Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleChrist in the Molten Sea
Bible Text2 Chronicles 4:2-10
Date21-Jan-2018
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Christ in the Molten Sea (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Christ in the Molten Sea (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

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