Numbers 5:3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

The Israelites were now settled in the camp according to their tribes. The first instruction regarding living together is health and hygiene. Any Jew who has become unclean will be put out of the camp. This is to prevent the spread of infection and affect the whole camp. Cleanliness is important.

There is an idiom which says like this, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Its meaning is, except worshipping God, the next most important thing in life is to be clean. But, with the Jews, cleanliness was not next to godliness; it was part of godliness. Among the unclean things that the children of Israel were commanded to avoid are dead bodies, leprosy, and bodily discharges. Elaborate washing rituals were prescribed to render an unclean person clean again so that he could re-enter the community and the sanctuary of the Lord (Numbers 19). For the Jews, keeping the ceremonial laws and regulations was considered the way to approach God. An unclean person was put out of the camp. They had to wait until their disease was healed and the purification performed before they could be admitted back into the camp.

Cleanliness is not next to godliness but part of godliness. There is a defilement that is worse than physical disease and illness; it is spiritual defilement. It is called SIN. Sin is so nauseating to God that it separates man and God. Just as an Israelite who was defiled could not join in the camp with the rest, the sinner could not enter the kingdom of God until he has been cleansed from his sins: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

In Israel’s camp in the wilderness, physical hygiene was important; this was to prevent the spread of disease to the masses. In the spiritual camp, which is the church of God, spiritual hygiene is important; this is to prevent the spread of sin in the church. The scriptures make it clear that “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6).

Those who make bread know the importance of leaven, or yeast. It takes just a small quantity of leaven or yeast to pervade the entire mass of flour, or dough, and diffuse itself through it all. Leaven is used in the scriptures to refer to whatever has the power of corrupting, whether doctrine, example, or anything else. The expression used by Paul, “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” refers to a sin, which, if allowed in the church to carry on, will act like leaven; it will pervade and corrupt the whole church, unless it is removed. For this reason, discipline should be administered to remove the corrupt member: “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Corinthians 5:13).

With God, cleanliness (spiritual) is part of godliness. The sinner who has been cleansed spiritually is sanctified and make holy: “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

We have been cleansed from our sins (Acts 22:16). Let us stay holy in all our living for holiness is a prerequisite to enter heaven (Hebrews 12:14). “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” (1 Peter 1:15, ESV).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.