Exodus 30:20, commentary and pictures

A laver of water stood in the court between the altar and the tent where all could see it, and Moses and Aaron and his sons had to wash their hands and feet there whenever they entered the tent or came near the altar to minister, under penalty of death. The penalty was because God's glory hallowed the sanctuary, so all impurity had to be removed before officiating where He was revealed, even leaving dusty shoes behind and washing before putting on the pure linen garments appointed for the work. The washing taught that all defilement must be put away by those who come into God's presence, for He is so high and holy that cleanliness and order belong to acceptable worship, and to appear before Him without that preparation dishonors Him. Its object was not merely to gain His favor for the priests, but to impress the people with an exalted sense of His holiness and the sacredness of His work. The outward rite ended when Christ's death fulfilled the ceremonies, and it does not now require worshipers to remove their shoes in church, yet it still proves that God requires purity of heart and personal cleanliness no less than in the wilderness. Ministers of sacred things today must therefore be pure and orderly in body, dress, and deportment to keep reverence and commend the truth, and those who pray or preach with breath polluted by tobacco are unfit for His holy service.

The Washing Required

The laver held water and stood in the court beside the door of the tabernacle, between the altar of burnt offering and the tent of the congregation, where the congregation could see it. Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons were to wash their hands and their feet there whenever they went into the tent of the congregation and whenever they came near to the altar to minister and burn offering made by fire to the Lord. They washed before entering into the presence of God to plead for Israel, that they die not and do not desecrate the sanctuary.

The washing was laid under penalty of death, for the sanctuary was hallowed by God's glory and presence. All who officiated where His glory was revealed had to make special preparation and remove all impurity before entering the place made holy by Him. He is so high, holy, and pure that death would follow unless they complied with these conditions.

That preparation included leaving in the court the shoes to which dust clung, for even dust carried in on shoes could desecrate the holy place. Those who ministered in sacred office removed their sandals and washed their feet upon entering the sanctuary. They washed before putting on pure linen garments, with the garments distinctly specified in accordance with the work in the holy place and the priest's office.

What the Washing Taught

The washing taught that every particle of dust and all defilement and impurity must be put away by those who come into God's presence, because the glory of God hallowed the sanctuary and all who officiated where His glory was revealed had to make special preparation and cleanse themselves. The laver stood in the court between the altar and the congregation where the people could see it, and there Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons washed their hands and their feet whenever they went into the tent and whenever they came near to minister before the Lord, leaving shoes with clinging dust in the court lest even dust desecrate the holy place. It was done in the sight of the congregation with garments distinctly specified in accordance with the work in the holy place and the priest's office, including washing before putting on pure linen garments. The requirement was under penalty of death, for God is so high and holy that death would follow unless they complied with these conditions.

It showed that cleanliness and order are closely connected with acceptable worship, with nothing slack, untidy, or unclean about those who appeared before Him in His holy presence, but order in everything and especially cleanliness. God is so high, holy, and pure that He commanded this care, and disobedience to the requirement brought death. Those who officiate before Him may honor or dishonor Him by apparel and deportment, and when ministers show care and reverence the people keep their awe and reverence for God and His sacred service, while when they fail the people lose it. To come before His sacred holiness without that special preparation dishonors Him and brings death by consumption, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu.

Its object was not merely to recommend the priests to God or gain His approbation, but to make a right impression upon the people, giving them an exalted idea of God and His requirements. It was to show them that God is holy and His work is sacred and must be free from everything like impurity and uncleanness, and that all defilement must be put away from those that approach nigh to God. By that same rule all who preach holy truth must have person, actions, and apparel right and perfectly proper, neat and tasteful and orderly, so that every item will recommend the religion and rightly represent the sacred and elevated character of the work before the people.

Ceremony Ended, Principle Remains

The washing at the laver belonged to the ancient ceremonial requirements for ritual cleanliness laid upon those entering the sanctuary or approaching the altar, which illustrated by outward practice the need for care to avoid impurity. Its outward observance is not required of God's people now, for Christ's death brought those ceremonies to their end when type met antitype. Outward washing cannot replace cleansing the heart from sin, nor can outward rites gain God's favor. Those who ministered anciently in sacred office were required upon entering the sanctuary to remove their sandals and wash their feet, but the verse does not require believers now to remove their shoes when entering the house of worship. To make it require that is a non-essential, fanciful theory from minds unlearned in the first principles of the gospel, by which the enemy strives to eclipse the great truths for this time.

The command still proves that God is a God of cleanliness, requiring purity of heart and personal cleanliness now no less than He required of Israel journeying in the wilderness. As nothing slack, untidy, or unclean was to appear before Him in His holy presence, but order in everything and especially cleanliness, so ministers of sacred things today must be pure and holy, clean and neat in body and dress. God distinctly specified the garments for service in the holy place and the priest's office in accordance with the work, to show that He may be honored or dishonored by the apparel and deportment of those who officiate before Him. Its object was not merely to recommend them to God or gain His approbation, but to make a right impression upon the people, giving them an exalted idea of God and His requirements and showing that God is holy and His work is sacred and must be free from everything like impurity and uncleanness. When ministers show care and reverence in apparel and deportment the people keep their awe and reverence for God and His sacred service, and when they fail the people lose it, so all who preach holy truth must have person, actions, and apparel right and perfectly proper, neat and tasteful and orderly, to rightly represent the sacred and elevated character of the work. By that rule every item will recommend the religion, and the dress itself will be a sermon to unbelievers.

By the same requirement, coming before His sacred holiness without special preparation dishonors Him and brings death by consumption, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, and entering with mouths polluted with tobacco would have shared their fate. Priests had to wash before entering the tabernacle or approaching the altar to minister, so they would not desecrate the sanctuary and die, and this cleanliness before coming into God's presence leaves mouths polluted by tobacco unfit for sacred service. Men set apart to speak to the people in Christ's stead cannot offer acceptable service to a holy God with mouths polluted, lips stained, and breath tainted by tobacco, so praying or preaching thus defiled cannot be acceptable.