Priestly Garments

“Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful.”

Exodus 28:2

Exodus 28 focuses upon the “uniform” of the priests in the Tabernacle, especially the high priest, who was Moses’ brother Aaron. His sacred garments were to be “glorious and beautiful” (28:2), made by divinely inspired craftsmen (28:3). Thus Aaron would be clearly set apart for his priestly service of representing the people in their sacrifices and representing the Lord as he made his will for Israel known through the high priest.

As Christians, we have a unique high priest, Jesus Christ. As it says in Hebrews 7:26-27, “He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. . . . Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.” Ironically, Jesus fulfilled his high priestly function, not in lavish priestly garments, but naked, as he hung on the cross. What set him apart as the once-for-all high priest was not his glorious appearance, but rather his glorious, sacrificial love.

We, who follow Jesus, as his disciples have been called into his priestly ministry (1 Pet. 2:9). Of course, we do not offer our lives on a cross, literally. But we do offer our lives in sacrificial service to the Lord, and to others in his name. Our priestly garments are also not literal. Rather, like Jesus, we clothe ourselves with love when we serve as his priests (see Col. 3:14). One might even say that we are to “put on” Jesus when we minister in his name (see Rom. 13:14). People will know that we are disciples of Jesus and therefore priests of God if we love just as Jesus loved (John 13:35).

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you ever think of yourself as a priest of God? When? Why or why not? How would you describe your priestly garments?

PRAYER: Holy God, what an honor to be one of your priests. Thank you for calling me into the priesthood of all believers, for giving me the opportunity to represent you in this world.

Help me, dear Lord, to be a faithful priest in all I do and say. In particular, may I put on love as my sacred garment, even as you once did as the great high priest and once-for-all sacrifice. May I live my life in this world in such a loving fashion that people may know that I am one of your priests, and may you be glorified through me. Amen.