PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Lavar is a vessel which contained water for the priests
to wash their hands and feet before ministering within the holy place or the
altar of burnt offerings (Ex. 30:18-20). The location for this altar is specified in
Exodus 30:18 "...thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the
congregation and the altar...". The
Lavar and its foot, or base were made of brass.
There are no known dimensions for this vessel. My drawings and depictions of it are pure
speculation, the meaning of the vessel however, can be found in the scriptures.
The meaning behind the Hebrew word for Lavar, כִּיּוֹר ( kîyôr) is: "properly
something round (as excavated or bored), i.e. a chafing-dish for coals or as a
caldron for cooking; hence (from similarity of form) a wash-bowl; also (for the
same reason) a pulpit or platform".
THE LAVAR AND BAPTISM
There are few verses in the scriptures describing the
function and use of the Lavar. Nonetheless,
its importance cannot be understated. Exodus
30:20 states: "When [Aaron and his sons] go into the tabernacle of the congregation,
they shall wash with water, that they die not...". In other words, one qualification to enter
into the Holy Place,
was being washed with the water of the Lavar.
The scripture is clear that if anyone was to enter the Holy Place without
being washed by water of the Lavar, they would die. While this might seem harsh to any reader, Jesus
Christ has declared the same:
"...Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom
of God." (John 3:5).
Remember that each person on this earth, is on a path. Not all paths lead to the same destination. If you desire to enter into the path which
leads back to the presence of the Father, you must be baptized, for it is one
of his commandments.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned1." (Mark
16:16).
The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptisqei`j (bapti±z³). This
word means to dip in or under, to
immerse.2 Baptism symbolizes death, burial, and resurrection,
and can only be done by immersion. Any
other method is not baptism.
Jesus Christ showed all the children of God how to walk down
the path which leads to the Father through his teachings. The tabernacle is a visual symbol of this
journey back to the presence of the Father.
Christ himself was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matt.
3:15). In other words, although a
perfect being, who had no need of baptism for its cleansing effects, Christ
still obeyed the commandment of the Father to be baptized. The words of the ancient prophet Nephi best
explain this concept:
"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should
have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how
much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
And now, I would ask of you, my beloved
brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being
baptized by water? Know ye not that he
was holy? But notwithstanding he being
holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he
humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he
would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
Wherefore, after he was baptized with water
the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove. And again, it showeth unto the children of
men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they
should enter, he having set the example before them.
And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow
Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and
be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son." (2 Nephi 31:5-11)
Through the ordinance of baptism, we covenant to take upon
ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His
commandments. As we keep our part of the
covenant, God promises the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, a
remission of our sins, and being born again3.
We must follow Christ if we desire to be on the path that leads back to
the Father. We must keep the
commandments of the Lord if we desire to remain on that path. According to the words of Christ, all the
children of God, must be baptized if they desire to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Clearly, the tabernacle is a symbolic instruction of this point. This symbolism is before all the world.