Part 4 of Dwelling
with god A study on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness
A wonderful aspect of the Christians relationship
with God is our role as priests. Exodus 28 goes into great detail concerning
the priesthood and the special garments worn by Aaron and his sons. The “Aaronic”
priesthood, the position of the Cohen, was hereditary and is filled with
lessons for us today. Let’s look at the uniform of this early priesthood and
get an understanding of our role as priests and how that relates to our
relationship to God.
Purpose of the Priestly Uniform:
Exod 28:2 "And you shall make holy garments for
Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. (NKJV)
Ps 132:9 Let Your priests be clothed
with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.
16 I will also clothe her
priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. (NKJV)
As we
look more closely at this uniform, we see things that apply to how we conduct
ourselves as a nation of priests unto God. It is like when you dress up in a
fancy dress or suit, you are more mindful to watch your manners and are acutely aware of why you are dressed up. It is also like a
solder dressed in full battle gear, ready to use everything he (or she ) is
wearing.
Ø The clothes are a constant reminder of the dignity of the office the
Lord has called us to. We are Christ’s ambassadors, living letters to the
world; examples of Jesus. Our lives reflect Him to the world so we should
conduct ourselves in such a way as to show His love and holiness.
Ø These clothes were for beauty and glory. God sees you as beautiful; He
loves you as His bride. He has invested His Glory in you - we have Christ in
us, the Hope of Glory.
Ø The clothing of righteousness and salvation should also produce a shout
for joy. Because we have a Great High Priest, Jesus the Lord, we are the saints
that shout aloud for joy.
These uniform was
to be made of finest materials and made by the finest craftsmen. When we can’t
afford to do something twice, we use the best person to do it right the 1st
time. The Lord gifted people with aptitude and great skill. This reminds us
that we all have gifts and talents the Lord has given us and we have the
responsibility to use them for His glory.
Aaron’s Crown
Exod. 28:36 “Next make a
medallion of pure gold, and engrave it like a seal with these words: Holy to the Lord.
37 Attach the medallion with a blue cord to the
front of Aaron’s turban, where it must remain.
38 Aaron must wear it on his forehead so he may take on himself any guilt of the people of Israel when they consecrate their sacred offerings. He must always wear it on his forehead so the Lord will accept the people.
Would you live your life any differently if you wore a hat or tee shirt that said this? If Jesus is Lord of your life then the Father sees you wearing this
banner. There is no excuse for us not to recognize the high standards of
conduct and integrity He empowers us to live.
The Ephod
Exod 28:6 “The craftsmen must make the ephod of finely
woven linen and skillfully embroider it with gold and with blue, purple, and
scarlet thread.
7 It will consist of two pieces, front and back,
joined at the shoulders with two shoulder-pieces.
The EPHOD was a
two-piece garment that was held together by a braided strap that lay over the
shoulders. One part covered the High Priest’s chest, the other his back and was
embroidered with blue, purple and red linen yarns. On the braided shoulder
straps were two onyx stones with the names of 6 of the tribes of Israel
engraved on each stone. It was an outer garment designed for beauty and to
support the stones of the shoulder pieces and breastplate.
Shoulder Stones
9 “Take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the tribes of
Israel.
10 Six names will be on each
stone…
11 … Then mount the stones in settings of gold
filigree.
12 Fasten the two stones on the shoulder-pieces
of the ephod as a reminder that Aaron represents the people of Israel. Aaron
will carry these names on his shoulders as a constant reminder whenever he goes
before the Lord.
Notice that the
names are born on the shoulders, not on cloth epaulets but engraved in onyx
stones. They could not have been small stones to be engraved with 6 names on
each. These stones must have weighed enough for the priest to be very aware of
where they were. WE CARRY THE NAMES OF OUR LOVED ONES ON OUR SHOULDERS
Sometimes we may
experience this weight as a burden to pray. We may experience it as a sense of
urgency to do or say something. We may feel compelled by the God we love, to
some action.
The weight on the shoulders was increased because
also hanging from the them was the Breastplate of Judgment:
Breastplate of Judgment
15 “Then, with great skill and care, make a
chestpiece to be worn for seeking
a decision from God. Make it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen
embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
16 Make the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth
folded to form a pouch nine inches square.
Then the verses list the 12 types of stones and how
everything is attached to the Ephod. This 9” square plate is hanging from the
shoulders and fastened around the body, held close to the heart. Right after
that we see that
Ex. 28:21 Each stone will
represent one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be
engraved on it like a seal.
29 “In this way, Aaron will carry the names of
the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into
the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people
when he comes before the Lord.
These names, engraved on stones, this weight
hanging from the shoulders, these precious stones (not ordinary rocks), all are
part of our battle gear. It is always a good thing to ask the Lord what He
would have you to pray about. It is also a good thing to ask Him if He wants
you to put feet to those prayers, asking Him for His marching orders. For some
those orders may be just to pray. For others they may be to take action that is
Spirit led, Grace empowered, Prayer supported - thus effective in accomplishing
God’s will.
The Lord also provided a way for Israel’s leaders
to know His direction in major decisions.
Exodus 28:30 Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over
Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the
objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes
in before the Lord.
“most scholars believe
them to be two sticks or stones, perhaps precious stones, that God used in a
miraculous way to reveal His will. They were used for national decisions like
going to war, and for priestly matters.” (https://bible.org/question/how-did-urim-and-thummim-function)
The Robe:
Exod 28: 31 “Make the robe that
is worn with the ephod from a single piece of blue cloth,
32 with an opening for Aaron’s head in the middle
of it. Reinforce the opening with a woven collar so it will not tear.
33 Make pomegranates out of blue, purple, and
scarlet yarn, and attach them to the hem
of the robe, with gold bells between them.
34 The gold bells and pomegranates are to
alternate all around the hem.
35 Aaron will wear this robe whenever he
ministers before the Lord, and the bells will tinkle as he goes in and out of
the Lord’s presence in the Holy Place. If he wears it, he will not die. (NLT)
This is a very simple, practically designed
garment. Worn between the white under garments and the Ephod, it was a piece of
blue cloth that went down to knee level with just a hole in the middle for the
priest’s head. This hole had to be reinforced so that it would not tear. How
practical can you get?.
What made this garment so beautiful was the hem.
The fancy pomegranates could have been symbolic of the sweetness of God’s Holy
Presence. The bells were a signal to everyone within earshot that the priest
was going into the Holy Place, it was a call to prayer. In Luke 1 we read about
Zacharias taking his turn to burn incense:
Conclusion: Experiencing the Shekinah.
Ex. 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
These are the
verses that started this study. They show the goal and how to attain it. God
expresses His love, His desire to dwell among those He loves. He also shows us
how to respond to His love – by obedience.
Now we
want to look at what happened when the Tabernacle was completed. Aaron and his
sons were suited up and consecrated through elaborate ceremony. Sacrifices were
offered. Everything was in place.
Ex. 40:33b … So Moses finished the work.
34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the
congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the
tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the
LORD filled the tabernacle.
 |
https://christinesbiblestudy.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/torah-teachings-index-for-sat-25-may-2013/
|
