Mikvah ~ Immersion
Mikvah / Immersion is a foundational doctrine of Messiah. In Hebrews 6:1-2 it is written:
KJV Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
KJV Hebrews 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
This page is an in-depth study on the subject of Mikvah / Immersion.
Immersion of the whole body is the act of washing performed to correct a condition of ritual impurity and restore the impure to a state of ritual purity. The ritually impure person is prohibited from performing certain functions and participating in certain rites. Immersion, following a withdrawal period and, in some cases, other special rituals, renders him again tahor/ritually clean and able to participate in worship.
The state of tumah/ritual impurity is considered detestable to God. A person must take care in order not to find himself in such a state and thus be cut off from the divine presence of God
Immersion into Messiah Yeshua
The first place we see Yochanan haMatvil/John the Baptist in his ministry is on the banks of the Jordan river announcing the new covenant ... the kingdom of God is at hand. He plainly said that he was preparing the way for this covenant. Just as Moses had brought the people out of Egypt to Mount Sinai to meet with God to accept the covenant.
In Exodus 19:10 it is written: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and immerse/sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes"
As you can see God commanded the people to prepare themselves for the meeting by immersion/ritual purification of themselves and their garments. Yochanan haMatvil/John the Baptist is telling the people to prepare themselves to meet the Messiah and receive the new covenant. The act of immersion into repentance is necessary for ritual purity. Immersion was also necessary to elevate them to a higher state of Holiness to enter into the kingdom.
When we repent of our sins and receive Yeshua into our hears and lives, we experience a spiritual mikvah / immersion. In Acts 19:3-5 it is written:
KJV Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's
baptism.
KJV Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the
people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
KJV Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
This is the first and primary mikvah / immersion. It is immersion in Yeshua Messiah. This is the mikvah / immersion required to be members of the body of Messiah. It is commonly called being, "Born Again". This is the mikvah /immersion mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 4:4-5 as it is written:
KJV Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
KJV Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism