Text: Exod. 30:17-21; 38:8; 40:30-32
Intro: The “Laver” is a type of Daily Cleansing and shows the Position of Baptism. The "Laver" comes after the altar. The
altar is for sinners; the "Laver" is for priest. At the brazen-altar sins were dealt with and put away. At the "Laver" priests were
required to wash their hands and feet, for communion with God.
I. Moses Performed the Laver Service upon Aaron and His Sons, after They had Come by the Altar.  (Lev. 8:1-6)
    A.  Shows position of baptism (Luke 3:7-8; Matt. 3:7-8)
          1.  Scriptural baptism cannot be administered until after repentance (Hebrews 10:22). “Let us draw near with a true
               heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
               pure water.”
               a.  With a true heart, without any guile or hypocrisy.
                    a)  God is the searcher of hearts, and he requires truth in the inward parts (Jer 17:10)
               b.  In full assurance of faith
                    a)  We must lay aside all sinful distrust.
                    b)  Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6)
               c.  Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, by an application of the blood of Christ. 
               d.  Our bodies washed with pure water
                    a) That is, with the pure water of baptism.
          2.  Scriptural Baptism is not essential to salvation but it is essential to a holy walk inside a New Testament church.
    B.  Positional the laver shows that baptism is in the kingdom and not in the church.
         1.  Christ gave the ordinance of baptism, to the church, to administer to those qualified subjects upon their request for
              the purpose of a holy walk inside a New Testament church (Rom. 6:4).
    C.  Positional it is preparation for service (Luke 1:17). "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
          the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people
          prepared for the Lord."
          1.  Jesus called those disciples of John that had repenting at the preaching of John and were baptized by John, to
               establish His church.
               a.  This is still God’s method of preparation for service in a New Testament church today.
                    a)  Salvation first.
                    b)  Baptism by the authority of a New Testament church next.
II. The Laver Tells of the Need for Daily Cleansing if Communion with God is to be Maintained.  (Exod. 30:19-21)
    A.  Cleansing, not from the guilt of sin, but from the defilement of the way.
          1.  At the Brazen-altar sins were dealt with and put away.
               a.  Speaks of Calvary (Isa. 38:17). Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul
                    delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. 
               b.  Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast
                    all their sins into the depths of the sea.
          2.  Before they were ready to burn incense upon the Golden altar they must wash at the Laver.
    B.  The blood of Christ answers forever to all the law could say as to the believer’s guilt, but before worship there must be
          daily cleansing.
          1.  Christ cannot have communion with a defiled saint, but He can and will cleanse him (1 John 1:5-9).
    C.  The Lavers foot is to teach us that spiritual cleansing is the very foundation of Christian service.
    D.  The antitype is found in (John 13:8-11)
          1.  Notice the words of Christ when Peter objected at the thought of Jesus washing his feet,
          2.  "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."
               a.  Notice that Christ did not say "in me," but "with me."
          3.  The term "In Christ" refers to my spiritual standing before God, my acceptance.
          4.  The term "With Christ" has to do with my fellowship.
               a.  For this there must be a removal of all that defiles.
               b.  To accomplish this we must confess to Him our sins (1 Jn 1:9).
    E.  Verses 9-10 he that is bathed need only to wash his feet.
    F.  Neither the presence of the old nature, nor its evil fruits can invalidate our perfect standing before God, which rests
         upon our acceptance in Christ.
         1.  We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and
              power.
III.  The Water in the Laver is a Type of the Written Word of God.                            
    A.  Water, not blood, was the element appointed for the purification of the priests.
          1.  When a saint contracts defilement by treading the path of life through this world, it is not a fresh application of the
               blood of Christ, which he needs, but the Word.
    B.  Psa 119:9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
         Eph 5:25-27  “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might
         sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
         having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  John 15:3 "Now ye are clean
         through the word which I have spoken unto you."
    C.  The priest were constantly having to wash at the Laver if their service was to be acceptable to God.
          1.  The result of entering the tabernacle without washing was death (Ex. 30:20-21; Lev. 10:8-10).
    D.  What is in view here is priestly activity, the removing of that which would otherwise disqualify them for service at the
          Golden altar.
    E.   In like manner, we cannot enter into the worship of God's house if we have not first washed at the Laver of
          God's Word.
          1.  The confessing of our sins and a practical cleansing must take place before...in the outer court.
          2.  Failure at this point is to, morally, bring in death.
          3.  Can't worship with dirty hands, clean up our actions; dirty feet, clean up our walk; dirty eyes, clean up our lustful
               looks; dirty minds, clean up our thinking.
    F.  (1 Cor 11:30-31) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge
         ourselves, we should not be judged.
IV. The Laver was made from the Brass Looking-Glasses, which Came from the Obedient Women that
Assembled at the Door of the Tabernacle. (Exod. 38:8)
    A.  When we look into God's Word we see ourselves as we really are (James 1:22-25).
    B.  The Laver was never covered, neither is the Word covered.
          1.  It's not a mystery but a revelation.
Conclusion:  After the priest washed their hands and feet at the “Brass Laver” they went into the Holy Place and There...
    A.  They walked in the light of the Candlestick.
          1.  The “Candlestick” in the Tabernacle represents the Word of God inside His churches (Psa. 119:105; Jn. 17:8,14).
               (Isa. 8:16) "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples."
    B.  They ate Shewbread.
          1.  Lord's Supper inside church.
    C.  They stood before the Golden alter.
          1.  Place where God answers pray.