Urim and Thummim signify light and integrity. What comfort is this to us in all our addresses to God! The Urim and Thummim, by which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, were put in this breastplate. He not only bears them up in his arms with almighty strength, but he carries them in his bosom with tender affection. The high priest had the names of the tribes, both on his shoulders and on his breast, which reminds us of the power and the love with which our Lord Jesus pleads for those that are his. How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was as a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest thus are all the saints dear to Christ, however men esteem them. The name of each tribe was graven in a precious stone, fixed in the breastplate, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable. The chief ornament of the high priest, was the breastplate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously worked. The golden bells on this ephod, by their preciousness and pleasant sound, well represent the good profession that the saints make, and the pomegranates the fruit they bring forth. As Christ's coat had no seam, but was woven from the top throughout, so it was with the ephod. Thus Christ, our High Priest, presents his people before the Lord for a memorial. The shoulder-pieces were buttoned together with precious stones set in gold, one on each shoulder, on which were engraven the names of the children of Israel. It was a short coat without sleeves, fastened close to the body with a girdle. This richly-wrought ephod was the outmost garment of the high priest plain linen ephods were worn by the inferior priests. But our adorning under the gospel, is not to be of gold and costly array, but the garments of salvation, the robe of righteousness. They also typified the glory of the Divine majesty, and the beauty of complete holiness, which rendered Jesus Christ the great High Priest. The holy garments not only distinguished the priests from the people, but were emblems of that holy conduct which should ever be the glory and beauty, the mark of the ministers of religion, without which their persons and ministrations will be had in contempt. Hitherto the heads of families were the priests, and offered sacrifices but now this office was confined to the family of Aaron only and so continued till the gospel dispensation. (15-30) The robe of the ephod, The plate of the mitre. (6-14) The breastplate, The Urim and Thummim. Aaron and his sons set apart for the priest's office, Their garments.
0 kommentar(er)
