THIS picture shows a lovely glen in which the little birds are enjoying a summer day. Seine are perched on a bough that bends over the gently flowing stream. One has left his perch and looks as if he were about to have a plunge in the cool water. Little birds are fond of having a daily bath; and what better opportunity could be given than we have in the scene before us.
Shall we seek, dear children to learn a lesson from the bath of the birds? In olden times, the priests who were to enter upon the service of the Lord, were to be washed, and then the garments of glory and beauty were to be put upon them. (Ex. 27:40, 41 and 29:4, 5, 8, 9.) But this washing was not enough. They must wash their hands and feet before going into the tabernacle, or the holy place; to enter without washing would be death to them; and when they went near to the altar to offer their offerings to the Lord, they must wash their hands and their feet that the die not. For this purpose, a laver containing water was placed between the door of the tabernacle and altar of burnt offerings, and in this laver they washed their hands and feet.
Does someone ask, What has all this to do with us? Let me tell you. We who are washed from our sins in the blood of Jesus are made kings and priests unto God, and we have as priests, a service to perform. (See Rev.1:5, 6, and 1 Pet. 2:5, 95Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9).) We have had the bath of regeneration (Titus3:5), and the “holy garments” have been put upon us, for it is in Christ, our righteousness, that we stand before God; and we shall be crowned with “glory and beauty” when with Him, and like Him. But in order to serve Him acceptably, something more is needed than the bath and the robe. The priest under the law must wash his hands and feet that he die not, before entering the holy place, or when drawing near to the altar to offer his offerings to God. It is with the feet that we walk, and with the hands that we serve; and this type that God gives us in connection with the priest shows us that our walk must be a pure walk, and our service must be a pure service. Washing our hands and our feet with water will not fit us for worshiping God, or for serving Him in any way. Our ways must be clean through the teaching of His word, if we would walk worthy, and serve Him acceptably. It will not do to talk piously and pretend to serve Him, and to be saying, Praise the Lord, when we are doing our own will and going our own way. All this would be displeasing to Him who can accept only what is pure and holy. If then we have been brought to God, may we seek continually to make our ways clean according to His word. If this is done we will be able to worship, and praise, and serve in a way pleasing and acceptable to Him. But let us not forget that nothing can be done without His help.
ML 10/15/1916