Scripture Daily

Context No. 529 of 4322 · Exodus

Context · Reflection

Exodus 28:15-30: in context

15“You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it. 16It shall be square and folded double; a span shall be its length, and a span its width. 17You shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl shall be the first row; 18and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 19and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. 21The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. 22You shall make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 23You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24You shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 25The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart. 26You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward. 27You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod. 29Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. 30You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before the LORD continually.

This is part of the detailed design for the high priest's garments, and at its center is the breastplate of judgment, a square of fine cloth set with twelve precious stones, ruby and topaz and emerald and sapphire and the rest, each stone engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. It is beautiful, but the beauty is not the point. The point is stated twice, in almost the same words, so we will not miss it. Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel on the breastplate over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the LORD continually. The high priest, whenever he entered God's presence, carried the names of all the people on his heart.

Sit with that image, because it is one of the tenderest in the whole ceremonial law. The priest did not come before God alone, thinking of himself. He came bearing the people, each tribe named and engraved and worn over his heart, carrying them into the presence of God continually. Every time he went in, all of them went in with him, held close, remembered, presented before the LORD. Christians have long seen in this a picture of Christ, our great High Priest, who even now bears our names on his heart before the Father, never entering God's presence without carrying us with him, remembered and held there continually.

That is worth resting in, and worth imitating. First the comfort: whatever I feel about myself today, my name is engraved over the heart of the One who stands before God for me, carried into that presence continually, never forgotten. And then the pattern: do I carry anyone else on my heart into God's presence the way the high priest did, bringing the names of the people entrusted to me before God in prayer, or do I come to God thinking only of myself? Whose names am I bearing on my heart before the LORD, and whose name is being carried there for me?

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