Mikveh: A collection of fresh water was used for ritual ceremonial washing/cleansing/purifying. Mosaic law mandated many ceremonial water purification rituals/ablutions:
Full immersion Mikveh: women before marraige, after child bearing, her monthly cycle, men after a sexual discharge, contact with any dead animal or person, every priest before, during & after duties, anyone wanting to convert to Judaism, contact with a gentile, made a Jew UNCLEAN, to name a few..
When a Jew was deemed ceremonially UNCLEAN/impure prior to immersion. After immersion you'd be ceremonially clean/pure. There were times a waiting period of 12 hrs, up to a week was required. See Lev chapter 15 for unclean remedies.
2 Kings 5:1 (NOTE: Naaman captain of the Syrian armies was a leper. In Scripture, leprosy was the height of being UNCLEAN)
(NOTE Vs 10 The Prophet Elisha sent a messenger, saying, Go and wash/full immersion in Jordan 7 times. Long story short, Naaman follows Elisha instructions & he washes & becomes CLEAN!)
Before any daily priestly ritual/duties were allowed, ceremonial washing/cleansing/purifying was required.
Exodus 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
One piece of furniture in the Temple. Was the Laver, or Bbronze Basin. A large bowl filled with fresh water. The priests were to wash, hands & feet (1/2 Mikveh) before entering the Holy Place & before & after many other duties as well.
Numbers 8:
5 the Lord spake to Moses, saying, 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel & cleanse them.
(NOTE: Separate the Priests & wash/cleanse/purify them in (next verse) water)
7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
(NOTE: Wash/purifying/cleanse themselves with water & have them wash/purifying/cleanse their cloths)
This ceremonial/ritual sacrifices & cleasning's, repeated over & over. Were a shadow of the coming Christ's once & for all baptism with the indwelling Holy Spirit
Every year the High Priest was required to begin the Day of Atonement: At first dawn to bath & put on his golden priestly garments. This day the High Priest was required to: wash/bath/full/immersion/Mikveh 5 times. Other Priestly duties that day required (1/2 Mikveh) the ceremonial cleansing/purifying/washing of his hands & feet 10 times!
Jesus our eternal High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 2:17, 3:1, 4:14, 15, 5:5, 10, 6:20, 8:1, 9:11). endured the testing flames of judgment & is dressed in Shekinah glory. Amen
Our water baptism is a shadow/emblem:
Emblem definition:
1. a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept.
2. a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family
Unlike OT repeated ceremonial washing/cleansing/purifying. Christian baptism is a one-time necessary symbol of cleansing.
When we publicly undertake the Emblem representation of water baptism. We're visibly announcing, our already Christ caused, indwelling Holy Spirit change: dying to self (to now live for Christ), we're immersed (buried emblem) & rise up (resurrection emblem).
Full immersion Mikveh: women before marraige, after child bearing, her monthly cycle, men after a sexual discharge, contact with any dead animal or person, every priest before, during & after duties, anyone wanting to convert to Judaism, contact with a gentile, made a Jew UNCLEAN, to name a few..
When a Jew was deemed ceremonially UNCLEAN/impure prior to immersion. After immersion you'd be ceremonially clean/pure. There were times a waiting period of 12 hrs, up to a week was required. See Lev chapter 15 for unclean remedies.
2 Kings 5:1 (NOTE: Naaman captain of the Syrian armies was a leper. In Scripture, leprosy was the height of being UNCLEAN)
(NOTE Vs 10 The Prophet Elisha sent a messenger, saying, Go and wash/full immersion in Jordan 7 times. Long story short, Naaman follows Elisha instructions & he washes & becomes CLEAN!)
Before any daily priestly ritual/duties were allowed, ceremonial washing/cleansing/purifying was required.
Exodus 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
One piece of furniture in the Temple. Was the Laver, or Bbronze Basin. A large bowl filled with fresh water. The priests were to wash, hands & feet (1/2 Mikveh) before entering the Holy Place & before & after many other duties as well.
Numbers 8:
5 the Lord spake to Moses, saying, 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel & cleanse them.
(NOTE: Separate the Priests & wash/cleanse/purify them in (next verse) water)
7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
(NOTE: Wash/purifying/cleanse themselves with water & have them wash/purifying/cleanse their cloths)
This ceremonial/ritual sacrifices & cleasning's, repeated over & over. Were a shadow of the coming Christ's once & for all baptism with the indwelling Holy Spirit
Every year the High Priest was required to begin the Day of Atonement: At first dawn to bath & put on his golden priestly garments. This day the High Priest was required to: wash/bath/full/immersion/Mikveh 5 times. Other Priestly duties that day required (1/2 Mikveh) the ceremonial cleansing/purifying/washing of his hands & feet 10 times!
Jesus our eternal High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 2:17, 3:1, 4:14, 15, 5:5, 10, 6:20, 8:1, 9:11). endured the testing flames of judgment & is dressed in Shekinah glory. Amen
Our water baptism is a shadow/emblem:
Emblem definition:
1. a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept.
2. a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family
Unlike OT repeated ceremonial washing/cleansing/purifying. Christian baptism is a one-time necessary symbol of cleansing.
When we publicly undertake the Emblem representation of water baptism. We're visibly announcing, our already Christ caused, indwelling Holy Spirit change: dying to self (to now live for Christ), we're immersed (buried emblem) & rise up (resurrection emblem).