The Bronze Laver (Exodus
30:17-21)
Once offering our accepted
sacrifice upon the Bronze Altar, we then proceed west on
toward the Tabernacle.
Between the Bronze Altar and the Tabernacle is the Bronze Laver. What is this
telling us? Where are we in this pictograph that God has drawn out for us?
Previously, we were
unrighteous and could not enter the presence of God. The white fine twined
linen fence blocked us. However, there is one opening, a door if you please.
Jesus said, “I am the door:
by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture.” (John 10:9)
We entered that door. Once
doing so, we see an altar, and the sacrifice has been provided for us, the Lamb
of God. We accepted the sacrifice that was made for us. We now have been made
righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ.
“The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
We belong to Him now, so we
proceed onward to the Tabernacle tent to fellowship with God. However, as we
walk the dusty road of life, our feet become dirty. We must be clean before
entering the Tabernacle because we are on Holy ground (Exodus 3:5). So we
remove our sandals and He washes our feet.
“When Jesus came to Simon
Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied,
“You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter
protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash
you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and
head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed
all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And
you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray
him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” (John
13:6-11 NLT)
This is exactly what the
Apostle John is talking about in 1 John 1:9 when he says, “But if we confess
our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all wickedness.” At this point, we have come to the Laver.
Now some today practice
washing feet in their assemblies, and that’s fine if that’s what they want to
do, but this is not what the Bible is saying. We cannot make each other clean.
That can only be done by God. However, we can forgive one another, and we
should.
The Bronze Laver though is
about being washed clean spiritually. The washing is internal, not external.
Christians still sin, and we need to come to the Laver before entering the
Tabernacle. We don’t come to the Laver to be saved. We’re already saved. That
was accomplished at the Bronze Altar. It isn’t the whole body that needs to be
washed, just the feet as Jesus points out in John 13:6-11. So how are we washed
at the Laver?
“That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to
himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26-27)
We are washed by God’s Word
and we are forgiven for our daily sins (Matthew 6:12) by exercising 1 John 1:9
through prayer.
“If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
Yes, I am aware of the
following verses:
“If I then, your Lord and
Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I
have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John
13:14-15)
To be clear, Jesus is not
telling us to physically wash each other’s feet. He is telling us to forgive
each other. The washing is all about “forgiveness.” I wonder how many people
have physically washed someone’s feet in a church service and before the hour
was up, their sharp tongue was cutting the same person to shreds. Forgiveness
folks. It’s all about forgiveness.
Jesus did two things when He
washed the disciples’ feet. He forgave their sins and He made them clean. We
can forgive each other, and we should, but we cannot make someone else
spiritually clean. That can only be done at the Bronze Laver of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps this will become clearer as we proceed.
There is one important thing
about the Laver that must be pointed out. This is the only piece of furniture
that has no measurements. This says to me that God’s arms are opened wide to
His children. He is the Father in Luke 15:11- 32 waiting for his son or
daughter to come to their senses and come home. Now it doesn’t say that the
prodigal son was washed, but I’m sure after wallowing in the pigpen he was
washed before donning the finest robe in the house.
There is no measurement to
the Laver because our sins and they are many, are washed away by the blood of
the Lamb at the Altar, and washed away by the forgiving grace of Almighty God
at the Laver as we live before Him upon this earth.
There is no measurement to
the Laver because some of His children may sin more than others. Just as
earthly children differ, so do heavenly children. Some are more obedient. Some
are not as obedient. We all have our own personalities, weaknesses and
strengths, and God compensates for that. There is only one sin God cannot
forgive, and it cannot be committed by a Christian. That is the sin of
blaspheming the Holy Spirit found in Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30.
What a blessing it is to know
that we have a forgiving Father in Heaven. Keep in mind that our Heavenly
Father is not like so many parents of today who allow their unruly children to
run wild. He will discipline His own.
The Laver that stands just in
front of the Tabernacle tent also loudly proclaims that we are on Holy ground.
Just as God told Moses to remove his shoes, for he was on Holy ground, we need
to be clean to fellowship with our Lord. Jesus demonstrated in the verses above
(John 13:6-11) that we don’t need to be washed all over again as in salvation.
We just need to wash our feet as in restoration of fellowship when we sin.
When a Christian is baptized
(all others are dunked) it signifies the cleansing power of Jesus when He saves
us and the on-going cleansing in the life of His children as He washes the dust
from our feet. It also signifies that we identify with His sacrifice for us at
the Bronze Altar and our new life with Him as we journey toward the Holy of
Holies.
Grant Phillips
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
