At the Laver

WWhat Was the Laver Used for? A Holy God requires a holy people so before entering God’s presence, one must be cleansed. The Laver was for washing, cleansing and preparing. It was a circular basin inlaid with highly polished brass that the Israelite women used for mirrors. It was used by the priests for ceremonial washing to sanctify and to purify themselves before entering the Holy Place to perform their next service to God. They cleansed their faces and hands (representing daily work) and their feet (representing a holy walk and set-apart life) after the bloody slaughter of the sacrificial animals.

Mirrors are for self-examination of the outer person but believers can use it to examine the inner man, the hidden man, our hidden heart. The mirror reflects the defilements within us, which are washed away when we obey the commandments of the scriptures. As the priests washed in the laver, the mirrors reflected their images, reminding them of how God saw them.

Herein lies the promise in Ephesians 5:26, “that He (Jesus) might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.” The Greek word for washing is laver. So it would

read ‘that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the Laver of water, with the word’!

The Laver Represents the Word of God. This is where we allow God’s Word to shine into our lives, allowing it to teach, to reprove, to correct and to instruct us in the ways of God (2 Tim 3:16). Only the perfect blood of Christ, the lamb of God, can cleanse us perfectly of our sins, which represents our separation from God. The Word of God has a cleansing effect on our lives. As believer-priests, defilements of the flesh are washed away when we act in obedience to the clear commands of Scripture. The mirror reveals and reflects our sinful purposes and intentions within us, and the mirror is only effective if we act on what it reveals, so we must act on the Word of God and be washed clean as we obey the scriptures.

The Bible tells believers to cleanse their hearts from guilt before approaching God, “having our bodies washed with pure water”. (Hebrews 10:22). 2 Corinthians 7:1 adds, “Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

The Holy Spirit will use the “logos” ie the written word and make it “rhema” ie the Holy Spirit quickens a specific word for a specific person for a specific situation, to us. It will be as if God were speaking directly and personally to us. The Holy Spirit will use the Word, like a spiritual bath to bring about convictions, to cleanse our conscious thoughts and sanctify our soul with His truth. Until “… we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18. What a great day that will be.

1 John 1:8-10 says, Jesus is the ‘Living Water,’ He washes and cleanses and purifies us. “But if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins, because He is faithful and just. He will cleanse [purify] us from all the wrongs we have done.”

There Is a Need for Repentance Today. God says, “I desire a contrite and humble heart” to draw near to Me. At the Laver, we examine ourselves in the light of God’s word and we confess our sin, we get washed. And we are promised by Jesus, “ You are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.” John 15:3.

Now we are ready to be separated from sin and set apart for God, for God’s holy purposes. Thus, our lives become pure and holy, our life is an acceptable offering and can be consecrated to Him for God’s use in an acceptable service.

The Bible says sanctification is a progressive and transformational experience from our separation unto God. It is the effect of obedience, a continual putting off sin to death and the application of the Word of God (the purifying water) in our lives. To be sanctified means God has been at work in our lives. So let’s join with Paul’s prayer, “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess 5:23. p

By Suyin Sutherland Business owner, a lover of God’s presence, loves to introduce others into God’s secret place.