Exodus 30:17–21 “To Stand Before God”

Exodus 30:17-21 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Nothing but the Blood – Reawaken Hymns
• Chris Tomlin – Give Us Clean Hands
• Jesus Paid It All – Reawaken Hymns

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• WHY IS SIN A BIG DEAL? BIBLE STORY | Kids on the Move – Lesson for Kids
• Leaning on the Everlasting Arms | Roar VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Your Friend | Scuba VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Let’s Trust In Jesus | True North VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The Lord commands Moses to make a bronze basin (verses 17–18). It must be placed between the tent of meeting and the altar, and it must be filled with water. Aaron and his sons (the priests) are to wash their hands and feet with water from it whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to offer sacrifices (verses 19–20). If they come before God with unclean bodies, they will not escape death (verse 21).

Meditation:

God told Moses to gather the people of Israel at Mount Zion and commanded that they do not cross the designated boundary. Though He promised to meet with the people through the tabernacle, He warned them not to enter the holy place carelessly. Even priests, who were allowed to enter the tabernacle and serve through sacrifices, were not permitted to enter the Most Holy Place—except for the high priest, and only once a year. Whenever the priests entered the tabernacle or served at the altar, they were required to wash their hands and feet at the bronze basin. If they failed to do so, they would die. This was a warning not to violate the holiness of God.

Washing hands and feet with water from the basin did not make the priests holy enough to stand before God. There is no way for human beings to become holy enough on their own to stand before the holy God. The only way is through God’s declaration—His gracious recognition that a person is holy. The command to wash with water from the basin provided the priests with a means by which God would acknowledge their holiness. Though they remained sinners even after washing, God promised to consider them holy because they obeyed His command.

Likewise, we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Even when we receive Jesus as Lord and are born again by the Holy Spirit, we remain sinners. Even when transformed by the Spirit’s power, we are not made holy enough on our own to stand before God. But because Jesus has atoned for our sins, God declares righteous those who believe in His name. Just as the priests washed with water before entering the presence of God, we come before the throne of grace through the merits of Jesus’ blood.

Prayer:

Thank You for allowing us to come into the Father’s presence through the blood of the Son. Thank You for declaring us righteous even though we are still full of sin. We earnestly pray—please transform us more deeply and help us grow abundantly in holiness. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: In the Old Testament, priests had to wash with water before going near God’s presence. But that didn’t make them perfect—God made them holy because they obeyed Him. Today, we can come to God not because we are perfect, but because Jesus washed away our sins with His blood.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • Why do you think God told the priests to wash their hands and feet before coming into the tabernacle?
  • Can we see God with dirty hearts, or must we be made clean first? Who makes us clean?
  • How do you feel knowing Jesus helps you be close to God, even when you make mistakes?
    
• For Youth
  • Why do you think God made such strict rules about approaching His presence in the Old Testament?
  • What does it mean to be declared righteous even though we are still sinners?
  • How can you grow in holiness while remembering that only Jesus makes you truly clean before God?