We will learn a great deal if we carefully consider the marvelously detailed instructions as to the garments for Aaron and his sons. We need hardly remark that although Aaron was the high priest, Christ alone is the Great High Priest. Aaron was only a type, and a failing one at that, for he had to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people, but the Lord Jesus, the Great High Priest, is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:2626For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)). He was able to offer Himself “without spot to God,” (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)) and through His finished work all our sins are forever put away.
Garments of Glory and Beauty
Let us now consider the garments of glory and beauty worn by Aaron. God gave special wisdom from Himself to those who made them. The natural wisdom of those days, great though it was, was not sufficient to make them apart from the wisdom which God gave, and so the natural unsaved man can never understand the things of God. It is only by the Spirit of God that we can enter into or enjoy our place in and through Christ who is our Great High Priest.
The priest’s robe was to be of the same beautiful colors as the veil, and gold was also to be woven into it. The veil, we are told, speaks of Christ’s flesh (Hebrews 10:2020By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20)). Now, as the One who has accomplished redemption, He carries on His blessed work as our Great High Priest above. All God’s righteous claims (the gold) have been settled at the cross, and now as our Great High Priest and Advocate, He is “just” as well as “faithful” in maintaining our case before God.
The curious girdle of the ephod was of the same material as the ephod itself. Girdles were used when someone needed to keep their robe out of the way while working, and so they represent service. The girdle reminds us of the marvelous fact that the Lord Jesus is serving us above. He has not only died for us but He lives for us and serves us there.
When we think of this it is beyond our understanding — “curious” indeed when we think of what we were, and more “curious” still when we think of the Person who has stooped so low to undertake our whole case and to bring us into such a place of blessing. Not only has He brought us into this place, but His unwearied service on high is maintaining us there. If we were to visit a king and he himself prepared a meal for us, we would marvel indeed; but our Great High Priest who serves us so faithfully is King of kings and Lord of lords. Surely it is the wonder of all wonders that Christ should so love and serve us.
The Ephod
There were three things on or in the ephod that deserve our special attention. First, there were two onyx stones fitted on Aaron’s shoulders — one on each shoulder. On each of these stones six names of the children of Israel were engraved, so that Aaron always carried all their names on his shoulders. There was no special place of favor for some and not others of the tribes — all were there. And so the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, bears each one of His people (His sheep) on His mighty shoulders of strength, and will carry them all the way home. These two onyx stones were set in ouches [settings] of gold, and so our place of security is not because of anything we are in ourselves, but because of what Christ is in His Person and work which has satisfied all God’s holy claims.
“Stern justice can demand no more,
And mercy can dispense her store.”
Further Meditation
1. What does the girdle represent?
3. There are many references to the tabernacle in the book of Hebrews, including the one given in this chapter. An excellent and brief introduction can be found in The Opened Heavens by J. G. Bellett.