Temple Institute completes Keter for the LaverPDFPrintE-mail
Israel
Written by Chris Perver  
Friday, 22 August 2008 14:44

The Temple Institute have announced the completion of the keter, or 'ornamental crown', which is to sit on top of the copper laver following its construction. The pieces of the keter were delivered and assembled at the factory in Acco, where the latest laver is presently being manufactured. The Temple Institute have already created a copper laver which was patterned after a Second Temple design by Ben Kattin. But when an anonymous donor offered to give a gift to the nation of Israel in the form of a vessel that could be used in the administration of the Third Temple, the Temple Institute decided it would be best to recreate the copper laver using the latest production technology. 

Quote: "THE BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED KETER IS THE WORK OF CHAIM ODEM, renowned Israeli metalsmith. Chaim has taken part in the design and manufacture of many of the metal vessels produced by the Temple Institute, most notably the golden menorah. For months Chaim has been busy at work on the keter, a process which began with his own artistic rendition of a crowning ornament worthy of adorning the Holy Temple-bound copper laver. Once having achieved a suitable design, Chaim then had to create moulds and templates, only after which did he begin the painstaking task of hammering by hand the design into the copper sheet.

In Old Testament times, when you first approached the Tabernacle, you had to come in through the gate. There was only one gate through which you could enter. This one gate is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture", John 10:9. And in reference to there being only one door, Jesus said, "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber", John 10:1. There is only one way to get into heaven, and that is through the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who try to enter in some other way, either by good works or prayers or church attendance, will be found to be thieves and robbers and will not be able to enter heaven. The next thing you would see when entering the Tabernacle would be the altar of sacrifice. It was here that the children of Israel would bring their sin offerings. The life of an innocent animal would be sacrificed in the place of the guilty (Leviticus 17:11). The Apostle John declared that Jesus Christ is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world", John 1:29. The Bible says of Jesus Christ, that "God made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him", 2nd Corinthians 5:21. It is only through faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross of Calvary that we can have access into the presence of God (Hebrews 10:12). While the altar of sacrifice speaks to us of our salvation through the blood of Christ, the laver, which is located between the altar and the Holy Place, speaks to us of daily sanctification. Before the Old Testament priests could go into the Holy Place or before they could approach the altar to administer in the sacrifices, they were required to wash their hands and their feet at the laver (Exodus 30:17-21). When it comes to the laver, it is not a case of having to have our sins forgiven, they already have been forgiven at the altar of sacrifice. It is a case of cleansing ourselves, not from sin, but from the defilement of sin. Whenever Jesus Christ stooped to wash His disciples feet, Peter said he didn't want the Lord to be washing his feet (John 13). The Lord said if He didn't wash him, then Peter could have no part with Him. Peter then asked the Lord to not only wash his feet, but his hands and his head also. But the Lord replied, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean everywhere", John 13:10. As Christians, we have already been washed from our sins in Christ's precious blood the time we trusted in Him for salvation. If our sins have already been forgiven, like the priests, we need only wash our feet to cleanse us from the defilement of the way. The washing of our feet speaks of the cleansing of our walk, or our manner of life in this world. This cleansing is not done through blood this time, but through water. The water speaks of the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26). We cleanse ourselves by taking heed according to God's Word (Psalm 119:9). The washing of our hands would speak of cleansing our work, or our business in this world. Like the priests administering the Temple, this cleansing should be done on a daily basis (2nd Corinthians 4:16). Praise God that He has given us such a wonderful picture of our salvation and sanctification through the sacrifice of His beloved Son. If you haven't yet come to know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, why not trust in Him for salvation today?

Hebrews 9:11-12
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Source Temple Institute, Temple Institute

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