EXO 30:17-2117And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 18Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. (Exodus 30:17‑21))"AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat. When they go into the tent of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations."
The Laver and His Foot.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a layer of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal.] These scriptures are " the word of God;" this gives them their importance and authority. They are also " the testimony of Jesus Christ;" this gives them their interest to us as redeemed sinners, and their value to our souls, as containing God's testimony concerning his Son.
God's thoughts about Christ are embodied in type, and given us in the scriptures, that we might have fellowship with the Father in his own estimate of his Son. In the laver and his foot, we have the divinely given figure or shadow of CHRIST as our SANCTIFICATION.
" Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and SANCTIFICATION, and redemption." (1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30).).In this 30th chapter of Exodus, from verse 11, typically the believer is regarded, first, redeemed by the blood (11-16);.secondly, sanctified with the washing of water (17-21); thirdly, anointed with the oil (22-33); and, fourthly, accepted in the perfume. (34-38.) "The Spirit, the water, and the blood." (1 John 5:6-86This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1 John 5:6‑8).)
Or, in another aspect, 1St (ver. 11-16), Christ is seen in his atoning death for our redemption.
2nd. (ver. 17-21), in his life, death, and resurrection, as our sanctification.
3rd (ver. 22-33), ascended to God's right hand, receiving and giving the spirit, for our anointing.
4th (ver. 34 to end), in the assembly, and within the vail, appearing before God in all his preciousness on our behalf, for our acceptance.
In Solomon's temple there were ten lavers, standing on their ten bases, and one molten sea, standing on twelve oxen. (1 Kings 7:23-2623And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 24And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 25It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. 26And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths. (1 Kings 7:23‑26).) In Ezekiel's temple there is no laver nor sea, but a river, whose waters issue out from under the threshold of the house eastward, deepening and widening as it flows.
All these are so many figures of Christ, and of the cleansing, sanctifying, life-giving, life-sustaining power of the Spirit of God, full of the richest interest and instruction: but on these we cannot now enlarge.
The word "laver," in the Hebrew, signifies, "like a river;" and there is beautiful significancy in this.
The laver consisted of two parts, "the laver and his foot." The upper part, or laver, being a large reservoir of water, from which, when required, the water poured down "like a river" into the foot or basin at its base. The lower part being alone used for bathing or washing, so that the water in the laver remained always pure and undefiled.
This construction reminds us forcibly of the expression in the Epistle to Titus, 3: 5, 6: "The. washing (or laver, λουτρον,) of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior."
The laver thus constructed presents Christ in two aspects; the foot, Christ in humiliation on earth; and the upper part, or laver proper, Christ in his exaltation in heaven.
In his life on earth, Christ left us an example that we should follow in his steps. And on the Cross; from his pierced side came forth the water and the blood.
But it is from Christ crucified, risen, and exalted, that the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of purity and life, is now given. " In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst; let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-3937In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37‑39).)
In Eph. 5:25,26,25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:25‑26) we read, " Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word." This is his present action, " That he might (ultimately) present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." (Eph. 5:2727That 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 5:27).)
Its Material.
A laver of brass, and his foot also of brass] Brass is the emblem of strength: and Christ, as our sanctification, is the strong one, mighty to sanctify as well as mighty to save. Precious and encouraging truth! How many are there who trust in Christ for their salvation, but have recourse to their own efforts, or to the law, for sanctification! Justification by the faith of Christ is the doctrine of the Reformation but sanctification by the faith of Christ, how little apprehended! How little have our souls entered into the depth and fullness of those words of Jesus to Paul, with the thorn rankling in his flesh, "My grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in weakness."
There is power in the example of his life; constraining power in his dying and redeeming love; power in looking unto Jesus glorified at God's right hand above. And Stephen found it so. Power in the Spirit sent down from this ascended one. The secret of power in the Christian experience is having Christ "all" as our object, "and in all" as our life.
In Ex. 38:8,8And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Exodus 38:8) we read, "And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses (or rather brazen mirrors) of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tent of the congregation."
This, doubtless, is significant, and intimates a connection between self-examination and sanctification. James writes, " But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:22-2522But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:22‑25).)
Christ, in his life on earth, left us an example that we should follow in his steps. And it is well to compare our walk and life with his. The foot of the laver was made of burnished brass.
But sanctification to the believer now is especially and effectually connected with the contemplation of Christ, once crucified, but now risen and glorified, as exhibited in the mirror of the word, through the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Real and divine photography: "Now the Lord," &c.
The Position of the Laver.
And thou shalt put it between the tent of the congregation and the altar, ver. 18.] The progress of the soul in drawing near to God is thus set forth. The soul first realizing pardon at the sin offering without the camp.
Secondly, acceptance at the brazen altar within the court.
Thirdly, sanctification at the brazen laver.
Fourthly, nearness in worship at the golden altar.
Fifthly, entrance into the holiest through the value of the blood, and of the sweet incense from the golden censer, carried by the High Priest within the vail.