“Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze washbasin with a bronze stand. Place it between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water. 19 Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there. 20 They must wash with water whenever they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the Lord and when they approach the altar to burn up their special gifts to the Lord—or they will die! 21 They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation.” Ex 30: 17-18
The Bible will remain the spiritual manufacturer’s manual for operating the Christian life. That we are not operating the system well is not for lack of details on the manual but failure to care enough to read the manual.
Though we concentrate on using our iPhone to make calls, text messages, take photos and perform social media functions mainly there are other countless functions the Apple product in your hand can offer. Also how to use it better is clearly stated but the issue is- who cares to read iPhone manuals?
This is one generation that does not want to read the Bible, how can we practice Christianity that will please our Father in heaven? It is equally important to remind us that while some ceremonial laws in the bible are done with the principles moral laws are forever from generation to generation.
The book of Exodus is full of “ God’s pattern “ Where God specifically says build according to pattern. “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” Ex 25:40. There is a spiritual pattern, standard, and protocol, that God has established for ministers before they can preach. If we don’t follow those patterns we cannot get the expected results. Failure of pastors to “wash hands and feet” before ministering is responsible for the sinful, lukewarm and non-productive generation of Christians we have produced that litter the surface of the earth.
Now I don’t claim to be a theologian or Bible scholar so I am not qualified to interpret the Bible scholastically but I do know I have access to God teaching me timeless principles of his words for the benefit of mankind. You cannot see any modern-day pastor establishing a basin and watching their hands and feet before going to preach nowadays. Yet God is not expecting ministers just to jump to the pulpit anyhow “without clean hands and feet” In the age of social media exposition and sport-lighting minsters activities and ungodly lifestyles you read about some sleeping with girls who are not their wives before jumping on the pulpit. Amazingly you see them ministering and performing miracles, people falling under anointing, some vomiting some terrible creatures! And the more the vulnerable crowd witness this the more they troop to such places! Whereas some use some diabolical means to perform this, some don’t have to because whether the vessel is holy or not God shows up to honour his name – “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” Phil 2:10
What is the Holy Spirit teaching us this morning, what does it mean to watch hands and feet before going to the altar to minister? Let’s highlight some :
1. Don’t rush to the altar anyhow spiritually.
2. It takes time to watch hands and feet- take time to see that your heart is “clean” Purify your heart by reading the word of God and praying before climbing the pulpit. Jn 17:17
3. Take time to prepare a healthy message for God’s people. Don’t serve God’s people with dirty words- polluted, careless, dirty jokes, etc.
4. Live a holy life and show the people a holy life. Run away from sin. If you have sin confess those things before climbing the pulpit to minister always. 1 Jn 1:9, Pro 28:13.
5. “Aaron and Son must watch their feet any time they go to the altar” The minister must be consistent in living a life that honours God not just when they like or if they like.
6. Failure to watch hands & feet leads to death. Meaning the minister is separated from God and is serving deadly food to the congregation.
7. A minister must be a clear example to the congregation. You don’t tell them to do what you say, you tell them to do what you do! Be a good example to the congregants. You don’t tell them to fast when you are frying ten eggs for breakfast. Paul says “Be a follower of me as I am of Christ” 1 Cor 11:1
8. Today we are not to wash with ordinary water but wash our hearts with the blood of Jesus. Purify our hearts from sin, corruption, ungodly lifestyles, and things that do not honour God and the body of Christ. You must have been to Calvary before offering Calvary meal!
9. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Water symbolizes the word. Watching their hands with water is teaching the people the timeless truth- Jesus Christ is the Truth. We must teach the people the pure Truth nothing but the Truth.
10. Take time to fast and pray. Isaiah 40: 31.
Conclusion: Ceremonial laws of washing hands might have been done away with, but the necessity of washing ourselves clean before serving God’s people the precious meal of God remains valid forever. Failure to do so we serve poison to the people that will kill them and us! God forbid. Shalom.
Pastor Amos Dada PhD, P.Eng.
Zonal Superintendent Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Canada Zone
Chairman, CAC Men’s Association, North America
Dean, Christ Apostolic Church North America Bible Institute
