from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 
(Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents
 

 

Lesson 47

Exodus 39:1-31: The Holy Garments

The Story

Primary and Junior

We have learned about the beautiful tabernacle. There must be priests to take care of the tabernacle and to offer the sacrifices and burn the incense and trim the lamps and to do many other things connected with the worship. Aaron and his sons were appointed by the Lord, and Aaron himself should be the high priest. (What can you tell me about Aaron?) Holy garments must be made for the priests to wear while they were doing their holy duties, "for glory and for beauty," and special garments for the high priest more than for the rest. In many ways the garments were like what Eastern people wear today.

The garments for all the priests (Exod. 28:39-43; 39:27-29) were four. (1) A long close-fitting shirt of linen (or cotton or possibly silk) reaching to the feet, with sleeves. This is called the "coat" in our translation. It was woven in one piece and in a checkered pattern of different colors. (2) Short drawers or breeches of linen. (3) Something which if we should see it stretched out we should call a shawl or large scarf of embroidered linen. It was wound around the body as a "girdle," the end hanging to the feet or thrown over the shoulder. (4) A turban, called the "mitre," which was of linen wound around a little tight-fitting linen cap called the "bonnet." The priests were barefoot at their service.

Besides these simple garments which all the priests wore, there were four other beautiful garments for the high priest. These were (1) the "robe," which was woven without seam; it was of blue (though we should call the color purple, and what is called purple in our lesson, we perhaps should call crimson). It was embroidered with colors and gold. (Read Exod. 39:3.) The robe had no sleeves, but only holes for the neck and arms. The hole for the neck was bound about very strongly, that it should not be rent. The robe reached nearly to the feet and a border was made about its lower edge with pomegranates of embroidered work, probably like tassels, and between the pomegranates little bells of gold which tinkled as Aaron went in and out from the tabernacle.

(2) The "ephod" was a kind of vest, made of bright colors and embroidered with gold, opening not in front but at the sides. The front and back were fastened together by shoulder pieces in which were set two onyx stones engraved with the names of the children of Israel, six names on each stone. Also a beautiful band secured the ephod at the waist.

(3) The breastplate was fastened upon the front of the ephod. It was, like the ephod, of linen in bright colors and embroidered with gold. It was made double. It was square, a span each way (the length from the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb when the hand is spread out, about eight inches). In the breastplate were placed twelve precious stones in four rows, three in a row, each in a gold setting and each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. The stones in the first row were of warm, fiery colors, those in the second row were of cooler colors; the third row was again warmer like the first, and the fourth row cooler like the second. There were rings of gold upon the breastplate which were fastened by chains of gold and by a "lace of blue" to gold clasps and rings in the shoulder pieces of the ephod; and the breastplate was never loosened from the ephod.

(4) There was also on Aaron's turban something more than the other priests wore. It was a plate of pure gold, on which were the words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD." This was fastened to the turban by a "lace of blue."

The words Urim and Thummim are used in speaking of the precious stones of the breastplate, which mean "shining fire" and "resplendence." For when Aaron wore the breastplate and went into the tabernacle before the veil and asked questions of the Lord, answers were given by the flashing of lights and colors from the gems, which were sometimes interpreted to him by a voice. (A. 9905; S. 44; T. 218; E. 431, 717) These were the holy garments made "for glory and for beauty."

Let us recite or read together Ps. 133.

1. Who were anointed priests for the children of Israel? Who was high priest?

2. What beautiful garments were made for Aaron more than for the other priests?

3. What was heard when Aaron went in and out from the tabernacle?

4. What was seen when he asked questions of the Lord in the tabernacle?

Spiritual Study

Intermediate

Think of garments that are mentioned in other places in the Bible. A Psalm speaks of the ointment going down to the skirt of Aaron's garment. (Ps. 133) The "coat of many colors" which Jacob made for Joseph is called by the same name as the priests' inner garment. (Gen. 37:3) The little coat which Samuel's mother made and brought him from year to year is called by the same name as Aaron's outer robe. Samuel was also girded with a linen ephod. (1 Sam. 2:18-19) We remember too the Lord's garments, which brought healing to the sick, and which the soldiers divided at the cross. (John 19:23)

The Lord's garments represent the outward things of His life which clothed His Divinity to people, especially the forms of truth in which He expressed His love. When we know that Joseph and Samuel and Aaron as the high priests represent the Lord, we see that their beautiful garments also represent the truth in which the Lord has clothed His love, such as we have in the Holy Word. And now you see why there were inner garments and outer garments, chiefly three, the coat, the robe, and the ephod; for there are inner and outer meanings in the Word; in general three, the inmost meaning, the middle meaning, and the outer, literal meaning. (A. 9822-9826)

And now again we see what our breastplate is, and how the Lord gives us answers through it. The breastplate was the outmost garment of all and really a part of the ephod. It is then like the letter of the Word; and the gems in the breastplate are the holy truth in the letter of the Word, which like little windows are transparent to the Lord's love and wisdom within. Some holy truths of the Word are more warm and glowing in color, some more cool. For example, here is a holy truth from the Word, a fixed, hard gem, "The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His work." What is its color? It is warm with love, perhaps red like the gems in the first row of the breastplate. "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God," is another gem, but cool in color, like the stones of the second row. (A. 9864-9872) We too receive answers in the stones of the breastplate if we look into the holy truths of the Lord's Word to learn of His goodness and of our duty.

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