First Kings 7:23-26 describe Hiram's
second project. He fabricated a circular basin-shaped tank called “the Sea”.
This was like the brass laver described in Exodus 30:18-20 which was made for
the Tabernacle. Like the laver, the Sea would contain water for the priest to
cleanse before and after the sacrifice. The diameter of this bronze basin was
about fifteen feet, its height eight feet, and its circumference fifty feet.
Under the rim, it was decorated with two rows of brass gourds cast together
with the Sea.
Verse 25 tells us that the Sea rested on twelve oxen. Three of them facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. They could well represent the 12 tribes of Israel or Solomon’s twelve administrative districts. The Sea was said to contain about 2,000 baths of water which would be approximately 11,500 gallons.
The water of the Sea was for the priests to purify and cleanse themselves before they enter the presence of God. This speaks of the priest needing to be cleansed before they could enter the presence of God. Peter’s letter tells us that we believers are God’s royal priests. Thankfully, we are cleansed not by water but by the precious blood of Christ. Positionally, Christ’s blood had already cleansed us once and for all. But daily we still need to apply the cleansing power of the blood of Christ so that we will be empowered to walk in holiness. We are to live a life that is holy before God moment by moment. For God desires that we be holy even as He is holy. Let us take the exhortation of 1 John 1:7 & 9 seriously and walk in the Light as Jesus Himself is in the Light. Then we will have fellowship with one another. And as we do, the blood of Jesus will continually cleanse us from all sin. And “if we confess of sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Let us walk in holiness!
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