#3
“The Tabernacle”
Series
"THE
TEXT: Exodus
38:8; 30:17-21;
1 John 1:9
INTRO: Most of us
take washing for granted, that is until we are around someone who hasn't had a
bath or shower in a while! When I
was a boy we were expected to wash on Saturday night, it was the bath routine, a
once a week ordeal. Fortunately ...
these days most of us don't wait until Saturday night anymore; most of us are
accustomed to a daily shower or daily bath.
Science
has recognized the importance of washing for good health, now even our soaps are
made to be antibacterial in nature.
It feels so good right after you've had a shower; you might call these
"showers of blessings."
Water
is one of the great and unique substances of the universe ... we use it
internally to survive and need it externally to grow our food and cleanse our
planet, just as we do our bodies.
In the Bible water is often used as a symbol of cleansing and life. Jesus called Himself the "LIVING WATER"
(how ironic on the cross He cried, “I thirst”) … and at His crucifixion when
speared in the side the Bible states that from His wound “came forth blood
and water” ... blood
for the forgiveness of sins, water as a symbol of cleansing from sin. Jesus used water to wash the feet of His
disciples to teach them about purity in their walk and service and the
importance of "water baptism" was used to demonstrate publicly the washing of
our sins away as an important ordinance in the church.
TRANS.
SENT:
As
someone approached God's presence in the tabernacle we first find them passing
through a single entrance ... the symbol of Jesus as the only way in; now once
inside the believer first comes to the altar of sacrifice ... after this to the
bronze basin of
water.
The
altar of sacrifice is the symbol of JUSTIFICATION ...
whereas;
The
bronze basin is the symbol of SANCTIFICATION.
PROP.
SENT:
The bronze basin is an important
symbol for us in our life as Christians for it speaks of the constant need of
cleansing ... the priest "washed" both on the way into God's presence and on
the way back to the people. The
meaning is clear; we need to approach God with clean hearts ... and we need to
approach others with a clean heart, this is a daily need for God's people, don't
forget your spiritual bath each day!
I. PLACE OF CLEANSING Ex. 38:8; Ex. 30:17-19
A. "Reflection" Ex.
38:8
1. We are told an interesting fact in
this verse of what the basin was made from!
a. They made this basin from the
mirrors of the ladies!!!
b. In Old Testament times they had no
knowledge of mirrored glass, they used highly polished bronze for their
mirrors.
c. Giving these mirrors up may have
symbolized the giving up of one's vanity!
2. This basin would be highly
reflective ... a good thing for the priests, they needed to see that they were
indeed clean before entering the tabernacle; if they weren't they would have
died in the presence of God!
3. The polished mirrors therefore
enabled the priests to see if they missed any spots once they had washed from
the water.
a. While the Pharisees of Jesus day
were hung up on washing physical hands the New Testament says (Eph.
b. Thus the Word of God acts as the water to
wash us each day ... and it acts also as a mirror to help us see ourselves as
God really sees us, it gives us a true reflection of
ourselves!
4. It is also interesting that these
same ladies who gave the mirrors also served at the entrance to the
tabernacle! (See Ex. 38:8)
a. The term used, "MINISTERED" or as in the NIV "SERVED" literally in Hebrew meant "ORGANIZED IN
BANDS FOR WAR" ... these must have been some
gals!
b. They gave up their vanity for
cleansing ... and continued to serve!
c. Perhaps it was their job to keep
filled the bronze basin with water ... if so, they served like moms who make
sure the "WATER" -- the Word of God was always full in
the place they serve. (the home or
on the job)
5. The Egyptian women always carried a
mirror in one hand when they went to the pagan temples to worship ... perhaps
these Israelite ladies imitated somewhat that custom ... but changed it by
giving up those mirrors to worship the TRUE God!
B. Requirement
Ex.
30:17-18
1. This bronze basin for washing was a
requirement from God!
a. Failure of the priest to wash
before entering the tabernacle could result in death!
b. The message was clear; God
desires us to come to Him with a clean heart!
c. It was not difficult ... God had
made provision for this washing before entering the
2. God makes provision for us to
approach the Father ... through Jesus Christ and now through the WORD OF GOD
which if applied can wash away our sinfulness!
3. This was a must
stop!
4. Its function was both PRACTICAL AND
SYMBOLIC.
a. Since the priest would have just
left the altar of sacrifice they would likely have "blood on their
hands" ... perhaps even on their feet, they were to come to God with
"clean hands
and clean feet" so to speak, thus a place was needed to wash between
the altar of sacrifice and the entrance to the
tabernacle.
b. They would also need a place to
wash coming back to the people since they would have eaten at the table of
shewbread and offered incense to God on the altar of
incense.
c. You might say this basin of washing
helped them both coming and going!
d. The symbolism was powerful ... the
constant and frequent need of cleansing!
C. Renewal
Ex. 30:19
1. HANDS … mentioned first. The basin had an upper and lower bowl,
one for hands, and the other for feet.
a. The hands symbolized their service
since it was with the hands the priests smeared the blood on the sides of the
altar ... usually with a finger.
b. Washing their hands thus symbolized
the cleansing of their service.
ILLUS: Pilot
attempted to use thIS symbol with Jesus ... he had a bowl of water brought to
him while he washed his hands to symbolize the "innocence" of his actions
against Jesus ... however, the symbol didn't hold ... he was guilty
too!
c. Our service to God and others needs
to be pure ... full of God's love, not out of personal gain or with impure
motives, but with integrity:
ILLUS: During
WW II in a French town called Le Chambon a large part of the town did something
few other cities in France did, they hid their jewish friends and neighbors from
the Nazi's. After the war, when
these folks were interviewed they gave the following reason for doing this.
Week after week they had heard
their local pastor preach to them of obeying God over men ... to risk themselves
for service unto God. When the
Nazis came to town they had by habit become servants for God, thus hiding the
jews from the evil Nazis. One woman
in town faked a heart attack just as some Nazi soldiers nearly stumbled onto
their hiding place, she said, "Pastor always taught us that there comes a time
in every life when a person is asked to do something for Jesus ... when our time
came, we knew what to do!" Their
service was pure and clean before God ... though it went againsT the evil rulers
of their day! It wasn't done for
money, or personal gain, or even to make converts out of THE jews ... it was
done out of their love for Jesus, and a desire to serve Him!
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
2. FEET ... this was mentioned second, it stood for
their "walk."
The feet often became the symbol of someone's daily walk, as in Jesus
washing Peter's feet, when Peter asked Jesus to wash all of him, Jesus replied
he was already clean, just the feet needed washing! It was the daily walk that was
contaminated by this world's dust!
a. The accumulated dirt of each day
needs washing ... or our feet become dirty!
b. The need for regular cleaning is a
must to keep the daily walk clean.
ILLUS: Several
years ago the experts wanted to restore the famous painting by the dutch painter
Rembrandt called, "THE NIGHT WATCH." It had hung for many years in Amsterdam
without proper protection, and had ACQUIRED a heavy layer of dust and dirt. As they cleaned the painting they were
astonished to find figures emerging from the shadows of the painting ... never
really seen before because of the layers of dirt. Nothing about the painting itself was
changed, only the dirt removed, and suddenly the painting took on a whole new
brightness and detail, the dirt had hidden the magnificence of the creation of
this artist ... robbing others of the supreme joy of this masterpiece! Once cleaned the artist’s creation could
be seen clearly for it BRILLIANCE! ... how like this sin is in our lives if left
uncleansed by God!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
c. Our daily walk needs the cleansing
of God's forgiveness each day to keep the work of the Master in all its
brilliance!
II. PRIORITY OF CLEANSING Ex. 30:20
A. Reverence
Ex.
30:20a
1. The point was clearly spoken ...
whenever the priest entered the tent of meeting they were first to have washed
or they died! “Whenever they
enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not
die.”
a. The idea was simple; they were not
to enter into fellowship with God with unclean hands or feet or death would
result!
b. This is still true in the spiritual
sense, service rendered for God out of impure motives bring more spiritual death
than it brings life!
c. God was to be approached therefore
seriously, not in some sloppy manner!
d. Respect for God's character is what
is at heart here!
e. Our God is a Holy God; to approach
Him one must be clean!
2. This was made serious in the minds
of the priests by death if they were unclean!
3. How often do we approach God's
presence with our hands still wringing of blood!
a. Anger still in our hearts toward
someone...
b. Perhaps this warning symbol is
still found in the communion passage in 1 Cor. 11 ...
"if you eat this bread and drink this cup
'unworthily' you will eat and drink damnation unto yourself ... that is why some
of you are sick..."
c. It is important to come to God with
a clean heart!
B. Reputation Ex.
30:20b
1. Not only did the priest need to
wash on the way into God's presence but he also washed on the way back from God
to the people ... symbolic of being clean for their approach to the people --
integrity!
2. As they approached the altar to
minister to the people they were to be clean, our ministry must have genuine
motives, our ministry must be clean!
a. We’ve seen the results in the last
few years of ministry that was done with impurity.
b. An impure priest would make the
sacrifices impure ... the people needed to see the priest's wash on the way to
them also!
3. It didn't mean the priest's were
flawless ... if that were so they wouldn't have needed to wash ... but they
needed to set the example of being clean for the
people!
a. Pastors need washing
too!
b. Anyone who ministers needs to
remember to keep their ministry cleansed by the Lord and His
Word!
4. Their example of washing was
important for the people ... and for the ministry!
III. PERPETUAL CLEANSING EX. 30:21; 1 Jn.
1:9
A. Restorative Ex. 30:21a; 1 Jn. 1:9
1. Those who failed to see the need
for cleansing died, for us this means to neglect the need to seek cleansing from
God results in spiritual death setting in.
“They
shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not
die.”
a. As we fail to see our need of
cleansing sin soon becomes something we no longer
sense.
b. Cleansing neglected means spiritual
decline sets in until we no longer feel the need for spiritual
things!
2. This water basin was not intended
to burden the priests ... it was intended to free them from contamination with
death, it was thus restorative in function!
3. We read this in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness.” ... this was written to the
believer!
a. This clearly shows that we will
need regular cleansing even after we are saved.
b. This clearly reveals God's intended
purpose for cleansing ... to restore us daily!
c. This will keep contaminates from
building up in our lives on a day by day basis!
ILLUS:
Just
as a shower refreshes or restores us after hard and dirty work, so does coming
to God for a spiritual "
B. Regulation
Ex. 30:21b
1. It is quite clear in the last part
of this verse that God meant this idea to be permanent ... at least the
principle of cleansing. “This is to be a
lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to
come.”
2. In Christ we find an easier access
to cleansing ... we have no excuse of time or
inconvenience!
3. It was to be a lasting ordinance,
cleansing is critical to our Christian life and service
still.
a. This is why the study of God's Word
is so important on a daily basis, it is called by Paul in Eph. 5 the "water" that washes Christ’s
church!
b. This is why it is important to ask
God's cleansing each day for that day's contamination ... which we pick up on
our "spiritual" feet as we walk in this world ... to be cleansed to enter God's
presence!
CONCLUSION: The bronze altar deals with
justification, the removal of all
our sins by blood sacrifice; but the bronze basin speaks of sanctification, the daily cleansing we
need as we walk with God (the symbol of our feet) ... and as we serve (the hand
symbol). The priests washed on the
way to God and on the way back to others ... how often do you stop for
cleansing? We should be clean
coming and going! When’s the last
time you had a good spiritual
bath!?