In today’s YouTube video, you will hear Rudy use the term “Kohen” to describe the work of Aaron. I didn’t know until recently that “Kohen” simply means, in Hebrew, “priest.”
A priest is an administrator who acts as a mediator for a person. From this, it came to be employed chiefly in connection with priestly acts.
Before the priests could come before Jehovah, the Holy One, it was necessary that their unholiness should be covered over with holy clothes. These would be made by men endowed with wisdom, whom Jehovah had filled with a Spirit of wisdom.
“Then bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
“You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron (Exodus 28.1-2).
The Ephod
The duty of the high priest was to enter into the presence of God and make atonement for the people as their mediator. To show that as a mediator, he brought the nation to God, the names of the twelve tribes were engraved upon precious stones on the shoulders of the ephod.
“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, in the order of their birth” (Exodus 28.9-10).
The stones on the ephod reminded the high priest that the people belonged to God.
“You shall set 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 the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance” (Exodus 28.12).
In a particularly touching passage, God tells Isaiah that He will remember the people too.
Can a woman forget her nursing child
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these might forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
Rudy Ross believes, and I agree with him, that this passage in Isaiah refers to the ephod where God places His hands on the shoulders of the High Priest, and the stones of the ephod are imprinted in his palms.
Think About It
The clothing of the high priest was intricately woven and fashioned with great care. It was an incredible honor to wear the clothing and to represent the people before God.
In the Christian world, we believe that each believer is a priest before God. As we think about our priesthood, let’s consider what this clothing might mean to us in our spiritual lives.
(1) The ephod was made to help the high priest connect with God. Similarly, in our life with the Lord, we seek to connect with Him not through clothing, but through meditation, reflection, and prayer.
(2) The stones represented the tribes of Israel and were important for remembering the connection of the people to one another and God.
When we think about that, some people have come before us. We can remember with gratitude their wisdom and guidance.
As priests, we can carry the concerns of those in our lives before God through intercessory prayer.
(3) We may not wear special clothing, but when we put on humility, gratitude, faith, and love, we will draw closer to both God and other people.
(4) We also, as priests, carry the names of the people we care for on our shoulders and in our hearts. We are called to intercede for others and bring their concerns and needs in prayer before God.
The picture of names on the shoulders of the high priest should remind us of this responsibility and privilege that we have.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
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