Washing of the Water of the Word

Last week I was thinking on the phrase from Ephesians 5:26, 27

…so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

If we’ve been around the Scriptures long enough, we know that everything written in the New Testament epistles are an absolute correlation and fulfillment to all of the ceremonies, washings, rituals, requirements that took place throughout history until the cross of Jesus Christ.

Because of that one phrase, “the washing of water with the water,” I ended studying about the red heifer in the Old Testament.  I know, what’s that got to do with it?  Well, it’s incredible what I found.

After the cross of Jesus, EVERYTHING changed.

In the Old Testament, the High Priest had to perform a REAL transaction with this red heifer.  In brief, red heifers are rare and hard to find.  And the purpose of this animal was to burn it outside the camp in a specific manner (no deviating whatsoever) so that purification could be obtained.

The main purification was concerning coming in contact with dead bodies.  If the priest did not purify himself first, he was not eligible to continue the process.  To burn the heifer certain ingredients were added:  cedar, hyssop, and cleansing dye (scarlet).

After the burning was complete, the ashes were gather by someone else.  But the priest took some of the ashes and put them in water that was used for sprinkling/sanctification.  

It is said that even a drop of this holy water purified almost all things.  The one who gathered the ashes though, was not allowed back into the camp until he was considered clean.  So strangely enough, the ashes that were used by the priest in water sanctifies, while the ashes in themselves used by someone else contaminates.

In Hebrews, which I consider a most fascinating and glorious letter in the Scriptures, explains how all these things relate to the finished work of Christ.  Now those who receive Christ experience and come to realize the incredible work that has been done at the cross.

One thing to mention is that when they burned the heifer outside the camp, it is said that the view of the Temple could be seen from the Mount of Olives, the place of burning.  In turn, it is said that the cross on a hill where our blessed Savior was crucified, could be viewed from the Temple.

God does not miss a beat with how every detail of His Word is found in the fulfillment of His Son.

The incredible point to make about the “washing of the water with the word,” is that we are not saved except through faith in God’s Word.  There is NO ritual, no ceremony, no observance of anything that can ever take the place of the work of the Son of God.

We are saved by grace (Christ) through faith, we are sanctified (renewed day by day in our minds and hearts) through Christ and His Word. 

The ashes represent to me the blackness and “burnt to a crisp” reality of sin and death.  We were dead.  And now Jesus Christ comes in contact with our deadness?  The fact that Jesus Christ WHO Himself is living water would come into a clay pot of ashes is beyond me.  But He does.  And because He comes in, we are purified by Him and His Word and Work.

Now the Spirit goes to work in us to rid us of ALL the “ashes” of our old life, our thinking, our “religious ideas.”  In Isaiah 61 we are told He gives us “BEAUTY for ashes.”

There’s no doubt that Jesus Christ is that Beauty.  And this Word of Life, this Word of Living Waters does indeed wash us and keeps us cleansed because it’s His.

We are required to keep the faith and be established in this faith.  To deviate is to fall into unbelief and “add” something like the guy who gathered the ashes – coming back into the camp with something other than the Water of Life already provided in Christ.

These are beautiful truths to me that God’s Spirit wants to continually unfold to us.  It’s not hard if we ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes.  If we start with the fact that ALL is summed up in His Son, Christ Jesus, then we can “see” how all these things have great meaning.  These truths make the composite of the face of Jesus Christ.”

“Lord, keep washing us by the water of Your Words of Life and Truth.  Amen.”

Sue Gaither