A very simple rule we hopefully all learned growing up. You go into a restaurant and there are signs that say, “employees must wash their hands.” And we want them to wash their hands. We don’t want someone touching our food or utensils if they don’t wash their hands. Rightfully so too.
Did you know that the Bible talks about washing hands?
Exodus 30:18-21 KJV 18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
Aaron and his sons were not allowed to enter the tabernacle if they hadn’t washed first. I’d like to show you the symbolism here.
Washing with water symbolized spiritual cleansing, which was necessary to enter God. Washing or cleansing of the hands is brought up in James 4:8 KJV Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Well how do we do this? This is repentance. Asking God to forgive you and turn from any sinful way that you have. You may think, “Well I don’t think it’s that bad.”
Let me give you an example to help. We’ve all most likely been in a situation where we were in desperate need of a bathroom. If you are driving down the road, you will speed, merge in and out of traffic, run red lights and stop signs. Why, why don’t we just go ahead and just relieve ourselves? Why put ourselves through that stress? Just let it go and take your time. Because that’s nasty. Nobody wants to be covered in that filth. Yet we come before God wearing the filth of sin, not giving any consideration to how He feels about it. Shouldn’t we be all the more concerned about this?
Acts 17:30 ISV Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent.
But again you say what I’m doing isn’t the bad?
1 John 5:17 KJV All unrighteousness is sin…
What then should we do about this?
Acts 2:38-39 KJV 38….. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts 3:19 KJV Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Clearly the answer is to Repent. Turn from your sins and turn towards God.
Psalm 26:6 NHEB I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, LORD;
Now let’s go a little deeper. We stopped at Exodus 30:21 look what the next verse immediately goes into.
Exodus 30:22-25 KJV 22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
This is the anointing oil a symbol of the Holy Ghost and the anointing. If we don’t truly repent how do we expect to receive the Holy Ghost. We cannot walk in the anointing with a lack of repentance. Joel 2:13 KJV And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God…
Don’t wait because 2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV …behold, now is the day of salvation.
Don’t tarry Acts 22:16 KJV And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Don’t let another moment pass 1 Corinthians 15:52 KJV In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye….. the trumpet shall sound…
Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
Isaiah 55:6-7 KJV 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.