Introduction
Do you remember that strange US TV show, Queer guys for straight folk. It’s about 5 homosexuals who try to adjust the clothing and lifestyle of a straight man. Strange show in its popularity and its thesis.
They say the clothes make the man. I think many other factors are significant in man making, but I’ll leave the axioms to others. In our reading today we will study the clothing of the priests of the Jewish people.
Maybe you are like me and when you go to a museum or gallery, you want to see art, like paintings and sculpture. Sometimes they have ancient clothing on exhibit and you think… maybe I’ll go have a look. But you never do. Although I visited the Chinese clothing exhibit in Vienna. Clothing doesn’t really grab me. Maybe that’s why I prefer the seats at the shopping mall rather than the stores. And why Patty and I shop so slowly some days. And so separately others.
Maybe the words of Charles Dickens fit well here
“Probably every new and eagerly expected garment ever put on since clothes came in fell a trifle short of the wearer's expectation.” [Charles Dickens, from Great Expectations]
Or how about this one from H.D.Thoreau, “Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.”
So today we will look at the garments of the priests and see how we should be living, for each garment has something to teach us about our own lives. And how we can be priests today.
And the summary is found in verses two three. “Make clothes for Aaron…for glory and for beauty… for his holiness and for him to minister to me as a priest.” For today’s lesson could be titled, “The clothes make the priest.”
The ephod and waistband
The ephod probably was a high priestly waistcoat woven of blue, purple, scarlet, and white linen thread—all entwined with gold thread. Instead of having sleeves or being joined at the sides, it was hung from the shoulders by straps on which one onyx stone was mounted on each strap on top of a golden clasp with the names of the six younger sons of Israel engraved on one stone and the six elder sons engraved on the other stone. The names symbolise that the high priest represented all Israel when he ministered in the tabernacle. A “waistband” made of the same material and style as the ephod held the front and back of the ephod to the priest’s body. It doesn’t seem to have any significance of its own.
The breast piece
The breast piece, [KJV: Breastplate] a square piece of cloth made the same way as the ephod, was folded in half upward to form a sort of pouch in a square, a span, which is about 9 inches by 9 inches. Two rings at the inside lower corners attached the breast piece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord. Two golden rings on the top of the breast piece fastened it to the shoulder pieces of the ephod with two golden chains. Twelve stones, one for each tribe, were set in four rows of three stones: the name of each son of Jacob was engraved on its respective stone in the proper birth order of the sons. Thus the nation was doubly represented before the Lord. The Bible even explains what the symbolism is (v. 21) And yes, the stones are very similar to the precious stones of Revelation 21 in the New Jerusalem, although not exactly the same.
The “Urim and the Thummim” (lit., “lights and perfection”) often were used in times of crisis to determine the will of God (Nu 27:21), but just how they functioned and what they looked like are unknown. Perhaps they only symbolised the special revelation open to the high priest rather than being the necessary means of achieving that information. [See also Lev 8:8; Nu 27:21; Dt 33:8; et al. ] It’s well possible that these were ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ in answering the questions posed by the questioner.
The robe
Under the ephod was a long, sleeveless and seamless blue robe, which reached a little below the knees. It had slits for the arms and a hole for the head to pass through. Along the hem were blue, purple, and scarlet alternating pomegranates and golden bells. The bells, which jingled as the high priest served in the tabernacle, assured all who listened that he had not died in the Holy of Holies and that he continued to minister on their behalf. Some make the point that the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit should operate together.
The turban
The most conspicuous and important feature of the “turban” was the golden plate with the engraving “Holy to the Lord.” The plate stretched over the forehead from ear to ear and was attached with a blue band going through two holes at the ends of the plate and then over the top of the head to a hole in the center of the plate.
The “tunic of fine linen” no doubt referred to a long white linen coat worn over the linen drawers or breeches (v. 42), which perhaps reached down to the ankles and was close-fitted to the body as were the sleeves.
If our mind is kept on the holiness of the Lord, if we are thinking right about God, and thinking right about ourselves as His servants, then our clothing will be complete.
The armor of God
Now all these items are intricate and detailed, and specific in purpose. God wants his priests to be dressed, and to bring him glory and to prevent their ‘incurring guilt and dying” (v. 43). He wants them to be for “glory and for beauty.” (v. 40)
It also reminds me of a Newer Testament section of clothing, that is, what every believer should wear. It’s called by nickname the “armor of God.” Ephesians 6 records this section. “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6.14-17)
What does a military armor have to do with the priesthood of Exodus? There could be no link except that Romans 15 has a fascinating verse about priesthood. “But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Messiah Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (.15-16)
This is the only time in the Newer Testament that the word “priest” is used in a verb form and it is an exact translation of Exodus 28.3. There we read about the Cohen gadol, who is called “L’chahano lee” (To priest to me).
The priest is to priest or minister to God. In Paul’s understanding, believers are all called to minister as priests to God and to the Gentile nations around them. Thus we need to be dressed in clothing appropriate for a priest.
And the priestly garments for believers in Ephesus are military garb. The breast piece is characterized as righteousness; the headgear is a helmet of hope of salvation. No turban now, we are called to think rightly and futuristically about the assurance of salvation. The breeches are the truth of the Scriptures and the truth of God. The dignity and honour, the glory and beauty are to be the testimony of Yeshua, who is the preeminent High Priest. He was clothed in garments of humanity, and then stripped of any dignity to become for us the eternal sacrifice. His death on the cross in Calvary
We will speak more about Jesus’ priesthood in tomorrow’s sermon from chapter 29.
But let me repeat the need for believers to be clothed correctly, to minister as priests to the lost. It’s not for the professionals only; it’s for all of us to be serving the Lord and to be serving people.
Our clothing needs to be fixed in the truth of the Gospel, that is, that Yeshua died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried and raised from the dead the 3rd day according to the Scriptures. He ministered as a priest to the people of the world, and we are called to do the same.
It’s only in relationship with Jesus that anyone can truly be found dressed correctly. And that will bring God honor and glory that will be beauty. That will make you and God both smile.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in “Letters and Social Aims” “I have heard with admiring submission the experience of the lady who declared that the sense of being perfectly well-dressed gives a feeling of inward tranquility which religion is powerless to bestow.”
If only these religion-rejecting people knew the God behind the clothing, it would be to their advantage. And God would make the man. Amen?
Lessons learned
I believe we should see applications from our chapter today.
1) God’s demands on his people to represent Him and to serve others requires a change of clothing and of mind
2) We have a responsibility to the nations of the world
3) Dressing for success may make us wealthy, but dressing for God gets us ready to serve Him
4) As happened with Yeshua, when you serve God, you don’t always get to wear the clothing you choose. He was stripped and left to die.
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