Things of Brass

Ch 4:1  Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
2Ch 4:2  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.
2Ch 4:3  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.
2Ch 4:4  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.
2Ch 4:5  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.

These were items of furniture in Solomon's temple. Brass is symbolic of the judgement of sins. 

The Brazen-altar was the basis of the Levitical system. To it the sinner came with his Divinely-appointed victim. There was a fire continually burning upon it (Lev. 6:13), and the daily sacrifice was renewed each morning. There it stood: ever smoking, ever blood-stained, ever open to any guilty Hebrew that might wish to approach it. (A.W. Pink)

The molten sea was of brass containing water for purification. Water was symbolic of cleansing by the water of the word or obedience to the law. Remember the first miracle of Jesus. He turned water in urns into wine. The water was used for purification and cleansing under the law. The wine was symbolic of the new covenant in his blood. The blood of Jesus cleanses the believer through faith. Jesus also said that his word was as water to keep us clean.

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The 12 cast bronze oxen that bore the brazen sea stood for the judgement, twelve is the number of judgement and the number of a jury in a trial. The 12 disciples will judge the twelve tribes of Israel with Jesus. (Mat 19:28)

Jesus is the judgement of God and the the atonement for sins. He is the only way given by God whereby we may be saved (Acts 4:12) There is so much more to be said of the things of brass; the brass pillars, the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses. Think of Jesus and sin and the way to him. Water in birth, the water of baptism, sins forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus, and the Spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit to make us pure in him.