The people of Israel were possessed of a magnificent ritual, and because Israel’s ritual pointed to Christ, the smallest details are given. Let us look at Exodus 28, which describes the priests’ robes, as the chapter following describes the ceremonies connected with the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the priestly office. Aaron and his sons typify Christ and Christians. The priesthood of Aaron’s sons depended upon the priesthood of their father as ours depends upon that of the Lord Jesus. They were priests by divine call (Heb. 5:4). Christ’s call is found in Psalm 110:4; ours in 1 Peter 2:5.
The Ephod
The ephod is described first, as being the principal priestly vestment, and stood for all that the priesthood represented. Every detail speaks of priestly grace. “They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.” The gold speaks of the divine in our Lord and was interwoven with the blue and other colors, for the union of the human and the divine in His person is one of the holiest mysteries of our faith. In all His ways and words, this marvelous union shines forth. Blue is the heavenly color. “The second man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:47). He who thus condescended to become human had subsisted from eternity in uncreated glory above.
Purple is the royal color. The Son of God has kingly rights and inherits Joseph’s rights as his legal heir (Matt. 1). Scarlet speaks of earthly glory (Rev. 17:3; 2 Sam. 1:24). It is not enough that Christ should be glorified on high; God will see to it that He is also glorified below in His own time. The fine twined linen testifies to His perfect spotlessness. Though born of a human mother, He did not inherit any moral taint from her. He was emphatically “that holy thing” (Luke 1:35). He only of all who have ever walked the earth could say to His critics, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin?” (John 8:46).
The Girdle of the Ephod
The curious girdle of the ephod was made of the same materials as the ephod itself (vs. 8) and is the emblem of service—compare Luke 12:37; 17:8. The thought is overwhelming that our Lord Jesus could possibly constitute Himself the servant of His people, but it is true, so wonderful is His grace. Like the Hebrew servant of Exodus 21, He had purposed to be servant forever. Accordingly, He ministers on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary during our earthly pilgrimage, while Luke 12:37 tells us that in a coming day He will make us sit down to meat and come forth and serve us.
The Shoulder Pieces
We have next the shoulder pieces (vss. 9-13), on which were two onyx stones, with the names of Israel’s tribes engraved upon them, six on each stone. The shoulder is the place of power. Hence the good Shepherd lays His once-lost sheep on His shoulders and brings it home rejoicing (Luke 15:5). The names were cut into the stones “with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engraving of a signet” (vs. 11) and then “set in ouches of gold.” The eternal security of every believer is typified in this, and none can “pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28).
The Breastplate
The people’s names were on the breastplate also, for in Christ power and love combine for the blessing of His people. We read in Exodus 28:29: “Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart.” The changeless love of Christ is our solace and joy. John 13:1 is as true for us as for the disciples of long ago: “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”
In the breastplate God would also show us His tender interest in each individual believer. In the shoulder-pieces six names were engraved on each stone; in the breastplate each name had a stone to itself. Each individual saint, however poor and lowly, has his own place in the divine affections.
What a lovely picture is suggested by the high priest of Israel bearing the names of the people of God upon his shoulder and heart in the divine presence continually! Yet how soon everything failed in the hands of man! The garments of glory and beauty appear never to have been worn in the presence of God after the calamitous circumstances of the day of consecration (Lev. 10). From that point the holiest was closed to the priesthood, save on the annual Day of Atonement, and on that day Aaron was to draw near in white linen garments (Lev. 16:1-4). What immense comfort it is for our hearts to know that there can be no such failure in our Lord Jesus Christ!
The Urim and Thummim
In the breastplate, among the names of the children of Israel, was placed the Urim and the Thummim. The words mean “the lights and the perfections.” What it was exactly, Scripture does not say. It is mentioned altogether seven times in the Scripture; in two of the passages the Urim only is named, and in one (Deut. 33:8) the order is reversed and given as “Thy Thummim and Thy Urim.” It evidently gave the answer of Jehovah concerning matters that were referred to Him by the priest. It is because the breastplate contained this instrument by which divine decisions were given that it is called “the breastplate of judgment.”
It is God’s delight to make known Himself and His will to those who desire this blessed knowledge. The Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate of the high priest were the pledge that Israel never need be in darkness about any matter. Today, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, the completed Word of God in our hands, and a glorified Christ interesting Himself in us, there need be no obscurity in our minds concerning the smallest detail of our pathway. Where the eye is single and the heart is true, the path becomes clear.
The Robe of the Ephod
“The robe of the ephod” was made wholly of blue (Ex. 28:31), emphasizing that ours is a heavenly Priest. “Such a High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26). We are the brethren of Christ and partakers of the heavenly calling; heavenly people need a heavenly priest. A priest of Aaron’s order is of no use to us, for his priesthood was exercised in an earthly sanctuary on behalf of an earthly people. The feeblest Christian stands on higher ground than Israel ever knew.
Around the hem of the blue robe were golden bells and pomegranates, which speak of testimony and fruit. When Jesus ascended to God, the Holy Spirit came forth and set the golden bells of gospel testimony ringing in this dark world. The bells also sounded when Aaron came out from the divine presence, for in like manner a fresh sound will be heard when the Lord Jesus comes again. A new testimony will be commenced in the earth, and abundance of fruit will be gathered by means of it. Israel, not the church, will be God’s witness in that day, for “out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3).
The Holy Crown
We come now to the plate of pure gold, with its inscription, “Holiness to the Lord” (Ex. 28:36). This was fastened to the forefront of Aaron’s mitre by a blue lace, and it is twice called “the holy crown” (Ex. 39:30; Lev. 8:9). He whose brow was once encircled with the crown of thorns is now “crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:9). The golden plate was put upon his 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” (vs. 38). Such is our infirmity that, even with the purest of motives, we are utterly unable to render spiritual sacrifices to God in perfection. Our comfort lies in the fact that all our offerings come before God through the hands of the perfectly holy One in His presence.
Aaron’s Son’s Robes
Aaron’s sons’ robes, though of linen, are said to be “for glory and for beauty” (Ex. 28:40-43; Ex. 39:27-29). Aaron’s sons typify Christians, viewed, not as members of Christ’s body, but as belonging to the priestly family of which Christ is the Head. Every detail of the sons’ robes as well as of the robes of their father speaks of Christ. What have we then in this picture but every Christian so completely covered with the perfections of Christ that the holy eye of God sees upon us nothing but Christ when we draw near in faith before Him!
W. W. Fereday (adapted)