CHRIST IN THE MOLTEN
SEA
2 Chronicles 4: 2: Also he 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. 3: 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. 4: 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. 5:
And the thickness of it was an
handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with
flowers of lilies; and it received
and held three thousand baths. 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…10: And he set the sea on the right side of the east
end, over against the south.
In this
piece of furniture in Solomon’s temple we are reminded that nothing in Gods’
word is useless. All is given by God to bring glory to his Son in the salvation
of his people. This should make us pay attention to every word of the gospel
and seek Christ while he may be found. Now, let us behold Christ in this
massive brass laver.
Christ in the Molten Sea. After the fall, God cast Adam out of the garden
eastward. Therefore, typifying the only
entrance back into God’s presence, this molten brass laver filled with water
was the first thing you came to as you entered the priest’s entrance into the
temple from the east. This laver was only for the priests. They must wash in it
in order to approach God in his temple. Christ alone makes his people priests
unto God. We must have our sins washed away in Christ blood before we can
approach holy God in his holy, heavenly temple. (Eph 5: 25-27; Rev 1: 5-6; Heb
10: 19-23)
Christ in the Oxen. The Holy Spirit declares that oxen typify gospel
preachers. (1 Cor 9: 9-10) The foundation of this massive laver “stood upon twelve oxen” which faced
every direction. (v4) Every believer is founded upon the Lord Jesus and his
twelve apostles because the gospel of Christ’s sin-cleansing blood went forth
into all the world through them. (Eph 2: 20) “And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round
about.” (v3) Under the brim near the top were 600 lesser oxen, all one with
each other, all one with the oxen in the foundation, and all shaped like
fertile eggs. Christ continues providing preachers, lesser than his apostles
but fellow laborers with them and with one another. They preach the same
fertile, incorruptible seed by which Christ’s people are born anew. Christ is
the one who sends them, the one who gives them the message, the one message
they proclaim and the one who makes the word effectual in our heart. (1 Cor 3:
6)
Christ in the Details. This laver was a solid piece of brass seventeen and a
half feet in diameter, eight and three-fourths feet deep, with a circumference
of fifty two and half feet. It held three thousand baths or 27, 500 gallons of
water. In Christ is “plenteous
redemption” and “grace abounding.” (Ps 130: 7; Rom 5: 20-21) This laver
was made of brass heated until melted. As Christ was made a curse for us under
the fire of God’s wrath, he said, “My
heart…is melted in the midst of my bowels.” (Ps 22: 14) This laver was a
handbreadth thick, the width of four fingers. Having reconciled us to God, our
salvation is solid and sure in Christ.
This laver weighed around thirty tons. The weight of redemption was
heavy but the government is upon Christ shoulder so he bore God’s justice until
full satisfaction was made. The brim of this laver was “as a cup” that you drink from. Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” (Jn 6: 53) Around the
brim were “flowers of lilies.” Sinner, drink and wash in Christ’s blood by
believing on Christ today and you shall live for eternity accepted of God,
beautiful and fragrant in the righteousness of Christ, the Lily of the valley.
(So 2: 1; Is 55: 6-7)
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains