corroborates or verifies the New Testament teachings on Baptism. Let's see how...
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Baptism is seen in the Old Testament in the bronze or brass laver and sea, large water baths or vessels for cleansing, in the Temple.
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What did they cleanse?
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II Chronicles 4:1-6 tells us about the bronze sea, which was a huge brass bowl, a handsbreath thick with a brim like a cup, that sat upon the backs of 12 bronze oxen. The oxen's backsides were inward under the bowl; their faces pointed , in groups of 3, to north, south, east, and west, respectively.
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This bronze or brass "sea" was about 20 feet in diameter and about 10 feet deep; it held 3000 "baths" which equal about 18,000 GALLONS of water. Hence, it was called a "sea." It was inside the temple for the washing of the priests.
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The 10 lavers ... 5 on the right hand and 5 on the left ... were for the washing of the burnt sacrifices. It was mandatory that both sacrifice and the priest presenting the sacrifice to The LORD be washed in this Temple water.
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Both were forerunners of New Testament believers.
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We are told in Romans 12:1 to "present your bodies a living sacrifice..."
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In I Peter 2:9 ... that "... ye... are a royal priesthood... "
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In harmony with the type (forerunner, example, pattern) given us in the Old Testament then, we can make the connection to New Testament Baptism by looking at Ephesians 5:25 and 5:26, 27.
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Husbands, love your wives, even as CHRIST also loved the church, and gave HIMSELF+ for it: That HE+ might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that HE+ might present it to HIMSELF+ a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
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Now, bear with me as I explain a little Greek about this passage. In harmony with
- the Old Testament pattern of water washings of both sacrifices and priests,
- the New Testament teachings on the washing of Baptism,
- and without breaking the Greek rules of grammar, this passage may be read:
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"...even as CHRIST also loved the church and gave HIMSELF+ up on its behalf in order that HE+, having thoroughly cleansed it for sacred use in the water's bath, might sanctify it (the church) by means of the word (RHEMATi, not logos) , teaching and doctrine."
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The rhemati is significant, because it includes the concepts of teaching and doctrine, as in this case, the doctrine of Baptism.
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The usual word meaning of WORD in the New Testament is LOGOS, as in John 1:1... In the beginning was the WORD (logos) and the WORD (logos) was with GOD and the WORD (logos) was GOD.
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Thus, we can see in this brief study that BAPTISM was an integral part of the Old Testament pattern that pre-set the picture of CHRIST and HIS+ Church... a shadow and type of what would take place in the the NEW COVENANT, which was to come.
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(Priests)... Who serve unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of GOD when he was about to make the tabernacle: for , See, saith HE, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee on the mount.
Hebrews 8:5 and Exodus 25:40
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This pattern of all things established in the Old Testament tabernacle and Temple was given so the people could identify the MESSIAH when HE+ came.
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HE+ went before us so that we would not be confused or in doubt of HIM+ or His+ Way of Salvation.
Bless GOD!
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