As we continue our journey through the symbolism of the articles of the Wilderness journey, I want us to consider how God, before the beginning of time, already knew mankind would reject Him and choose their own way. Today we will look at the bronze laver and the significance of placing this next after the blood sacrifice. At this point, the rest of the steps were performed by the priests on behalf of the people.
The laver is a bowl that held water. However, before the priest could wash on behalf of the people, there had to be bloodshed for the sins. At the bronze laver, the priest washed himself. This washing purified him and prepared him to enter the Tabernacle. If he missed this step or did not do it properly before entering the Tabernacle, the Lord said he would die.
Exodus 30:17-20 The LORD said to Moses, “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.”
This laver was made from brass mirrors that the women donated. I wonder if God asks all Christian women to bring their mirrors to church so they could be melted down and used in some fashion for Him, would they do it? These women were willing to go through 40 years without knowing what they looked like. These women were willing to give what they had to help make the things needed for worship. As they washed their hands and looked down at this laver, made from mirrors, it reminded them that the Lord sees past outward appearance straight to the heart. We may think we have it all together, following all the do’s and don’ts of religion, but God sees everything! If your heart is not sold out to seeking God and His righteousness, it will eventually come out in your actions and words.
I Samuel 16:7b “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Luke 6:45b “For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
We must keep our hearts with all diligence to be pure. We are washed by the blood of Jesus, and we then are given the Holy Spirit to guide and convict us when we are wrong. If we seek Him daily for a fresh cleansing, we will be able to guard our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
In Hebrews 10:22, the writer teaches us that just as the Israelites must be cleansed, we too must be cleansed by being washed in the precious blood of Jesus. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Jesus blood cleanses us from all sin when He becomes our Savior. He is enough, once and for all time, to forgive and to represent us to the Father. He is our advocate and our redeemer. Hebrews 9:13-14 teaches us that His blood is ultimately superior to the blood of animals sacrificed for sins.
Hebrews 9:13-14 “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
While we do not have to go to a priest or find a laver to wash ourselves to present ourselves to God, we have the opportunity to be clean before Him through Jesus. When we are saved, we are made clean, but to keep sweet fellowship with God, we must be aware of the things in our lives that do not please Him. When the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of God’s word, or the reading of God’s word, reveals something in our lives that does not please God, we need to repent. We are to strive to be more like Jesus every day, seeking what is best, not just ok. The progression of our lives should be good, better, and best. We are never to be satisfied with where we are in our Christian walk. Look in the mirror of your life today and ask the Holy Spirit what needs to be washed away.
