Washing With Water

Jehovah now instructs Moses concerning the consecration of the priests (Ex. 29:1-35). The first step was their being washed with water at the door of the tabernacle. Water cleanses from physical defilement; in Scripture it is used as a symbol of God’s Word which cleanses from moral defilement. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word” (Psalm 119:9). “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). These and other scriptures show the cleansing power of God’s Word as applied to the walk of the Christian. In this case, however, the washing would speak rather of the bath of regeneration or the new birth. The washing by blood cleanses from guilt. Washed from our sins in His blood (Rev. 1:5). The moral cleansing is by the Word, which we have here — “shalt wash them with water.” But the washing was entire — the whole body. A different word is used for the washing of the hands and feet at the laver. The same two words are used in John 13:10, and are kept distinct. The one who has come to Jesus has had the bath — been morally cleansed — but in his daily path he contracts defilements, and needs his feet washed often, in other words, he needs the constant intercession of Christ.
Aaron is found here in association with his sons (Ex. 29:4), which we will remember gives us a type of the Church, or the priestly family. But none can become priests (“hath made us kings and priests”) until they are born again. God does not accept service from any until they have had the bath of regeneration. Priests cannot be made so by man, but it is the office of all true believers to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God (1 Pet. 2:5).