The Altar of Bronze and the Laver Speak of Spiritual Cleansing

It is not enough to accept Christ’s teaching through the Word without also accepting and experiencing the power of His blood to redeem and cleanse us from sin. On the other hand, those who claim redemption through Christ’s blood must thereafter submit themselves to the regular, inward washing of His Word.

There are various passages concerning the ordinances of the Old Testament sacrifices which set forth, in type, the close association between the cleansing by Christ’s blood and the cleansing by His Word. For instance, in the ordinances of the tabernacle of Moses we read how God ordained that a laver of bronze containing clean water was to be placed close to the sacrificial altar of bronze and was to be used regularly in conjunction with it.

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them – to him and his descendants throughout their generations.’” (Ex. 30:17-21)

If we apply this picture to the New Testament, the sacrifice upon the bronze altar speaks of Christ’s blood shed upon the cross for redemption from sin; the water in the laver speaks of the regular spiritual cleansing which we can receive only through God’s Word. Each alike is essential to the eternal welfare of our souls. Like Aaron and his sons, we must regularly receive the benefits of both, “lest we die.”