SQUEAKY CLEAN!

SQUEAKY CLEAN!

Jer 2:22

22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God .

Mal 3:2-3

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord  an offering in righteousness.

Isa 1:16

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

          The Jewish nation, like our own today, had become unclean. Warren Wiersbe says: “In the Law of Moses, God provided three ways for people and things to be cleansed and made acceptable to God: water, fire, and blood.” Malachi prophesied the coming of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for Messiah. Messiah would provide the cleansing of blood.

Zech 13:1

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

Launderer's soap was used to remove impurities and unclean elements from clothing and other items. The soap described here is the alkali that comes from the ashes of the iceplant, a succulent which was found in Babylonia but not in Syro-Palestine. As a child I heard much about grandma’s lye soap and Daddy always had a bar of Lava soap which contained, according to the advertisement, pumice from volcanoes. It was scratchy but effective in making one clean.

Jeremiah was clear that we are unable to wash away our own stains. God, in his mercy will provide whatever means needed to cleanse us, whether it be water, fire or blood. Jesus told Peter: “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all” (John 13:10). Daily washing by the Word is needed as we trudge through the filth of this world.

Whiter than Snow

James L. Ni­chol­son, (1872).

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Dear Lord, wash me clean and make me acceptable in Thy sight. AMEN