“Reflections – The bronze basin”

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Focus verses today – Exodus 30:17-30 and James 1:22-25

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: so they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

Tabernacle of meeting. Out in the wilderness in the tent was an altar. It is the brazen altar. There the blood was shed continually for the remission of sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Those sacrifices were to be done away with because Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law at every point, but for then, continual sacrifices were required.

The Bronze Basin

Now, between the brazen altar and the inner court was a brazen laver. A bowl made of brass filled with clean water. This is where the daily cleansing of the priests is to happen. This is not for salvation/atonement but for sanctification. The brazen altar where an innocent sacrifice took the sin debt provided salvation. But the laver is where the priest cleanses himself daily. This must be done before entering God’s presence or they would die. This must be done continually as they handle the animals for the burnt offering.

No dimensions are given or much detail. I believe it is because what took place at this basin is the focus. The cleansing is essential, but the particulars of its size are far less important than its purpose. However, we are given a glimpse of the lavers in Solomon’s Temple. And there they were huge!

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭7:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬ [27] And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. That’s about 6 feet in diameter and there were 10 of them. A whole lot of washing going on for a whole lot of sacrificing. However, no amount of washing or sacrificing could take away sin forever. It is just symbolic of who was to come.

This laver was no ordinary bowl. It was made with the bronze of the mirrors of the women. Which means it was highly reflective and meaningful. I’m sure the ladies will agree. Mirrors are a must! In that day mirrors were made of polished metal.

Exodus 38:8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

It is a polished brass bowl filled with water for cleansing. The priests were to do this continually as they worked at the altar and before entering the inner court. Ceremonial cleansing to sanctify them. Looking at their reflection for any flaw or fault. Washing off the dirt found in the reflection. Cleaning both hands and feet. Certainly seeing their faces.

The priests were to wash continually in the reflecting laver and we also are to cleanse continually in our reflective laver. The mirror of the word of God.

As kings, priests, and ministers of the most holy things, we are to be sanctified, set apart, and clean. 1 Peter 2:9 and Rev 1:6

What does the New Testament say about the reflections?

James 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

There are Dangerous reflections we must confront

Self-image – beholding your own selves – natural face – face of your birth – 6 personal pronouns are used in this one sentence.

The outward reflection is a dangerous way of seeing ourselves. However, don’t stop combing your hair just because God looks at the heart. Some say it is a sin to wear makeup…..I say it is a sin for some of us not to. Seriously though, our outward appearance matters far less than the inward reflection of our heart.

A carnal look – outward appearance

Often we are more concerned with how we look to the world than how we look to God. But, Jesus said to take no thought of what we wear. The hyperbole is not lost on me. He was saying not be overly concerned with the outward.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

A conceited look – prideful – Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Sometimes we look in the mirror and ask “Who is the fairest of them all?” We say “Aren’t you a good-looking devil?” At this point, we are probably correct. We are acting prideful like the devil. I incision him walking across heaven one day and passing a mirror. “Oh, aren’t you a good-looking devil?” That day pride was found in him he was cast out!

A Self-deceptive look – deceiving ourselves – putting on makeup, wearing a mask – putting on a front – denying the ugly truth – who we pretend to be – these are the characteristics of a self-deluded person. A person refusing to see themselves as they REALLY are. Going through life wearing rose-colored glasses.

Whereupon says Bishop Brownrig, “To deceive is bad, to deceive yourselves is worse, to deceive yourselves about your souls is worst of all.”

Selfish disobedience – goes his own way – compartmentalizes – goes back to the business of being – A mom? A dad? A farmer? A plumber? A carpenter? A businessman? A husband? These are all good and necessary, but God sees us as much more. He sees us as His children, His Church, His bride. We are MORE than what we do. We are eternal living souls with eternal purposes. Oh that we could see ourselves as God sees us. Oh, that we could be conformed this moment to the image of his dear son.

Self-dismissive – forgets who he was – dismisses the image – who he thinks matters more to him than who he truly is

He downplays his responsibility and his worth. He fails to recognize his gifts and abilities from God and goes about his day attitude of Who cares? I’m a nobody. This is not how God sees us. We are loved and valued more than the whole creation. Jesus died for you. How precious you are. There has never been anyone the same as you in all of history and never shall be. DNA proves this beyond any doubt.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being NOT a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed

Or worse still the danger of seeing the real self and denying the reflection by walking away in rebellion to God’s revelation and denying the truth instead of denying ourselves. In so doing we are selfish and dishonor the lord who bought us with his precious blood.

The Divine reflections we must embrace – responding to the mirror in obedience

A Doer of the word confesses – He looks into the word – from every angle performing the word – actively seeking the flaws – looking for who he is and confessing- agrees with the reflection in the word and repents of sinful behavior

He Studies the Image – looking for Jesus in the mirror – the inward-revealing reflection in God’s word 

The word – perfect law of liberty – is the precious, priceless, powerful word of God. We come to the mirror of God’s quick and powerful word. It is God-breathed by the Holy Spirit and reveals our faults, our flaws, and even our motives. God shows us what manner of man we truly are. Reveals the truth and reflects the Light. A doer sees the truth and agrees/confesses

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‭-‬10‬ ‭ESV‬‬ [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The Doer of the word corrects – He repents, changes his mind – he sees who he can be. What manner of person he ought to be. He is not a forgetful hearer.

A doer of the work continues – remains beside, abides by – the upward reaction – Continues – parameno remains beside paraménō (from 3844 /pará, “from remain close-beside (near), i.e. abide (“continue alongside”) in a close-working relationship (partnership); a “stay-close remaining.” He stays with it! He keeps on keeping on. He sticks with the stuff.

Martin Luther once said, “The world does not need a definition of religion as much as it needs a demonstration.”

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? JESUS! The mirror of God’s word is a divine thing.The word of God is a revealer of secrets. The word of God is for cleansing. The mirror of God’s word reveals the dirt and blemishes. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3 KJV

What do you see when you look in the laver?