Exodus
28 -Servants of God
Now
we come to the ones who are going to serve the tabernacle. The Levites were to care for the tabernacle,
and Aaron and his sons were to be the priests.
Aaron was to be the high priest. For
Aaron to serve as high priest he had to have certain garments. And these garments speak of Christ. The Hebrew word for Holy means “set
apart.” These garments were set apart
for the service of God. The first
garment was the Ephod. It was worn over
the linen garment. Two long pieces of
cloth were brought together and fastened by a stone on one shoulder and a stone
on the other shoulder. The material was
gathered in the middle with a girdle.
Six of the names of the children of Israel were engraved on the onyx
stone and six names were engraved on the other.
When the high priest went into the presence of God, he carried the
children of Israel on his shoulders. That
speaks of the strength and power of the high priest. Jesus is our high priest. Jesus carries us on his shoulders.
The
breastplate is a vest. A very beautiful one that went over the garment. It was a breastplate of judgment. We need the breastplate of righteousness
today as believers. The breastplate
covers the vile heart within us. The Ephod and the breastplate went together.
On the breastplate were twelve precious stones which were arranged three in a
row, and there were four rows. Each stone was a different color and together
they formed a flashing and beautiful display.
What a picture this is of His Love for us.
I
do not know what the Urim and Thummim were.
Whatever they were, they determined the will of God. God wants us to go to Him for answers.
The
pomegranates speak of fruit and the bells speak of witness. The symbols of life
and witness would give a sound as the high priest went in and out of the
sanctuary. “That he die not” alerts them
to the fact that if he should default in the ritual he would be stricken dead.
Then
there was a plate of pure gold that was put on blue lace, upon the forefront of
the mitre, upon Aaron’s head. These garments distinguished the high priest from
the other priests. These garments were a covering over any work of the flesh.
God
supplied their needs as they served the people.
There was no competition or confusion in the holy tabernacle because
they served the same Lord and obeyed the same Word. God has a ministry for each
of us, and He will equip us to do it.
J.
Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
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