As you may recall from previous studies, the Laver or wash basin in Moses' Tabernacle was the place where the priests washed their hands and feet before entering into the Middle Court (Holy Place)(Ex.20:17-21). At first glance those verses which described the Laver appeared to me to be one of those sections of the Old Testament which do not relate to our present day walk with Jesus. However, for a period of several weeks after having completed a study on that topic, I was drawn back to that Scripture.
Just as the first High priest Aaron was a foreshadow of Our Great High priest Jesus, I began to realize that the actions which took place at the Laver were also a foreshadow of what we are to do. According to Ex.40:30 the Laver was located between the Brazen Altar and the Middle Court. The Laver was therefore separated from the Lampstand, the Table of Shewbread, and the Altar of Incense by a curtain. Those three things were found in the Middle Court, and were themselves separated from the Inner Court (Holy of Holies) and the Ark of the Covenant by another curtain.
For purposes of this lesson I will not go into any further detail concerning the layout of the temple itself. The important thing to see is that the Laver was located outside the Middle Court, and the priests were instructed to wash (purify) their bodies before entering (Ex.30:17-21). Failure to wash would lead to their physical death. The verse which intrigued me the most is found in Ex. 38:8, wherein we are told that the Laver was made from bronze. The bronze itself came from melting down the woman's mirrors. Glass was not used for mirrors at that time. Rather, highly polished metal was the material of choice. In this case, the metal was bronze. Why did God want us to know that the Laver was made of metal which came from melted mirrors? We know that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching (II Tim.3:16). We also know that everything which was written in the past was written in order to instruct us, so that through endurance we might have hope (Ro.15:4).
Since this is all true, I began to pray for wisdom and understanding in order to see what it was that God was telling us in that verse? We know that the purpose of a mirror is to see oneself. We also know that this is possible because mirrors reflect light. At that point another Scripture I had been reading suddenly came alive. II Cor.3:18 says that, "...we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (emphasis added) As a mirror reflects light, so also are we to reflect the Lord's glory. As we reflect this glory we are in the process of being transformed. Ro.12:2 says we are to be "transformed" by the renewing of our mind. Therefore, transformation into the Lord's likeness begins with the renewing of our mind. First however, according to Ro.12:1 we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, "holy and pleasing to God".
Jesus was transfigured (transformed) before the disciples around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. At that time the disciples saw His glory (Lk.9:32). According to Peter "... we were eye witnesses of His majesty for He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the majestic glory" (II Pe.1:16). We are told in Ro.2:7 to seek His glory, honor, and immortality. We know the mortal does not put on immortality until the last trumpet (I Cor.15: 51-54); however, that is the final step. The beginning of the transformation process is to take place now. We are to seek His honor, glory, and immortality now, not just some day in the great beyond.
According to II Cor.3:8 the ministry of the Spirit is glorious. It would therefore appear that we should begin seeking His glory through that ministry. Ro.8:14 confirms this by saying that those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God In the Old Testament temple the Holy Spirit was found symbolically in the Middle Court. The Lampstand (the Church) can function properly only when it is filled with oil (Holy Spirit). The Shewbread (the Word) was made of flour and oil (Holy Spirit). The Incense (prayer) was also made partially of oil (Holy Spirit). We will save a more detailed discussion of Moses Tabernacle for a latter date. (see God's Pattern)
Let us now turn our attention to the relationship which exists between wisdom, the Word, the Holy Spirit, transformation, and physical immortality. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Word of God (I Cor.2:12, Ps.119 130, Col.1:9 & I John 2:27). We are to put on a new self "...which has been renewed in knowledge..." in the image of God (Col.3:10). We are made new in the attitude of our minds (Eph.4:23) and it is our mind which is worked upon by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for soul is psyche, from which we derive the word "psychology" or study of the mind. In fact the word psyche is itself sometimes translated as "mind." (Acts 14:2). The transformation of our bodies into His glory is a continuing process which DEPENDS UPON THE RENEWING OF OUR psyche - soul/mind (Ro.12:2) (see Chapter 2). "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" (Ro.8:6).
We are to have the mind of Christ (I Cor.2:16). Once we were alienated from God because we were enemies in our mind. Now we are blameless in the mind if we continue in our faith (Col.1: 21-23). Our faith is increased when we hear the Word (Ro.10:17). The Holy Spirit works on our mind (soul) so that when we hear the word our faith will grow. I Pe.1:9 says that the very goal of our faith is the salvation of our soul. Ja.1:21 says that the word is here to save our soul. Our body cannot be transformed (totally displaying the glory of Jesus as shown on the Mount of Transfiguration) until our mind (soul) is renewed. This happens when our mind is acted upon by the Word through the Holy Spirit. According to Prov.24:14 wisdom is sweet to our soul, and if we find wisdom and turn to Him there is a future hope. As set forth in Ro.15:4 & 8:23 that hope is the redemption of our physical body (see Chapter 1).
We know from John 3:29 and Eph.5:23 that the Bride of Christ is of the Church. In Rev.19:7 we see that at the end times the bride has made herself ready. Eph.5:26 tells us that this is done "... by the washing with water through the Word" (emphasis added). Ja.1:22 says that a person who listens to the Word and doesn't do what it says is like a man who looks into a mirror, sees himself, and forgets what he looks like. Before we can see we need light, and Ps.119:130 tells us that the entrance of the Word gives light. Washing is linked to the Word and the Word is linked to mirrors. As a whole, the Church must wash with the Word to be made spotless and without wrinkle. In order not to physically die when coming into God's presence, the priests in the old tabernacle had to wash themselves. As you will recall the place where they did this was at the Laver, and the Laver was made from mirrors.
A bride can't be pure until her physical body is cleansed. A bride will look into a mirror to make herself ready for the groom. We look into the mirror of the Word and do what it says (II Tim.2:0, Ja.1:26, & Phil.4:9) We need the Spirit (total participation in the Middle Court experience) in order to fully understand, and then be transformed in body (I Cor.2:11). Remember, the oil in the Middle Court was symbolic of the Spirit. In Esther 2:12 we find that Esther spent twelve months with oil and spices (Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit) purifying her body before she went into the king.
I believe that the water in the Laver and the washing the priests did was symbolic of body purification. This purification took place so that their physical bodies did not die. Before we can be completely renewed in mind (soul) and thereby become totally transformed into Jesus' likeness without first experiencing physical death, we must purify our bodies thereby enabling the Holy Spirit to complete the task of renewing our mind with God's Word. If we are in the last generation we may not physically die prior to Christ's return, but we must first purify our body and renew our mind (soul) in the Middle Court.
According to II Cor.3:18, until the final transformation takes place all we can do is reflect God's glory. We can only be a mirror image until our soul (mind) is completely attuned to the Spirit's glorious ministry. I Cor.15:41 tells us that the sun has one splendor, the moon another, and the stars, which differ one from another, still a different glory. In Rev.22:16 we see that Jesus is the "Bright Morning Star." Figuratively speaking, that would be the sun. Right now we are the moon which can only reflect the glory of the sun (Son). Yet according to Ro.8:15-25 we eagerly await the redemption of our bodies. At that point, the transformation will be complete and the light which is now within us, which is Christ, will shine forth like the stars (see also Dan.12:3). We will be transformed and will have glorified bodies. For Paul that could only be a hope. He could not have faith that it would occur prior to his physical death. That hope can become faith only for those who are in the end times.
In the parable of the weeds found in Matt.13:24-30 and explained in vs 36-40, we find that no weeding process is to take place until both the wheat (us) and the weeds (unbelievers) have matured (vs.30). The reason for this is that in an immature crop the young wheat plants would also be uprooted during the weeding process (vs.29). Therefore, this weeding does not occur until the end of the age. Based upon verse 29 it would appear that a well rooted wheat plant is the only kind strong enough to withstand that process. Verse 43 tells us that after the weeding process is completed, the righteous will shine like the sun. Prov.10:25 says "when the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever." Prov.10:30 adds to this by stating that "the righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land ." Prov.2:22 reminds us that "... the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it. "We know from the parable of the sower in Lk.8:1-15, Matt.13:1-23 & Mk.4:1-23 that the well rooted seed (the Word, Lk.8:11) needs moisture (the Holy Spirit) in order to survive.
The wheat crop matures by perseverance (Lk.8:15 & Ja.1:4), study (Heb.5:14), and commitment (I Cor.15:58). As believers, if we are not well rooted in the Word, we could be like Peter in Matt.14:30. He took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. Keeping our eyes on the physical events taking place around us during this weeding process, rather than on God's promises of protection and love, could be a sign of spiritual immaturity. Such immaturity in the wheat plant meant that it would not survive. It would still be a wheat plant, but it would be a dead wheat plant.
We are the body of Christ, the very temple of God (I Cor.3:16). According to I Cor.3:10-17, fire will test the quality of each man's building. If it survives, he receives his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer a loss. He himself will be saved, but his building (his body) will be destroyed if he doesn't pass the test. We must purify our bodies (wash at the Laver) so that the Holy Spirit can complete the renewal of our mind (soul) thereby enabling our physical body to pass through the test and be transformed without first tasting death. Priests died if they did not wash (purify) their body. Our bodies will also perish if we are not totally open to the Spirit who is in the process of purifying our mind (soul). This purification must proceed the transfiguration of our body. That final step occurs when we go into the Holy of Holies and deal directly - face to face with the Father. First however we must complete the Middle Court experience. Before we can do that though we must first wash at the Laver. That includes purifying our environment (social and home) so that we do not constantly bombard our physical senses with polluting influences (I Pe.1:14, Ja.1:27 & 4:4) as well as physical fasting.
Our goal is not the salvation of our bodies. Our goal is the total and complete submission of our lives to the worship and service of the Most High God. If we are in the end times and we reach our goal, then the transformation of our bodies without first experiencing physical death (which is our enemy - I Cor.15:26) will be a by-product, or reward for that search.