2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 4: Sacrifice and washing at God's house

Begin in prayer

Before you read about the altar and the great basin in the LORD's house, ask Him to teach your family how a sinner comes near to a holy God. Ask Him to show you Christ.

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

Psalm 43:4

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You are holy and that sinners come near to You by sacrifice and washing. Lead us to Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Solomon makes a bronze altar twenty cubits long and twenty wide, and a huge round basin called the sea. The sea stands on twelve bronze oxen, and the priests wash in it. He also makes ten smaller basins for washing what is used for the burnt offering. He makes ten golden lampstands, ten tables and a hundred golden basins, and the courts with their doors. Huram the craftsman makes the pots, shovels and basins, and the pillars with their pomegranates. Solomon casts the bronze in the plain of the Jordan, and there is too much to weigh. He also makes the golden altar, and the tables with the show bread.

As you read 2 Chronicles 4, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD is a holy God, and His house had a bronze altar for sacrifice and a sea for washing.

Chapter 4 lists the furniture that worship needed in the house of the LORD, and each piece had a use. First came a great altar of bronze, where sacrifices were burned (verse 1). The LORD had taught Israel to bring a burnt offering to be accepted before Him (Leviticus 1 verses 3 and 4). Beside it stood the sea, a huge round basin that rested on twelve bronze oxen (verses 2 to 4). The sea was for the priests to wash in, and the ten smaller basins were for washing the burnt offerings (verse 6). Even priests had to wash before they went near the LORD (Exodus 30 verses 19 to 21). Inside stood ten golden lampstands, ten tables for the show bread, and the golden altar (verses 7, 8 and 19). This matters because a holy God is not approached in any way a person likes. It shows that sinners come near Him by sacrifice and cleansing, which Hebrews calls copies of something better (Hebrews 9 verse 23).

How does 2 Chronicles 4 show us that the LORD is a holy God, and that His house had a bronze altar for sacrifice and a sea for washing?

A great bronze altar stood where sacrifices were burned.

Solomon made the altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty wide and ten high (verse 1). Burnt offerings were washed and then offered on it (verse 6). The LORD had taught Israel to bring a burnt offering to be accepted before Him (Leviticus 1 verses 3 and 4). An altar means a place where sacrifices are given to God.

A huge basin and ten smaller basins were made for washing.

The sea was round and stood on twelve oxen of bronze, three facing each direction (verses 2 to 4). It was for the priests to wash in (verse 6). The ten basins held water to wash what belonged to the burnt offering (verse 6). The LORD had told Moses that priests must wash before they serve (Exodus 30 verses 19 to 21).

Lampstands, tables and a golden altar filled the house.

Solomon made ten lampstands of gold, and he set five on the right and five on the left (verse 7). He made ten tables, and the show bread lay on them (verses 8 and 19). The lamps burned before the inner sanctuary (verse 20). The doors of the most holy place and of the main hall were gold (verse 22).

Jesus is the better sacrifice and the true cleansing.

Hebrews calls the things of the earthly house copies of better things (Hebrews 9 verses 23 and 24). It says the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins (Hebrews 10 verse 4). Jesus offered Himself once for all, so no priest needs to stand daily at an altar (Hebrews 10 verses 10 to 12). John says the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin (1 John 1 verse 7).

Memorise

The things that belonged to the burnt offering were washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

2 Chronicles 4:6

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, how can I be made clean before God, and have I turned to Jesus?

Solomon set a bronze altar in the court of the LORD's house, with a great sea beside it for washing. Jesus is the better sacrifice, and these things were only copies (Hebrews 9 verse 23).

Our sin is real guilt before God, and the blood of animals could never take it away (Hebrews 10 verse 4). Jesus offered Himself at the cross for His people, and by that one offering He paid for their sin once for all. On the third day God raised Him, and He is now at God's right hand.

So come to Him. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him will be forgiven and washed clean, and will stand before God.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD is holy, and that Jesus is the sacrifice who cleanses sinners. Parents, the long measurements in this chapter are not needed, so please tell the story of the altar and the basin. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that sinners can come near Him through a sacrifice, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.

Psalm 52:8

Holy Father, thank You that You gave Your people an altar and a place to be washed. Thank You for Jesus, who offered Himself for sinners and rose again. Please wash us clean as we trust Him, and make us glad to be in Your house. Amen.