JESUS AND THE GARMENTS OF THE HIGH PRIEST
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Exodus 28:1-4
Text: Exodus 28:4
Exodus 28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Introduction: Jesus said that the Old Testament testified of HIM:
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
He specifically spoke of the Pentateuch, for He said in the context:
John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
I believe that one of those places where Moses wrote of Jesus was here in Ex. 28. Aaron, the high priest, was a type, or prophetic picture, of Jesus, the GREAT high priest (Heb. 5:1-4; 9:6-11).
Much emphasis is given in this chapter, Ex. 28, to the garments of Aaron. They are listed in verse 4 of our text. I’m going to divide them into four parts tonight as we once again look for Jesus in the Old Testament with the message:
THE GARMENTS OF THE HIGH PRIEST THAT POINTED TO THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST
I. THE EPHOD REMINDS ME OF HUMANITY AND ITS BURDEN UPON THE HIGH PRIEST (V. 6-14)
Myth – Atlas carrying the world
Truth – Jesus, bearing the sins of the world
A. Consider the load of sin
B. Consider the lift by the Savior
II. THE BREASTPLATE WITH THE URIM AND THUMMIM REMINDS ME OF THE HEART OF THE HIGH PRIEST
Exodus 28:15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Exodus 28:29-30 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto theholy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
A. Jesus loves the unlovely
B. Jesus loves the ungodly
C. Jesus loves the unfit for heaven
III. THE ROBE REMINDS ME OF THE HYMNODY OF THE HIGH PRIEST
(V. 31-35)
A. The hole
1. Strength and security – woven so that it could not be rent
2. The Lord is our strength, song, and salvation
3. Our song is associated with God’s strength and security
B. The hem
1. The bell – victory and joy
2. The pomegranate – red seed, blood of Christ, soul-winning and its bloody gospel message, fruitfulness (Ps. 126:5-6)
IV. THE MITRE REMINDS ME OF THE HOLINESS OF THE HIGH PRIEST
Exodus 28:36-38 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. 38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
A. Notice its purity
1. V. 36 – pure gold
B. Notice its preeminence
1. V. 37 – the forefront
C. Notice its purpose
1. V. 38 – bear the iniquity
2. The just for the unjust
3. Becoming sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him!
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Michael D. O’Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church |