Last week we had a look at the
bronze altar in the outer court of the Temple. And we realized that
if we have any idols in our lives that we should sacrifice them
there and follow Jesus, the Lamb slain for us with our utmost
devotion.
Today I want us to have a look at
the sea of cast bronze close to the altar. This sea was used to
cleanse the priests. They had to wash their hands and feet every
time when they entered the Temple and just their hands when they
offered something on the altar. They had to be cleansed of all dust
and dirt. They shouldn't carry with them anything that represents
the earth into the Holy Place. In those days the priests walked
barefoot, to convey that they were standing on holy ground and also
to resemble that they are spiritually newborn people. But as they
walked everywhere, the dust and the mud of this world clung to
their feet and therefore God wanted them to wash it off. God was so
strict about the washing; He said that they will die if they don't
wash (Exodus 30:20, 21). This might sound very harsh, but let us
think about it.
They were representing God to the
people. They had to be cleansed. They had to
portray a vision of the Holy God to them. Plus God didn't want
anything from this world to enter into His Temple. He was (and
still is) holy and nothing unholy is allowed in His presence. Thus
He wanted to protect them from His holiness. And therefore they had
to be cleansed.
Now for us this is symbolic of a
number of things. First of all it shows us that as we enter into
the Holy Place, God wants us to leave everything of this world
behind. He wants us to focus on Him. He doesn't want us to think of
all our worries and cares and all the worldly orders as we approach
Him. He wants us focused on Him and His Kingdom. Jesus Himself
said:
"But seek first the Kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto
you." Matthew 6:33
Secondly doesn't washing of feet
remind you of Jesus washing His disciples' feet? He washed it for
several reasons, but I would just like to focus on one. When Jesus
wanted to wash Peter's feet, Peter resisted and then Jesus said to
him:
"Unless I wash you, you have no
part with Me." John 13:8
Peter then reacted and asked that
Jesus wash everything of him. But it wasn't necessary; Jesus was
only interested in the feet. Why? Because with salvation comes
total cleansing of all sins. And then from there on, we only need
to wash our feet from the stain of sin we walk in in this world.
Allow me to quote what 'got questions' say about this:
'When we come to Christ for the
washing of our sins, we can be sure that is permanent and complete.
No act can cleanse us further from our sin, as our sin has been
exchanged for the perfect righteousness of Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). But we do need continual
cleansing from the effects of living in the flesh in a sin-cursed
world. The continual washing of sanctification is done by the power
of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, through the "washing of
water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26), given to us to equip us for
every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).'
We need to wash our hands and feet
regularly in the Spirit. We need to cleanse ourselves, not to be
saved or even to draw close to God, but to free us from this world
and its influences. Jesus has set us free and opened the way for
us, now it is our turn to let go and to bask in the freedom that He
bought for us. When we let go of all the influences in this world,
we will be lighter, we will feel lighter and we will experience a
deeper spiritual walk with God. Let us make His Kingdom our primary
concern. Let us look up and walk as the newly born spiritual people
that we are. Cleansed by the blood and the Word.
Thank you so much Father that we
can be free from this world. Thank you that You freed us and bought
our freedom with Your Son's blood. We are eternally grateful and we
want to walk in Your pathways, cleansed by You. Amen