Daily Devotions
Exodus
"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth." Deuteronomy 7:6
Text: Exodus 30 : 17-21
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BRONZE LAVER
The Lord gave further instructions to Moses, this time concerning the construction of a bronze laver. The purpose of this laver was obvious. It was meant for the priests to ceremonially wash themselves that they may be “clean” for ministry purposes.
“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… And it shall be a statute forever to
them- to him and his descendants throughout their generations.'”
EXODUS 30:17-21
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CONSECRATION AND CLEANSING
The act of consecrating the priests was long and involved. However, consecration in itself does not necessary mean that the priests are forever cleansed! The matter of daily sins is not dealt with by consecration! It required a ritual cleansing that took place daily!
1. Consecration distinguished from Cleansing
As we look at this text and compare it with the teaching concerning “consecration” (Cf. Exodus 29), we recognize an important truth. Consecration is distinguished from cleansing. The following differences may be noted:-
a) Consecration
i) Consecration is an act of commitment from the Lord to the priest
ii) It is an act on the part of the priest to his ministry as priest.
iii) Consecration is a single act.
b) Cleansing
i) It is to be done again and again.
ii) Daily sins must be dealt with.
iii) All the priests must be conscious of the fact that they need cleansing every day.
2. Cleansing – an important requirement that must be fulfilled
The priests must never rely on their personal feelings about their state of purity or holiness! Cleansing from the Lord before ministry must be carefully sought, on pain of the severest judgment from the Lord- death!