Law of God
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labor and care, and to possess devotional thoughts. God required them
also to wash their clothes. He is no less particular now than he was
then. He is a God of order, and requires his people now upon the
earth to observe habits of strict cleanliness. And those who worship
God with uncleanly garments and persons do not come before him in
an acceptable manner. He is not pleased with their lack of reverence
for him, and he will not accept the service of filthy worshipers, for
they insult their Maker. The Creator of the heavens and of the earth
considered cleanliness of so much importance that he said, “And let
them wash their clothes.”
“And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying,
Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch
the border of it. Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to
death. There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned,
or shot through, whether it be beast or man, it shall not live. When
the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.” This
command was designed to impress the minds of this rebellious people
with a profound veneration for God, the author and authority of their
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laws.
“And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there
were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and
the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that
was in the camp trembled.” The angelic host that attended the divine
Majesty summoned the people by a sound resembling that of a trumpet,
which waxed louder and louder until the whole earth trembled.
“And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with
God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai
was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in
fire, and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and
the whole mount quaked greatly.” The divine Majesty descended in a
cloud with a glorious retinue of angels, who appeared as flames of fire.
“And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed
louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount,
and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses
went up. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people,
lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them
perish. And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify