The Old Testament is full of pictures to teach us about how God wants us to function as his children. The priests were set apart members of the congregation who were born into the Levite tribe and were to officiate the worship in the Tabernacle. They were pictures to us of those who are set apart to be God’s children through the blood of Jesus. They represent born-again Christians. So, what they were commanded to wear represents our priestly garments before the Lord. Aaron stood as the High Priest who represents Jesus, our High Priest.
The priest’s garments coincide with the armor of Christ in Ephesians 6. All the priests were to have a breastplate which represents our breastplate of righteousness. They had an ephod or belt that was made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet finely-twisted linen. These colors represented royalty and majesty. The belt was the belt of truth.
The High Priest was to wear stones on his shoulder with the names of the tribes on them (six on each side). In this way, Jesus bears the names of his children when he goes before the Father. The breastplate of the High Priest was called a breastplate of judging. On it was to be the stones of each of the tribes - four stones on a row in the order of their birth just like the ones on his shoulders. The breastplate and the ephod were to be chained together as one piece to show that Jesus would always carry his children in his heart and on his shoulder.
In the breastplate of judging was to have a pocket over the heart which held the Urim and the Thummim. Urim means “lights” and Thummim means “perfections, and emblem of complete Truth”. This is the definition of how God judges: with complete light and truth.
Around the hem of the high priest’s garment was to be bells and pomegranates. The pomegranates stood for the Word since there are the same number of seeds in a pomegranate as there are laws. The bells stood for praise which announces his coming to the Lord. The turban was to cover his head. It was to have a gold plate with the words “Holy to the Lord” on it. This is to bear the guilt involved in the gifts of the people making them acceptable to God. In Ephesians 6:17 this is the helmet of salvation.
Aaron’s sons and the other priests were to wear the tunic, the sash and the headbands which stand for righteousness, truth and salvation. Lastly, they were to be anointed with oil which stands for the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus continued explaining his second coming in Matthew. He will come with angels who will help him separate the sheep from the goats. The believers will go to his right and the unbelievers will go to his left. He will bless the ones on his right commending them for their love for one another which amounted to love to him. They will inherit his kingdom. The ones on the left will be cursed and sent to the fire of hell. They will get what they deserved because the way they treated others amounted to the way they treated Him.
Lord, help us to love our fellow man as we love you. Every day, we choose to put on our priestly garments and enter the joy of serving in your kingdom.
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