The laver is an important object mentioned several times in the Bible, especially in relation to the tabernacle and temple worship. Here is an overview of what the laver was and its significance:
The Bronze Laver in the Tabernacle
In Exodus 30:17-21, God instructs Moses to make a bronze laver (basin) for washing and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet with water from the laver before entering the Tent of Meeting or approaching the altar to burn food offerings to the Lord. This washing ceremony was a ritual purification required before priests could enter God’s presence or serve Him.
The laver was made from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 38:8). It had a bronze stand or base and was portable, allowing it to travel with the Israelites through the wilderness. The priests’ ritual washing from the laver was essential before they performed their duties, lest they die (Exodus 30:20).
The Lavers in Solomon’s Temple
When Solomon constructed the more permanent stone temple in Jerusalem, he made ten bronze lavers and put five on the south side and five on the north side of the temple (1 Kings 7:38-39). Each laver could hold 40 baths (around 240 gallons) of water. They were used to wash the burnt offerings, but the priests continued to use the bronze laver made in the time of Moses to wash themselves before entering the temple.
Significance of the Laver
The laver foreshadowed how Jesus would become the ultimate washing that cleanses believers from sin. Just as the priests had to be cleansed physically before entering God’s presence, so Jesus cleanses Christians spiritually through his death, washing away their sins (Titus 3:5).
The laver was located between the brazen altar, where sacrifices were made, and the holy place. This position between the altar and God’s presence emphasized the need for cleansing before approaching a holy God. Jesus’ death provides the only way for believers’ sins to be forgiven and make them acceptable before God (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Though God was untouchably holy, the laver enabled sinful humans to be ceremonially cleansed and have access to Him. This ritual cleansing pointed ahead to the better, complete cleansing from Christ that allows believers to boldly enter God’s presence (Hebrews 4:16).
References to Lavers in the New Testament
In the New Testament, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet using a basin, foreshadowing how He would spiritually cleanse them (John 13:5). Peter’s resistance showed he needed more than just external washing; he needed internal cleansing that only Jesus provides (John 13:8-10).
The sea of cast metal in Solomon’s temple contained water for washing sacrifice just as the old lavers had (2 Chronicles 4:2-6). In Revelation 15:2-4, those who have victory over the beast worship God near something like a sea of glass, singing praises of God’s holiness. This scene echoes the washing ceremonies at the laver used to set apart priests as holy to enter God’s presence.
Lessons from the Laver
Though no longer needed, the laver teaches invaluable lessons for Christians today:
- God’s holiness requires cleansing from sin before approaching Him
- Cleansing was provided by God’s grace through rituals He instituted
- These cleansings foreshadowed Christ’s complete spiritual cleansing
- Like the priests, believers must still have clean hearts to enter God’s presence
- The laver was made from the Israelites’ gifts, picturing united service
- Washing in the laver was required daily, not just once
- Jesus enables continual cleansing and a life of purity before God
The laver remains a perpetual reminder of people’s sinfulness and need for purification. Jesus has now fulfilled what the laver symbolized, providing the only way for people to be made holy before God. As believers yield their lives to Christ, He cleanses them from sinful habits and attitudes, empowering them to serve Him with pure hearts.
The Laver and Baptism
While the laver symbolized cleansing from sin, it was not equivalent to New Testament baptism. The laver involved only ritual washing, while baptism represents dying and rising with Christ to new life (Romans 6:3-4). The priests had to return to wash at the laver daily, but Christ’s death at baptism provides complete and final cleansing for believers.
However, both the laver and baptism used water as a visible sign of the inner cleansing the Lord provides. As the laver prepared priests to enter God’s presence, baptism signifies the believer’s new identity in Christ and initiation into God’s family.
Some churches install lavers or baptismal fonts containing water to remind congregants of the cleansing Jesus provides. However, this is symbolic only, since the purification is spiritual, accomplished fully by Christ’s sacrifice. The laver remains a powerful symbol of God’s grace in providing the means for sinful humans to be made clean and enjoy relationship with Him.
The Laver as a Mirror
Since the laver was originally made from the women’s mirrors (Exodus 38:8), it acted as a mirror itself. As the priests washed at the laver, they would have seen their reflection in the polished bronze basin. This mirror image served as a reminder to examine their inward condition and motives even while washing externally.
Likewise, Christians must look intently at themselves in light of God’s truth to allow the Holy Spirit to expose and cleanse them from sinful attitudes and hidden faults (Psalm 139:23-24). Believers can be so accustomed to surface-level sins that more subtle sins go unnoticed and unconfessed. The laver’s mirror image reminds believers to seek the deep inner cleansing Christ alone can provide (1 John 1:9).
The Laver and Holiness
The daily cleansing at the laver was a solemn reminder that God’s people must pursue practical holiness to approach Him. The priests served as symbols of purity and mediators between the holy God and sinful people. Laver washing reflected their role as set-apart and prepared to enter the holy places.
Followers of Christ are similarly called to be holy as they represent God in an impure world (1 Peter 1:15-16). Jesus makes believers positionally holy through His sacrifice, but His Spirit also empowers them to live holy lives. Believers need continual cleansing from sin through confession, renewing their minds, and Christ’s empowerment. The laver remains a motif of the daily cleansing Christians require to walk in dynamic relationship with the Lord.
The Laver and Servanthood
The laver was located between the altar of sacrifice and the holy place, picturing that cleansing preceded service. The priests had to be purified before offering sacrifices or entering God’s presence on behalf of Israel. Serving the Lord required clean hands and a pure heart.
This principle remains true today. Believers who desire to serve Christ must daily wash themselves through time in God’s Word, prayer, and introspection. When Christians are cleansed from known sin, they become usable vessels for the Lord’s work (2 Timothy 2:21). The laver reminds God’s people that cleansing must come before effective service.
The Importance of the Laver
Though the laver is often overshadowed by the more prominent altar and ark of the covenant, it filled an irreplaceable role. God did not consider the tabernacle furnishings complete and usable until the laver was crafted and operational (Exodus 40:30-32).
This highlights the essential nature of cleansing from sin before approaching God’s presence. Though animal sacrifices on the altar were also required, cleansing at the laver was indispensable. God’s holiness demands hearts made pure by the cleansing only He provides. The laver remains a perpetual reminder of people’s need for spiritual washing through Christ’s redemption.
The Laver as a Symbol
As a container holding water used for priestly purification, the laver powerfully symbolized cleansing from impurity. More specifically, it represented:
- God’s provision for holy cleansing
- The need for mediators to be purified before approaching God
- God’s desire for His people to be cleansed from sin and consecrated to Him
- The continual cleansing necessary for those serving a holy God
- The inadequacy of outward washing without inner transformation
- God’s grace in providing the means of cleansing from sin
When believers see depictions of the laver, it can remind them to prayerfully examine their hearts and seek Christ’s cleansing from all that would hinder their walk with God. Though no longer a required ritual, the laver remains a powerful visual metaphor for the spiritual washing God graciously provides.
The Enduring Significance of the Laver
While the levitical priesthood and animal sacrifices ended with Christ, the laver continues to hold valuable symbolic lessons for Christians today. It vividly depicts the believer’s need for spiritual cleansing through God’s grace. Just as the priests required daily washing at the laver to approach the Lord, believers now come to Christ for daily cleansing through His Word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit’s purifying work.
The Christian life is to be marked by purity, set apart from sin unto God. The laver signifies that this holiness requires continual dependence on the cleansing only Jesus provides. As believers yield sensitive hearts to Him, Christ washes away impurities and empowers them to serve Him with clean hands and pure hearts.
The laver foreshadowed the washing of regeneration believers experience in baptism and beyond (Titus 3:5). It remains a perpetual reminder of human sinfulness contrasted with God’s purity. This visual metaphor spurs believers to regularly examine their hearts and participate in Christ’s complete cleansing. The laver teaches indispensable spiritual lessons for growing in holiness by depending on Jesus’ cleansing power.
Though no longer a required ritual, the laver’s enduring legacy lives on. Its waters beckon believers to look within and seek holiness and purity of heart before their God. The laver points to the eternal cleansing that Christ alone can provide through the power of His Spirit at work within.
