A Place for Washing

A Place for Washing
Words of Faith 2-27-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Exodus 30
[17] Then the LORD said to Moses, [18] "Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. [19] Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. [20] Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the LORD by fire, [21] they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come."

It was critically important that a priest approaching the place of meeting God was clean.
We might ask, "What is clean?" This was a matter of both ritual and practicality. The washings described were largely ritualistic because the priest was considered contaminated from being outside of the Tabernacle. This ritual was important even if he had not been in contact with something "unclean," such as blood or a dead body. But we must remember that traveling in the wilderness was dusty and dirty.
The priest could only come into the Tabernacle to serve if he had first washed his hands and feet. Performing ceremonies to God in the Tabernacle in a state of ritual impurity would actually risk death. The priests needed to wash their hands and feet whenever entering the tent of meeting.
A place for this washing was needed. The bronze basin (or 'laver' in the KJV) served this purpose. The basin was made from the bronze mirrors contributed by the women as a free-will offering. Mirrors were not made of glass as we have today. They were made from highly polished brass and other metals. These mirrors would have been highly prized possessions among women. It is interesting that they contributed something that could be considered a point of vanity to provide a place of cleansing for the male priests.
The exact shape of this basin is uncertain, but it is believed that the stand for it was separate since it is always mentioned separately. Later, this basin was much larger when the Tabernacle became a permanent Temple in Jerusalem.
The thing that we don't want to miss: Before entering God's presence, one must be cleansed. The priests of the Tabernacle and Temple had to continually wash and ready themselves ritually to be in God's presence. Jesus has fulfilled all of this Law (Matthew 5:17). When Christ died, His people were cleansed once and for all by His blood, which was shed on the cross. We no longer need a ceremonial washing with water to come before God because He has provided purification for our sins.
The writer of Hebrews states it clearly: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven" (Hebrews 1:3). Now we can "approach the throne of grace with confidence" (Hebrews 4:16). We can be confident that we are acceptable to Him because we are spiritually clean.
So as New Testament, Christ-followers, we don't need to think about washing, right? Well, sort of.
As believers, we do not have the burden of "cleaning ourselves up," but washing is still something we should think about. Christ has provided everything we need, but this furnishing of the Temple reminds us not to go barreling into the presence of God without recognizing that he washes us and continues to cleanse us.
The Apostle John brings us clarity in his letter: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-9). This is a constant and regular process-- the basin at the entry point of meeting with God.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians that "Christ loved the church as His bride, and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word" (Ephesians 5:24-26).
Since we are saved by grace through faith, we can never "clean ourselves up" enough to approach Him, but we can pause to receive the cleansing He offers. A part of our worship in the presence of God should always include washing at the basin of His Word and the water of the Spirit.
As we come into public worship or solitary times with God, we should ask ourselves-- Is there anything unclean sticking to me from the world? Is there anything that God wants to wash? Do I need Jesus to wash my hands-- the actions of my life? Do I need the Spirit to cleanse my feet-- the places I have gone and my daily walk? Do I need the Lord to cleanse my mind of thoughts that have no place in the presence of God? Is there any confession I need to make before Him to place that matter under the blood of Jesus?

Father God, by faith, I choose to worship You. I approach by faith, trusting in the complete work of Jesus, but I know that I need constant cleansing. Forgive me my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Wash me with the pureness of Your Word. Cleanse me with the waters of Your Spirit. By your grace, prepare me to be in Your presence. In the Holiness of Your Name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.