The Garments of Glory and Beauty

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Exodus 28:1‑3  •  21 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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So far in our studies we have been traveling from the inside to the outside, from the Ark in the Holiest of All to the Court of the Tabernacle. God came out to man in the person of His beloved Son, man goes in to God through Christ as the High Priest of our profession. We are bidden to " consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus " (Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)). We begin now to consider how man goes in to God as a worshipper.
An enquirer at this stage may ask why no mention has been made of the Golden Altar in the Holy Place, and the Brazen Laver in the Court of the Tabernacle. It looks like an omission. But as we have already pointed out the reason is very beautiful. What the infidel would joyfully point out as a mistake in a fallible book, the spiritual mind can see as the plain marks of inspiration in an infallible Book.
The answer is this, Until the High Priest is in His place for the believer, there can be no going in to God. The Brazen Laver had to do with the priests washing their hands and feet from defilement in the water of the Brazen Laver, so as to be clean in their Sanctuary Service. The Golden Altar was where the priests burned incense unto the Lord, typifying the worship and intercession of God's people. So now our attention will be concentrated on Aaron as a type of the Lord Jesus, as the true High Priest.
" HOLY GARMENTS... FOR GLORY AND BEAUTY "
We have now to consider the garments of glory and beauty worn by Aaron. Christ is called " A great High Priest " (Heb. 4.:14). Aaron was never so called. The Antitype far surpasses the type. Whilst Aaron is a remarkable type of Christ, he stands in vivid contrast to Him in certain ways. It is anticipating, but it would be well to point out how Aaron stands in contrast to our Lord.
The fact is, that God had to take account of Aaron's real condition. He was a man, sinful and failing, though a High Priest. On the great day of the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons, a Sin Offering was necessary for himself and his sons. That could not be typical of our Lord, for He needed no Sin Offering. He was Himself the Sin Offering on the cross for us, which He could never have been had He needed a Savior for Himself.
Again on the Great Day of Atonement Aaron went in twice into the Holiest of All to sprinkle the blood of the Sin Offering upon and before the Mercy Seat, first for himself, and then for the people. His first entrance for himself could not typify our Lord, for He never needed a Sin Offering for Himself. But when Aaron went in the second time to offer for the sins of the people, he was clearly a type of our Lord, for " neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us " (Heb. 9:1212Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)).
Again, Aaron and his sons had to wash their hands and feet in the water of the Brazen Laver to remove the defilement that was upon them before they entered the Holy Place to carry out their Service. Though Aaron was cleansed and forgiven through the precious blood (typically), yet he was capable of contracting defilement, and needed cleansing by water. In this he is most clearly not a type of our Lord, but stands in contrast to Him, who never was defiled as He passed through a defiling scene.
Bearing such contrasts in mind, we shall see that Aaron is in many ways a beautiful type of our Lord.
The expression High Priest implies priests. The character of our Lord as High Priest determines the believers' position and portion as priests. Ex. 28 devotes no less than thirty-nine verses, descriptive of the High Priest's garments of glory and beauty, and only four verses descriptive of the garments of the priests.
Does this not teach us a lesson of very prime importance? To get a proper understanding of our place and portion as priests, that is as worshippers, it is a first necessity that we understand the Person, place and portion of our great High Priest. Once we understand somewhat His place and portion, we can more easily understand our own. Our place and portion take their character from His.
Let us now examine in detail the garments of the High Priest. They were
The Breast Plate.
The Ephod.
The Robe.
The Broidered Coat.
The Miter.
The Girdle.
The Plate of pure gold with " Holiness to the Lord " engraved upon it.
To these were added the garments of the priests, which were
Coats.
Girdles.
Bonnets.
Linen Breeches for Aaron and his Sons.
As we examine the typical meaning of these various articles of dress, let us remember that God Himself designed them, and that wise-hearted men were raised up of God to help in the work of producing them. Bezaleel was specially called to be the leader and director of this work. God " filled him
with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship " (Ex. 35:3131And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; (Exodus 35:31), et seq). How wonderful that God should inspire the execution of these garments as well as Himself planning them. Surely they must have very special lessons for us.
THE EPHOD
The word, Ephod, is a pure Hebrew word, meaning to " put on," and in this connection has acquired a technical meaning, and stands in the Scriptures characteristically for the priestly garment. " Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon Mine Altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? " (1 Sam. 2:2828And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? (1 Samuel 2:28)).
" And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work." This list is striking in one particular. Gold is mentioned for the first time in addition to blue and purple and scarlet, which we saw were the colors on the innermost Curtain. Never before do we read of gold, as being part of any garment or hanging. Why then is gold mentioned?
Gold, as the golden wire-thread sparkled on the dress of the High Priest, would remind us that Christ takes His place righteously (gold, Divine righteousness) as our great High Priest. His High Priesthood is founded on His redemptive work, truly a firm foundation. Understanding this there is rest of heart and conscience in the knowledge that our relationship with our Lord has for its basis and foundation the glorious work of righteousness He accomplished on the cross for our salvation.
Blue speaks of the Heavenly character of our Lord's Manhood. He did not become Man till born of the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem. Yet He could say of Himself, " No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven " (John 3:1313And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)). " The second Man is the Lord from heaven " (1 Cor. 15:4747The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47)).
Purple sets forth our Lord's glory as the Son of Man with widest dominion, as King of kings and Lord of lords, the true world Emperor.
Scarlet sets forth our Lord's glory as the King of Israel, as the Messiah of His earthly people.
Fine twined linen sets forth our Lord's spotless life. " With cunning work " brings before the delighted affections of the renewed mind all the beautiful details of that life of all lives. So we read, " For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens " (Heb. 7:2626For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)).
The Curious Girdle of the Ephod
This was made of the same material as the ephod. There is no need to repeat what we said of the colors in their typical teaching, as we have just pointed these out.
But we must say a little as to the girdle itself. " Curious girdle " is an expression only used in connection with the ephod of the High Priest, and signifies devised work. It stands as a symbol of service. For instance, our blessed Lord after the Passover Supper was ended, " took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded " (John 13:4, 54He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (John 13:4‑5)). Again we read, " Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them " (Luke 12:3737Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37)).
How touching it is to know that the Lord on high is constantly serving His people. He serves us, but most emphatically He is not our Servant, for a servant is bidden to do this or that at the command of the master. If I were bidden to the King's table, and he graciously with his own hand brought me a cup of tea, he would be serving me, but he would be very surprised, if he were told, that I had said he was my servant. The Lord's service for us is voluntary, and dictated by the love of His heart, and is showered upon His people. He serves us as the Captain of our salvation, leading us to glory; as our High Priest in connection with our infirmities and weaknesses; as our Advocate, even when a believer occasions by an act of sin the sorrowful yet faithful exercise of that office. The " Curious girdle " is typical of the service our blessed Lord renders His own. How we adore such a Savior and render to Him our heartfelt thanks.
The Shoulder Plates
These are not mentioned separately in verse 4, where we have the different articles of the High Priest's garments enumerated. They were evidently part of the ephod, and linked on with the breastplate to which they were firmly attached by wreathen chains of gold.
Two onyx stones were engraved with the names of the children of Israel, six names on one stone and six on the other. These two onyx stones were then set in ouches, or sockets, of gold, and put upon the shoulders of the ephod, Aaron thus bearing their names before the Lord for a memorial. What typical meaning has this for us in this dispensation? In Scripture the shoulder is the place of power. We read, " Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder " (Isa. 9:66For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)). One shoulder suffices for the government of the world, but when it is a question of Christ maintaining His people in the presence of God, we have two shoulders mentioned. Thus God would teach us how the Lord Jesus in all His ascended power is able to maintain each one of His own in the presence of God. " Christ is... entered... into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us " (Heb. 9:2424For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)).
We get the same thought in the parable of the Shepherd finding the lost sheep. When the Good Shepherd, symbolical of our Lord, was successful in his search, we read, " And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing (Luke 15:55And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (Luke 15:5)). We, believers are well cared for indeed.
The Breastplate of Judgment
But this is not all. If the shoulder plates set forth the Lord's tower exercised on our behalf, so the breastplate sets forth His affection for His own. It was made of the same materials as the ephod, emphasizing afresh the personal and official glories of our Lord. In this breastplate were settings of four rows of precious stones, three in each row, having engraved upon them the names of the twelve children of Israel. What the special meaning of each stone is, we are not competent to say. That they have a special significance we doubt not. A celebrated lapidary, an expert in precious stones, gave it as his considered opinion that the order in which these gems were chosen and arranged was beyond human skill, that it could only have been done by Divine arrangement:
Each precious stone had its particular character in color, density, powers of refraction and the like, so that each precious stone was different from the others. Even so God takes account of the different ways that Divine character is produced in believers. God surely is not the Author of a mass production of articles that do not vary in the slightest degree. It is said in nature that not two blades of grass are alike, and one never sees two faces exactly alike in every particular. So doubtless it is so in the realm of grace.
The symbolic City in Rev. 21, the church symbolized in its administrative display in the millennial reign of Christ, had twelve precious stones in its foundation. As we read our New Testaments we are conscious of the difference between Paul and Peter and John and other servants of Christ. They shine on earth each in his own characteristic, reflecting the life of Christ in them in their earthly circumstances. Shall they cease to shine as " one star differeth from another star in glory "? (1 Cor. 15:4141There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:41)). We think not.
But this much is plain. These precious stones, gleaming in the breastplate of the High Priest, typify our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, representing and maintaining His own in deepest affection in the presence of God. We are not lost in a crowd. We are not lumped together in a vague generality. We are each of us, individually known, cared for, ministered to, upheld, represented in all the strength of Divine love in the presence of God.
Further, rings of gold were attached to the two ends of the breastplate, and two rings were attached to the ephod, and rings were bound to rings by a lace, or riband of blue. Thus securely attached to the person of the High Priest were these precious stones. In the shoulder plates the onyx stones were set in ouches, or sockets, of gold. In the breastplate the precious stones were set in gold in their inclosing or fillings. Thus securely were the shoulder plates attached to the ephod, as also was the breastplate. With such wealth of detail would the Spirit of God emphasize the glorious truth of how Divine love and Divine power are united in the security of the believer, and their maintenance before God in Divine favor. Our Lord plainly said, " My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish " (John 10:27, 2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28)). Eternal life could not be given, if it could be lost. Interpose the fraction of a second, or the breadth of a hair, in interruption of eternal life, and it could not be eternal. And " never perish " means. not to perish for one moment, not to perish forever.
The reader will pardon the writer, if he gives an incident, connected with this subject, very dear to him. It was told him as a child by his sainted mother. Many years ago Charles Stanley, a gifted preacher of commanding and attractive personal appearance, stood up to preach in a large North of England city. The grandfather of the writer borrowed a chair from a near-by shop for the preacher to stand upon. Soon a large crowd assembled. As the preacher proceeded he used as a happy illustration of the security of the believer in Christ, the subject we have in hand. He spoke of the believers thus:-
" As jewels on His breast Jesus doth ever bear."
He was speaking in a district where the doctrine was rife that a believer may be saved to-day and lost to-morrow, saved almost up to the very gate of Heaven, and yet lost at the finish. Mr. Stanley used the striking expression, " Thank God, He has no hook-and-eye believers, hooked on to-day and hooked off to-morrow." Expatiating on this happy theme that Aaron's breastplate spoke of Christ's unchanging love for His own; that the rings of gold set forth Divine righteousness; that the riband, or lace, of blue set forth heavenly grace, he stressed the absolute security of the believer. My mother often told me how she heard the subdued comments of warm approval on the part of the audience.
Then the precious stones, whether on the shoulder plates, or breastplate, were engraved. God said of Zion, " Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands: thy walls
are continually before Me " (Isa. 49:1616Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:16)). Engraving signifies something indelible, inerasible, enduring. How touchingly these engraved stones speak to us of the deep and abiding place believers have in the heart of Christ.
" Nothing can the ransomed sever,
Naught divide them from the Lord."
The Urim and Thummim
The names, Urim and Thummim, are pure Hebrew words, meaning Lights and Perfection. For some wise reason the details of how they were placed in the breastplate, and how they worked are not given. Speculation as to this would serve no good purpose. They were put in " the breast plate of judgment," the breastplate evidently acquiring this title because of the Urim and Thummim. Judgment here does not mean condemnation, but discernment and guidance. We speak in everyday speech of a man of sound judgment, that is, of one able to give wise counsel. Psa. 119. 66 says, " Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed Thy commandments."
We learn from other Scriptures of its use. For instance, when God was giving instructions to Moses as to his successor, Joshua, He said, " He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord " (Num. 27. 21). Again we read, " And of Levi He said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy Holy One, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah " (Deut. 33. 8). Evidently by some means or other in times of stress and national perplexity, inquiries could be made of the Urim and Thummim by the High Priest, and answers given by God Himself.
So we see three things come out clearly in regard to the breastplate:-
The Shoulder Plates spoke of POWER.
The Breastplate spoke of LOVE.
The Uyim and Thummim spoke of WISDOM.
This is a perfect combination. We may have love and not power. For instance, a mother has love, as she bends in tender solicitude over her dying child, but she has not power to save its life. A rich man may have love and power, and yet lack wisdom, when he gives his loved child every luxury that money can buy, indulging him in every whim and fancy, till for lack of wisdom he has completely ruined the child for life.
But when wisdom, love and power are all united, as they are in the case of our blessed Lord in relation to His people, we have altogether a perfect result. May we rejoice continually in the sense of this.
The Robe of the Ephod
The Robe of the Ephod was all of blue, typical of the Heavenly character of our great High Priest. " Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession " (Heb. 4. 14). " Christ is not entered into the Holy Places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us " (Heb. 9:2424For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)). How happy we are to be thus represented.
On the hem of this garment were placed pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and bells of gold, a pomegranate and a bell alternately. The pomegranates spoke of fruitfulness, the bells of testimony. The colors on the pomegranates spoke of the personal and official glories of the Lord Jesus Christ. The bells of gold spoke of Divine righteousness.
How happy to see that our Lord's fruitfulness (pomegranates) to God was equal to His testimony (bells) for God. With us things are often unbalanced. Our walk and our talk often do not match. The walk should give power to the talk. The talk should be the product, as it is indeed part, of the walk.
Note in verse 33 of our Chapter the pomegranates come first in order, then the bells are mentioned. In the next verse the bell comes first, and then the pomegranate. Why this difference? In life the fruitfulness must be first, before there can be true testimony. Those who testify apart from practicing what they teach are like sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.
In the case of our blessed Lord all was perfect and balanced.
In the next verse, as we have said, we find the order reversed. It stands in connection with Aaron going into the Holy Place, and his coming out. When our Lord went into heaven, it was as sounding the glorious news (bells) of atonement, completed to God's entire satisfaction, the news of a rent vail, and a glorious resurrection. Then followed the fruits (pomegranates), typifying the consequence of our Lord going in to the presence of God in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, seen in its blessed consequences from the wonderful day of Pentecost to this present time.
The Plate of Pure Gold on the Miter.
This striking ornament had engraven upon it the words " HOLINESS TO THE LORD," and was bound on a blue lace on the forefront of the High Priest's Miter. " And 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 " (verse 38). Everything offered to God must be altogether holy. But with believers, spite of their assured relationship before God on the ground of the atoning work of Christ, there are alas! imperfections and shortcomings. How then can the believer's offerings to God in worship be accepted?
The golden plate fixed in its prominent place ever testified in the presence of God to righteousness being fully accomplished, meeting even the imperfections and shortcomings of the believers' approach to God, taking them out of the way as before God, so that nothing may be left but what is of the Holy Spirit of God, even that which is " HOLINESS TO THE LORD." Blessed and cheering type, encouraging the believer to come into God's holy presence with boldness. " Having an High Priest over the house of God; let 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 " (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)).
The Embroidered Coat of Fine Linen
This innermost garment speaks of the utter perfection of the life and walk of our adorable Lord and Savior. It is significant that on the Great Day of Atonement the High Priest did not wear his garments of glory and beauty, but this coat of fine linen. Our Lord went to the cross, not in His claims to universal dominion, nor of His kingship over the Jews, but in the perfection of His life, so that death having no claim upon Him, He was able to lay down His life as an atoning sacrifice for sin, and for our eternal blessing.
The Garments for Aaron's Sons
Coats, girdles and bonnets were made for Aaron's sons, and also " linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach " (verse 42). These were put upon Aaron as well as his sons. He could not be a type of Christ in this. Blessed be God, there was no nakedness that needed to be covered in Him. He was absolute perfection. But in the case of Aaron and his sons this careful provision shows that we have to do with a holy God. There must be no presumption in His holy presence.