Exodus 28

35:4–29) We can give to God only that which He has first given to us, for all things come from Him. “Everything comes from you,” said David in his prayer, “and we have given you only what comes from your hand” (1 Chron. 29: niv).

Not only did God create the materials that the people brought to Him (Isa. 66:1–2), but He also worked in their hearts so that they were willing to give generously (see 2 Cor. 8:1–5, 12). In fact, the people brought so much that Moses had to tell them to stop (Ex. 36:6–7)!

Several different kinds of materials were needed: precious metals (gold, silver), bronze, fabrics (yarn, fine linen, and goat’s hair), wood, skins, olive oil, spices, and precious stones. It’s been estimated that a ton of gold was used in the tabernacle as well as over three tons of silver. Where did all this wealth come from? For one thing, the Jews had “spoiled” the Egyptians before leaving the land (12:35–36), and no doubt there were also spoils from the victory over Amalek (17:8–16). God saw to it that they had everything they needed to build the tabernacle just as He had designed it.

According to 30:11–16, Moses collected a half a shekel from each man of military age, and according to 38:21–31, all this silver amounted to 100 talents plus 1,775 shekels, a total of 301,775 shekels. (There are 3,000 shekels in a talent.) This came from 603,550 men who were twenty years of age and older. This silver was used to make both the sockets on which the posts stood and the hooks for the curtains.

God equips the workers (31:1–11; 35:30—36:7) Whether it’s for building the tabernacle in the Old Testament, building the church in the New Testament, or building our lives and ministries today, the Holy Spirit of God must equip us and enable us to do the job. God gave Bezalel and Oholiab the skill and wisdom they needed, but He also equipped the craftsmen who worked under them, and led by the Spirit, in obedience to the Word, they constructed the tabernacle and its furniture.

God appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to direct the work, for without leaders there would be chaos, but He called for craftsmen to volunteer to assist them (35:10). We are born with different abilities, and at conversion, we received different gifts from the Holy Spirit, to be used for the good of the church and the glory of God (1 Cor. 12:1–13; Eph. 4:1–16; Rom. 12). “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2: nkjv). The Jews built a tent that long ago turned to dust, but we’re helping to build “a habitation of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22) that will glorify God eternally.

God must be put first in everything (25:10–22; 37:1–9) There were six special pieces of furniture associated with the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant is mentioned first. A wooden chest forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high, it stood in the Holy of Holies where God’s “shekinah” presence rested. On it rested the golden mercy seat which was God’s throne (Ps. 80:1; 99:1; 2 Kings 19:15, all niv).

The ark had many names besides “the ark of the covenant” (Num. 10:33). It was called “the ark of God” (1 Sam. 3:3), “the ark of the Lord” (Josh. 3:15), “the ark of the Lord God” (1 Kings 2:26), “the ark of the testimony” (Ex. 25:22), because the tables of the law were in it, “the holy ark” (2 Chron. 35:3), and “the ark of [God’s] strength” (Ps. 132:8). The ark represented the power and authority of God in the camp of Israel, and this is why it’s named first. This is the Old Testament illustration of Matthew 6:33.

The ark also teaches us about Jesus Christ. It was made of wood, which speaks of His humanity, but was completely overlaid with gold, which speaks of His deity. According to Hebrews 9:4, within the ark were the tables of the law (Ex. 25:16), a pot of manna (16:32–34), and Aaron’s rod that budded (Num. 16— 17). These objects tell us that the law of God was in Christ’s heart and He perfectly obeyed and fulfilled it (Ps. 40:6–8; Heb. 10:5–9); He is the Bread of Life who gives eternal life to all who receive Him (John 6:32); and He lives by the power of an endless life so we can be fruitful for God (Heb. 7:16).

The golden mercy seat upon the ark had a cherub at each end and their wings overshadowed the ark. Once a year, on the day of Atonement, the high priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, where he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the mercy seat (Lev. 16). This made atonement for Israel’s sins for another year (vv. 29–34). The fulfillment of this type was when Jesus Christ died once for all for the sins of the world and took away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:11—10:14).

Frequently in Scripture you find the image of finding safety “under His wings.” Sometimes this refers to the mother bird protecting her young (Ps. 57:1; 63:7; Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34), but it can also refer to being under the wings of the cherubim in the Holy of Holies (Ruth 2:12; Ps. 17:8; 36:7–8; 61:4; 91:1, 4).

Moses was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies where God spoke to him from the mercy seat and revealed His will for the people of Israel (Ex. 25:21–22; 29:42; 30:6, 36; Num. 7:89; see Ps. 91:1). God’s people today have access into God’s presence through the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:19–25), for He is our “mercy seat” (propitiation, Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2). Because of His blood shed for us, the throne of God is for us a throne of grace.

The ark of the Lord and the pillar of cloud led the way as the Jews marched from place to place (Num. 10:33–36). In their pilgrim journey, the people of God get their directions from the throne of God and follow the glory of God.

God is present to nourish His people (25:23–29; 37:10–16) As the priest walked into the holy place from the outer court, on the right he would see the table of “presence bread,” on the left the golden lampstand, and ahead of him the golden altar of incense standing before the beautiful veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies.

The table was three feet long, a foot and a half wide and twenty-seven inches high. Like the ark, it was made of acacia wood covered with gold, another reminder of our Savior’s humanity and deity. Jesus is the Bread of Life who took upon Himself a human body that He might come to this earth and die for our sins (John 6:26).

Twelve loaves of bread were baked each week, following the recipe given in Leviticus 24:5–9. The text doesn’t explain how big these loaves were, but from the amount of flour required, they must have been quite large. It’s likely that the flour was provided by the people as a gift to the Lord. Each Sabbath, the old loaves were removed and eaten by the priests in the holy place, and the new loaves were put in their place.

When the bread was placed on the table, it was always accompanied by incense, which was probably burned in one of the special utensils (Ex. 25:29). The use of incense suggests that the bread was actually a “meal offering” to the Lord (Lev. 2:1–11) in thanksgiving to Him for “daily bread.” If the flour was a gift from the people, it was their sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for His provision for their needs.

The loaves are called “showbread” (Ex. 25:30) or “presence bread,” literally “bread of faces.” The presence of twelve loaves of bread in the holy place couldn’t help but remind the priests that they were serving the twelve tribes of Israel, God’s chosen people. Through these loaves, the twelve tribes were presented before God and God was present with them in their camp, beholding their worship and their daily walk. The tribes were also represented by the jewels on the breastplate and the shoulders of the high priest (28:6–21). When you combine the images of the jewels and the loaves, you learn that the Lord feeds His people, bears them on His shoulders, and carries them over His heart.

But there’s also a sense in which the loaves remind us that Israel was called to feed a hungry world the spiritual bread the Lord had given them. They gave the world the Word of God, which is bread (Matt. 4:4), and Jesus who is the Bread of Life (John 6). Unfortunately, they turned from the Lord and ate at heathen altars, and God had to discipline them.

Paul compared the church to a loaf of unleavened bread (1 Cor. 5:1–8; see 10:16–17), and our task is to preach the Word and tell sinners about Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. Since the twelve loaves were considered a meal offering, there would have been no leaven in the dough (Lev. 2:1–11), and God’s people must keep themselves from all impurity. We aren’t here to feed ourselves; we’re here to feed a hungry world.

The loaves of bread were very special and were not to be eaten carelessly, even by the priests. Any priest who was defiled and ate the bread or any of the sacrificial meat that belonged to the priests, was in danger of death (Lev. 22:3–9).

God enlightens our worship and service (25:31–40; 27:20–21; 37:17–24; Lev. 24:1–3) The candlestick was hammered out of about seventyfive pounds of gold, but we aren’t told its dimensions. It was undoubtedly a beautiful work of art with its six branches decorated with almond flowers, buds, and blossoms. The six branches and the central shaft provided seven lamps which were fed by oil and kept burning constantly (Ex. 27:20–21; Lev. 24:1–4).

Since there was no way to let in natural light from the outside, the golden lampstand was the only source of light available in the holy place. Without it, the priests couldn’t have carried on their various ministries. God wants us to offer Him intelligent worship, not ignorant worship (John 4:19–24; Acts 17:22–31; Rom. 1:18–25), and to do that, we need the light of the Word of God to guide us (Ps. 119:105, 130; Prov. 6:23).

Aaron and his sons were to trim the lamps each time they offered the incense on the golden altar (Ex. 30:7–8). We shall see later that the fragrant burning incense represents prayer ascending to God, and the Word of God and prayer must go together (Acts 6:4): Prayer is enlightened by the Word (John 15:7), and the Word is opened up to us as we pray (Ps. 119:18; Eph. 1:15–23). Both the study of the Word and the exercise of prayer must be energized by the Holy Spirit, who is symbolized by oil (the lampstand, Zech. 4:1–7) and fire (the altar, Acts 2:3–4).

But the candlestick also reminds us of the people of Israel, chosen by God to be “a light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). However, the lampstand wasn’t in the outer court of the tabernacle where everybody could see it, but in the holy place where only God and the priests could see it. How, then, does it symbolize Israel’s witness to the Gentiles? Israel’s relationship to God in sacrifice and worship determined the strength and extent of their witness. It was when they turned from the worship of the true and living God and began to worship idols that they lost their witness to the Gentile nations.

Jesus Christ also came to be a “light to the Gentiles” (Luke 1:79; John 8:12), and that light is spread through the witness of the church (Acts 13:47–48; Phil. 2:14–16; Matt. 5:14–16). In Revelation 1:9–20, our Lord stands in the midst of seven lampstands which represent the seven churches of Asia Minor in John’s day. In the tabernacle, there was one lampstand, beaten out of one talent of gold, representing the one nation of Israel and its witness. Though the church is one people, it spreads the light through many individual assemblies in many places in the world.

The lights in the seven lamps on the lampstand were fed by oil that was especially prepared for that purpose (Ex. 27:20–21). Just as the people brought the fine flour for the baking of the loaves, so they brought clear oil for the maintaining of the lights on the lampstand (Ex. 25:27–28; 35:10, 14). Zechariah 4:1–4 informs us that this oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit of God, without whose power we can’t glorify Christ (John 16:14) or effectively witness of Him (Acts 1:8). “Without Me,” said Jesus, “you can do nothing” (John 15: nkjv).

What was done by the priests in the sanctuary was done for the Lord (Ex. 28:1, 3–4, 41; 29:1) and before the Lord (27:21; 40:25; Lev. 24:4). It mattered not that the people in the camp were ignorant of what the priests were doing, because God saw it all, and their task was to please Him. The most important part of a Christian’s life is the part that only God sees. If God is pleased by what He sees, and our conscience is clean before Him, then we don’t have to worry about what people think or say about us (1 Cor. 4:1–5). He will accept our ministry and bless it.

It was God’s desire that the nation of Israel be “a kingdom of priests” (19:6) in the world, revealing His glory and sharing His blessings with the unbelieving nations around them. But in order to magnify a holy God, Israel had to be a holy people, and that’s where the Aaronic priesthood came in. It was the task of the priests (Aaron’s family) and the Levites (the families of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari; see Num. 3—4) to serve in the tabernacle and represent the people before God. The priests were also to represent God to the people by teaching them the law and helping them to obey it (Lev. 10:8–11; Deut. 33:10; Mal. 2:7).

But Israel failed to live like a kingdom of priests. Instead, the spiritual leadership in the nation gradually deteriorated until the priests actually permitted the people to worship idols in the temple of God (Ezek. 8)! The Lord punished His people by allowing the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the temple and carry thousands of Jews into exile. Why did this happen? “But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous” (Lam. 4: niv).

Today, God wants His church to minister in this world as a “holy priesthood” and a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5, 9). If God’s people are faithful in their priestly ministry, they will “proclaim the praises of Him who called [them] out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2: nkjv). As we study the Old Testament priesthood, you will see significant parallels between the work of the Jewish priests in the past and the ministry of “the holy priesthood” in the church today.

Priests are chosen to serve God (28:1, 3, 41; 29:1, 44) The Lord’s words “to minister unto Me” are found five times in these two chapters, and also in 30:30; 40:13, 15; Leviticus 7:35. To be sure, the priests ministered to the people, but their first obligation was to minister to the Lord and please Him. If they forgot their obligation to the Lord, they would soon begin to minimize their responsibilities to the people, and the nation would decay spiritually. (See Mal. 1:6—2:9.)

That God chose Aaron and his sons to minister in the priesthood was an act of sovereign grace, because they certainly didn’t earn this position or deserve it. But, that God should save sinners like us, make us His children, and form us into a “holy priesthood” is also an act of His grace, and we should never lose the wonder of this spiritual privilege. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15: nkjv).

It’s unfortunate that Nadab and Abihu disobeyed the Lord and were killed (Lev. 10). When Aaron died, Eleazer became his successor (Num. 20:22–29); and Ithamar’s descendants continued in priestly ministry even after the captivity (Ezra 8:1–2).

God’s people today must remember that our first obligation is to please the Lord and serve Him. If we do this, then He will work in us and through us to accomplish His work in this world. When Jesus restored Peter to discipleship, He didn’t ask “Do you love the ministry?” or even “Do you love people?” His repeated question was, “Do you love me?” (John 21:17) Just as a father’s most important obligation is to love his children’s mother, so the servant’s most important obligation (and privilege) is to love the Lord. All ministry flows out of that relationship.

A part of pleasing the Lord was wearing the priestly garments. The high priest, the priests, and the Levites couldn’t dress as they pleased when they ministered at the tabernacle; they had to wear the garments God designed for them. God provided these garments for at least three reasons: (1) they gave the priests “dignity and honor” (Ex. 28: niv) and set them apart, just as a uniform identifies a soldier or a nurse; (2) they revealed spiritual truths relating to their ministry and our ministry today; and (3) if the priests didn’t wear the special garments, they might die (vv. 35, 43).

Priests are chosen to serve the people (28:6–30; 39:2–21) In serving God and the people, the high priest wore seven pieces of clothing: undergarments (vv. 42–43); a white inner robe (“coat”; v. 39; 39:27; Lev. 8:6–7); a blue robe over that, with bells and pomegranates on the hem (Ex. 28:31–35; 39:22–26); the ephod, a sleeveless garment of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, held together by a jeweled clasp on each shoulder (28:6–8; 39:1–5; Lev. 8:7); a girdle at the waist (Ex. 28:8); a jeweled breastplate, held in place on the ephod by golden chains attached to the shoulder clasps (vv. 9–30; 39:8–21); and a white linen turban (“miter,” 28:39) with a golden plate on it that said “Holy to the Lord” (v. 36 niv).

The ephod and girdle (28:6–14; 39:2–7). “Ephod” is the transliteration of a Hebrew word for a simple sleeveless linen garment that reached to the ankles, usually associated with religious service (1 Sam. 2:18; 2 Sam. 6:14). The high priest’s ephod and girdle were made of white linen beautifully embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet threads. The ephod was of two pieces, front and back, held together on each shoulder by a jeweled golden clasp and at the waist by the beautiful girdle.

The significant thing about this ephod was not the fabric or the colors. It was that the names of six tribes of Israel were engraved on each onyx stone on the shoulder clasps, according to their birth order. Whenever the high priest wore his special robes, he carried the people on his shoulders before the Lord. Furthermore, these two onyx stones reminded him of two important facts: (1) the tribes of Israel were precious in the sight of God; (2) he wasn’t in the tabernacle to display his beautiful robes or to exalt his special position, but to represent the people before the Lord and carry them on his shoulders. He had been called, not to serve himself but to serve his people.

If the church is to be faithful as a holy priesthood, believers must serve Christ by serving one another and serving a lost world. Jesus said, “I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:27), and it’s His example that we should follow (John 13:12–17). In the highpowered spiritual atmosphere of the tabernacle, it would be easy for the priest to ignore the common people outside, many of whom had burdens and problems and needed God’s help. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2: nkjv).

The breastplate (28:15–30; 39:8–21). The breastplate was a piece of beautifully embroidered fabric, nine inches square when folded double. It hung on the high priest’s chest, supported by two golden chains attached to the shoulder clasps. On the breastplate were twelve beautiful jewels, arranged in four rows, each stone representing one of the tribes of Israel. The stones were probably arranged according to the order of the tribes as they marched (28:21; see Num. 10).

So the high priest not only carried the people on his shoulders, but he also carried them over his heart. If we don’t have sincere love in our hearts, we won’t be concerned about the needs of others, and we won’t want to help them. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 4:18). As servants of God, we should be able to say honestly to the people we serve, “I have you in my heart” (Phil. 1:7).

The variety of stones on the breastplate suggests the variety of people in the church and in the world, all of them precious to God. Each of the tribes had its own distinctive outlook and personality, and no two were alike. Some were quick to go to battle, while some stayed home (Judg. 5:13–18). Some were easy to work with while others liked to argue and be important (Judg. 8). Yet the Lord loved them all and the high priest had to minister to them all.

“Pastoring a church would be a wonderful experience if it weren’t for people!” a young minister said to me. I reminded him that helping people and meeting their spiritual needs is what ministry is all about, and this demands a great deal of patient love on our part. We are a “holy priesthood” and a “royal priesthood,” but we must constantly be a “loving priesthood.”

Within the folded breastplate were kept “the Urim and Thummim” (“lights and perfections”) which the high priest used to determine the will of God for the nation (Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21; 1 Sam. 30:7–8). We don’t know what the procedure was, but it was the priests’ duty to perform it (Deut. 33:8; Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65). Some think there were two stones in the pouch, one black and one white, and the stone the priest withdrew indicated the will of God. Or perhaps they were jewels that shone in a special way to indicate the leading of the Lord. It’s useless to speculate because the details haven’t been revealed to us.

Believers today don’t have devices such as the Urim and Thummim for determining what God wants us to do, but we do have the Word of God to guide our steps (Ps. 119:105). The Word of God reveals the God of the Word, His character, His desires, and His purposes for His people, and the better we know God, the better we can discover His will. God’s Word contains precepts for us to obey, warnings for us to heed, promises for us to claim, and principles for us to follow. If we’re sincerely willing to obey, God is willing to direct us (John 7:17; Ps. 25:8–11).

But if we had a simple infallible method of determining the will of God such as the Urim and Thummim, we probably wouldn’t pray as much, search the Scriptures as much, or humble ourselves as much as we do today as we seek God’s direction. But seeking and doing God’s will is the way we grow in the Lord, and sharing in the process is as much a blessing as knowing the results.

Priests must serve in the fear of God (28:31–43; 39:22–31) Moses enumerates some additional articles of clothing.

The blue robe (28:31–35; 39:22–26), worn under the ephod, was distinctive in at least three ways. For one thing, it was seamless, reminding us of our Lord’s seamless robe that symbolized His perfect character and integrity (John 19:23). The collar around the opening for the head was woven so that it would not tear. During our Lord’s ministry on earth, some people tried to “tear” the seamless robe of His character and accuse Him of wrong, but they never succeeded. Finally, around the hem of this garment hung pomegranates made of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with golden bells hanging between them. The pomegranates symbolized fruitfulness and the golden bells gave witness that the high priest was ministering in the holy place. The bells and pomegranates remind us that our priestly walk must be fruitful and faithful, always giving witness that we’re serving the Lord with integrity.

The turban (28:36–38; 39:27–31) was worn only by the high priest, while the other priests wore linen bonnets. At the front of the turban was the golden plate that read “Holiness to the Lord” (“Holy to the Lord,” niv). The whole purpose of the Levitical system was to make men and women holy and therefore pleasing to the Lord.

It comes as a shock to some people to learn that Jesus did not die to make us happy; He died to make sinners holy. “Be holy, for I am holy” was a frequent command to the Jews (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8) and it’s repeated in 1 Peter 1:15–16 for believers today. The first step toward happiness is holiness. If we’re right with God, then we can start being right with others and with the circumstances of life that trouble us. If you aim for happiness, you’ll miss it, but if you aim for holiness, you’ll also find happiness in the Lord.

In wearing this holy turban and its gold “crown,” the high priest identified himself with the sins of the people as they brought their offerings to the Lord (Ex. 28:38). Just as Christians bring their holy sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ, and this makes the sacrifices acceptable (1 Peter 2:5), so the gifts of the people were acceptable to God because of the intercession of the high priest. However, our Lord and Intercessor in heaven doesn’t need any special garments or “holy crowns” to qualify for ministry, because He is the holy Son of God, and in Him there is no sin.

Twice in this section the priests are warned that they might die if they didn’t fully obey the Lord’s instructions and wear the right garments (Ex. 28:35, 43). In other words, God’s servants must walk in the fear of the Lord and be careful to obey Him and give Him the glory.

Nobody who is working wholeheartedly for the Lord will deny that “there is joy in serving Jesus,” but at the same time, we must cultivate “reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). If the Lord killed every believer today who didn’t enter seriously into his or her service, how many workers would be left? Fearing the Lord doesn’t mean cringing before a hard taskmaster so much as being reverent and humble before a loving Father and gracious Lord. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2: nkjv). “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due Me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the Lord Almighty” (Mal. 1:6).

We have already noted that the priests would die if they failed to wash at the laver (Ex. 30:20–21) or if they used a different incense from that which was ordered by God (Lev. 16:13). If the priests didn’t obey the laws concerning the clean and unclean, they were also in danger of death (22:1–9). It wasn’t enough for the priests to teach the people the law; they had to be careful to obey it themselves, because they had the greater responsibility. But the basic attitude that helps to determine our obedience is a Spirit-inspired fear of the Lord.

I’ve attended some Christian “worship” services and evangelistic meetings where the main emphasis was “having a good time” and not glorifying God. The music was entertaining but not edifying, and the preaching was shallow and flippant. The speakers were more concerned with getting the crowd to laugh than with helping them to see Jesus and repent of their sins. God didn’t kill anybody at these meetings, but we didn’t sense the life and power of the Spirit in what went on. Because the participants weren’t focused on honoring God, the meeting killed itself.

Priests must be consecrated to God (29:1–37; 30:22–33) God commanded that the high priest and his sons participate in a public consecration service that would set them apart as God’s servants. There were at least seven stages in this service.

The priests were washed (Ex. 29:4; Lev. 8:6). Moses gathered the materials that were needed for the ordination service and brought Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle. The erecting of the tabernacle isn’t described until Exodus 40, but it appears that the dedication of the tabernacle and the consecration of the priests occurred on the same day (vv. 12–15).

Sin is pictured by many images in the Bible, such as disease (Isa. 1:4–6), darkness (1 John 1:5–10), drowning (Ps. 130:1–4), and even death (Eph. 2:1, 5; John 5:24), but frequently it’s pictured as dirt and defilement (Isa. 1:16, 18; Jer. 4:14; 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 9:14; James 1:21; 4:8). When Aaron and his sons were washed all over, it was symbolic of complete cleansing from the Lord. They didn’t have to be bathed all over again; all they had to do was cleanse their hands and feet at the laver. “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean,” said Jesus (John 13: niv). Those who have trusted Christ have experienced this inward cleansing from the Lord (1 Cor. 6:9–11).

The priests were clothed (Ex. 29:5–6, 8–9, 29–30; Lev. 8:7–9, 13). Moses clothed his brother with the garments we’ve been studying, and he also clothed Aaron’s sons with their linen tunics and bonnets. These were their official “uniforms” and they dared not minister in the tabernacle dressed in other garments.

In Scripture, the wearing of garments is a picture of the character and life of the believer. We’re to lay aside the filthy garments of the old life and wear the beautiful “garments of grace” provided by the Lord (Eph. 4:17–32; Col. 3:1–15). Christ has taken away our dirty rags and given us a robe of righteousness that He purchased for us on the cross (Isa. 61:10; 2 Cor. 5:17, 21).

The priests were anointed (Ex. 29:7, 21; Lev. 8:10–12, 30). This special oil (Ex. 30:22–33) was used only to anoint the priests and the tabernacle and its furnishings. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed; it was a symbol that God had granted them the Holy Spirit for power and service (Luke 4:17–19; Isa. 61:1–3). Moses poured the oil on his brother’s head, which meant it ran down his beard and therefore bathed all the stones on the breastplate. What a beautiful picture of unity in the Lord (Ps. 133:2)! “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29)

Those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord have received an anointing of the Spirit of God (1 John 2:20, 27; 2 Cor. 1:21–22). John’s emphasis is on the teaching ministry of the Spirit in guiding the believer into the truth of the Word of God. Paul’s emphasis is on encouragement and stability: we have been anointed and sealed by the Spirit, and the Spirit is the “down payment” of future glory. If God has anointed us, sealed us, and given us a foretaste of heaven, then why should we despair or feel that He will ever desert us?

The priests were forgiven (Ex. 29:10–14). A bull was slain as a sin offering (Lev. 4; 8:14–17) to atone for the sins of the priests. This sacrifice was repeated each day for a week (Ex. 29:36–37), not only for the cleansing of the priests but also for the sanctifying of the altar where the priests would be ministering. Jesus Christ is our sin offering and through Him alone we find forgiveness (Isa. 53:4–6, 12; Matt. 26:28; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev. 1:5–6).

The priests were completely dedicated to God (Ex. 29:15–18; Lev. 8:18–21). In the sacrifice of the burnt offering, the animal was completely given to the Lord, a picture of total dedication (Lev. 1). Our Lord gave Himself fully and without reservation, not only in His ministry before the cross, but in His willing sacrifice of Himself on the cross. The high priest and his associates were expected to devote themselves wholly to the work of the ministry and to make it the uppermost concern of their hearts. Christians today need to meditate on Romans 12:1–2 and 1 Timothy 4:15.

The story is frequently told about a British committee that was considering inviting evangelist D. L. Moody to their city for a campaign. When a pastor spoke glowingly of Moody’s ministry, a member of the committee asked rather flippantly, “Why must we have Moody? Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?”

“No,” replied the pastor, “but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on him.”

The priests were marked by the blood (Ex. 29:19–22; Lev. 8:22–24). At this point in the ordination ceremony, we would have expected Moses to offer a trespass offering (Lev. 5), but instead, he offered a ram as a peace offering, “the ram of consecration” (Ex. 29: niv, “ordination”). The Hebrew word means “filling” because the priests’ hands were filled with the bread and meat.

Not only did Moses sprinkle the blood on the altar and upon Aaron and his sons, along with the anointing oil, but each man was marked with some of the blood on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe. This was a token reminder that they must listen to God’s Word, do God’s work, and walk in God’s way. The blood speaks of sacrifice, so the priests became “living sacrifices” in the service of the Lord (Rom. 12:1).

The priests were fed (Ex. 29:22–28, 31–34; Lev. 8:25–29). Another unique occurrence was the filling of the priests’ hands from the “food basket” (Ex. 29:2–3) and from the altar (vv. 22–28). The priests waved these gifts toward the altar in dedication to God (v. 24, the “wave offering”) and then shared them in a fellowship meal (vv. 31–34). Portions from some of the offerings, as well as special tithes of the harvest, were part of the priests’ compensation for serving at the altar (Lev. 8:28–36), but they had to look upon those gifts as holy sacrifices and eat them in the tabernacle precincts.

If the priests were faithful in teaching the Word and encouraging Israel to obey the Lord, they would never lack for sustenance, for the people would be sensitive to God’s Word, bring the required sacrifices and offerings to the tabernacle, and thereby provide for God’s servants. It’s unfortunate that some of the priests in later years were selfish and carnal and took the best for themselves (1 Sam. 2:12–17; Mal. 1:6–14).