Aaron, it is time to go to the second piece of furniture,” the still small Voice called the young boy. Aaron’s heart jumped with joy. He was ready to follow the One Whom he had begun to love with his whole heart. The Voice led him from the Brazen Altar to the Brazen Laver.
“Look carefully at this Brazen Laver filled with water, Aaron,” the Voice commanded him. “Do you know what the word laver means?”
Aaron was not sure. “Can You tell me, Lord?” he asked.
“The word laver means wash basin. It is a place of washing,” the Lord was quick to answer. Aaron wondered why he had to be washed in water when he had already been washed by the Blood of Jesus. The Lord, knowing Aaron’s thought, began to tell him about the Brazen Laver:
“You see, Aaron, the Laver is made of brass and so, again, it represents judgment. When you come to the Brazen Altar and receive the Blood of Jesus into your life, you die to sin and to the world. But the Brazen Laver represents death to self. It is judgment against self. The priest had to wash at the Laver and as he did, he put the death of the cross behind him as a completed work, and turned to the next step on his journey through the Tabernacle. This next step is sanctification and consecration.”
Aaron thought these two words, sanctification and consecration, were too big for him to understand, but the Lord explained them further to him. He learned that sanctification means that he will be holy as God is holy, as the Bible tells us to be so (for example, I Peter 1:16). Consecration is the putting aside of that which was cleansed for the work of the Lord only. It means that from the time you are baptized you will work only for Him. Aaron liked that. He wanted to be with his Lord all the time and working for Him sounded so wonderful! The Lord continued to explain to him:
“The Brazen Laver represents baptism, Aaron. In Ephesians 4:5 it says that there is only one baptism. But as you have learned before, all things are in three parts. Therefore, even baptism has three parts: natural – which is baptism in water; spiritual – baptism in the Holy Spirit; and fullness – baptism into Christ. Every principle of God is first given to you in the natural. Natural baptism, then, is the baptism in water. But if you allow your understanding to remain in the natural, then it has no real meaning since the natural will pass away.”
“Lord,” Aaron asked, “I understand it is important to be baptized because You say so, but I must have missed what the true meaning of it is. I don’t understand why I have to be baptized.”
“It is very simple, Aaron,” the gentle Voice replied. “The true meaning of baptism can be found in Romans 6:4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. The two (death and resurrection) go together like peas in a pod. Also, in John 3:5 it says that you cannot enter the Kingdom of God without being baptized.”
Aaron began to think deeply. He really wanted to enter into the Kingdom of God. And he really wanted to get to the destination in the Holy of Holies. He understood that without being baptized in water he would not be able to reach all the best things the Lord had for him. Also, he knew that if he refused to be baptized, the Lord would not tell him about the other pieces of furniture which were in the Tabernacle. And he really wanted to know them all! Therefore, he asked, “Lord, how can I get baptized?”
The Lord smiled at him. He was very pleased with him. “Go to the river tomorrow afternoon at 5 o’clock,” He said. “You will find a man there who will be baptizing other people. Tell him I sent you to him so that he would baptize you in water.”
“Lord, why can’t You baptize me?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t baptize in water, my young friend,” the Lord replied. Then He continued, “I have sent men to do it. They baptize in the name of Jesus and you know that name means nature. To be baptized in a name, therefore, is to be immersed in the nature of the name. Water baptism is valid only when you submit to Me, the Author and Finisher of your faith, and enter into a covenant relationship with Me. You are therefore baptized out of self, losing your name (nature), and by covenant agree to go all the way with Me. Baptism means immersion, being covered over with, therefore, to be baptized into the name of Christ means being covered over with Christ’s nature. And even though I cannot baptize you in water, Aaron, I can promise you that once you are baptized, I will come and baptize you in the Spirit and in fire.” With these words the Lord left Aaron for the night.
What do you think, young reader? Did Aaron go down to the river to be baptized as the Lord told him to do? He sure did! What would you do if God told you to be baptized? Would you obey Him? You can be sure that if you have given your heart to Jesus, He wants you to be baptized, for the Bible says in Mark 16:16, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved… Jesus desires the same for you as He did for Aaron – to give Him your life and be baptized so that you can go through another step that leads to the destination in the Holy of Holies.
Answer the following questions to see how well you understood this chapter:
- Do you remember what the word laver means?
- Why do we have to be washed in water when we have already been washed by the Blood of Jesus?
- What do sanctification and consecration mean?
- What does the Brazen Laver represent?
- What are the three parts of baptism?
- What is the meaning of baptism in water?
- Who baptizes in water?
- Have you been baptized? If yes, tell somebody about it!