Praise the Lord, Grace & Peace great people of our “Great God…JESUS!

I’m sure that throughout our day whether we are in direct contact with dirt or dust, we know that we have to perpetually bathe to maintain the external hygiene that is deemed necessary, in order to be an acceptable citizen, based on our established societal norms and standards. Whether we are in a cold climate or a hot climate; which may require more, we have to bathe.  As I was reading the word of God concerning the Temple of Solomon, I was intrigue with the of temple equipment known as the “Brazen Molten Sea” which was used by the priest to immerge and wash in, prior to serving in the Holy Place of the temple. This piece of equipment was profound to me, because it pointed to the perpetual cleansing that we are responsible to doin servitude to Jesus Christ. Hence, for this Golden Nugget I would like to provoke the thought “It’s A Stinking Shame Not to Bathe.” To provoke further gospel provocation, the following scriptures will be used to establish my premise:

2 Chr. 4:2-6  “And Solomon made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. And under it was the similitude of oxen which did compass it round about; ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the North, and three looking toward the West, and three looking toward the South and three looking toward the East; and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And the thickness of it was a handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of a brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths … the sea was for the priests to wash in.”

1Pe. 2:9  “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Eph. 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”

Heb.  10:19-22 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; 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.”

In order to a have a clear understanding to apply scripturally; utilizing hermeneutic methods such as figures, shadows, and types; I want you to see this beautiful, and significant figure known as the “Brazen Molten Sea!” This figure addresses three things as it pertains to the material, the contents, and the objects. When we look at what this large bath was made of, we see the material brass; which in our studies represents Gods demanding judgment upon uncleanliness! If you read the 1^st chapter in the book of Revelation, we see that Jesus is spoken of as having “His feet like to fine brass as if they burned in a furnace.” Hence, He is seen walking among the candlesticks. This lets us know that He cannot tolerate evil, but must, in the execution of judgment, trample it beneath His feet. This will explain why the Brazen Altar in Solomon’s Temple, was placed prior to the Brazen Molten Sea! The Brazen Altar was where sin was expiated, and the Brazen Molten Sea was where the defilement was washed away! Please note that both were made from the material brass! It is imperative that we understand that everything in Scripture has its meaning, and this is why we should seek God diligently, in the spirit of prayer to ascertain its meaning!

My brothers and sisters, let’s examine the contents of Solomon’s Brazen Molten Sea. The word of God states that “It received and held three thousand baths” of water. Please note my brothers and sisters, when the priest would approach the Brass Altar, we see brass in connection with blood; and when he approached the Brazen Molten Sea, the brass was in connection with water. Please note that they both pointed to Jesus Christ. The Apostle John validates this in 1 John 5:6 “This is He that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but water and blood,” and in John 19:34 “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side and forthwith came there out blood and water. ”Hence it is the blood that expiates, and the water that cleanses; both flowed from our crucified Savior.

I emphasize that the Brazen Molten Sea contained water, not blood. Those who approached this massive bath had already received and proved the power of the blood, and therefore they only needed the washing of water. Hence, it was in these figures, that ultimately pointed to our antitype Jesus Christ! The priest under the law, whose hands and feet would become defiled, did not need to go back to the Brazen Altar, but moved forward to the Brazen Molten Sea. Please know that he did not need to apply the blood again to constitute him as a priest, but he had to wash with water to enable him to operate in his priestly office. Just like it is today, if a believer fails, if they commit sin, if they contract defilement, they do not need to be washed in the blood again, but need to seriously repent, and allow the cleansing power of Gods’ Word to work through the Holy Spirit! Tit. 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” 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” This reiterates what our Lord Jesus Christ has done, hence; the defilement is removed, and the elements of prayer are exemplified, because communion has been restored, petition is activated, and intercession executed! GOLDEN NUGGET!

Saints the word states in John 13:10 “He that is washed needs not except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.” Heb. 10:2 “The worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins” My questions to you are; did the provision of a Molten sea, which held 3000 baths of water (16,500 gallons of water), address the priest defilement temporarily? Was it essential for them to bathe to continue in ministerial duties? I say yes! Because it was impossible for them to minister in the Holy Place with soil upon their hands and feet! I reiterate, the Brazen Altar dealt with SIN, but the Brazen Molten Sea dealt with SELF accountability! Hence, it represented self judgement. Did not the word state in 1Co. 11:31-32 concerning the Lords table of communion.  “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Wow, when we look at the material that this Molten Sea was comprised of, it was brass! What did brass figuratively mean in the Word of God? As a figure it represented strength, firmness (the walls of the Brazen Molten Sea were 3 inches thick), endurance, judgement against sin, and self. Hence, it meant Self Judgement!

You and I judge ourselves on the ground that Christ has already been judged before God for the very sins, which we confess in His presence. If this was not true, our confession to Him would be to no avail. The only ground on which God remains faithful and just, is to forgive and cleanse us through His word, by which Jesus Christ has already been judged on our behalf. The Apostle Paul assures us of this when he stated in Rom. 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

I am assured that my God will not execute judgment twice for the same judgement. Hence, we must confess and judge ourselves if we have gone wrong. Don’t you know that a single sinful thought is enough interrupt our communion with Jesus Christ. This is why all of our thoughts must be judged and washed, in order for our communion with Him to be perpetuated. When we perpetually do this, we remain in position as a child in relation to the Father. Hence, we must remain cognizant of the Brazen Altar, where blood atonement took place, yet understanding the need to emphasize the perpetual cleansing of the Brazen Molten Sea for bathing! (The Word of God)For this truly illuminates the grace of God afforded us! GOLDEN NUGGET!

I reiterate 2Ch. 4:6 “He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.” That’s right, the priests from day to day were cognizant to wash their body, hands and feet, because they knew the cleanliness deemed necessary, in order to operate in the priestly office.

This is why we are held accountable as New Testament priest according to 1Pet. 2:9-12; “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” Hence, as New Testament spiritual priest, we need to be cleansed by the POWER of the Word of God!

Please note my brothers and sisters, that both the brazen laver in the tabernacle and the Brazen Molten Sea in the temple foreshadowed “washing of water by the Word” which represents Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ as our Hight Priest, is interceding for us perpetually in His heavenly sanctuary. It is His Spirit and His Word, that is being manifest in and through us. It is by His grace that He restores us when we wander, and we become cognizant that we are out of position; then his Word cleanses us from the soil and shame, and renders the correction that is deemed necessary for our erroneous ways! This is why Heb. 4:12  is so powerful! “For the word of God (JESUS) is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Saints, because of this we are saved daily by His eternal life. He keeps us in full power and integrity regarding the position that His precious blood and Word has put us in. Hence, we are secured in Him. Eph. 5:25-27 “Christ 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.”

It is imperative I expound upon the symbolic meaning of the twelve “Brazen Oxen” which held up the Brazen Molten sea. The ox is used in the Scripture as a symbol of patient labor, and also portrays our Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate servant in the Gospel according to Mark. Hence, there was a significance placing them beneath the Brazen Molten Sea. My brothers and sisters when we search the scriptures, it notes that whatever side the priest would approach the Brazen Molten Sea, he was met with the expression of patient labor, and servitude from every direction! 2Ch 4:3-4 “And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.” I truly believe that these brazen oxen also foreshadowed the twelve Apostles. Just as the twelve brazen oxen upheld the Brazen Molten Sea and its cleansing ministry for the priest. The twelve Apostles uphold Christ in His cleansing ministry of the church, which represents the new covenant priesthood. This is why the name of the Apostles will be in the twelve foundations of the city of God as noted in Rev. 21:14, i.e., the heavenly Jerusalem. Glory! GOLDEN NUGGET!

I reiterate, it did not matter what direction the priest approached the Brazen Molten Sea, they could never exhaust the patience that was devoted to the work of cleansing him from all his defilement. Saints what a precious figure! We now have this substance in Jesus Christ. We can never weary Him by coming to Him frequently. His patience is inexhaustible. He will never tire as He presents us to Himself without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

It is imperative that as we continue to examine the scriptures, so that we fully understand the purpose used in these figures, i.e., the Brazen Altar, and Brazen Molten Sea. Many Saints walk in spiritual darkness as it pertains to the question of daily sin and defilement. Hence, they have not comprehended the divine summation concerning the cleansing blood of Christ. They entertain ideology that they must go back to the Brazen Altar, if there was an occasion when they sinned. This is a mistake. Once a person has been purged by the blood of Jesus, they are cleansed by the finished work of Jesus forever. We are divinely clean, and we personify this cleansing by our external action. Please understand introspectively, that when one practices sin; it exemplifies a condition that one lacks the desire to BATHE, which validates the fact, that their daily perception does not require them to do such! It is always those hidden areas on our natural bodies, that we have to give more attention to! The Apostle Peter, speaks of some forgetting that they were purged from their old sins. This is why we have to wash ourselves and judge ourselves through the washing of the Word of God daily. By us doing these things, we will not fall into the snares of Satan. Hence, we don’t want our cleansing to be pharisaic, by having a form of godliness, while denying the power of God thereof. I think we would do ourselves an injustice, if we applied very expensive exclusive colognes, and perfumes to our bodies, while it is savored with a serious annoying musk! It would only be appropriate to bathe first, then apply; in order for it to render the full essence of a wonderful savor.

Saints, the Apostle Paul most definitely conveys to us in his epistle to the church of Galatia, the things that soil and defile us! They are the works of the flesh; Gal. 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” But he also gave us the word validating what keeps us water washed from these things through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God! Gal. 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

My brothers and sisters, may our hearts adore Jesus, in whom all these types and figures pointed to; for He is our Priest, Altar, Sacrifice, Advocate, and Bath; our All in All! When we as children of God truly recognize what Jesus has done for us to be in the divine position we are in; we embrace why He has the right to hold us accountable to strive, as we walk in Him! Hence, if you did not know, you know now, that “It’s A Stinking Shame Not to Bathe.” God bless you all and have a “JESUS DAY!”