The Brazen Laver
It is the maintaining of fellowship with Christ, that we wish to speak of.
And one of the examples of this, is:
Exodus 30:18-20 “Thou 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.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash there hands and there feet thereat:
When 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:”
The brazen Laver was made for cleansing. It was set just outside the door of the Holy Place, in the court of the tabernacle. This was in the natural sunlight. Both the priests, and people could be in this court; but the people could not minister at the altar or the laver; only the priests could.
When Aaron and his sons were given for the service of the priesthood, they were brought to the laver and given a bath by Moses; once.
Exodus 29:4, 9 “And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall wash them with water.
And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.”
This pictures our regeneration; when we are born again. It was never repeated.
They and their decedents, were priests from then on.
So with us. When we are born again, we are forever His children.
1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”
But as priests, they would minister, by sacrifice, at the brazen altar. There, the sacrifices for sin and peace would be given.
Their hands would be bloody, and their feet would be dirty from walking on the bare ground.
So, they were commanded to come to the Laver to wash both their hands and feet, before they went into the Holy Place to burn incense at the golden altar, or light the lamp (M’nourah).
This they were to do every time they went into the Holy Place.
The Holy Place signified fellowship with God:
the golden altar and the burning incense showed the prayer which ascends to God (the fire to burn came from the brazen altar everyday, tying Christ sacrifice and our prayers together)
the table of shewbread showed forth the sufficiency of God for our needs;
and the lampstand showed forth God as the only light for our work.
All showed forth fellowship with God.
But before they could go in and have this fellowship, they must wash at the brazen laver.
As Christians, we need daily cleansing from the defilements of the way, if we are to maintain fellowship with God.
In our walk, we constantly have dealings with those who are dead in trespasses and sins; and their influence defiles us. (You can not go very many places without hearing cursing, filthy references, or anger. How much anger is about.)
In honesty, we are also aware of the blemishes of our service (which speak of our hands), and the failures of our walk (our feet).
We obey; but we often hesitate. (as though we were ashamed of Christ)
Or we don’t do what God wants us to do, as He wants. (We have good reasons, we think.)
These do not interfere with our standing as Christians. We are still born again.
But it does interfere with our communion with God. (For every time we step back from God, we are further away from His help)
Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The Laver, like everything else in the Tabernacle speaks of Christ’s sufficiency to meet our every need; for the priests could not enter the Holy Place, without washing there.
The Laver was there, but they had to wash in the water that it provided.
Christ Jesus has made a way for us to come and wash, and cleanse ourselves by His precious blood, according to His Word.
Do we want that fellowship and communion which enlivens us? Will we go to the Word of God and judge our ways before Him?
1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
Water is also to invigorate. And the Word of God gives us comfort and refreshing. It revives our spirits. It makes us feel whole, and clean again. Ready for the next moment, the next day.
Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
He offers His life “freely”, to us…..will we come and be cleansed and have that light and fellowship He has for us, today?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 