High Priest

Exodus 28

A construction worker wears a hard hart, orange or yellow vest, and steel-toed workboats. A nurse wears light blue medical scrubs, gloves, and a face mask. A professional baseball player wears a team hat, a jersey, knee-length pants, stirrups, and metal cleats. What about a high priest? What was their attire?

Exodus 28 spends the entire chapter discussing what the high priest was required to wear. The role of the high priest was to represent the people before God. One of His most important roles was to enter the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for sin, for himself and for the people. It was no small matter entering the Most Holy Place.

Each piece of the clothing represented something about God and His covenant relationship with the Jewish people. While there are a number of truths we could look at from the high priest’s attire, I want us to focus on just one. It says in v. 29, “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord.” And at the end of v. 30 it says, “Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.”

The breastplate Aaron wore over his heart had twelve stones on it with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Aaron would be entering God’s presence representing every Jew from the twelve tribes. He would pray on their behalf, and receive instructions on their behalf. And notice, the stones representing the people was over his heart. It is out of love, that Aaron was to intercede for them.

We are not high priests of Israel. But did you know we were given the ministry of priesthood? 1 Peter 2:5 says, “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.”

As God’s chosen people, we are “a holy priesthood.” We are to minister to others on behalf of God, and we are to go to God on behalf of others (known as intercessory prayer). Notice, we are to be “holy.” We must guard our hearts against sin. Ephesians 6:14 says to “put on the breastplate of righteousness.” A breastplate protects the heart. Are you protecting your heart from sin? A life of holiness is a life of impact.

Are you a person known for intercessory prayer? It’s a calling for every Christ follower. Paul writes later in Ephesians 6:18, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” We are to be holy “priests.” We are to be fervent in bringing others before God in prayer. Are you?