The Laver

Open your Bibles, please, to the book of Exodus, chapter 30:

EXODUS 30

Please turn to chapter 38 of the book of Exodus. In chapter 30, we have read the instructions for building the tabernacle and the various pieces of furniture, and in chapter 38 we read about Bezaleel's compliance with the orders given by God. If we are to have a complete understanding of the tabernacle and its furniture, it is necessary for us to be familiar with both sections of Scripture, but we do not read each section in its entirety unless there is additional information in one that is not given in the other. There is such information in Exodus, chapter 38:

EXODUS 38

We have been studying the furniture of the tabernacle, beginning with the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place. In front of the curtain in the holy place were the incense, the table of shewbead, and the seven-branched candlestick. In the courtyard of the building, before the curtain that separated the building itself from the courtyard, we come to the brazen laver.

It is important, if we are to understand the Bible, to be acquainted with the English language. It is desirable to know something of Hebrew and Greek if you wish to delve into the secrets of the Word; but sometimes people do not understand the Bible because they just do not understand English. Many people have no idea what the English word "laver" means. The laver was a basin at which individuals were able to cleanse themselves. When the King James version of the Bible was translated, it was a good word; it was in everyday use. We do not use the word today, so it would be better to refer to this piece of furniture as a wash basin:

EXODUS 30

Three is no description of the laver as to shape or size, and this is true only of the laver. We were given descriptions of the Mercy Seat, the Ark of the Covenant, the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense as to shape and size. Though we were not told the size of the seven-branched candlestick in cubits of inches as we were told in regard to other pieces of furniture, we were given a description of its appearance. We know that it stood taller than the other pieces of furniture in the tabernacle. But when we come to the laver, not one word is said about the size or the shape of the laver. There were other peculiar characteristics of this piece of furniture, and these peculiar characteristics have a lesson, we believe, just as do the features of every piece of furniture in the tabernacle.

I would like to mention them by way of introduction, and then I trust we will have time to notice their significance later. For example, the laver was the last piece of furniture mentioned when the directions were given for building the furniture. It was the last piece of furniture mentioned, and it was the last piece of furniture described when all the pieces of furniture were tabulated, and it was the last piece of furniture to be placed in its proper place in the tabernacle. That may not seem strange unless you stop to think that the first pieces of furniture mentioned were the Mercy Seat and the Ark of the Covenant. As we progressed from the inside out--we did that because the book of Exodus approaches it that way--each piece of furniture is mentioned in its proper place; but when we come to the place where the laver should be mentioned, it is not mentioned. The last piece of furniture mentioned when the pieces of furniture were placed in the tabernacle is the laver. I do not believe that was an accident; there must have been some reason for it. Every piece of furniture mentioned in the tabernacle had made for it a special covering that was to be placed over it when the tabernacle was in motion--as they moved from place to place, except the laver. Keep these special characteristics of the laver in mind.

Even though there is no description of the laver presented to us in the Bible, we do have some idea of what it looked like. There are a number of suggestions that come to our minds from the Hebrew word itself. The word for "laver" is kiyyor, which describes excavating something by hammering--that is, making a depression by hammering. Immediately you can picture in your minds Bezaleel and his workmen taking a solid piece of brass and hammering it until it was fashioned into a round bowl. That word kiyyor also means "round", or it cam mean "something that is bored".

We come to a real understanding of what the laver looked like when we notice the manner in which the word kiyyor is translated in another portion of the Word of God. Turn with me, please, to the book of I Samuel, chapter 2. The roots of the tabernacle run deep throughout the Word of God, and this is an illustration. In this chapter, you will find a reference to the instruments related to the worship of God in the temple. The tabernacle gave place to the temple, and there were many things similar in the tabernacle and in the temple:

I SAMUEL 2

Notice in verse 14 the word "pan", which is a translation of the Hebrew word kiyyor. That gives us an indication of what the laver looked like; it was a round-shaped pan beaten out of a solid piece of brass.

When we were looking at chapter 30 of the book of Exodus, verse 18, we found that the instructions to Moses were: "Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass." The word "foot" has no particular significance to us in the English language, and it is difficult for us to visualize what this laver was like with a word like that. But the word "foot" is translated from the Hebrew word ken, which elsewhere is translated by "base", and immediately we begin to understand what we are talking about. Read in chapter 7 of the book of I Kings the story of how a number of these lavers were made; it describes how these lavers were set upon bases. This word ken is also translated "stand" and "pedestal". So we have a picture from the words themselves of what this laver looked like--a round washbasin that sat upon a pedestal.

We are told in chapter 30 that water was to be placed in this basin so that Aaron and his sons might wash their hands and their feet. There is a great advantage in being familiar with extra-scriptural writings, although they are not inspired, because they do throw light upon customs and practices. If you were to read any such writings--Josephus being the most prominent--you would find that the priests had several regulations about washing. I mention them because I think it will help us to understand what this piece of furniture looked like.

For example, the priests would never dip their hands into a basin of water as we might do today if we were washing our hands in the lavatory. Rather, they would wash only under running water. They would have another vessel with which they could dip water out of the laver and pour it over their hands and over their feet; or they would have some kind of faucet or spigot that would permit the water to run out, for they washed only in running water.

Lavers have been found in some archaeological discoveries which suggest how this one might have looked. The top part was a round bowl, as I have said, and there were outlets operated by what we would refer to as spigots or faucets today, that let the water out of the top basin into the lower basin, which was also the base of the big basin.

We have been endeavoring to discover in regard to each of the pieces of furniture in the tabernacle some suggestions as to its spiritual significance. When we began our study of the tabernacle, we noticed a number of passages of Scripture which taught us that we should not look upon this as just a piece of architecture with very interesting pieces of furniture. Rather, we should look upon it as something that would teach us a spiritual lesson if we would take the time to try to learn what it meant. So we want to learn the spiritual significance of the laver.

We learned that the altar of incense indicated the manner in which we might have communion with the Lord. We learned that the table of shewbread indicated the manner in which we might have our sustenance in the Lord. We learned that the seven-branched candlestick indicated the manner in which we might serve the Lord in the light of the Lord and in the light of His Word.

So we ask: What is the significance of the laver that stands completely outside the building in the courtyard? We learned when we looked at chapter 30 that the purpose of the laver was to provide a place where Aaron and his sons could wash their hands and their feet. The word "wash" is interesting; it is translated from the Hebrew word rahats, and it speaks of washing one's own hands and feet. There is more than one word for "washing" in Hebrew; if you were talking about washing someone else, you would use an entirely different word. If you were talking about washing yourself--your doing the work--you would use this word.

Turn, please, to chapter 29 of the book of Exodus and notice there are two kinds of washings in connection with the worship in the tabernacle. There was one which was ministered to Aaron and his sons by another, and there was one which they ministered to themselves:

EXODUS 29

These were words of instructions to Moses. Moses was told that he should wash Aaron and his sons. The word "wash" here describes a complete washing--what we might today call a bath. In other words, the priests--Aaron and his sons--were bathed by Moses at the brazen altar before they ever began to do anything at all in connection with the tabernacle. But as they approached the service of the Lord in the tabernacle, another washing was necessary, and that washing occurred at the laver. Notice the distinction: At the brazen altar it was Moses who did the washing, and at the laver it was the priests themselves who did the washing.

Turn, please, to the book of Hebrews, chapter 10, which is a commentary on much that we find in the book of Exodus in connection with the tabernacle, and also to the book of Leviticus, which describes the worship services which were carried on in the tabernacle. In the book of Hebrews, the author encourages Christian Jews in the Old Testament language to enter into full fellowship with the Lord, as far as the New Testament is concerned.

HEBREWS 10

The two things that are necessary are that our hearts be sprinkled from an evil conscience, and that our bodies be washed with pure water. He is talking about the same thing in reverse. "Bodies washed with pure water" represents what happened at the brazen altar. "Consciences made clean" represents what happened at the laver.

May I suggest that the laver symbolizes the washing which provides continual communion with the Lord. The washing of the body at the brazen altar symbolizes salvation; the washing at the laver symbolizes the cleansing that is necessary after salvation, if we are to enter into any kind of communion or fellowship with the Lord. The washing at the brazen altar occurred once; it need not occur again and again. If you should take the time to read the account in Exodus, you would find that the washing at the laver occurred continually. Whenever they took a step, they had to wash again at the laver because the floor was dirty and their feet got dirty. Whenever they went from the brazen altar to the altar of incense, they had to wash their hands; their hands got dirty. So there was no limit to the number of times the laver had to be used. The washing at the brazen altar, one time; the washing at the laver, numerous times.

Turn, please, to the Gospel of John, chapter 13, for an illustration of this in the life of our Lord. The Feast of the Passover was near and the disciples had gathered with the Lord in an upper room for the purpose of eating the Passover. Since it was in a borrowed room and there was no certain host, there was no one there to perform the ordinary functions of a host in an Oriental household. For example, if I were a host in an Oriental household, I would either take a basin of water and bathe the feet of everyone present, or I would have one of my servants do it. People walked up and down the streets in open-toed sandals and their feet were dirty. They would no more think of sitting down to a meal with dirty feet than we would think of sitting down to a meal with dirty hands.

Since there was no host in this upper room, and since none of the disciples volunteered to do it because of their pride, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself performed the functions of the host. Therein lies the story we want you to notice. Look at verse 4:

JOHN 13

What He meant was, "Peter, I am doing something far more than just doing any ordinary function related to sanitation."

JOHN 13

Here He was teaching Peter a spiritual lesson, and Peter immediately grasped its import.

JOHN 13

Peter was weak and he failed often, but there was one thing he knew: He wanted to be the Lord's completely, and whatever it took, he was willing to do. When the Lord said, "If I don't wash your feet, you cannot have any part with me," he was not willing to take a chance. He said, "Don't talk about my feet; give me a bath all over!"

JOHN 13

He said to Peter, "Peter, you don't need a bath; you have already had one." By this time Peter knew he was talking to him about spiritual things. "You have already been saved, Peter; you don't need to be saved all over again. But you do need to be cleansed because you have been walking up and down on the earth, and you have become contaminated in our associations if in no other way. Your feet must be cleansed, but you don't need a bath all over!"

Notice the accuracy of the Scripture in verse 8. When Peter said unto Him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet," Jesus answered, "If I wash thee not, thou has not part with me." Circle the word "with"; He did not say, "Thou hast no part in me", but "You have no part with Me." There is a difference. When we are saved, we are immediately placed into the Lord Jesus Christ. When we have our bath--in the terms we are using--we are placed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people who are in Christ have no fellowship with Christ because they have not been to the laver. You come to the brazen altar to be placed into Christ; you come to the laver to maintain your communion with Christ.

So we would say that the laver symbolizes the washing that provides continual communion with the Lord. More specifically, we would say that the water in the laver symbolizes the Word of God, as the laver symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ in the administration of the Word of God as a cleansing agent. You will notice they did not wash themselves in the laver; they washed themselves in the water, but it was the laver that made the water available.

So we will say that the laver symbolizes the Word of God as a cleansing agent in our lives when it is administered by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible bears that out, for the two are always mentioned together. Let us look at an illustration or two.

Turn, please, to the book of Hebrews, chapter 4:

HEBREWS 4

That is, it is living. This does not mean that it acts quickly; it may take a long time for it to act. Some of us have realized that when we have given out the Word of God to individuals and have longed to see the results immediately, but have not seen them immediately.

HEBREWS 4

Notice how deep the Word of God will pierce into the heart and the conscience of an individual. Notice the connection. I said that the written Word and the living Word are always mentioned together, and so we read in verse 13:

HEBREWS 4

The Word of God lays us open, just as the sacrificial knife--for that is what it is, instead of a sword that you fight with--lays open the animal for the sacrifice, and all its inward parts are made visible. The Word of God discerns between the thoughts and intents of the heart, and leaves us naked before Him with whom we have to do. We would be discouraged, indeed, if we had to stop reading there, but you will notice in verse 14 that our eyes are turned toward the Lord Jesus Christ:

HEBREWS 4

Do you see what happens? The Word of God causes us to realize our need. We turn to the Lord and find cleansing. So it is the written Word and the living Word that provide our cleansing.

Turn back, please, to chapter 15 of the Gospel of John. This section, beginning with chapter 14 and concluding with chapter 17, is the farewell speech of our Savior to those whom He left upon the earth. He said a great many things to them:

JOHN 15

Look at the word "purge". It means "cleanse". The picture that is presented to us is of a branch down on the ground and all covered with sand and dirt; if it stays down there, it will just grow on under the ground and not produce any fruit, so it is lifted up and cleansed. The Lord Jesus Christ makes the application in verse 3:

JOHN 15

The Word of God is a cleansing agent. Turn, please, to chapter 5 of the book of Ephesians for an even more distinct statement. The Psalmist asked, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Psalm 119:9). So you see, the laver represents a cleansing agent that maintains communion; this is consistent with the Word.

Notice verse 25 of Ephesians, chapter 5:

EPHESIANS 5

The Church is not an organization in this passage of Scripture; it is an organism made up of born-again believers, regardless of their denominational affiliation or the lack of it. This passage says that He purchased the Church; it says that He cleanses the Church as well. He purchased the Church here at the brazen altar, but the Church must be cleansed at the laver. He purchased the Church once and for all; He paid only one purchase price for it. At the laver, the Church must cleanse itself again and again and again.

One of the sad things about Christian living today is that many people do not realize that. They think that that moment they profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, everything will be smooth sailing from then on out. They will never sin again and they will never make mistakes again, but they do. They make mistakes, and then they get discouraged and throw the whole thing out. They says, "What is the use of following on if we cannot do any better than this?" All in the world they need to do is to go to the laver.

With this thought in mind--that the laver represents that which maintains our communion--let us notice how the details bear out this testimony as they are given in relation to the laver itself.

Back in Exodus, chapter 30, we read the word "foot" in verse 18. We mentioned that it is translated from the Hebrew word ken, which can be translated "pedestal" or "stand" or "base"; but it is also translated in another way, which to my mind emphasizes again the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures in the original text.

Turn to the book of Judges, chapter 12, please, as I think with you a bit about this. In the original text the Bible is verbally inspired. The Holy Spirit did not leave the writer of the Word of God to use just any old word that might come to mind; He selected the words very carefully, sometimes words that were not even in the writer's vocabulary, but that He brought to their minds in order to bring forth a specific truth. I think that is true in Exodus, chapter 30. It becomes more evident when we look at chapter 12 of Judges. This is the story of how people demanded a certain agreement, and if they could not have it, things were going to be bad. This story in the Bible has become the basis for a great many stories in secular literature; it has become proverbial among statesmen in connection with treaties among nations:

JUDGES 12

This matter of pronouncing "Shibboleth" has become proverbial: If you agree with me, you had better say "Shibboleth" instead of "Sibboleth"; if you don't, I will not have anything to do with you. That is the idea of the passage. Notice the phrase in verse 6, "pronounce it right"; notice the word "right". It is very interesting to me that the word "right" is the translation of the Hebrew word ken. When the Holy Spirit was seeking a word that would describe the piece of furniture that was to regulate our communion with the Lord, He chose a word that described doing right. That is the only way we can maintain our communion with the Lord--by doing right, by living right.

In John, chapter 1, verse 7, we are told that if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. But we are told also in verse 6 that if we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. Fellowship is characterized by doing right.

The laver was made of brass, and if you keep that in mind, you will learn a very interesting lesson. The word "brass", or the material brass is used in the Scriptures always as a symbol of judgment. We will not take the time to examine that, because when we come to the brazen altar we will give more attention to it.

How familiar are you with what the critics have to say about the authenticity of the Word of God? How familiar are you with those passages of Scripture to which they point and say, "The Bible is not inspired."? Well, this is one of those passages. Some say that the book of Exodus says that the laver was made of brass and that the altar was made of wood covered with brass, when brass was not even known at the time of Moses. So they say that the Bible could not possibly be inspired; if it were, it would not make a mistake like that.

Actually, the Bible does not say that the laver was made of brass, nor does it say that the altar was made of brass. The translation says it, but not the original text. The original text says that this piece of furniture was made of copper. Among the biggest producers of copper at that time were the Jews, there in the land of Palestine, for this particular word that is translated by our English word "brass" is from the Hebrew word nechosheth. So you see, the Bible is true. When men think it isn't true, it is just because they don't try to take the time to understand it.

When I point out to you this word nechosheth as being used for the material for the laver because of its translation in another place, will you look with me, please, at the book of Ezekiel, chapter 16. The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to the nation of Israel in terms of adultery. The terms are used as though they refer to physical adultery, but actually he is speaking of the wandering of the children of Israel away from the Lord. Their worship of idols, etc., is called spiritual adultery:

EZEKIEL 16

Look back at verse 36 and notice the word "filthiness". It is a translation of this word nechosheth. Do you see the connection? The laver is the place where the Israelites in priestly service were cleansed from the filthiness of contamination with earthly things. When God selected through the Holy Spirit the word that would describe the material out of which the laver was made, He chose this particular word. Again, the verbal inspiration of the Scripture is vindicated.

Will you go back now to chapter 30 of the book of Exodus and notice verse 19:

EXODUS 30

The feet speak of the walk, and the hands speak of the service. Surely we should learn from this that if we are to walk with the Lord well-pleasing, or, as Paul puts it in his letter to the Ephesians, "Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called," it will be necessary to make frequent stops at the laver. If our service is to be well-pleasing to the Lord, then it will be necessary for us to make frequent stops at the laver; the Scriptures say that they that bear the vessels of the Lord must be clean (Isaiah 52:11).

This would be sufficient, perhaps, but we would not be examining the Scriptures thoroughly unless we notice the next two verses. There are so many individuals today who emphasize the fact that they have been through the washing at the brazen altar, and they don't seem to be concerned about going to the laver. That is the attitude that is expressed by individuals who say, "Oh, I'm saved, so I can do anything I want. What difference does it make?" And by people who flippantly say, "Oh yes, I'm a Christian, but I'm not living for the Lord," as though it mattered not at all. Look at verse 20:

EXODUS 30

Get the picture in your minds. They come to the brazen altar; they are bathed; a sacrifice is offered, and if they do no more than that, they are taken care of. They are Israelites redeemed. But if they are going into this sacred, dedicated place, they must stop by the laver before they go. If they dare go to the altar of incense, which symbolizes communion, without having stopped at the laver, they are in danger of death. That is a serious thing, if we stop to think of it.

We have a New Testament counterpart of that truth that I would like for you to notice for its significance. Turn with me, please, to I Corinthians, chapter 11. This chapter describes some irregularities among the saints when they are assembled together for the purpose of worship. A number of things are dealt with. There are references made here to women prophesying and praying without their heads being covered and how this displeases the Lord, and women being in public service without their heads being covered. I am well aware that this seems old fashioned to many. "It is like Catholics," is the argument some people give in relation to it. Others say that this was related to a purely local situation and has no reference to us today; but that does not hold water, as we would see if we should take the time to study the passage of Scripture.

There were irregularities concerning eating in the Church, and here in the first Corinthian letter, chapter 11, the practice of having kitchens in the Church is definitely condemned from a Scriptural standpoint. People do a lot of rationalizing about it, but this is what the Word of God says. The thing we really want to get to is the irregularity that is discussed here in regard to the Lord's Supper. Notice verse 23:

I CORINTHIANS 11

This is a description of how the Lord's Supper should be carried on in public worship, and it pretty well explains itself. We are all familiar with it. Now verse 27:

I CORINTHIANS 11

This is an unhappy translation, and it has led many people to refrain from participating in the Lord's Supper because they say they are not worthy; they are not good enough. Actually, this word "unworthily" could better be translated "in an unworthy manner," because it is not a matter of whether you are worthy. If you're saying that Christ died for you when you sit down at the Lord's table, you're saying you're unworthy. And if you're worthy, you ought not to partake of it. But this speaks of an unworthy manner; if you partake of it in an unworthy manner, then you are guilty of crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ again. That is what the passage of Scripture says.

How may we eat, or not eat, in an unworthy manner? We are not told specifically, but look at verse 28:

I CORINTHIANS 11

So the unworthy manner is related to the wrong attitude of heart.

Time will not permit us to describe all the various wrong attitudes that could be included in this statement. The word "damnation" could better be translated "condemnation", because it is not damnation of the soul; it is the condemnation of the Lord. He condemns any or all of us if we are displeasing to Him. The condemnation comes because we do not discern the Lord's Body; that is, we do not have a proper understanding or appreciation or respect for this thing. If you can come here on Sunday morning and partake of the elements of communion and flip your shoulder as you do it, as though it means nothing to you, you are not properly discerning the Lord's Body. You do not have the right appreciation of it. That is why we must be careful about children's participating in the Lord's Supper before they know and understand what they are doing. The main thing I want you to notice is in verse 30:

I CORINTHIANS 11

The word "sleep" here means "die". This passage of Scripture says that many people come to the Lord' table with the wrong attitude; some of them get sick, and some of them even die. This does not say that everyone who gets sick has come to the Lord's table in the wrong manner. It does not say that everyone who dies has. But it does say that this is a possibility, because the Lord's table is the communion of the Lord. It is called that in chapter 10 of the first Corinthian letter.

Get the picture in our Old Testament study. The altar of incense is the place of communion. If the high priest and his sons had gone immediately from the brazen altar where they were saved, up to the altar of incense without washing at the laver, they would have been struck dead physically. This is the Age of Grace, and God does not work in open judgment as He did at that time, but what He is saying here is that if we come from the place where we are saved to the communion table with unconfessed sin in our lives, we are coming with the wrong attitude; and if we persist in it, God may see fit to take our lives. He explains what He means in verse 31:

I CORINTHIANS 11

When we judge ourselves, we stop at the laver; that is the meaning. If you stop at the laver to wash your hands and your feet, you are judging yourself.

I CORINTHIANS 11

You see, He cannot send us to Hell because He saved us; we have been to the brazen altar. He could not let us go to Hell; that would deny everything He ever taught. But He cannot let us get away with foolishness, either, or sin. If we don't stop at the laver, He will chasten us, and that chastening may result either in sickness or in death. So the laver in the tabernacle is symbolic of self-judgment as the Word of God makes us realize our need of the Lord.

Turn to chapter 38 of the book of Exodus and notice verse 8. This chapter presents a description of the manner in which Bezaleel complied with the blueprint for the tabernacle. But in verse 8, we are told something that we were not told in chapter 30:

EXODUS 38

This laver was made out of the copper looking-glasses of the women. They did not have glass as we do today. Their mirrors were made not of glass, but of copper. If you will compare this statement with the one we read in chapter 25 of the book of Exodus, you will read that they willingly gave these mirrors.

I do not know that this means that they did not have any others, but suppose for the sake of discussion that that it did mean that. Don't you think it would be an unusual thing for a woman to give up the last mirror that she had with the possibility of never having another one? Women, rightly or wrongly, spend a great deal of time before the mirror; and though there is a certain need for neatness and for cleanliness, let's face the fact that a great deal of time before the mirror may indicate pride in the flesh in varying degrees. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not recommending that you get rid of your mirrors. It is much easier on me if you keep them and use them, because I have to look at you. But I am suggesting that they may be indicative of pride in the flesh. It is only as we come to the realization that something is more important than the flesh that we can walk with the Lord in sweet communion.

Turn, please, for an illustration of this fact to Paul's first letter to Timothy. Many people spend more time on what the Bible refers to as outward adorning than they do on the adorning of the inner man. The Bible does not forbid outward adorning, but it does suggest that you strike a happy medium between the two. In fairness, I ought to say that women are not the only ones who use mirrors and spend time before them.

Paul says in I Timothy, chapter 2:

I TIMOTHY 2

We do not have time to look into this with great detail, but it does not rule out braided hair; it does not rule out gold or pearls. It asks you to strike a happy medium. If you want something really to adorn you, don't spend all your time adorning the flesh. Adorn the inner man with good works. Perhaps even clearer is a suggestion along this line in the first epistle of Peter, chapter 3:

I PETER 3

This is a comparison. If it were not, you could say this passage of Scripture teaches that you should not wear clothes at all, and that is not true. Don't put the emphasis on that. Rather, in verse 4:

I PETER 3

This passage of Scripture says that women who want to interest their husbands in the things of the Lord would do better to spend more time on the inner woman than they do on the outer. Sometimes they spend all their time on the outer woman, making it attractive, but they are virtual hellcats to live with, and there is no opportunity for a witness or a testimony.

What I am saying is that when these women willingly gave up their mirrors, they learned that it was better to spend some time on the inner person than on the outer. Even at the risk of being misunderstood, I would like to say that it would be much better to spend time in cleansing the spirit than in cleansing the body.