The Laver

 •  7 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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Passing over the account of the atonement money, which has already been referred to in its typical teaching, we come to the laver (Ex. 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)). This closes the account of the tabernacle. The laver, like the golden altar, was needed in approaching God, and, like it, has been left undescribed until after the vessels which manifested God were presented to us. It was placed in the court between the brazen altar and the door into the holy place. Neither the size nor the shape of this vessel are mentioned. It was made of brass; and, as in the brazen altar, the righteousness of God testing man in responsibility is seen. Water was put into the laver for the priests to wash their hands and feet before going into the tabernacle to perform the service of the Lord. The solemn admonition given in connection with this washing with water was “that they die not.” This tells of the importance of this cleansing. The altar of burnt offering being overlaid with brass, and the laver made wholly of brass (or copper, according to some authorities), must have for us a like voice. If sinful man comes into the holy presence of God, he must be tested as to what he is and as to what he has done. God is righteous in thus testing him. But man cannot stand the test — sin is there — then “the exceeding riches” of God’s grace is manifest; for at the brazen altar, where man is put to the test, a substitute is provided, and judgment falls upon this victim instead of upon the sinner who deserved to die. Christ, the Substitute for His people, has made full atonement and has been accepted of God for them; they are clean from all their sins before the Lord (Lev. 16:3030For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. (Leviticus 16:30)), and their sins and iniquities are to be remembered no more (Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)). At the altar then we get man tested and man cleansed. Of what need then is the laver? What voice has it for us? Being of brass, it too must speak of God’s righteousness in testing man according to his responsibility. But there is this very important difference in these two brazen vessels: at the altar we find blood; in the laver we find water. Man has utterly failed in his responsibility; death is the wages due; nothing but blood can atone. “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” But blood has been shed; sins have been canceled; the believing one is cleared of all guilt — “justified by His blood” (Rom. 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)). “Washed... from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)). Thus we see blood cleanses from guilt. At the laver we get water, not blood. As we have already seen, water cleanses morally and is a symbol of God’s Word by which our ways are cleansed (Psa. 119:99BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psalm 119:9); John 15:33Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3); Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26); and more). This is a thoroughly practical thing. The question arises, Why was the water put in a brazen vessel? Man is tested not only according to his nature, but according to his ways also; born in sin, an unclean thing out of which nothing clean can come (Job 14:44Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. (Job 14:4)), he is condemned — Christ, “made sin,” was condemned. Out of the unclean nature come evil thoughts, words, and deeds; these need forgiveness, and, through Jesus, forgiveness is granted — “justified from all things.” But the old nature still being in the forgiven one, there is a recurrence, in greater or lesser measure, of wrong thoughts and ways; and from these he needs cleansing.
The Cleansing by Water
Notice the particular brass out of which the laver was made (Ex. 38:88And 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)). It was the “looking glasses of the women.” When the metal was highly polished, they could behold themselves in it. As the priests approached the laver, they too would find a reflection of themselves; so now, the believer is tested as to his state, God leading him to feel his shortcomings from day to day. These failures need the cleansing power of the Word; this we get pictured for us in the water put into the laver. Our state is made manifest, and our ways can be cleansed only through the Word of God. This cleansing is needed daily, for our feet become defiled in passing through an ungodly world. The bath of regeneration is needed but once, for one can be born again but once (John 13:1010Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10)). The priests were washed in connection with the consecration. After that, they washed their hands and feet in connection with service. Those now made priests unto God should serve continually (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)), but the daily use of the laver shows the need of constant self-judgment. How often God’s dear people are hindered in prayer, service, and enjoyment of the Lord because of the lack of this.
Some talk about re-application of the blood, but this is not according to Scripture. “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once” (Heb. 10:1010By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)). “By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)). Water filled the laver — not blood. The question of guilt was eternally settled at the cross for all who believe, and it is blessed to be at rest as to all our sins through the finished work of Christ. As to our walk, Christ is the standard; and having this blessed hope of being like Him, there is the purifying ourselves as He is pure (1 John 3:33And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3)). May we allow God’s blessed Word its full place in our lives, being cleansed by it from the defilement we may gather as we journey down here; thus will we be a separated people — separated from evil, and separated to God — and our lives will be to His glory. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:3131Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)).
The All Cleansing Blood
Before closing these brief notes, we would call special attention to one point; that is, that God cannot dwell with man unless man is made clean. The holiness of God would forbid it; and if such a thing could be, man in his sins would be supremely wretched in presence of the light that would search him through and through. Righteousness cannot have fellowship with unrighteousness; light cannot have communion with darkness. This is specially marked in the earthly dwelling place, that Jehovah had prepared for Himself, which was a pattern of things in the heavens. The purification was by blood; Moses “sprinkled... with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.” “And almost all things are by the law purged [purified] with blood.” Blood was carried within the veil and sprinkled upon the mercy seat; blood was put upon the golden altar; upon the horns of the brazen altar, and poured out at the bottom of the altar; it was put upon the tabernacle; upon the people; everywhere God’s eye would take in the blood, and thus all, in type, was cleansed. And He had said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Blessed truth! the sinner, saved by grace, is safely sheltered under the blood of Christ which will never lose its value — redeemed not with silver and with gold, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. It is the blood that cleanses. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
“In heaven the blood forever speaks
In God’s omniscient ear;
The saints, as jewels on His heart,
Jesus doth ever bear.
“‘No condemnation!’ — O my soul;
‘Tis God that speaks the word.
Perfect in comeliness art thou,
In Christ the risen Lord.”
The fool, who says in his heart, “There is no God,” may be allowed the horror of the “blackness of darkness” forever; but, through the exceeding riches of God’s grace, many a scoffing infidel has at last found shelter under the precious blood, and has exultingly praised the One who drew him to the Saviour. Through the rent veil, all who will may come. Will you, my unsaved reader, be made clean by that all-cleansing blood? He gave His life for you. Has His loving entreaty, “Come unto Me,” no power with you? Will you reason that the way is barred and you may not come, when His word is, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out”? Listen while you may; delay not until too late. The day draws on apace when the door will be shut; then none may enter.