LESSON 30
THE PRIEST AND HIS GARMENTS
By E. L. Bynum, Pastor
Memory Verse: Ex. 28:3————Lesson: Ex. 28:1-21
Exodus 25-30 gives the details of the Tabernacle. Two chapters (28-29) are devoted to instructions concerning the priest, his garments, and his consecration. The Tabernacle without the priesthood would be less than complete.
The priests number one responsibility was to minister unto the Lord. See v. 1, 3, 4, 41, Ex. 29:1; 30:30; 40:13-15. While it was true that they ministered to the people, their first priority was to minister unto God. God must always come first. As a royal priesthood, the people of God are to put Him first. John 21:17, He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. I Pet. 2:9, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
The priesthood, their garments and their duties should never be used to try to justify the sacerdotalism and ritualism that is practiced in some denominations today. These things in the Old Testament were ... a figure for the time then present....imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands.... (Heb. 9:9-11) These were only ...a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.... (Heb. 10:1) These old rituals were sign posts that pointed to the coming work of Jesus Christ. They have been done away with by the Holy work of Christ. Heb 9:24-25, For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others.
I. AARON, HIS SONS, AND THE GARMENTS. v. 1-4
A. Aaron A Type of Christ.
1. Aaron a figure of Christ. Heb. 8:1-6, Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
a. Aaron was high priest and his sons priests under him.
b. Christ is our High Priest and we shall reign with Him. Rev. 1:6, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Rev. 5:10, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Rev. 20:6, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
2. Aaron's priesthood in contrast to Christ's.
a. Aaron was of Levi - Christ of Judah.
b. Aaron was a priest after the order of man - Christ after the order of Melchisedec. Heb. 7:5-11. See Heb. 7:1-28
B. Aaron's Sons. v. 1
1. Nadab and Abihu - disobedient sons. Lev. 10:1-3, And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
2. Eleazar and Ithamar - obedient sons. Num. 3:4, And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.
C. The Garments Of The Priest. v. 2-4
Lev. 8:7-9, And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.
1. The preparation and purpose of the garments. v.2-3.
a. They gave the priests dignity, glory and honour. v. 2. This set them apart and gave them identification.
b. They revealed spiritual truths in relation to their ministry.
c. The priests would die if they did not wear them as they came into the presence of the Lord. v. 35, 43
2. Garments to minister in. v. 4
II. THE EPHOD. v. 5-14
A. The Material Used. v. 5-6
1. The high priest wore seven pieces of clothing. (1) Undergarments, v. 42-43; (2) A white inner robe, v. 39; 39:27; Lev. 8:6-7; (3) A blue over that with bells and pomegranates on the hem, v. 31-35; (4) The ephod a sleeveless garment of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, held together by a jeweled clasp on each shoulder, v. 6-8; 39:1-5; Lev. 8:7; (5) a girdle at the waist, v. 8; (6) a jeweled breastplate on the ephod, v. 9-30; (7) a white linen mitre (turbin) with a golden plate on it that said "holiness to the Lord," v. 39
2. The ephod was a kind of apron made of "gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen."
3. The gold speaks of Divine. Ex. 39:2-3, And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.
4. Blue heavenly; purple royalty; scarlet sacrifice; linen righteousness.
B. The Shoulder pieces And Girdle Of The Ephod. v. 7-8
C. The Onyx Stones Engraved. v. 9-12
1. These stones fastened the front to the back. v. 7
2. They bore the names of the tribes of Israel. v. 9-11
a. Six names on one, six names on the other. v.10
b. According to their birth, set in gold ouches. v.11.
3. The stones were placed on the shoulders. v.12.
a. Aaron bore these names before the Lord.
b. So also the Lord Jesus bears his sheep. Luke 15:4-5, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
c. Our High Priest bears our names before the Lord.
4. Notice that the names were "engraved" in the stones. v. l l.
D. The Chains Of Gold. v. 13-14; 22-25
III. THE BREASTPLATE. v. 15-21
A. The Breastplate Of Judgment. v. 15-21
1. The material used. v. 15.
2. The shape and size. v. 16.
3. The inset stones and the names of Israel. According to tribe. v.21. Numbers 10
a. Each stone was precious. v.18-20. Psa. 116:15, Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
b. Precious because of the price. I Pet. 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
c. The names on the onyx stones for the shoulders, so that he might bear the children of Israel up before the Lord. The stones in the breastplate representing the twelve tribes, shows that they were upon his heart. The Lord Jesus bears our names upon His shoulders, but He also bears us upon His heart.
d. We as believer priests are to bear God's children upon our hearts. I John 4:18, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Phil. 1:7, Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
—by E. L. Bynum
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Name Aaron's four sons?
2. What are the six basic parts of the priests garments?
3. How were the names of Israel arranged on the onyx stones?
4. How were they arranged on the breastplate?
5. How was the breastplate united with the ephod?
6. What was the first obligation of the priests, and how does this apply to us as believer priests today?
7. Why do we not need priests, beautiful garments, and rituals today?
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