NEXT we come, in our little lessons, to the laver. This was a small brazen vessel which was to be placed between the tabernacle and the altar, and water was to be put in it. Here the priests were to wash their hands and their feet before they went into the tabernacle so that they might not die, for God would have no defilement carried into the holy place. Or, turning the other way, they must wash their hands and feet before they went near the altar to minister, for there it was they burnt the offerings that were made by fire unto the Lord. (Ex. 30:18-21, 40:30-32.)
In our last paper we saw that the priests in olden time were to be clothed in “holy garments,” and that now, in the days of Christianity, those whose sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus are made priests unto God, and Christ is their robe of righteousness.
Since then there now are priests and priests who are fitly clad, let us ask if there is for them any service, as there was for the priest in olden day; and is there any cleansing laver to give them fitness for their work? If you will turn to first Peter, second chapter, you will see in the fifth verse that the priests are called holy and they have sacrifices to offer, and these sacrifices are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Did you ever think, dear young believer, that it is for you to offer sacrifices unto God? It certainly is. And what can I offer, do you ask? You are not to bring a slain lamb, or other animal, and see his body burnt upon the altar by a priest. No, you are the priest and the sacrifices that God will accept from you will be “spiritual.” If you will turn to Heb. 13:15, 1615By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:15‑16), you will understand better what these spiritual offerings are. You will there see that you are to praise God continually, by your lips giving thanks to His name; and you are “to do good,” and “to communicate”—that is to help others, and this maybe done in different ways. Are you doing these things? God tells us He is well pleased with such sacrifices. Is it not very blessed to know this? And He is glorified through it, for He says, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” Oh, how happy to know that we can thus serve the Lord, and please Him!
But look again in our chapter in Peter. You will see in the ninth verse that the priests are called royal, which means kingly; and as kingly priests they are to show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light, We are not only to offer praise to God, but we are also to speak of His love and His goodness to others, thus “showing forth His praises.” Doing these things, we are acting as priests, and our God is well pleased with the spiritual sacrifices we thus offer.
But where is the laver to wash our hands and our feet? Let us remember that it was the water in the laver that cleansed away the defilement, and that water is used in the scriptures as a symbol of the word of God, and we will be helped in this question. It is by the word of God that our ways are made clean, and the work of our hands made ‘pure, so that God can accept the sacrifice we bring. (Ps. 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).)
It is true that it is only through Christ that we or our offerings can be acceptable to God; but, in a world that is full of sin, we contract defilement, and, as the priest in olden times must cleanse his hands and feet afresh every time he went into the sanctuary in God’s presence, and every time he offered a new offering upon the altar, so we must cleanse our ways if we would offer acceptably to God.
And since it is ours to “offer praise continually,” do we not need to study God’s word daily in order that our ways may be cleansed and we made fit for service?
Without this study—this cleansing—will not our lips be closed, instead of giving forth their fruit to God?
ML 01/31/1904