Exodus 30: 7-25
The last piece of furniture is the laver. It was made of brass obtained from the looking glasses of the women in the assembly. Yes, they parted with their looking glasses to make this important piece of furniture! We shall see the reason for this shortly, but we must learn first of all what the laver was to be used for; When one entered the court of the tabernacle the first thing he came to was the brazen altar. There, in figure, we learn that the Lord Jesus has fully glorified God about the question of sin. He has fully met the sinner’s need too, for the fire of God’s judgment fell upon Him, just as the sacrifice was burned upon the brazen altar. Then we pass on a little way and we come to the laver of which we are speaking, where the priests washed their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle. It is like applying the Word of God to any and every defilement of the way and judging ourselves for it.
Now we can see the reason the looking glasses were used. The vanity of all that we are by nature and all our boasting must be judged and come to an end. These looking glasses could never be used again to satisfy the vanity of the women who once possessed them. They had given them to the Lord and were now henceforth more concerned with how they appeared in His eyes. Oh, that more Christian women would visit God’s “beauty shop” and adorn themselves for His eyes instead of for their own vanity! Dear sisters in the Lord, have you taken your looking glasses to the Lord and allowed the “water” of His Word, like the water in the laver, to be applied to all you use your mirror for? It is a privilege to please the Lord even in the little things, is it not? God did not tell Moses that the laver must be made from these looking glasses, but the women gave them willingly, and God has been pleased to record this in His Word.
The priests were only washed all over once and that was at-their consecration, but they had to be continually washing their hands and feet at the laver. The reason their hands had to be washed was because of the bloody sacrifices they were continually offering, but now since the one perfect sacrifice. of Christ, our “hands” need not be washed to approach before God. We can always present Christ and this is sure to be acceptable to Him. However, although the Lord would not wash Peter’s hands and head, because he was “clean every whit,” He did wash Peter’s feet, as well as the feet of the other disciples. (John 13:1-101Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:1‑10).) in the same way we need to apply the Word of God to our walk, allowing it to produce self-judgment for everything that is contrary to it. And so we read, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” 1 Cor. 11:2828But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (1 Corinthians 11:28). Let us not forget this, for if we do not judge ourselves the Lord will have to chasten us as His children. (Heb. 12:77If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (Hebrews 12:7).)
After this comes the holy anointing oil, which typifies Christ as the One whose life was ever by the power of the Spirit of God and was ever fragrant to God His Father. The Spirit of God could come down upon Him like a dove and there rest, while the Father’s voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:1717And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17). This anointing oil was never put upon man’s flesh, for there is nothing of the natural man that is acceptable to God. Only what is of Christ in the power of the Spirit is pleasing to Him.
ML 04/09/1950