September 23, 2020
Bible Reading – Exodus 28
Exodus 28:36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
As God continues to instruct Moses on the things of the tabernacle and worship, He assigns and affirms the importance of roles. Aaron and his sons were to be the priests who would offer the sacrifices for themselves and for the people. But there were also those to whom God gave special wisdom for the purpose of fashioning the appropriate garments. Throughout God’s instructions, He appoints various groups of people who have been given special wisdom for specific tasks. Without each person fulfilling their role, the details of the tabernacle and worship would not be appropriately met. Similarly, in the New Testament, God pictures the church as a body with various members having various roles. No member is more significant than the other, and all are important to the function of the whole!
Also detailed, the significance of the garments is impossible to fully appreciate, but these garments are representative of the righteousness of Christ (Revelation 1:13) our Great High Priest. While Aaron was to be the high priest during his time, he was still human. To enter before God as a priest alone, would be to enter as a sinner before a perfectly holy and loving God Who is also completely just. The act would result in the wrath of God upon Aaron as sin could not be tolerated. The breastplate, ephod, mitre, and girdle were symbolic, and along with the blood of the sacrifice for the sin offering, the sin of the priest would be covered and he would appear as righteous before God for a temporary time. Likewise, we cannot come before God simply as our sinful selves. Fortunately, God’s love allows His justice to be accomplished without our eternal punishment. This is why Christ died on our behalf, taking our place and offering His righteousness to us. Ephesians 6:14 alludes to the priestly garments that we also are to put on. The breastplate in Ephesians as well as here in Exodus is righteousness (not our own, but that which is given to us by Christ). Further reading of Isaiah 59 highlights this truth again.
Isaiah 59:16-17 KJV
[16] And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. [17] For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
And Isaiah 61:10 KJV
[10] I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Without the appropriate garments and the blood, the priests would not be allowed to enter into the Holy of holies. While the blood of the Old Testament sacrifice could only cover sins, the blood of Christ washes away our sins eternally. And in the most lopsided transaction in eternity, Christ took our sins upon Himself and offered to us His own Righteousness! When God saw Christ on the cross bearing my sins and yours, He saw the sins I committed and poured out the wrath I deserved. When God looks at me after salvation, He sees the righteousness of Christ that I could do nothing for but accept. It is a miraculous thing indeed that we who had nothing worthy of heaven were provided by Christ the perfect righteousness required for admittance! 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The plan of salvation by grace through faith and not of works reverberates throughout history and is unmistakeable recorded throughout Scripture! And it is Christ Who is uplifted and God glorified!
– Eli Faulds