March 17

Exodus 28 The sun was shining mightily as I waited in the driveway behind the back hedge on that beautiful June noon. It was the perfect temperature for an outdoor wedding. It was past the starting time, but I could wait. Soon my bride would be exiting the front door, circling around the opposite side of side of the house and walking down the aisle created by the columns of folding chairs in the back yard. I did not know it at the time, but her dress wasn’t quite finished. We had long passed the start time because my bride was literally having her dress sewn up in the back—some last minute technical difficulties. Eventually the flautist began playing Ode to Joy! That was her cue. She was absolutely stunning as she rounded the corner and came down the aisle. Arrayed in her beautiful white dress, she had set herself apart just for me, and I delighted in her. We all know the routine. We have each been to many weddings. But what would you think if the bride showed up in filthy clothing? It is unthinkable. The High Priest of Israel was the representative of the people before God. His clothing was to represent the clothing of a nation as she is presented to her husband, the Almighty God. Is it any wonder that the Lord takes special interest in describing the creation of the High Priest’s vestments? A.W. Pink in his commentary Gleanings in Exodus takes great pains to explain the minutia of these vestments. But what I find of particular interest is verses 36-38 (and Pink does not even address it): You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. To be holy is to be separate. It is to be set apart for a special purpose. A bride sets herself apart just for her groom. A groom sets himself apart just for his bride. They are set apart for each other. The High Priest was the representative of Israel, the Lord’s bride. He was holy to the Lord. He was set apart for the Lord. Aaron was to wear the gold plate which said, “Holiness to the Lord.” He was to wear it upon his forehead. Now here is an interesting phrase, “. . . That Aaron my bear the iniquity of the holy things. . .” Now there is an oxymoron! The most basic meaning of the word translated ‘iniquity’ is twisted. It is not far from the meaning of what we might say when someone does something that we feel is really perverted. We might say, “Now that’s twisted!” Can you imagine a bride who was a prostitute coming down the aisle dressed in the scanty clothing of her profession, soliciting all the men on her way to meet her groom and offering herself to them as soon as the ceremony was over? It is unthinkable! You are probably thinking, “You are twisted for even thinking that.” When I think of the phrase ‘bear the iniquity of the holy things,’ that is the word picture that comes to mind. You are probably thinking, “You are twisted! There ought to be a special punishment for you.” It is interesting that in the Hebrew language the idea of iniquity and punishment are barely separated. Sometimes the word translated as iniquity is translated as punishment How is it that Aaron could bear the iniquity of the holy things? Perhaps looking at a different translation might help us understand this oxymoron. Listen to how the New American Bible translates it, “. . .Since Aaron bears whatever guilt the Israelites may incur in consecrating any of their sacred gifts, this plate must always be over his forehead, so that they may find favor with the LORD.” The high priest bears the awful twistedness of the people, yet because of the work of the Lord, as he bears that plate, the people find favor with God. It is as if you and I were the harlots dancing down the aisle to be wed with God, prostituting ourselves with everything along the way, but because of the work of the high priest, we are seen by God to be holy and chaste and pure as a bride ought to be! Remember the book of Hebrews tells us that the things recorded in Exodus are only shadows of the reality found in heaven. The reality is that Jesus is our High Priest. The reality is that He knows my twistedness. The reality is that He bore my twistedness to the cross. The reality is that upon the cross He bore the punishment for my twistedness. The reality is that upon His head hangs the plate inscribed, “Holiness to the Lord!” The reality is that as I am united with Him, God no longer sees me as a prostitute selling myself to every god that comes along. The reality is that as I am united with Him, the death He died for my sin, I die. The reality is that as I am united with Him, the resurrection which He experienced, I experience. The reality is that as I am untied with Him, God declares me holy. He no longer sees me as a slutty prostitute but as His radiant and spotless bride. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john