Exodus 28:31-35: a reflection

31“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32It shall have a hole for the head in the middle of it. It shall have a binding of woven work around its hole, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn. 33On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, all around its hem; with bells of gold between and around them: 34a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35It shall be on Aaron to minister: and its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, that he not die.

Among the garments God appoints for the high priest is a robe hemmed with golden bells, so that its sound would be heard when he went in to the holy place before the LORD and when he came out. Its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out. The high priest entered God's presence on behalf of the people, ministering before the LORD for them; the sound of the bells marked his going in and coming out, his living ministry before God for the sake of the people. He stood between God and the people, representing them before God, ministering on their behalf. This whole ministry pointed forward to Christ, our great high priest, who has entered God's presence for us and lives to intercede on our behalf, not with the sound of bells but in his own person.

Notice what the high priest did, and what the bells marked: he ministered before God on behalf of the people. He did not enter God's presence for himself alone; he went in for the people, representing them before God, bearing their names, ministering on their behalf. The sound of the bells marked his living ministry before God for them. This was the heart of his office: to stand between God and the people, to represent them before God, to minister on their behalf. And all of it pointed to Christ, our great high priest, who has entered God's presence not on behalf of a nation only but for all his people, and who lives forever to intercede for us. What the high priest pictured, Christ fulfills: he ministers before God on our behalf, representing us, interceding for us, standing between us and God. The old priest's ministry was a shadow of Christ's.

That is worth resting in, for Christ, our great high priest, ministers before God on our behalf and intercedes for us. We can feel that we have no one to represent us before God, that we must approach him alone and unaided; but as the high priest ministered before God on behalf of the people, so Christ, our great high priest, has entered God's presence for us and lives to intercede on our behalf. We do not stand before God alone; Christ represents us, ministers for us, intercedes for us. When you feel you have no one to plead for you before God, remember that Christ, our great high priest, ministers before God on your behalf. Rest in Christ, our great high priest, who ministers before God on our behalf and lives to intercede for us, as the high priest of old went in to minister before the LORD for the people; for we do not approach God alone and unaided, but have in Christ a high priest who has entered God's presence for us, who represents us and intercedes for us, standing between us and God on our behalf.

Lord, among the garments you appoint for the high priest is a robe hemmed with golden bells, so that its sound would be heard when he went in to the holy place before you and when he came out. Its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out. The high priest entered your presence on behalf of the people, ministering before you for them; the sound of the bells marked his going in and coming out, his living ministry before you for the sake of the people. He stood between you and the people, representing them before you. This whole ministry pointed forward to Christ, our great high priest, who has entered your presence for us and lives to intercede on our behalf. Show me what the high priest did, and what the bells marked: he ministered before you on behalf of the people. He did not enter your presence for himself alone; he went in for the people, representing them, bearing their names, ministering on their behalf. This was the heart of his office. And all of it pointed to Christ, our great high priest, who lives forever to intercede for us. What the high priest pictured, Christ fulfills. Let me rest in that, for Christ, our great high priest, ministers before you on our behalf and intercedes for us. I can feel that I have no one to represent me before you, that I must approach you alone and unaided; but as the high priest ministered before you for the people, so Christ has entered your presence for us and lives to intercede on our behalf. I do not stand before you alone; Christ represents me, intercedes for me. When I feel I have no one to plead for me before you, help me remember that Christ, our great high priest, ministers before you on my behalf, Lord, and lives to intercede for me.