2CH 4-5Sophy. Why were the priests to wash so much?
Mamma. Because they had to do with God. The washing with water was a type of the cleansing of the believer now; which is called the washing of water by the word. The Holy Spirit brings the word of God to the conscience in such a way that the believer knows what is unclean in the sight of God, and thus he gets separated in heart from it. The Lord Jesus said to Peter, If I wash you not you have no part with me. Peter could not have communion with the Lord he loved so much, if his feet were not washed. A priest's happy office was to be always worshipping Jehovah; and for this he had to be constantly washed. If he touched any soiled thing it made him unclean. If he touched a dead body by accident he became unclean. A believer now is nearer to God than any priest of Israel ever was.
And the Lord Jesus makes it His own business to wash our feet, and, by His word, to keep us in communion with Himself, for He likes us to have part with Him. We are before Him as purged worshippers, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
S. How are Christians washed with water by the word of God?
M. The Lord by His Spirit applies the word of God to our hearts in such a way that we know He is speaking to us by it. Hearts must let the word speak to them; he that has ears to hear let him hear; it is quite possible to turn a deaf ear to the voice of God's word, and sometimes we do not want the word of God to speak to us, we like to go in our own ways; and if we are not loving Jesus much, we are careless about having part with Him. But Jesus never gives up His desire that we should have part with Him, and His word is sharper than a sword with two edges which cuts on every side, so that we cannot escape from it.
Solomon made all the vessels which were for the inside of the temple of fine gold. And those things which were to be used outside, were of bright brass.
S. What was brass the type of?
M. Of righteousness. It was the reign of righteousness. The Gentile king did the work for Solomon. And all the vessels that David had dedicated beforehand, Solomon put among the treasures of the house of God. Do you remember what was the last thing brought into the temple with such great pomp and rejoicing?
S. The ark, with the mercy-seat, where God had His throne.
M. Yes; we read in Kings how Solomon assembled the chief of the people that all might join, and be of one mind in bringing up the ark of the Lord out of the city of David. It is a beautiful scene of heavenly joy upon earth.
“And all the mind of heaven is one.”
They all came to the king and offered sacrifices to the Lord. Their offerings were not counted and measured as the law commanded, but they were over and above, beyond counting and measurement; filled into the fullness of the glory of their king. This was the feast of the seventh month which we talked about when we were reading Leviticus.
S. Was it the feast of tabernacles when they made tents of the branches of the trees?
M. Yes. But it does not appear that they remembered this part of it here. The reason that the Lord gave for their dwelling in booths during the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, was that they might remember how the Lord had made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when He brought them out of Egypt.
S. Perhaps they were so happy that they forgot.
M. It is just like our hearts to forget the word of God, even while rejoicing before Him in a wonderful moment like this, when one sound went up to Him—the music, the praise, and thanksgiving saying: For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. Then the house was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
Then Solomon praised the Lord who said He would dwell in the thick darkness, but who had allowed him to build a house for Jehovah's dwelling-place; and as he spoke to the Lord, he turned his face and blessed the people, and the whole congregation of Israel stood. Then Solomon recounted all that the Lord had done for, His chosen people, and for His servant David.