Be Ye Clean

There’s a phrase that we often here in the teachings of leaders of the Church that came from Isaiah.  It reads, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isaiah 52:11).  Elder Holland suggested that the phrase “bear the vessels of the Lord” had at least two meanings. 

He said, “The first refers to the recovery and return to Jerusalem of various temple implements that had been carried into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. In physically handling the return of these items, the Lord reminded those early brethren of the sanctity of anything related to the temple. Therefore as they carried back to their homeland these various bowls, basins, cups, and other vessels, they themselves were to be as clean as the ceremonial instruments they bore” (see here).  Isaiah 52 where this phrase is mentioned is generally regarded as a chapter about the last days.  Even the Lord’s interpretation of verse 1 spoke about how the verse referenced “those whom God should call in the last days” (D&C 113:8).  But given this interpretation from Elder Holland, and as I reread Isaiah 52, it makes sense that this prophecy could also be referring to the time when Judah was returning to Jerusalem after their Babylonian captivity.  The chapter speaks of how the people were “taken away” and there were “waste places” but also how they would “bring again Zion” and how Jerusalem would be “redeemed.”  All of this fits with a description of Judah trying to get back from Babylon and rebuild their city at the time of Cyrus.  The people were told, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence,” just as the Jews were told to finally leave the land of their captivity.  In our dispensation the Lord seemed to make this interpretation as well, saying, “Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (D&C 133:5).  They had to literally return home from Babylon in that ancient day, and today we must choose to flee the influence of Babylon that is all around us. 

                The second interpretation for the phrase “bear the vessels of the Lord” according to Elder Holland is that “we are also to be a sanctified instrument as well.”  He quoted Paul’s language that “if a man therefore purge himself… he shall be a vessel… sanctified, and meet for the master’s use” (2 Timothy 2:21).  In other words, I think the idea here is that we could rephrase the sentence to say, “Be ye clean, that are the vessels of the Lord.”  Just as Paul was a “chosen vessel” unto the Lord, we too can be an instrument in His hands if we will be clean and pure (Acts 9:15).  The Lord said in our dispensation, “And go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (D&C 38:42).  Just as the ancient Israelites had to physically flee from Babylon to return to Jerusalem, we must leave the wickedness of the world in order to be effective servants to the Lord.  If we want to be a chosen vessel in the Lord’s hands like Paul we must “touch not that which is unclean” and sanctify ourselves, so that “to morrow the Lord [can] do wonders among [us]” (Joshua 3:5).