Exodus 28:15-29. The Breastplate.
THE breastplate comes next, and is made of the same materials as the ephod, so we will not repeat these, but there is this in addition, and that is, there were twelve precious stones which were arranged in four rows.
The names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel were engraved on these stones, but only one name on each stone. You will remember that there were only two stones for the shoulders, and six names were on one stone and six on the other; but in the breastplate, which was to be upon his heart, there had to be a precious stone for each tribe. The lesson to be learned from this is that it would do to link the names together when the strength of the high priest was to be considered; but when his heart was in question, each one had to have an individual place.
So it is with all those who are believers in the Lord Jesus, and therefore have Him as their Great High Priest. They have their individual place in His heart, just as the mother is interested in, and loves every one of her children, no matter how many she may have.
Think of this, dear young believer, the Lord bears you up before God according to His unchanging love, and not according to your unfaithfulness and changing love. The measure of His love is that He gave His life for you, and what more can one give than his life? In all your difficulties and trials, remember that you ever have an individual place in His heart, and He will not allow anything to take place with you, but that which will be best for you.
The next thing we shall notice is that these stones were set in gold, and so were the stones on the shoulders, thus bringing before us the fact that our standing before God is in His righteousness. The breastplate was bound with chains, and rings of gold to the ephod at the shoulders, and the girdle, so that it could not be loosed from the ephod, thus teaching us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. (Rom. 8:35).
All this should cause us to seek to be like Christ in all our ways, and seek to please Him in everything. What love to show to us.
“Love that transcends our highest pow ers,
Demands our soul, our life, our all.”
ML 07/02/1922