Cleansing Pools

Acts 2:38 (AMPC)

“And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.“

On the day of Pentecost, Peter and the other disciples were gathered together in one place. After the Holy Spirit came upon them in the shape of tongues of fire, the disciples began speaking in tongues they had not learned. The city was filled with Jews from all nations, and these men heard the message in their own language. Then Peter stood up and began to preach the gospel to the crowd.

Some commentaries suggest that when Peter referred to baptism, he may have been near the steps of the temple and near the mikveh, ritual baths used for purification. These ritual baths were very similar to baptism and are sometimes referred to as baptism. The person would have to be full submerged in water in order to cleanse away ritual impurities that made them ceremonially unclean. If you were ceremonially unclean, you could not approach the temple to offer sacrifice or participate in the assembly. You had to be ceremonially clean to do that.

There were a number of ways you could become unclean that required mikveh cleansing. The mikveh was connected to a natural source of running water, like a spring. This water was referred to as “living water.” How fitting then that Peter points these men and women to Jesus, tells them to repent from their unclean living, be baptized in His living water, and receive the Holy Spirit. When we repent, Jesus’ blood cleanses us from our unrighteousness. Baptism serves as an outward sign of the inward cleansing. It’s a symbol connecting the Old and New covenants in Jesus. Then, we can lay claim to the Holy Spirit to enable us to not only enter the temple, but to go straight to the Holy of Holies into the presence of God Himself.

What a beautiful picture of the cleansing of the living water of Christ! Have you been baptized since you believed?

Father, how beautiful are the patterns you have given us in Scripture. They point to larger truths of your story of redemption. Thank you for the atonement you gave us through your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the mikveh you offer us in baptism. Thank you for cleansing us from all unrighteousness. You are the living water that we need to cleanse us and purify us so that we can enter into your presence with boldness and confidence. What a precious gift! In Jesus’ name, Amen.