2 Chronicles 4:1

2 Chronicles 4:1 says, Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.  The next several verses simply tell of the size of the various things that Solomon made for the temple, starting with the altar. A cubit was about eighteen inches, so the altar was fairly large.  Of course, the size of the altar isn't what is important, but the fact that we worship at it is.  Verse two says, Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.  This was a large basin used in the purification of the priests.  This was at the entrance before they went in.  Today, we as followers of Christ are a part of the priesthood of believers, and we can only be purified by the blood of Christ.  Verse three continues, And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.  There were statues of oxen the supported the molten sea.  Verse four states, It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.  There were twelve of these oxen total, with three looking out in each direction.  We are purified by the blood of Christ, and His blood is there to purify people in all the world, if they will only accept His sacrifice for them, and He reaches out in all directions.  Verse five adds, And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.  This verse tells us of the thickness of the molten sea and how it was decorated.  We cannot decorate the cleansing of the blood of Christ, nor should we try to, but His shed blood is ample to cleanse all who believe, and never has to be refilled.  Verse six continues, He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.  There were ten lavers to wash the things brought as a sacrifice to God in, but the molten sea was for the priests alone.  We do not have different places to be cleansed and to cleanse sacrifices, but everything is cleansed by our faith in Christ as long as we are living by that faith. Verse seven says, And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.  There were ten golden candlesticks to provide light in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left.  Jesus Christ is our Light today as Christians, and He shines His light on all equally.  Verse eight adds, He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.  There were ten tables, five on the left and five on the right, that held a hundred basins made of gold.  These would have been used for the people to at least symbolically cleanse themselves before entering the temple.  We cannot be satisfied with just being symbolically clean but must be spiritually cleansed by the shed blood of Christ.  Verse nine continues, Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.  Solomon had the court of the priests built and doors for the court and covered them with brass.  This gave them strength and beauty.  The cross of Christ is the only door to salvation, and it is not a thing of beauty, but it will endure forever.  It is the only way to salvation and spiritual cleansing.