“Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord,” wrote Isaiah (52:11). That’s good counsel.
Exodus 30:11-16 has an explanation for the half shekel redemption silver, which we discussed earlier in its use as a foundation for God’s people. But following this, we have the final piece of furniture described—the laver. “You shall also make a laver 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” (vv 18-19). Recall that bronze was used for furniture that spoke of judgment, where God sets matters right. The bronze altar spoke of justification, the one-time putting away of the guilt of sin by offering a substitute. But the laver spoke of sanctification, and the repeated cleansing we need from defilement due to living in a dirty world. The Lord explained to Peter the difference between the initial bath the believer receives at conversion and the regular washings we need to be fit for His service. When Christ attempted to wash Peter’s feet, at first Peter resisted until the Lord explained that it was necessary if he wanted fellowship with Him. Then give me a bath, said Peter. Ah, you’ve had that, Peter. “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet” (Jn 13:10), said the Lord. When we first trust Christ, we have our bath, so to speak, and are brought into an unchanging relationship with Him. But fellowship, enjoying that relationship, is like the regular foot washing the Lord provides, when the convicting Word helps us to be honest about ourselves with God. We can help minister this to fellow saints, “the washing of water by the word” (Eph 5:26). You need to get down and put your own hands into the Word before you can practically apply it to others in a refreshing and cleansing way. Yes, we “ought to wash one another’s feet” (Jn 13:14).