QT 4/28/2026 Exo 30:17–21, Wash your hands and feet from the inside out

Exodus 30:17–21 (ESV) —

17 The 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, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They 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.”

 

NOTE: I find it interesting that God twice warns them to wash their hands and feet so that they don't die. It is a "forever" statute. Why so harsh? I think God has gone out of his way to stress the seriousness of the tabernacle because it specifically relates to God's holiness (which is absolutely necessary to approach God) and to worship (it is not a flippant thing).

 

Some people approach this physically with rules like no talking in the chapel before service starts. That is nice and does make things more reverent, but it misses the point. What point? The point that the prophets continually make when they tell the people that God hates their worship, their sacrifices, their adherence to the motions, because it is fake. God is interested in our hearts, not the physical things we do. The sermon on the mount makes the same argument. The OT law was not a strict "do and do not." Jesus argues that it really is about the heart and the spirit of the law. Reverence is good but if your heart is not in it, your reverence is worthless. Don't do things, rather live things. When you sing, sing in reverence to God. When you hear the message, respond by applying the word to your own life. Ask God to change you from the inside out. While the outside often does reveal the inside, it is easy to fake it. Ask God to show you how to change, how to truly wash your hands and feet.

 

PONDER:

1. Is worship only going through the motions?
2. Do I ever think that I am meeting with the thrice-holy God when I pray or study his word?

 

PRAYER: Father, there is a song, "The Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman, which captures today's word. I like the phrase "I'm sorry about the thing I've made it." Because, when I forget you, it's a thing, not a worship song, not a prayer, not a praise, just a thing. And that sounds so ugly. Forgive me.