clean peace

After the sobering encounter with sacifice, we turn from the violent altar of peace to continue our walk through the tabernacle. And this is where we find the water fountain. Or, at least, the closest thing to a water fountain we're going to find in the tabernacle: the Brazen Laver.

Doesn't that sound scary? The Brazen Laver. That what the nerds call it anyway; we can call it a bronze wash basin. It probably looked something like a metal bird bath and was fashioned from the polished bronze mirrors that the women had brought out of Egypt. Filled with water, the priests were commanded to wash their hands and feet before approaching the altar to carry out their task.

Life is dirty. Even the most meticulous of us can't go through the day without getting dirty. You simply can't accomplish too many things without getting dirty; even sitting on your couch, you're going to collect dust and, presumably, need to use the bathroom at some point. That's life.

God knew that we, his servants, were bound to get dirty. But He is also holy and He calls us to a life of holiness. And that's why we need a wash basin. Through His Spirit, God has provided us a means of cleansing, or purification, or, to use the fancy theological term, sancification. We have the opportunity, at any time, to take a look at ourselves in this mirrored basin and allow God's Spirit to wash off the filth we have accumulated. 

And this is a second important aspect of peace: the process of becoming perfect, complete or whole. This is a process that will never find its full end here on earth, but regular washing will bring us closer and closer to being the way God intended us to be.

Represented in the outer courtyard of the tabernacle, the altar and wash basin use practical images -- instead of the fancy nerd words -- to convey the essence of salvation, or peace with God. First, peace is achieved through violence, as Jesus takes all our sin and its punishment upon Himself and we are declared righteous. Second, peace is achieved through the gentle and ongoing work of God's Spirit as He clean us from the unrighteousness we pick up along the way.

Once again, this verse from Hebrews sums up the situation perfectly, "For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." (Hebrews 10.14) Peace was achieved and is being achieved. Jesus gave himself as the single offering, which perfected ( think "peaced") -- in the past, already happened, tense -- each of us who are being -- in the present ongoing tense -- those who are being sanctified (again think "peaced").

Within Himself, God has provided for us complete peace.