Sharper Iron & The Saga of Salvation: Passing through the Cleansing Waters

Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, Director of Admission and Director of Christ Academy at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Exodus 30:17-21 and Exodus 38:8.

The LORD brought His people out of Egypt through the blood of the Passover and the water of the Red Sea. He used this same pattern within His tabernacle through the blood of the sacrifices and the washing of the priests in the bronze basin. Located between the bronze altar and the tent of the tabernacle, the priests washed their hands and feet multiple times a day in the bronze basin, passing through the water not only for washing away dirt and blood, but also as a sign of the cleansing from sin. The hands and feet of Aaron and his sons were washed to handle the holy things of the LORD and to walk in His holy presence. This was a matter of great seriousness. If Aaron and his sons did not wash according to the LORD’s command, they would die. As the blood of the sacrifices brought life, so did the cleansing water of the bronze basin. This finds fulfillment in Jesus’ gift of Holy Baptism to His whole Church. Connected to the blood of His sacrifice on the cross, the washing of water and Word cleanses all Christians to be His priests who proclaim the praises of the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

“The Saga of Salvation” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that takes a step-by-step walk through the book of Exodus. This premier account of salvation in the Old Testament proclaims that the LORD is the one true God, the Creator and Redeemer, who alone is worthy of our worship and faith, all the while pointing us forward to the ultimate deliverance He gives through the exodus accomplished by Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Exodus 30:17-21

The Bronze Basin

¹⁷The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸“You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, ¹⁹with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. ²⁰When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering^[a] to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. ²¹They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

Footnotes:

Exodus 30:20 Or an offering by fire

Exodus 38:8

Making the Bronze Basin

⁸He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).