Chapter 13
Chapter 13

The Priesthood

  The Tabernacle and its vessels, and the Priesthood and various ministries connected therewith formed by one subject, although we divide it for the sake of contemplating each portion. The tabernacle would have been useless without its vessels, would have been of no service but for a living family of priests constantly engaged in various activities within the Holy Place and about the various holy vessels.
  The priestly garments were considered a part of the work of the Tabernacle.
  Hebrews 8 shows us the priests who offered gifts according to the law, serve unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things.
  Exodus 28:1 gives to us the directions given to Moses concerning the priestly family. Neither he himself nor his sons have any office of priesthood. This points out a contrast between the priesthood under law and that of which Christ is head.
  The leadership or kingship of Moses as well as the office of mediator were in him kept apart from the priesthood which was confined to Aaron and his sons, and these dignities were thus lodged in different persons, whereas the Epistle to the Hebrews is to point out the Lord Jesus in His resurrection combining in Himself the various offices and dignities of Lord, Mediator, Apostle, Surety, Captain, and Shepherd.
  The wording of the first verse is remarkable, "take unto thee Aaron and his sons with him that he may minister." Aaron and his sons formed but one ministry in the priest’s office, and Aaron could not exercise his service unless his sons were taken with him. Is there not in this an intimation of the union in Priesthood of Christ and His house? And, that one great object of His Priesthood is that He may minister to God respecting His house (Hebrews 3:1-7).
  The High Priest under the law had compassion upon the ignorant and of them that were out of the way, because he was conscious of infirmities himself. The very fact of his being himself a sinner was one qualification for the priesthood (Hebrews 5:1-5).
  The Lord Jesus through His human life was perfected for Priesthood. He is able to sympathize because He Himself has been tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.
  Jesus suffered being tempted and is therefore able to succor them that are tempted. The dreadful whisperings of the enemy which He was called to endure, filled His soul with holy abhorrence and taught Him to feel pity for us who are subject to the assaults of Satan (Hebrews 4:4-16).
  The priest of the house of Levi, were made without an oath, and in consequence some of them were cut off from the Priesthood as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, and Eli’s line.
  The Lord Jesus was made priest with an oath, "The Lord swear and will not repent... Thou art a Priest forever..." The unchangeableness of God’s Word and oath established the Lord Jesus as the surety of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:20-25).
  The Priesthood under the law passed on from father to son. But this one, the Lord Jesus, because He continues ever, has an unchangeable priesthood: That is one that is not transferred, or passed on (Hebrews 7:22-25).
  Aaron was made a Priest after the law of a carnal commandment, whereas Christ became High Priest after the power of endless life, the glorious eternal power of the resurrection. Life received out of death, and making manifest, His victory over death, constituted Him the great High Priest (Hebrews 7:11-17).
  Let us now proceed with Exodus 28:4, "These are the garments which they shall make; a Breastplate, and an Ephod, and a Robe, and a Broidered Coat, a Mitre, and a Girdle." Without these Aaron could not be High Priest. They typify various powers, responsibilities, and qualities connected with that office.

Garments of the High Priest

  The robes of the High Priest express the functions and qualities of the High Priest. Exodus 28:5-6 and Exodus 39:1-2 give us the directions and making of the Ephod.
  The materials are specified, gold and fine twined linen; the others - blue, purple, and scarlet, are colors emblazoned upon the fine twined linen and everywhere interlaced with gold. The mode in which this was done is described in Exodus 39:3.
  "And they did beat gold into thin plates and cut it into wires to work it in the blue, purple, and scarlet, and in the fine linen with cunning work."
  The various phases of manhood are typified by the colors. The gold represented Christ’s divinity. They were inseparably connected yet distinct.
  Christ’s life was a rare and beautiful union of humanity and divinity. Yet there was a mysterious distinction between His humanity and deity. With perfect ease, He went from the sphere of His human ability to the sphere of His deity. He was equally at home within one or the other. At the grave of Lazarus, he is seen very man and very God.
  The Ephod, the great priestly robe, was inseparably connected with the shoulder pieces and the breastplate. The strength of the shoulder and the affection of the heart were devoted to the interests of the people whom He represented. The omnipotent strength and the infinite love of Christ our great High Priest are ours continually and unquestionably.
  The shoulder that sustains the universe upholds the weakest member of His body. The Priesthood was God’s provision to bring Israel into His presence and keep them there. It was God’s provision for spiritually dead Israel that they might have an approach to Him.
  Exodus 28:15-29 and Exodus 39:8-21 tells of the Breastplate with the names of the twelve tribes engraved upon precious stones. The peculiar excellence of a precious stone, is that the more intense the light is, the more brightly it shines.
  These were maintained in divine presence in undimmed luster and unalterable beauty, which belonged to the position in which the grace of God had set them. Whatever the failures of Israel might be, their names glittered before Him. Jehovah had set them where no man could pluck them. No one could enter the Holy Place to dim their luster.
  Each tribe had its place and its own stone. Each stone had its own peculiar glory and beauty, each differed from without rivaling the other; and each filled its appointed place before God. God was able to create a variety without involving inferiority. So it is with the individuals that compose the body of Christ, the Church. Each reflects Christ, and yet Christ is seen in each with a peculiar beauty and glory into which another does not intrude. Each has his place in the body -- a responsibility to magnify Christ that does not belong to another.
  In the view of the Father, the body shines with brightness, the righteousness of Christ. Man cannot see, but God can see us in Christ, in His righteousness and beauty.
  The great Shepherd of the sheep will not cease to bear on His shoulders and heart, the weakest of the flock until at last He presents him faultless without blame before the Father. When the resurrection morning comes, everyone of the redeemed will be like Christ, and will be manifested in the same beauty and glory in which he is now representedly upheld on the shoulder of the great High Priest before God.

The Memorial

  Exodus 28:12 "And 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." (Read 29:7, and 28:29)
  Israel had one feast in which this word "memorial" was peculiarly attached -- the Feast of the Passover. "This day shall be unto you a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations." (Exodus 12:14, Exodus 13:9)
  They had therefore two constant reasons for remembering Jehovah: their deliverance from bondage in Egypt by the blood of the paschal lamb, and their acceptance in the brilliancy and glory of the precious stones before the Lord on the shoulder of the High Priest, where their names were engraved according to their work.
  There are two memorials to us who are His children: our absolute redemption from the kingdom of darkness through the blood of the lamb (Colossians 1:13-14); and our standing before God as His children, upheld in His presence in all the glory of His righteousness.
  Just as Aaron could not enter the Holy Place without reminding Jehovah of the love and perfection in which Israel stood accepted before Him, we too have a constant memorial before Him in our great High Priest who brings US before Him. He is our Wisdom, our Righteousness, our Sanctification, and our Redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

The Urim and Thumin

  Exodus 28:30 The Breastplate was made of the same materials as the Ephod, and it was doubled or folded to form a bag into which the Urim and Thumin were put. The Urim and Thumin were precious stones bearing significant names, which no one has at present ever been able to know.
  "Urim" means lights, and "Thumin" means perfection. These mysterious contents of the Breastplate seem to direct our thoughts to the heart of the Lord Jesus, as containing all lights and perfections, all grace and truth, all mercy and righteousness.
  We are told in Ephesians 5:13, "Whatsoever doth make light is manifested." The High Priest with Urim in his breastplate became the channel by which God made manifest His councils. The Lord Jesus makes known the councils and purposes of God. He is light, and in Him is no darkness at all, and through Him God’s will is made known to us.

The Golden Bells and Pomegranates

  Exodus 28:33-36 and Exodus 37:24-26.
  Around the skirts of the High Priest were placed pomegranates of three colors -- blue, purple, and scarlet, and alternated with each pomegranate was a bell of pure gold. The only adornings of this heavenly robe were fruits gathered from the earth. The High Priest thus proclaimed on his entrance into the Holiest, that he had come from the world below. From this world had some of the very ornaments been obtained. Pomegranates are especially mentioned as fruits of the Holy Land.
  Between each pomegranate there was a golden bell. The golden sound was connected with the rich fruit as the High Priest approached the Holy Place, his steps sent forth a heavenly melody, and when he returned again from the immediate presence of the glory into the camp, his retiring footsteps rang out the unearthly sound.
  As the High Priest approach Him, God must hear the heavenly sounds sent froth by his footsteps although he came from the midst of a din of worldliness and confusion. His walk, though surrounded by these sins must be representing their fruitfulness to God and must not be in regard to earthly ambitions or glory or prosperity. Again his retiring footsteps from the presence of God were to speak the same truth, he must return to the ordinary occupations of life, still making his footsteps known as from heaven.

The Mitre

  Exodus 28:39 and Exodus 39:28.
  The word "mitre" is used for the headdress of the High Priest. It is derived from a word signifying "roll" or "wound around;" possibly intimating that the High Priest’s mitre wound around his head.
  The mitre covering the head of the High Priest was a type of being subject to God, and that he was always supposed to be standing in the presence of God. He was never to loose sight of his glorious calling, but his life was to be spent in the Tabernacle, ready to accomplish God’s will.
  The white fine linen, of which it was made, is an emblem of that righteousness and purity, which must be manifested in one who stands in the presence of God on behalf of others.

The Golden Plate

  Exodus 28:36-38 and Exodus 39:30-31.
  The golden plate is described before the mitre, the object of the mitre being to enable the High Priest to wear this plate of gold before the Lord.
  Deeply engraved on this golden plate was the writing:

H O L I N E S S   T O   J E H O V A H 
without which he could not appear in the presence of the Lord in behalf of Israel.
  What a volume of truth does this little sentence contain! How expressive of Him who alone has title to bear it -- the true High Priest, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
  The forehead is especially that portion of the human countenance on which is depicted the purpose, will and mind. Throughout His earthly ministry, holiness to Jehovah was the ruling purpose of Christ’s mind.
  Aaron could only present Holiness to Jehovah engraved upon the Holy Crown on his forehead. Christ is His person and Life, is Holiness to Jehovah. Aaron stood only on behalf of Israel -- Christ not only stands on behalf of His people, but they are united to Him in His life.


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