Exodus 28:36-43: a reflection

36“You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘HOLY TO THE LORD.’ 37You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash. It shall be on the front of the sash. 38It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. 39You shall weave the tunic with fine linen. You shall make a turban of fine linen. You shall make a sash, the work of the embroiderer. 40“You shall make tunics for Aaron’s sons. You shall make sashes for them. You shall make headbands for them, for glory and for beauty. 41You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. 42You shall make them linen pants to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the waist even to the thighs. 43They shall be on Aaron and on his sons, when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, that they don’t bear iniquity, and die. This shall be a statute forever to him and to his offspring after him.

Among the priestly garments, God commands a plate of pure gold, engraved with the words HOLY TO THE LORD, to be fastened to the front of the high priest's turban, on his forehead. And the plate had a purpose: Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, so that the people's gifts and offerings may be accepted before the LORD. The high priest, marked as holy to the LORD, was to bear the guilt attaching to the people's worship, so that, despite their imperfection, they might be accepted before God.

Notice the two things the high priest did: he was marked HOLY TO THE LORD, and he bore the iniquity of the holy things, so the people would be accepted. Even the people's worship and offerings were tainted by sin; and the high priest, holy and set apart, bore that guilt on their behalf, so that their imperfect worship would still be received. He stood between the people and God, bearing what would have kept them from being accepted.

That pointed forward to Christ, our great High Priest. He is the one who is truly HOLY TO THE LORD, and he bears our iniquity, not the guilt of holy things only, but all our sin, so that we, imperfect as we are, might be accepted before God. Our worship, our service, our very best, is tainted by sin, and could not be accepted on its own; but Christ, our holy High Priest, bears our sin and makes us acceptable. And we, in turn, are called to be HOLY TO THE LORD, set apart for him. Rest in Christ, your High Priest, who is holy and bears your sin, so that you are accepted before God; and live as one who is holy to the LORD, set apart for him who made you acceptable at such cost.

Lord, the high priest wore HOLY TO THE LORD on his forehead and bore the iniquity of the holy things, so that the people's imperfect worship might be accepted before you. Thank you that this pointed to Christ, my great High Priest, who is truly holy to you and who bears my sin, so that I, imperfect as I am, might be accepted before you. My worship, my service, my very best, is tainted by sin and could not be accepted on its own; but Christ bears my sin and makes me acceptable. Let me rest in him, my holy High Priest, who bears my iniquity. And help me live as one who is holy to the LORD, set apart for you who made me acceptable at such cost. Thank you for the High Priest who bears my sin and makes me welcome before you.