THE SHINING LAVER

THE SHINING LAVER This beautiful vessel, standing midway between the altar and the door of the tabernacle, was much more conspicuous and capacious than woodcut No. 1, and some writers would lead us to suppose. This vessel consisted of two parts.

“The laver and his foot” (Exodus 38:8).—Both were likely roundish in form, the foot probably being flat, shaped somewhat like a saucer, and receiving its supply of water when needed from the laver which is supported aloft by a shaft or pillar arising from its center. The foot thus served as a basin, and the laver as a cistern large enough to contain at least a day’s supply of water (see woodcut No. 2). The water would be drawn by cranes from the laver, as shown in the illustration. Cranes, though not shown in the illustration, would also be used for drawing off the water when it became impure from the foot or basin.

Made of brazen mirrors.—Ordinary brass seems not to have been sufficiently fine, pure, and transparent out of which to fashion this holy vessel. Nothing save brazen mirrors will suffice; and “the women assembling at the door of the tabernacle (tent of meeting)” parted with theirs for this sacred purpose (Exodus 38:8). Some writers tell us that Moses took the mirrors by force, but the text does not say so, neither should we. The laver, as it shines on the sacred page, is a striking and imperishable memorial of the zeal of God’s house, and of the large-hearted liberality of the fair donors.

Washing at the laver.—Some writers say that the priests did not wash at the laver, but with water taken from it into other vessels; the text, however, seems rather to indicate that they washed at the laver itself: “Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet thereat” (Exodus 30:19). A basin and a mirror.—Made of the women’s offering, the laver may have served the double purpose of a basin for the priests washing at, and a mirror for seeing themselves in, and this may have been the intention of its being made of the gifts of the generous givers. The priests were required to keep their persons and their garments spotlessly clean. The use of the laver was mainly to hold water to wash certain parts of the bodies of the animals slain as sacrifices, and also and chiefly to wash the hands and feet of the priests. The penalty for neglecting to wash was very severe: “When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation they shall wash with water that they die not” (Exodus 30:20-21).

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WASHING WITH WATER The washing doubtless pointed to the unsullied holiness of God, to the pollution of sin, and to the purity of heart necessary in those who would render acceptable worship. If the neglect of the mere outward symbol of purity—the washing of the hands and feet with water—was punishable with death, how hateful must an impure heart be in the sight of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. The priests were required to draw near to God, not only with clean hands and feet, but with a pure heart. No worship rendered by anyone can be pleasing to God, the Holy One of Israel, however clean the hands, if the heart be polluted.

WHAT THE WASHING WITH WATER SYMBOLIZED

Washing with water is frequently mentioned in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:26; John 3:3-5; Hebrews 10:22), and in every instance it is unmistakably evident that the cleansing of the soul from the defilement of sin is to be understood. How shall we become the subjects of inward purification? Believers are sanctified through the Word (John 15:3; John 17:17): Christ’s prayer to His Father for His people is “Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.” “Christ died,” we are told, “that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people,” and the saints in heaven are said to have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. We must, however, never forget that it is the Holy Spirit that takes of the things of Christ and shows them to us; that it is He who makes the truth effectual both for the conversation of sinners and the sanctification of believers, and that it is He who is peculiarly associated in the Scriptures with the cleansing of the soul (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5). The brazen altar typically pointed to the atoning work of Christ, and the laver to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. If the brazen altar shows us that the guilt of sin can be canceled by the blood of Christ alone, the laver no less significantly teaches that the defilement of sin can be washed away by no other agency than that of the Holy Spirit.

‘Tis Thine to cleanse the heart,
To sanctify the soul,
To pour fresh life on every part
And new-create the whole. THE ALTAR AND THE LAVER The only articles of furniture in the Court were inseparable companions. Neither of them could be dispensed with if the ministering priests were to discharge the various services of the tabernacle. The New Testament altar and laver are also inseparably connected in the Christian dispensation. In order to be saved we need not only to be cleansed from the guilt, but also from the pollution, of sin—not only to receive forgiveness of sins, but also to be cleansed inwardly “by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Let us ever remember that in the salvation of the soul these two—the altar and the laver—can never be parted, for there can be no deliverance from the guilt of sin, apart from purity of heart and holiness of life. The voice we hear from the altar is, “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” Let us also bend our ears and give heed to the voice that comes no less authoritatively from the laver saying, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord,” enjoy the light of his countenance now, and be admitted when he dies into heaven, the dwelling-place of God. The priests, without washing dared not, on penalty of death, enter the house made with hands, and none but those who have been cleansed by the washing (laver) of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit, will ever enter the one “not made with hands,” where all the ransomed are kings and priests unto God for ever and ever.