Morning Repost: Exodus 39: Making the Priestly Garb
1 Of the blue, purple, and scarlet thread they made garments of ministry, [or woven garments] for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Woven garments for the priests ministering in the holy place... or for service in the holy place. “Those that wear robes of honour, must look upon them as clothes of service; for, from them upon whom honour is put, service is expected. Holy garments were not made for men to sleep in, but to do service in, and then they are indeed for glory and beauty.” (Henry)
And for Aaron- the high priest ministering in the holy of holies. His garments, particularly, must be made as the Lord commanded for: "These also were shadows of good things to come, but the substance is Christ. He is our great high priest; he put upon him the clothes of service when he undertook the work of our redemption; arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by measure...” (Wesley)
8 And he made the breastplate, artistically woven like the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. 9 They made the breastplate square by doubling it; a span was its length and a span its width when doubled. 10 And they set in it four rows of stones: a row with a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald was the first row; 11 the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12 the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold in their mountings. 14 There were twelve stones according to the names of the sons of Israel: according to their names, engraved like a signet, each one with its own name according to the twelve tribes. 15 And they made chains for the breastplate at the ends, like braided cords of pure gold. 16 They also made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17 And they put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. 18 The two ends of the two braided chains they fastened in the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in the front. 19 And they made two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which was on the inward side of the ephod. 20 They made two other gold rings and put them on the two shoulder straps, underneath the ephod toward its front, right at the seam above the intricately woven band of the ephod. 21 And they bound the breastplate by means of its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be above the intricately woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate would not come loose from the ephod, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
"So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ [Psalm 2:7] As He also says in another place: 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’;[Psalm 110:4] who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.." (Hebrews 5:5-9)
"Above all, the breastplate of judgment, so called because God gave the answers to enquiries by Urim and Thummim. Numbers 27:21." (Sutcliffe) "The entire priestly garment pointed to this fact that the priest stood and administered before the Lord in behalf of the sins of the people. Particularly we see this in the breastplate of the high priest. These were twelve stones which represented the twelve tribes of. Israel. That they were beautiful colored stones evidently represented Israel as borne upon the heart of God, the heart of the high-priest before the throne of mercy. It means that one day the entire church shall stand before the Lord as so many precious stones, each reflecting the glory of grace in his own way. Do we not read in Isaiah 54:11-13, 'O thou afflicted, tossed with the tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy people’? Such was the implication of the breast-plate of the high-priest.
Such was the duty of the priest to bring the gifts and sacrifices for the sins of the people. Herein he shows that he must be able to bear gently with the sins of the people, the weak and the erring. The term here for bearing gently in the Greek is ‘metriopathein.' This is really a beautiful word and concept. It means to be moderate, keep measure, to be of an even temper. It means to be calm, moderate in one's anger. Thus the priest was to bear reasonably with the sins and weaknesses of the people. Really, this was only possible when the priest remembered God's grace of compassion for his own weakness and sins. This is a rather universal rule in the, church. No preacher is able to be a good liturgical priest who does not feel great pity for the weaknesses of the congregation. He is indeed a fool and a misfit who is hard, harsh and ruthless in his treatment of the saints. He has never learned what it means 'feed my lambs,' 'tend my sheep.' He does not have the heart of a shepherd.”
http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/book-hebrews-29
"All of this splendour was not given for vain parade, but for the most serious and arduous service of the sanctuary. The highpriest was to make atonement for the sins of the people; he was to love them, to pray for them, to enforce discipline, and to publish by his life and doctrine, the laws and righteousness of the Most High. Let us, while we revere his character, see in his person the glory of our Redeemer, and in the superior glory of his priesthood, the real object of all the shadows, and the captivating grandeur of the ritual law.” (Sutcliffe Commentary) Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
Exodus 39: Making the Robe of the Ephod
22 He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And there was an opening in the middle of the robe, like the opening in a coat of mail, with a woven binding all around the opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, and of fine woven linen. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates: 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe to minister in, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
Walk just as your High Priest walked, remembering that your stone is on His breastplate. "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (1John 2:3-6)
Excerpt from "Golden Bells and Pomegranate” by L. Taylor- the booklet given to me by my Aunt Joan.
(I wanted to include it in my official Exodus record.)
“'A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.' (Exo 28:34).
I've had them words stuck in the little back parlor in my cottage a whole year, said a tradeswoman to a friend. They are right over the door leading into the shop. I'll see them twenty times a day, as I go in and out. Some folks wonder at them, and says some other text would be a sight better. Now I don't think so at all. I've got a fine array of smarter ones all in gold and colors, and they make my dark little room look bright, and my heart glad, for they’re blessed words, all of them, but none ain't like this old card my boy Owen printed for me. The letters, I know, are not all of a size, and the lines aren't straight, and the card is curled and smoky; but I often look up at the words as I goes about my work, and bless the Lord for the message they brought me a year ago.
I called myself a Christian, and I loved the services; and nobody thought more about our minister's sermons than I. So I was a bit disappointed that evening when a strange preacher came, and gave out them words for the text. "Going back," says he, "to Jewish laws and ceremonies?" They're all done with now. We’re livin' now under gospel light. The fact was, I thought myself one of the most enlightened, never thinking how the light was going to break in on my heart through them very words.
The preacher began to tell about profession and practice, and how they should go together – sweet sounds and ripe fruit: first a bell and then a pomegranate, not a row of bells alone. He went on tellin' how the bells were golden, and the fruit rich and good. I felt pretty safe about my bells. I had never been ashamed of my religion, and most everybody knows what I was. I rang plenty of bells, but I didn't feel quite so sure about their being all gold ones.
The preacher said, "The Pharisees had bells, lots of them, bells when they prayed, bells when they fasted, and bells when they gave alms; but there wasn't any fruit of obedience, mercy and love; and the bells, too, were harsh and grating, not mellow and golden. Peter had bells on his garment. Hear them ring: 'Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee.' But how about his pomegranates? On the robe of Nicodemus there hung some pomegranates at first; but he was afraid of the sounding bells profession, and in the darkness crept silently to Lord's side. But they rang out sweetly and clearly years after, side-by-side with rich fruit, when he boldly spoke up for his master before accusing Pharisees, and dared to anoint that sacred body for burial on the eve of the Passover. But see them both together, on the garments of our Lord – bells of holy teaching and precious fruit of kindly deeds and gracious miracles.”
But what the preacher said at the end was what came down on me. He was tellin’ what them bells mean – how they rang on our garments when we had family prayer in our households, and when we went to meetings regular, and gave to collections for the Lords work, and all of them good things. "Well," says I to myself, "I've got all the bells, sure enough,” though still felt just a bit uncomfortable about the pomegranates part of it.
Then he says, "how do all these bells ring in your neighbor's ears, those of you who have them? Are they making a sweet soft chime so that everybody loves to listen to them? or have they a harsh, ruff, ugly sound that goes through you, and makes you stop your ears?”
Well, I hung my head a bit when he said this, for I knew my bells were not very sweet; but I’d always thought that wasn't my business; if the folks didn't like my ways, I said that was their fault, and only cause they were not converted like me, and their wicked hearts could abide them as serve God.
But now I found myself wondering whether the fault weren’t a bit mine, after all, and I seem to hear that great iron bell down at Slocum Station a-ringing and a-ringing fit to craze one; for if there's anything as riles me tis' a claterin' bell.
But the preacher hadn't done yet. He was goin' on to tell about the pomegranates – the good fruits that Christians bear to God's glory. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and a lot more he spoke of. "Now," thought I, “he's a comin' to good deeds and I've done a many," and I was going on to a lot of good deeds I done: when, all one of a sudden, I pulled up. These weren’t fruit at all. They were bells. I meant them to make a great sound. They weren’t golden bells either, I was afraid; but ugly, tinkling tin ones! I felt real bad. I couldn't listen to no more; when the preacher said in closing, "see that your bills are all golden, and that there is a pomegranate to everyone," I was hot all over; after the prayer, I just walked out and straight home in a sort of a daze and never spoke to no one.
When I got in I sat down and began to think. I was the Lord's, and must try to serve Him – that was clear. I've been making dreadful mistakes, but I wasn't going to give up. All I had to do was just find out where I'd been goin' wrong, and get the Lord to set em' straight.
First, I went down on my knees, and ask God to show me the way, and then I took up my Testament, and tried to find the text about fruit, the "love, joy, and peace." I couldn't turn it up in a hurry, but I came across these words in Colossians – was reading the Revised Version, which I had only bought a week before – “Put on, therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any.” Here was a row of ripe pomegranates! I knew in my heart that I had not born much of such fruit. I felt I must do so now. I determined they should hang side-by-side with real golden bells.
Well, that week was a crooked one. Queer thing, isn't it, how just when one's made up one's mind to do somethin' right, everything goes contrary? I tell you 'twas hard work that week trying to bear pomegranates.
Morning Repost: Exodus 39: Making the Garments of Fine Linen
27 They made tunics, artistically woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, 28 a turban of fine linen, exquisite hats of fine linen, short trousers of fine woven linen, 29 and a sash of fine woven linen with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, made by a weaver, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.30 Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO YAHWEH.
31 And they tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it above on the turban, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
HOLINESS TO YAHWEH— "This perfection, as none other, is solemnly celebrated before the Throne of Heaven, the seraphim crying, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts' (Isa. 6:3). God Himself singles out this perfection, 'Once have I sworn by Thy holiness' (Ps. 89:35). God swears by His holiness because that is a fuller expression of Himself than anything else. Therefore are we exhorted, 'Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness' (Ps. 30:4). 'This may be said to be a transcendental attribute, that, as it were, runs through the rest, and casts luster upon them. It is an attribute of attributes' (J. Howe, 1670). Thus we read of 'the beauty of the Lord' (Ps. 27:4), which is none other than 'the beauty of holines' (Ps. 110:3).” (A. W. Pnk)
The sin of Babel... and thus of spiritual Babylon is that they try to work their way to heaven, according to the words: 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’" (Gen 11:4) But there will be an END-TIME JUDGMENT. "God’s holiness is manifested in His Law. That Law forbids sin in all of its modifications—in its most refined, as well as its grossest forms, the intent of the mind as well as the pollution of the body, the secret desire as well as the overt act. Therefore we read, 'Thy law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good' (Rom. 7:12). Yes, 'the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether' (Ps. 19:8,9).” (A. W. Pink)
AFTER THE END-TIME JUDGMENT…. "After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.’ Again they said, 'Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!' And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, 'Amen! Alleluia!' Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!'
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For our Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ AND TO HER IT WAS GRANTED TO BE ARRAYED IN FINE LINIEN, CLEAN AND BRIGHT, FOR THE FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF THE SAINTS. (VERSE 8)
Then he said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.' And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’" (Revelation 19:1-10)
"Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of creature-doings is utterly impossible.
A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity. Can darkness dwell with Light? Can the Immaculate One take pleasure with 'filthy rags' (Isa. 64:6)? The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit. God would deny Himself, vilify His perfections, were He to account as righteous and holy that which is not so in itself; and nothing is so which has the least stain upon it contrary to the nature of God. But blessed be His name, that which His holiness demanded His grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to Him for refuge stands 'accepted in the Beloved' (Eph. 1:6). Hallelujah!” (A.W. Pink)
Exodus 39: The Finished Work Presented to Moses
32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished. And the children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh had commanded Moses; so they did. 33 And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of badger skins, and the veil of the covering; 35 the ark of the Testimony with its poles, and the mercy seat; 36 the table, all its utensils, and the showbread; 37 the pure gold lampstand with its lamps (the lamps set in order), all its utensils, and the oil for light; 38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, and the sweet incense; the screen for the tabernacle door; 39 the bronze altar, its grate of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the laver with its base; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, the screen for the court gate, its cords, and its pegs; all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 and the garments of ministry, to minister in the holy place:the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister as priests.
42 According to all that Yahweh had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as Yahweh had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them.
And the work of the tabernacle was finished. And they brought it to Moses— "the several parts of it before it was put together” (Gill)— and he looked over it, “as being the general superintendent of the whole, under whom Bezaleel and Aholiab were employed, as the other workmen were under them.” (Clarke) And upon inspection, it was found that, indeed, it was made according to the pattern shown to him on the mount. And Moses blessed them… he "implored the divine blessing upon them… The form of blessing, as the Targum of Jonathan gives it, is, 'may the Shechinah... of the Lord dwell in the works of your hands;’ or as Jarchi expresses it, 'may it be the pleasure (of God) that the Shechinah may dwell in the works of your hands, and the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us, &c.’ which last words were part of the prayer of Moses, Psalm 90:17." (Gill)
"Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of Yahweh our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:16-17)
This was the intended purpose for the tabernacle— that Yahweh’s work from Creation to Redemption may be told there and believed by the children of Israel and that knowledge of it would direct their future work in making it manifest to all. "The Tabernacle in the old dispensation is in many respects the counterpart of the Church in the new.
(1) As the Tabernacle was built on the plan revealed in the Mount, so there must be a Divine plan of the Church for we are told, that long before our Saviour laid her foundations in His death and resurrection, He loved the Church...
(2) As the Tabernacle was made in different portions, which were made independently of each other and by different hands, so the Church is being constructed, each age, each country, each denomination contributing something. None have seen more than their own small bit of the glorious Church, as she has been revealed to the eye of her Lord; and we do not all understand how our work will fit in with the rest; it is enough to accomplish our share as perfectly as we can, leaving the ultimate fitting-together and erection to the great Architect Himself.
As Moses finished the work--'Thus was all the work of the Tabernacle finished'--so the last member will be added to the Body of Christ and the last name will be appended to the long list in the Book of Life.” (F. B. Meyer)
The tabernacle was also "a symbol of every real Christian. In the soul of every true follower of the Saviour the Father dwells, the object of his worship, and the author of his blessings.” (Henry) "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.'" (Revelation 21:3) “Those whom God employs he will bless, and those whom he blesseth, they are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life for evermore." (Wesley) And Yahweh Himself will help us to do all things that He commands to inherit the blessing… by faith in Jesus. “And when the Lord Jesus shall come to take account of his servants’ work; if it shall be found that our poor services have been done according to his commands, and in his spirit; if he shall say, well done good and faithful servants; if he shall add, come ye blessed children of my Father, the reward is infinite, and the glory ineffable. We shall all be kings and priests unto God, and dwell in his house for ever." (Sutcliffe)