DEVARIM

Words [of Moses]

13 And thou shalt have a paddle [shovel] upon [in addition to to] thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad [relieve thyself outside], thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

The Law of Moses provided even for sanitation in a way that was the most effectual of all sanitary methods from what is called the hygienic point of view, and at the same time, as a type, yielded some interesting suggestions concerning the perfect state that is coming.

The uncleanness and stench of military camps are well known in times of war. This was provided against during Israel's journey in the wilderness by the direction contained in Deut. 23:13--which was probably acted on when they settled in their land.

The system of earth closets is considered in our day the best method of disposing of nightsoil. The principle of the earth-closet (covering up at once with a layer of mother earth) is the principle of the Mosaic enactment. The earth, by its chemical action, soon absorbs the rejected elements, and turns into an earth-enriching manure that which by a bungling treatment easily becomes a source of disease.

It is far better than the modern systems of disposing of sewage. If it cannot be carried out under modern conditions in great cities, it is because the modem system of banishing the people from the land and huddling them together in masses at great centres does not admit of it. Men are beginning to see that this system itself is as much a mistake as the systems of sewage, and that the best conditions for mortal population are those prescribed by the Law of Moses.

While they have begun to see this, they have not begun to discover how the system is to be altered. This is beyond their power. God will alter it in the day when He fulfils His promise to set up a Kingdom that will break in pieces all others, and stand for ever, as the everlasting refuge of man for the glory of God.

The "the isles shall wait for his law", They will say, "He will teach us of his ways and we shall walk in his paths", But His name must be hallowed and His will be done before the blessedness can come. This will result from the judgments which will teach the world righteousness. A clean, holy, happy earth will then outspread itself to view everywhere to the joy of righteous men.

But what suggestion of the perfect day is there in the Mosaic method of sanitation? What type can we see in this? The comment associated with the injunction may help us'

"Therefore shall thy camp be holy, that he see no unclean thing in thee",

While this was a word of practical direction for the time then present for Israel, we cannot err in seeing a typical significance in so striking an element of a law which was "a shadow of good things to come". We read in the Apocalypse (20:9) of "the camp of the saints"--the camp of the holy ones--in the happy day.

This is a camp in which no unclean thing is seen: "There shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth". While this applies to the moral characteristics of those admitted, it is true physically as well. All who "enter therein" are incorruptible in nature. They require no longer to say,

"He shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body",

because this has been done. They can now exult historically that though "sown in dishonour" they have been

"raised in glory: sown in weakness, raised in power: sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body",

A corruptible and unclean body is no longer their experience. All that has been buried away in the earthy experience of the past. By the weapon which they used--"the sword of the Spirit" --is the change which has caused "this corruptible to put on incorruption".

Law of Moses Ch 31.