You, Too, are a Special Priest!

In Exodus 28 we read about the elaborate garments which God directed to be made for Aaron and his sons to wear as priests. You might wonder what this has to do with our lives. After all, no special literal clothing is commanded for Christians in the New Testament.

The priesthood of Aaron and his sons, and the special clothes they wore, serve as a foreshadowing of a far greater priesthood. Jesus became the ultimate High Priest. He is far greater than all the Old Testament priests. This is discussed in detail throughout the book of Hebrews. So all the beauty and splendor of Aaron’s priesthood is merely a dim reflection of the glorious and eternal priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amazingly, the Old Testament priests, with all their special garments, also point to your priesthood if you are a Christian. Speaking to Christians, Peter writes:

But you are a chosen people,

 a royal priesthood,

 a holy nation, God's special possession,

 that you may declare the praises of him

 who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Pet. 2:9 NIV)

Wow! With this encouraging truth in mind, let’s think about how some of the special garments prepared for the Old Testament priests as described in Exodus 28 apply to us.

Three Ways Aaron’s Priestly Garments Point to Our Own

1. Putting on Extravagant Clothing

Aaron was required to put on his special garments when he served as priest. His garments were made of expensive fabric, and included gold and jewels. We have far more amazing “garments” we are called to wear every day:

NIV Ephesians 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

NIV Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Our priestly garments include righteous lives, holiness in Christ, the “armor of light”, and our relationship and identity in Christ Jesus. Considering this, you can see that the extravagance of Aaron’s robes and breastplate were mere symbols of the much greater priestly garments we are called to wear as Christians.

2.  Wearing the Names of God’s People

The names of the tribes of Israel were engraved on stones that Aaron wore. This identified Aaron as part of God’s people. It also pointed to the fact that Aaron interceded for all God’s people.

Praise God, those of us who have been saved by faith in God have now been included in God’s people:

NIV Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household,

 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Also, we are now called to intercede on behalf of all God’s people:

NIV Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

While we are called to pray for all believers, it is also the case that God often places the names of specific people on our heart so that we can struggle for them in prayer. This includes praying for other believers and also for those who are not yet saved.

3. Sealed by the Spirit

Aaron wore an engraved golden plate on his head indicating that he was sealed as “Holy to the Lord”.

You have a seal, too! Your seal is not a mere external plate of gold. It is far more precious and powerful:

NIV Ephesias 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-- to the praise of his glory.

Conclusion

We are all priests. We have been cleansed with the blood of Christ. We are anointed by the Holy Spirit for ministry. We are called to serve God. We are called to intercede for others.

All of the Old Testament points forward to Christ and to all God does in Christ in our lives. Sometimes we can easily see how this is true, and sometimes we can’t. But even when we don’t immediately see it, the history, stories, laws, descriptions, poetry, and prophecies of the Old Testament will fill our mind with images and truth that will help us over time to both feel more deeply and understand more clearly God’s great love for us and the great work He is doing in and through us.

Keep reading!

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .