Looking at the garments of the high priest as described in Exodus 28, this article shows how the ephod, breastplate, and the crown the high priest wore point us to Christ and his work as our High Priest.

Source: The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, 2012. 2 pages.

Dressed for Work

Read Exodus 28

For many Christians, prayer has become a series of per­sonal petitions, punctuated by multiple vocatives with an “Amen” preceded by “in Jesus’ name.” The vocabulary of prayer has degenerated to verbal pauses and thoughtless expressions. Hebrews 4:14 explains the logic of prayer, specifically the logic of praying in Jesus’ name. We have access to the gracious throne because we have a Great High Priest who knows us intimately, has passed through the heavens, and sits exalted as our Intercessor and Mediator. Under His guidance we may approach God boldly, knowing that because Christ is who He is, nothing we ask in His name according to His will can be denied because there is noth­ing the Father will deny the Son. As our Great High Priest, Christ bears us so that the throne of judgment is for us a throne of grace.

Much of what we know about Christ’s priestly minis­try we learn from the object lessons, the picture proph­ecies, in the Old Testament. Exodus 28 describes the garments of the High Priest that were for glory and beauty. Each of the seven specific garments or acces­sories worn by Aaron, the first High Priest, illustrates some aspect of the priestly work and points to Christ the ideal High Priest who fulfilled that ministry perfectly and finally. Of the seven items, three stand out espe­cially: the ephod, the breastplate, and the crown. The word “bear” occurs in connection with these garments and suggests some remarkable truths about Christ’s priestly work that justifies our boldness before God’s throne (vv. 12, 29, 38). Every day when Aaron dressed for work, he was a walking sermon, a living prophecy of what Christ does. When the people looked at Aaron all dressed up, they were to reflect on the visible message and learn the spiritual truth that corresponded and pointed to the Ideal High Priest. In ideal reality, Christ is dressed for the work He does for His people.

Ephod🔗

Christ has the Might to Uphold us🔗

The ephod was a short garment of two pieces joined together hanging from the shoulders to the waist. Made of fine linen colored with blue, purple, and scarlet, it sym­bolized purity, royalty, and sacrifice. But most significant were the two onyx stones set in the gold sockets on the shoulders. On the two stones were engraved the names of the tribes of Israel, six listed on each stone. Aaron was to bear these names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord (28:12). Everywhere that Aaron went doing his priestly tasks, he carried the covenant people he repre­sented with him. The lesson of the picture points wonder­fully to Christ. The shoulders are the place of power and strength; so Christ has the sufficient strength, power, and ability to uphold us and all of our concerns in the very presence of God, where He ever lives to intercede for us. On His omnipotent shoulders, He bears us and carries us to the Holy Place. When Christ, our High Priest, passed through the heavens, He triumphantly carried His people with Him. We have burdens that so often weigh us down, but we should without hesitation cast our burdens upon Him. By virtue of His bearing us on His shoulders, He is already bearing the load of our burden. It is foolish for us to hang on to the burden, when He already bears it. He has the might, and He will never let us down.

Breastplate🔗

Christ has the Mercy to Plead for us🔗

The breastplate was made of fine linen doubled over to make a pouch and was held in position by gold chains and blue lace hanging over the ephod. Most significant were the four rows of twelve precious jewels, each inscribed with a tribe’s name. Wearing the breastplate, Aaron bore the names of the people over his heart when he ministered in the holy place (28:29). The picture is clear since the heart is the place of love, mercy, pity, compassion, and sympathy. The point of the picture is amazing as it directs our gaze to Christ. As our High Priest, He is touched with the feeling of our infirmity. He knows us, loves us, feels for us, and pleads mercy for us. He purchased us, and we are precious to Him. Christ bears our names upon His heart, and with tender thoughts toward us, He is in God’s presence to intercede for us. His heart for us turns the judgment throne into the mercy throne where we find all the help and grace we need. There are times when we feel so alone with our problems and trials that we convince ourselves that nobody cares. Does Jesus care? O yes, He cares because He holds us near His heart.

The Holy Crown🔗

Christ has the Merit to present us🔗

The mitre was a turban-like headdress, the most notice­able feature being the plate of pure gold on the front with the inscription, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” With this blazing message on his forehead, Aaron would bear the iniquity of the holy things so that the people would be accepted before the Lord (28:38). Sin makes man unworthy and incapable of approaching God, for without holiness no man can see God nor have any communion with Him. But God saw holiness flashing from the High Priest’s brow, and therefore accepted Aaron and those he bore on his shoulders and over his heart. The picture was vivid and points to our salvation. By ourselves, we have no merit to stand before the holy God. But as our High Priest, Christ bore the guilt of our iniquity in His propitiatory sacrifice. In union with Him, God accepts us on the merits of Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. As we rest on Christ’s mighty shoulders and repose over His tender heart, God sees us only through the flash­ing glory of His holiness. Our acceptance before the heavenly throne is perfect and complete in Christ. We are accepted in the Beloved. His merit is our only worth.

How one dresses is often an indication of one’s occupa­tion. Many jobs require dis­tinctive wardrobes appropriate for the tasks. Clothes do say something. That was dramati­cally so with the work-clothes God designed for the High Priest for his service in the tabernacle. Every day he dressed in the beautiful, glorious garments, and every one that saw him knew what he was going to do that day. But as beautiful as Aaron’s work-clothes were, they pale before the heavenly pattern they were designed to picture. So as we look at Aaron, with the eye of faith we are to see Jesus and consider what He has done and continues to do for us as our Great High Priest.

If we believe that He bears us on His shoulders and over His heart and carries us into God’s presence in the light of His perfect holiness, then we will appeal to His precious and powerful name every time we seek to draw near to God in prayer or to engage in any other means of worship. Approaching God in Jesus’ name is not just empty formula; it is the only way to come.

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