God's Work, Our Rest

What the priest wore: Ephod, breastpiece, robe, coat of checker work, turban, and a sash. Particular attention should be made to the material of the clothing. It was made in the same material as the tabernacle. The clothing also marked whom the priest was representing and what he ideally was supposed to be, HOLY TO THE LORD. I’d like to point out some principles that will help us to think and apply to our own selves as we see God’s holiness, his prescription of approaching him, and how we are able to approach God ourselves through intercession of a great high priest.

One overriding principle that we should keep in mind as we walk through these instructions is that the garments themselves are an outward expression of what Aaron and the priests were supposed to be. This clothing was meant reveal was an ideal priest looked like. Throughout, I want us also to see how these things point to the ultimate and ideal high priest, Jesus himself.

The heavenly man

First, as was mentioned, the clothing of the priest was of the very same material used to construct the tabernacle. The tabernacle was to be a portable Sinai, a revelation of the presence and holiness of God. The material used was to be of the utmost quality, pointing to the heavenly nature of its building. The priest was clothed to show he was made for this very work, to approach God and intercede on behalf of the people of God.

Colossians 1:15 reminds us that Jesus is of heaven himself, the creator of it, and such, is the ideal one to redeem and reconcile us, bring heaven to earth in himself.

Colossians 1:15 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

The wisdom of God

Part of the ephod and the breastplate contained what was called the Urim and Thummim. Scholars have tried to describe what these were and have not been able to say with any sense of complete confidence. The idea of it though was a means of decision making that the priests would make. The priests were representatives and whom God used to bring wisdom to the people of God. They bore the means of decisions on top of their work of intercession. They were to impart the wisdom of God to others through their work of ministry.

Jesus himself as our High Priest is also called the wisdom of God. 1 Cor 1:30

1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

The wisdom of the OT is fulfilled in the NT through the person of Jesus himself, who is the one who created and gives wisdom. Proverbs talks of the lady wisdom. Jesus himself is the wisdom of God, the means by which we live life fully and according to the will of the Lord. By him are made righteous, sanctified, and redeemed. By God’s wisdom, we are saved and sanctified. Jesus is our wise High Priest.

Representative and responsible

The High Priest would bear the name of Israel’s tribes on two places. On the shoulders of the ephod and on the breastplate. A reminder here is that he shouldered the people before the Lord and had them over his heart. He was representing the people and also responsible for their spiritual well-being. With the names of God’s people, he entered into the most Holy Place to intercede and to make atonement for Israel.

He carried them as one making himself responsible for securing their entrance into the Lord’s presence. They could enter only because they rested on him. He, on his part, bore all their burden and brought them with him because they were on his heart. - J.A. Motyer

Jesus is this ideal priest. Jesus was responsible to securing our entrance into God’s presence. He is the only one who could enter the most Holy Place because only He is holy enough. We rest on this holy High Priest. He bore our burdens on the cross, and did so because we were on his heart.

Hebrews 9:24 ESV

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Ephesians 5:2 ESV

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The holy one

Aaron would bear on his forehead with the turban a gold plate that said “HOLY TO THE LORD.” In essence, Aaron was to represent an ideal, set apart for the Lord and His work. Yet Aaron could never reach this ideal state in of himself. We will see that in this next chapter that he must consecrated before he is able to even begin his duties as priest.

Unlike Aaron, Jesus represents in complete manner HOLY TO THE LORD. He was sinless and perfect, without blemish, and able to intercede and enter into the holiness of God without any need to be consecrated himself. There was danger of entering the holy place, unable to offer sacrifice because of his own sin. As a matter of fact, because of his love, he bore our sins and laid himself on the altar and died so that we would be saved from the wrath of God. He took our sins when he was sinless. This is our holy high priest who is able to do that.

Hebrews 9:11–12 ESV

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Separate from sinners

Now dealing with the undergarments of the priests, there is significance here of modesty. The priests were to be separate in their actions, separate from other priests in pagan cultures. These undergarments ensured that everything was covered in his work. This is in direct opposition to the priestly duties of many of the pagan practices around Israel. Particularly, many Canaanite deities were worshiped and interceded by priests who were provoke sexual acts in front of altars in order to incur their blessings and provoke those gods to do their own work.

Priests were to be different, not to sin and expose themselves, to be separate.

Hebrews 7:26 ESV

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

Fitting for us to remember this, that Jesus fulfills in every aspect what the clothing of the priest was to show. Where Aaron needed consecration, Jesus does not. We have a perfect high priest who goes before as the heavenly man, the wisdom of God, our representative and responsible for our salvation, the Holy One, and separated from sinners, yet died for sinners himself. We have a fitting high priest, the perfect One for our redemption and salvation!

B. Consecration of the priests (29-30)

Aaron and his sons had to be consecrated, made holy by God himself in order for them to do the work they were called to do. For the church today, we are in the same position. Unable to approach God, sinners, Jesus consecrates us through His own work as our High Priest, and then makes us a priesthood of believers.

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:5–6 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Instructions were given to Moses in order to consecrate Aaron and his sons. Here are those instructions and how we as the priesthood of believers, the church, should apply this to our own lives.

Creating priests

These priests had to be washed (4), robed (5-6, 9) and anointed (7). They were then atoned for through a three-fold divinely appointed sacrifices in verses 10-25.

Washed: They were washed in order to be able be cleansed from all dirt, to make sure that nothing contaminated the work of the priest. This is also shown in that the priests had to be regularly washing. For us as the church, it is through Jesus our High Priest that we are cleansed and washed.

1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Hebrews 10:22 ESV

22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Robed: The priests were to be robed, as were given in detail in chapter 28. This robing again was to represent the ideal. Jesus only can truly be the ideal, and it is us as the church, as priesthood of believers that we are robed in holiness, set apart for the Lord. This is the doctrine that Jesus has imputed His righteousness to us. Sin has been atoned for, and in turn, He has robed us in His righteousness. As God looks at us, He sees Christ’s righteousness on us.

Anointed: Aaron and his sons were to be anointed to the task before them. This means that they were to be vessels of use, dedicated and affirmed by the Lord for his priestly work. Jesus has been anointed us our High Priest from the foundation of the world to save us. He also anoints us to the task of being intercessors for one another and to the world, proclaiming the wisdom of God (Jesus Christ and His Gospel). We are anointed by the Holy Spirit to carry out this task.

2 Corinthians 1:21–22 ESV

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Redeemed and atoned for: The three-fold sacrifices of 10-25 were meant to make Aaron and the priests fit for service. This would have to be a continual act for them, to constantly be atoned for before they could intercede for others.

The church has been atoned for in finality. Sin in totality has been cleansed for those that have repented of their sin and trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Those that are consecrated by the blood of Jesus are then called to this holy priesthood.

Hebrews 10:19–25 ESV

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We now are called to stir up one another, act like priests to love and good works.

But we are also called as his priests to constantly confess our sins, to be killing sin in the power of the Spirit as we are being sanctified by Him. That is seen in again in Exodus 30:17-21, where the priests had to regularly wash themselves as they did their work.

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We are now priests who are to live a consecrated life.

Consecrated life

The priests were then called to be in constant service to the Lord. They would only eat what God would provide them, through the instructions given to the tribes. They would serve him night and day, and this would be an honor. They would be the ones who would intercede, worship, and pray for God’s people.

The church is called to the same task. Our lives as the priesthood of believers insists that our lives our now Christ’s. We are no longer our own, but belong to Him. Our lives are to be consecrated to him.

How priests feed

The priests would feed on the sacrifices made, only made for them, and would be sustained by God through those given sacrifices and the leftovers God ordained.

The church feeds on the sacrifice of Christ himself.

John 6:35 ESV

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 6:51–58 ESV

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

We constantly feed on Christ through His Word, prayer, and through dedicated ways of spiritual disciplines. Fasting, hearing and reading God’s Word, studying, corporate worship, prayer both private and corporately. We feed on Christ through His ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. We don’t literally eat his flesh, but it is a means of His grace and presence among us, as we re-covenant with him and one another in this special act.

The heart of a priestly life

We are to live a joyful life of fellowship. That doesn’t mean that every day will be joyful, but that through the highs, the lows, and the inbetween, we faithfully plod forward as his people, living for Jesus and serving Him as the church. We disciple step by step. We share the gospel, step by step with unbelievers. We love one another, step by step. We serve one another, step by step. Day by day. Faithful and often slow. A long obedience in the same direction.

The heart of a priestly life is also seen in the anointing oil and incense section in chapter 30:22-38. It was here that God was reminding them that their lives were to be offerings to the Lord, as sweet smelling sacrifices. We are His precious accepted people.

2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV

15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

But we also offer up sweet aromas in prayer, the incense offered up to God, offerings of ourselves and our prayers for one another and for God’s will to be done. When we pray, we are doing the Lord’s work, and it is vitally important as disciples, as the priesthood of believers. that we intercede before the throne of God regularly.

At the end of chapter 29, the end by which God’s priests are consecrated as is a powerful reminder to us as the church.

READ EXODUS 29:38-46

God’s Spirit (31:1-11)

There are two men here that are given the task to then make the tabernacle, the garments, and everything that has been instructed. The key here is that in verse 3 that God says I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God to carry out the task.

The reminder for us, and for the whole of this work that God is that it requires a filling of God in order to do it. These prescriptions, these instructions were important. So much so that getting it wrong would be detrimental. These men needed the Spirit to get every detail right.

And God gives us an important task ourselves, a vital task. As we are being build as a spiritual house, a priesthood of believers, he has called us to go and make more disciples, to build His church in the power of Spirit. To be his witnesses, to be disciple makers. Remember, we are not building makers, we are disciple makers. And that work is dictates the work of the Spirit in His church.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Let us pray for the Spirit to work powerfully in us to carry out His work!

God’s Rest (31:12-18)

The final words that are spoken to Moses on the mountain here is a reminder of the Sabbath. Instructions are given again. No work is to be done on the seventh day. Don’t profane it. If you do, death will come to you. It is a sign of God’s grace, a means of refreshment and trust in the Lord.

For us, the Sabbath rest we have is ultimately found in Jesus Christ himself. Our High Priest has done the work completely of salvation, given us eternal life. We rest in Him for our salvation.

We also live as people of rest, that we ourselves don’t have to keep a 24 hour Sabbath, but that in the created order, we are to rest from labor and to trust the Lord. We now point that to our Sunday, where we rest and worship the Lord, gather with His people.

Why? Because it is done. Its is finished. Our salvation, our merit, and our lives have been purchased by the great High Priest Jesus. Now we live our lives as his consecrated people, serving Him, interceding for others, and doing the work of building His church for His glory. We live as disciples, feeding on Jesus, and following Him. We obey Him, step-by-step, for His glory as His church.

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