Journal Through the Bible: Week 15 Thursday

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Exodus chapter 28

 Does God make any promises?

• Not specifically, but the fact that God went to all of the trouble to specifically design the high priestly garments in such detail as a way of portraying the intercessory work of one man for all others hints at the promise of reconciliation offered by God to fallen men.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• As our High Priest, Jesus carried out the office that began with the administration of Aaron even though He was not of the Levitical tribe (read Hebrews chapters 7 and 8 for greater detail of this topic).

God gave careful instructions to those who would be making the high priestly garments, including the addition of bells so that the people could track the priest's progress through the Holy of Holies in the event of his death. Even the linen breeches were to cover his body so that he did not offend God.

 Unlike Aaron, Jesus did not need to atone for His own sins.  Jesus was never offensive to God  personally but became an offense when He was on the cross. Then the Father turned away from Jesus and would not look upon Him until the atonement had been paid. (The cry, "It is finished!" meant that the atonement was then paid in full.) 

Whereas the purely human high priest had to offer the atoning sacrifice and enter the Holy of Holies once a year, Jesus, the perfect God-man, offered Himself once, never to be offered again! All of the intercessory work of the faulty Aaronic high priest was fulfilled without fault by Jesus Christ!

• All of the above means that Jesus, our High Priest, is now set on the right hand of the throne of Majesty and is ministering on our behalf. As long as Satan has the ability to accuse us before the Father we need our Intercessor to offer proof of our atonement. This is also why we are able to come boldly into the very throne room of God with our prayers. No one else needs to say our prayers for us. We can talk directly to God ourselves.

Are there any references to eternal events?

• The stones that were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel were worn upon the high priest's shoulders and over his heart. God loves Israel and anyone who seeks the harm of God's beloved will face His wrath. These stones were to remind the people how precious they are to God. Someday the world will witness just how precious Israel's descendants are to the righteous God who chose them to be His people.

Does God issue any commands?

• Aaron and his sons were to be set aside as the priests
• Linen garments were to be made by God's design and decorated with gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and onyx stones engraved with the names of the Children of Israel (the 12 tribes). There were also to be 12 precious stones adorning the linen breastplate of judgment, one to represent each tribe.
• The Urim and Thummin (a tool for ascertaining God's directions) was to be placed in the breastplate
• The high priest's robe was to have pom-pom type decorations (pomegranates) alternating with bells around the hem.
• The miter headpiece was to have a gold plate engraved with the words HOLINESS TO THE LORD