TEXT: Exodus 28:1-30

SUBJECT: Names Brought to God

This chapter describes the special clothing Aaron and his sons would wear as they served the Lord in the Tabernacle. With little knowledge of fashion—and none of sewing—it’s hard for me to picture just what the garments looked like.

But of two things I’m sure: There were epaulets up on the shoulders and there were jewels on the breastplate. The shoulder boards were made of onyx, a hard, dark, and shiny stony. On each stone Six Names were written. One side had Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan and Naphtali. The other side bore the names, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Do you recognize the names? They’re the sons of Jacob and the Fathers of Israel. Why were the names engraved on the shoulder boards? V.12 explains,

When the priest came into the Holy Place, he wasn’t coming alone! Symbolically, he was bringing the whole Nation to the Lord. Only one man stood before the Ark of the Covenant—only one man could, if anyone else tried to, he would be struck dead. But the one man represented his whole people.

The other garment was a breastplate. It was about nine inches square and beautifully woven of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread. Strung on to the threads were twelve gems, four to a row. The first row was sardius, topaz, and emerald. On the second row were turquoise, sapphire, and diamond. The third row had jacinth, agate, and amethyst. The fourth row held beryl, onyx, and jasper. Twelve precious stones—no two the same, yet all worn on the same breastplate. The jewels were also engraved—with the same names as before.

Why were the gems there? You know why,

Again, one man came to God, but he came bearing the names of his people.

The epaulets and the precious stones said something to Israel, something they needed to hear, something they couldn’t hear enough. But that’s not all they did. They not only spoke to Israel as to what is, but even more importantly, they spoke to them as to what is to come. The stones on the shoulders and over the heart were prophecies. They told Israel that, one day, Aaron and his priesthood would be replaced. That some day, the One Aaron could only point to, would Himself come. And do for them more than Aaron ever dreamed of doing.

The Man has come. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. And what Aaron wore on his shoulders and chest, He wears too. In bringing His Offering to God, Jesus Christ came with our names engraved on His heart.

What must you do to find acceptance with God? You must live a perfect life—doing everything He commands and nothing He forbids.

What must occur if you don’t live a perfect life? You must die an eternal death.

But no one here—or anywhere else—has lived a perfect life. Thus, everyone must die an infinite death.

Unless Someone has lived that life for us. And died that death.

Has anyone? Yes, He has. Jesus Christ offered a perfect life and an eternal death to God. And God accepted it—both for Christ and for every name written on His heart.

Is your name written there? Did He represent you? If you believe in Christ, it is, and He did.

Thank God for our Great High Priest!

Whose Offering we remember this morning, at the Lord’s Table.