Exodus 19:11, commentary and pictures

God set two full days for Israel to get ready because on the morning of the third day He Himself would come down openly upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Being ready meant being sanctified by humiliation, fasting, prayer, putting away sin, and washing the body and clothing so no uncleanness remained before His near holiness. In that descent He spoke His law in person to the whole camp, proclaiming the Ten Commandments amid thick cloud, angels, and awful displays of power that filled the people with reverence and terror. His presence made even the foot of the mountain holy, so bounds were set and man or beast touching it must die without a hand touching the offender. The command shows He is a God of order who requires outward cleanliness as the sign of inward purity, a requirement that still rests on His people who worship Him and look to meet Him.

Descent on the Third Day

Soon after Israel encamped at Sinai Moses alone climbed the steep and rugged path to the cloud marking the divine presence to meet with God. There 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. Within that solemn covenant Moses repeated the divine message to the elders of Israel and they pledged to do all the Lord had spoken, accepting Him as their ruler and becoming in a special sense the subjects of His authority. This was the setting after their deliverance from Egypt, ready for the Lord to come down in the sight of the people to proclaim His law which they had been delivered to keep.

On the appointed third day the Lord would come down visibly in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. That visible descent gave Israel evidence that He is God and made clear the holiness and danger of His nearness. Because the Lord was drawing near the people had to be sanctified and made ready for His appearance, entering sacred nearness without impurity. He came in a thick cloud so that His glory would not destroy them, and the mountain down to its foot was holy so that neither people nor animals could go up it or touch its border.

The descent was the public setting in which God gave Israel His law with wonderful promises connected with obeying His commandments. He approached to speak His law Himself in the hearing of all the people, not by angels, proclaiming the Ten Commandments as heaven's statute book. God gave express directions for two full days of solemn preparation and came on the morning of the third day. This was fifty days after Israel passed through the Red Sea, while the whole congregation was encamped in the plain in full view of the mount, brought to natural solitude and sublimity to hear His voice. On that morning the people obeyed the command through Moses and drew near with fear and solemnity, prepared to hear God speak His law.

The speaking came in a scene of awful grandeur in keeping with the exalted character of the law, to impress that everything connected with the service of God must be regarded with the greatest reverence. A thick cloud and thick darkness covered God so His glory would not destroy the people, while He stood on the mount surrounded by angels. He joined the proclamation with displays of power and glory to fill the people with deep reverence for the Author of the law as Creator of heaven and earth, and to show to all the sacredness, importance and permanence of His law. The sight overwhelmed Israel with terror so they shrank back from the mountain in fear and awe and begged Moses to speak with them lest they die if God spoke with them. Its impact was meant to remain in memory and be taught to descendants.

God's presence consecrated and sanctified the mountain, making it holy, so bounds were set about it to be kept in order. No person or animal could go up or touch its border on pain of instant death, for contact of sinful man with that divine presence would result in instant death by stoning or shooting without a hand touching the offender. Its holiness taught them to recognize the sacredness of the law proclaimed there. Such reverence for consecrated place stands in contrast to turning God's temple into a marketplace.

The words were spoken straight from the lips of God to Moses on the mount and are to be studied for profit. The law pronounced there in solemn display of divine authority teaches obedience to all God's commandments and is the highest education because it comes from God. It calls God's people up to a higher standard, and unless they come up to it idolatry in one shape or another will be in their midst and will cut them away from strength. The instruction of Exodus 19 and 20 is important, to be repeated often and sacredly observed, including keeping holy the memorial of creation.

Ready Through Sanctified Cleanliness

To be ready meant to be sanctified today and tomorrow in solemn preparation to appear before God. The two intervening days were to be occupied in humiliation, fasting, and prayer, with worldly labor and care set aside and devotional thoughts cultivated. Moses pointed out their sins so that hearts might be cleansed from iniquity, sins were to be put away, and an abiding sense of the holiness of God whose voice they were soon to hear was to be cherished. In this way they were to become purified and ready to hear and obey when He approached to speak His law Himself.

Readiness required washing clothes, with bodies and clothing and camp made free from all personal uncleanness and impurity. No impurity was to be tolerated in that sacred nearness, on pain of death, for He came veiled in thick cloud lest His glory destroy them. Outward cleanliness was the outward sign of inward purity and evidence that truth had purified the soul and refined the tastes.

The command to wash reveals particularity, for He is a God of order who requires order, strict cleanliness, and reverence, with nothing slack, untidy, impure or unclean in clothing or person. As Creator of Eden and all that is lovely He wants order and cleanliness with His people and will have no impurity about them when they come before Him. Worship offered with unclean garments and persons is not acceptable, for it displeases Him, insults the Maker from lack of reverence, and He will not draw near or go with His people while filth and disorder remain. Its object was not only to gain His approbation but to make a right impression on the people. It was to give them an exalted idea of the holiness of God and His requirements, to show His work is sacred and all defilement must be put away from those who approach Him, and to preserve their awe and reverence.

The same requirement rests on His people now, poor as well as others, to honor Him by habits of scrupulous neatness and purity in person, dress, and home. The Ten Commandments cannot live in hearts of disorderly, filthy habits, nor can the sacred law be written on hearts unclean in person, clothing, or houses. All who meet to worship on the Sabbath should when possible wear a neat, well-fitting, comely suit in the house of worship, and it dishonors the Sabbath, God, and His house to wear the week-long farm work clothes when other clothing can be obtained. Ministers and all connected with His work should be careful, neat, tasteful, orderly and proper in apparel and deportment, so their appearance recommends the holy religion and preaches reverence to believers and unbelievers. By intelligent human action body, clothing, house and premises are to be kept clean and pure so the Lord can approach and be honored, for neglect of cleanliness induces disease. The call to be ready and clean before His descent applies to His people in the latter days, who are to be clean in body and clothing and pure in mind, thoughts, and words because they are to be translated to heaven.