Correspondence: Ex. 28:38; Born of the Flesh

From: Young Christian: Volume 1, 1911

Exodus 28:38 • 4 min. read • grade level: 6

Question 17. Do the verses in Lev. 10:17; 22:16¹⁷Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord? (Leviticus 10:17)
¹⁶Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the Lord do sanctify them. (Leviticus 22:16); Num. 18:1¹And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. (Numbers 18:1); Heb. 13:15¹⁵By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15); 1 Peter 2:5⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5) follow out the thought of Exodus 28:38³⁸And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. (Exodus 28:38)? W. H.

Ans. In Exodus 28 the garments of glory and beauty present (in figure) the offices of Israel’s high priest but fulfilled in Christ Himself. The priesthood in Israel failed, and these garments had to be changed for others when the high priest went into the Holiest of all (Lev. 16:4⁴He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. (Leviticus 16:4)).

It is therefore the Lord Jesus as the Great High Priest we are to see in them. Crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:7-9⁷Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: ⁸Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. ⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:7‑9)). He is now not Israel’s High Priest, but ours, who have a heavenly calling. He ever liveth to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25²⁵Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)). In Israel, one family of the tribe of Levi was chosen as priests. Now, all believers are priests, holy priests to enter in and to offer sacrifices of praise. And royal priests to show forth the virtues of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:5,9⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)).

Aaron and his sons had to offer sacrifices continually for their own sins, and for the sins of others; Christ’s one sacrifice for sin has perfected us forever.

Aaron and his sons, the offering priests (Christ in figure), had to bear the iniquity of those gone out of the way. Our great High Priest carries on His work for us all.

His love seen in Exodus 28:29²⁹And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. (Exodus 28:29), (for we are carried on His heart) and His power, (Ex. 28:12¹²And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. (Exodus 28:12)), (we are on His shoulders) tell us He can never fail. He will be all we need on the road, and will carry us on to the bright end before us – the glory of God (Ex. 28:36-38³⁶And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. ³⁷And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. ³⁸And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. (Exodus 28:36‑38)).

“For us He wears the Miter

Where “Holiness” shines bright.

Read hymn 114 in Little Flock Hymn Book (Heb. 10:21- 22²¹And having an high priest over the house of God; ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:21‑22)).

We can draw near, without fear, in full assurance of faith. All the mistakes of our ignorance and of our infirmities are understood and borne by our High Priest. What a comfort it is to know that He bears the iniquity of them, and gives efficacy to every desire and thought that is for the glory of God.

This is not only true in our individual approach to God; it is also true for our collective prayers and worship, and should help us to bear with each other. We lose much if we allow in ourselves a spirit of criticism. If we look at the Lord in the midst of His gathered saints (Matt. 15:20²⁰These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. (Matthew 15:20)), and at the saints as He sees them, we will see their faults, and, knowing our own also, we will pray for them. Satan wants us to see them through his eyes, and be like him, an accuser of the brethren.

We are children of the Father also, our worship is to be in the liberty of children, “The Father seeketh such to worship Him” (John 4:23²³But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)).

Question 18. What does the thorn in the flesh mean (2 Cor. 12:7⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7)) ? M. E.

Ans. We are not told what it was. Galatians 4:13-16¹³Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. ¹⁴And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. ¹⁶Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? (Galatians 4:13‑16) is suggestive.

We see in it how careful the Lord was over the apostle, who might have been exalted above measure by the special privileges the Lord had given him. The flesh is just the same in an apostle as in us; it had to be kept down, so the Lord sent him something that kept him humble. Thrice he asked the Lord that it might be removed, but the Lord saw it was needed. Paul was in earnest and prayed on till he got the answer, “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” When he knew the Lord’s mind about it, he was content as his weakness brought in the power of Christ.

This is a lesson for us. We need to be kept humble, so a messenger of Satan is allowed to try us in some way, then we go to the Lord. If we do, we hear Him saying, “I will be your strength, I will be your stay”.

Precious Savior! May we never try to do without Thee.

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