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The ephod and robe worn by Aaron, the high priest, typify Christ in His expression of God’s glory and beauty in all that He did and in His care for the redeemed saints, the constituents of His glorious church.
In Hebrew the word ephod means “to bind, fasten, gird, or link.” As a part of the garments of the high priest, the ephod was used for fastening, girding, securing, or connecting. Two shoulder plates and one breastplate were fastened to the ephod; hence, they were also fastened, linked, girded, to the high priest. This signifies that Christ as the High Priest has the fastening power, the tying strength, and the binding ability. He ties, fastens, and binds us to Himself.
Exodus 28:5-6 says, “They therefore shall take the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet strands and the fine linen, and they shall make the ephod of gold thread, of blue and purple and scarlet strands, and fine twined linen, the work of a skillful workman.” This shows that the ephod was made primarily of gold woven together with fine linen. Gold here denotes gold thread. Gold was first beaten into thin plates and then cut into thread to be woven into the fine linen. The gold becoming thread and woven together with the linen portrays the process of Christ in all His sufferings. Gold signifies Christ’s divinity, and fine linen signifies Christ’s humanity. The weaving together of the gold and linen in the ephod typifies the divinity and humanity of Christ being mingled and woven together. They also typify that the glory of His divine and human nature is expressed through the glory and beauty of His divine attributes being lived out through His human virtues.
In the ephod blue, purple, and scarlet strands were also woven into the fine linen. Blue signifies heavenliness; purple, kingliness; and scarlet, redemption. Hence, in the ephod not only do we see Christ and His divine glory woven into His human beauty, but we also see His heavenliness, kingliness, and redemption. The life of the Lord Jesus on earth was an expression of God and man, an expression of divinity and humanity. In His living we see His heavenliness, kingliness, and redemption; we also see His divine glory and human beauty. Christ has the power to hold us and the strength to fasten us to Himself because He includes all these elements.
Exodus 28:9-10 says, “You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to their birth.” Verse 12 says, “You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah on his two shoulders for a memorial.” Two onyx stones were put upon the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, and the names of the twelve sons of Israel were engraved on the stones. The two onyx stones signify the believers in Christ. After regeneration, believers begin to possess the element of precious stones and enter into the process of transformation. With our natural being there is the aspect of God’s creation and the aspect of the fall. Whatever has its source in man’s fall will be removed, and whatever comes from God’s creation will be transformed. Hence, on the one hand, God is working on us to shake away and remove the fallen factor and, on the other hand, to uplift and transform the aspect of our being that is related to God’s creation so that we may become precious stones. Eventually, in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and the new earth, all the believers in Christ will be precious stones.
The two onyx stones were enclosed in settings of gold and then placed on the two shoulder pieces (vv. 11-12). The settings of gold signify how we are attached, fastened, and held to the Lord Jesus. The Hebrew words rendered “settings of gold” also mean “plaited work of gold, plaited settings of gold, filigree settings of gold.” These settings portray the Lord’s divinity after it has been processed, passing through many sufferings, which causes Him to be formed into a beautiful setting of gold to hold us as precious stones.
The two settings of gold were fastened to the shoulder pieces by two chains of gold (vv. 13-14). The chains of gold were made of pure gold twisted together as cords. This signifies that Christ in His divinity passed through a process to become a golden fastening cord.
Thus, the high priest bearing the two onyx stones fastened to the two shoulder pieces with the two settings of gold and the two gold chains typifies that Christ as God’s High Priest has the strength to bear God’s redeemed people before God. This strength comes from His divinity mingled with His humanity, which expresses God, man, and the Lord’s heavenliness, kingship, and redemption. Furthermore, the precious stones become a memorial in the sight of God (v. 12), that is, a memorial of the church set in Christ, a memorial of Christ holding the church, God’s redeemed people. This memorial will last for eternity.
The focus of the ephod is the breastplate. Hence, of the various items of the priestly garments, the first thing spoken of is the breastplate (v. 4). This indicates that the priestly garments are for the breastplate. The breastplate signifies that God’s redeemed people have been built together in Christ. The twelve precious stones, which signify all God’s redeemed people, being built together on the breastplate are a picture of the building of God’s people. The breastplate is also used for the manifestation of God’s will concerning His people. In the Old Testament age, the breastplate was the instrument and channel through which God spoke.
Verse 21 says, “The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each according to its name, for the twelve tribes.” The names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on the twelve stones signify the redeemed people of God. The stones are separate pieces, but they are not divided. Rather, they are incorporated together. Using a New Testament concept, the stones have been built together. The twelve stones are built together to become one entity, and the name of that entity is the breastplate. Hence, the breastplate typifies the church.
In the church the believers are distinct individuals, but they are not separated, individualistic, or divided. They have been built as one. Furthermore, the Lord does not bear each one individualistically; He bears one entity, the church, which is His Body.
The breastplate is called the breastplate of judgment (v. 15). The word judgment is related to judging. However, the judgment here is not mainly to determine right or wrong, that is, what is just or unjust. Instead, this judgment is related to God’s people knowing His leading. If we would know God’s leading, we must experience a great deal of judgment. Whatever is of the flesh, the self, the old man, and the world must be judged so that we may know God’s leading.
The breastplate functions as a heavenly, divine, and spiritual typewriter. Of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, eighteen were contained in the names of the twelve tribes inscribed on the twelve precious stones set on the breastplate. The remaining four letters were contained in the Thummim attached to the breastplate. Therefore, the breastplate contained all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In addition, the Urim was inserted underneath the twelve precious stones. In Hebrew the word Urim means “lights, illuminators.” The Urim had twelve illuminators, one to illuminate each piece of stone on the breastplate. Then the transparent precious stones could shine with light. When the Urim and the Thummim were added to the breastplate, they caused it to become the breastplate of judgment (v. 30). Through the breastplate with the Urim and the Thummim, the Lord’s leading could be obtained, and by the composition of a word or a sentence, the Lord’s leading was made known.
On the one hand, the breastplate typifies the church, and on the other hand, it makes known God’s leading. This indicates that today God reveals what we should do through the church, by the church, and with the church. If we do not know the church, we do not know the Lord’s leading. Actually, God’s leading and the church are one.
The robe is called the robe of the ephod because it was mainly for the ephod. Since the ephod denotes Christ with the church, the robe is for Christ with the church. In Isaiah 6:1 we see the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lofty, and His train filled the temple. The word train refers to the skirt of the Lord’s long robe. The Lord is so full that His skirt fills the temple, His dwelling place. This long robe signifies the expression of Christ’s virtues (cf. John 12:41). The Lord’s fullness is shown in all His virtues. In Revelation 1:13 the Lord Jesus has a garment reaching to the feet. This is a sign that the Lord’s virtues are so extensive that they become His fullness. Hence, the long robe signifies the individual and corporate Christ as God’s full expression. In this expression we have Christ and also the church joined to Christ.
According to Exodus 28:31 the robe of the ephod was all of blue. This indicates that the church is completely heavenly. In nature and position the church is not earthly but heavenly. John 3:7 indicates that we have been born from above. Therefore, even though we are on earth, we have been born from above, from heaven, and have a heavenly life with a heavenly nature.
Exodus 28:32 says, “There shall be an opening for the head in its center; around its opening there shall be a binding edge of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn.” This verse indicates that the opening with a border was like the opening of a coat of mail. This signifies power for fighting. Our robe is a priestly garment, but its opening is like a coat of mail. This indicates that while we are serving as priests, we are also fighting as warriors. Our ministering is a fighting.
Exodus 28:33-34 says, “You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet strands, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all around.” Verse 33 speaks of pomegranates and bells, and verse 34 of “a golden bell and a pomegranate.” As the garment was being made, the pomegranates came before the bells, but in function, the bells come before the pomegranates.
Since the skirt of the robe is a sign of fullness, and the fullness of Christ is the church, the pomegranates and bells on the hem must be related to the church. The pomegranates were made of linen, signifying humanity, and the bells were made of gold, signifying divinity. A ripe pomegranate with its seeds signifies the fullness of life. The church should be full of life in its humanity. This is the significance of pomegranates made of linen. Bells sound out warnings, and the golden bells signify that the speaking of the church must come out of divinity. The fullness of life is expressed in the church’s humanity, but the voice of warning is expressed in the church’s divinity.
The pomegranates and the bells were placed alternately. This indicates that the divine voice is closely related to the divine life. If we grow in life and eventually blossom in life, we will become pomegranates. Then we will give forth a divine sound so that others may be warned and regulated. In the church there is the beauty of life expressed in our humanity and the divine sounding from golden bells. These are signs of the proper church life.
The ephod and robe worn by Aaron, the high priest, typify Christ in His expression of God’s glory and beauty in all that He did and in His care for the redeemed saints, the constituents of His glorious church.
As a part of the garments of the high priest, the ephod was used for fastening, girding, securing, or connecting. It was made primarily by gold thread woven together with fine linen and by blue, purple, and scarlet strands woven into fine linen. This shows Christ and His divine glory woven into His human beauty, and it also shows that His human life on earth expressed His heavenliness, kingliness, and redemption so that He has the power to hold us and the strength to fasten us to Himself. Two onyx stones were put on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, and the names of the twelve sons of Israel were engraved on the stones. The breastplate was worn on the breast, and on the breastplate were twelve precious stones signifying the redeemed people of God built together to become one entity, which is the church. This signifies that Christ as God’s High Priest has the strength to bear God’s redeemed people before God and that He does not bear each one individualistically; rather, He bears one entity, the church, which is His Body. The breastplate is called the breastplate of judgment; as a heavenly, divine, and spiritual typewriter, it makes known God’s leading, word by word and sentence by sentence.
The robe is called the robe of the ephod because it was mainly for the ephod. Since the ephod denotes Christ with the church, the robe is for Christ with the church, and it signifies the individual and corporate Christ as God’s full expression. The color of the robe was all of blue, indicating that the church is completely heavenly. Its opening being like the opening of a coat of mail signifies power for fighting, and indicates that we are priests and warriors; our ministering is a fighting. Furthermore, on the hem of the robe all around were pomegranates and bells. This signifies that the church should be full of life in its humanity and that the speaking of the church must come out of its divinity. The fullness of life is expressed in the church’s humanity, but the voice of warning is expressed in the church’s divinity.
