctified to meet Him, requiring purity and reverence in approaching God. As His presence sanctified the mount, with bounds put around it under warning that man or beast touching it would surely be put to death, so His presence makes equally sacred the temple reared to His honor. That standard of reverence due where He is present stands directly opposite to turning the temple dedicated to Him into a marketplace and house of merchandise.

Worship also required a sanctified heart, not merely clean outward appearance. Physical cleanliness and neat dress were commanded as an outward sign of purity within, giving evidence that truth had wrought a change in the life in purifying the soul and refining the tastes. Bodily, clothing, and house cleanliness is still required for that sacred law to live in the heart and be written there, and disorderly, filthy habits make it impossible, no matter how high the profession, for its pure precepts cannot be written upon the hearts of those untidy in person and home. The call to holiness expressed in setting the people apart and washing their clothes also applies to cleanliness in worship in caring for clean air and obeying the laws of cleanliness and godliness.

Present Duty and Application

The command to wash was both a sanitary measure and a religious regulation, and it requires no less of God's people now than of ancient Israel. It is even more necessary for those living in close houses where impurities are more observable and have a more unhealthful influence. Neglect of cleanliness induces disease.

Bodily, clothing, and house cleanliness is still required for that sacred law to live in the heart and be written there, and disorderly, filthy habits make it impossible, no matter how high the profession. All who meet to worship God on the Sabbath should if possible wear a neat, well-fitting, comely suit in the house of worship. To wear the same farm labor clothing worn through the week when other clothing can be obtained dishonors the Sabbath, God, and His house.

All who preach holy truth must now be careful, neat, orderly, tasteful, and clean in person, actions, apparel, and deportment, showing care and reverence for God so that every item recommends the religion and dress itself is a sermon to unbelievers. Slovenly, untidy dress preaches lack of taste and slackness, removes awe and reverence, and dishonors truth. Voluntary neglect of the body in will-worship is not heavenly humility. Physical cleanliness and neat dress were commanded as an outward sign of purity within, giving evidence that truth had wrought a change in the life in purifying the soul and refining the tastes. The requirement binds the poor as well as others and continues today, when those who represent the high and holy God must honor Him by habits of scrupulous neatness and purity in person, dress, and home in preparation for a pure and holy heaven.

Parents as God's agents are to train children from an early age in habits of cleanliness. That physical cleanliness teaches the spiritual lesson that God wants them clean in heart as well as in body, with pure principles prompting every act of life, and helps them understand the need for purity of heart. The same God who commanded Israel to wash and put away impurity because in passing by He would see any uncleanness is passing by homes today and sees unsanitary conditions and lax methods, and He will not sanction impurity in the home now. God still requires His people to keep bodies and clothing clean and minds, thoughts, and words pure, because He is preparing them for translation to heaven. The instruction is a call to remain separate and distinct, free from worldly influences, and wholly obedient to God. Such purification and obedience to all His commandments was necessary for Israel to receive the law and is necessary to receive the mercy promised in the gospel.

God's care for cleanliness and neatness applies to His people now as well, illustrating that He wants His people to be clean and holy. Their camp is to be kept clean so that uncleanness will not hinder His presence or favor in battle. Those who remain untidy after repeated admonition should be disfellowshipped because His frown would be upon the church.