Permanently Engraved

The Unity of God’s Instructions and the Call to Careful Study

Point. It should have become very apparent to each of us that every single piece of the instructions the entirety of God's message to Moses is interwoven and interconnected we began with the tabernacle and each piece of the tabernacle that we have studied and Each piece of the priestly clothing that scripture defines for us Are described and come together to this demonstrate the precise nature by which God revealed himself to the Israelites and how he revealed himself to us and Continually shows us his redemptive plan pointing us forward to.

Christ.

Briefly you may recall last week that as we began This conversation in in earnest and talked about the afad one of the statements that we find in earlier in chapter 28 is that the Clothing that was to be made for the priest and more specifically for the high priest was to be done.

And.

Manufactured for glory and for beauty. Now the reason that it is important that we continually remind ourself of of certain things such as this is because well.

As.

Creatures as people who are although we are Justified we are still yet sinners. And as sinners it is easy at times for us to become distracted and bored. And we often find as we read passages that we move from a position of Reading them and this tends to happen when it's a passage We don't understand or we think is just simply too repetitive.

And so we move from a practice of reading the passage to skimming Through the passage to to get through the material so that we can check off something on our to-do list for today. Versus digging in and studying and and reading for the purposes of Understanding the purpose of the text that God has placed before us We seem to think that.

It is.

Necessary and and that we are unnecessary and that we have seen all we need to see and so we move from here to a Place where we think it's more Exciting and maybe even more easy for us to comprehend. Oftentimes as we go through this exercise it results in the making of excuses.

Especially making excuses to ourselves sometimes. We make excuses to other people when they are asking us about our Bible reading and trying to help us be accountable. But but most of the time we we have these excuses that we use and we use them Internally, and so we even get to the point where we become biblical in our excuses, right?

We point to the the text in the word that that talks about how some things are just beyond our Comprehension and and so we we become very close friends with those texts and we want to bring them out and show them to everyone.

This is why I miss over it or don't continue reading it because I'm never going to understand it and so we skip To things that we think are easier.

For example.

Most folks would much rather read about Daniel in the lion's den or David confronting Goliath than they would to read through the tabernacle in the priestly clothing or or even the Genealogies that we find in scripture.

And they do so in a manner because they think that they understand what the passage is teaching them, but the problem is That by doing this they begin with the wrong frame of reference or the wrong standard.

Because they.

Begin from.

Here instead of in the beginning and So as we look at the Word of God the standard By which we determine the meaning of every text everything in our life We see that God's Word is built piece by piece word by word Defining for us who God is Demonstrating for us how he works and continually reminding us that he He is God alone that he is holy That all things exist.

For his.

Glory to understand these truths, however to grasp these realities.

We have to be willing.

To put forth.

The effort.

Faith Alone, Responsibility, and Diligent Work in the Word

One of the reasons that easy believism is such a popular truth is because it demands nothing from the individual. What we have said is that?

There is no.

Requirement.

Placed on a person who is saved. Now to be sure Scripture is very clear. That it is by faith alone In Christ alone that we are saved. However, what scripture teaches us beyond that point is that we have a.

Responsibility that comes out of.

That salvation Paul writing to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 15 said. Be diligent to present yourself Approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed Accurately handling the Word of Truth.

Now I want you to understand that this is not Paul Saying that we should have full and complete knowledge of everything That we will understand every jot and tittle what he is saying is that we are to be diligent.

Workmen.

That we are to seek understanding. Therefore Since we are called to be workmen Let us labor faithfully in His Word as we continue this morning. To know the glory and the beauty of the high priestly clothing.

Our text today and actually today and next week comes from Exodus chapter 28 verses 15 through 30. The reason we're going to split this up into two weeks is because at the very end of this passage in Verse 30 we are introduced to two objects that quite honestly deserve and require their own amount of time and so this morning we will focus on the breast piece and Next week we will talk about the omen and the thumb and the room and the thumb in.

So if you will, please rise as We read the inerrant infallible complete and authoritative sufficient Word of the Living God. We will begin again in Exodus chapter 28. The 15th and following to verse 30.

You shall make a breast piece of judgment the work of a skillful designer. Like the work of the aphod you shall make it of Gold of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. You shall make it it shall be square having been folded double a span in length and a span in width.

You shall mount on it four rows of stones. The first row shall be a row of ruby topaz and emerald the second row a turquoise a sapphire and a diamond and the third row adjacent an agate and an amethyst.

And the fourth row a barrel and an onyx and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. The stone shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel 12. According to their names. They shall be like the engravings of a segment each according to his name for the twelve tribes.

You shall make on the breast piece change of a twisted work of cords in pure gold. You shall make on the breast piece two rings of gold and you shall put two rings on the two ends of the breast piece.

You shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breast piece you shall put the two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings and you shall put them on the shoulder pieces of The afad at the front of it.

You shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breast piece on the edge of it Which is toward the inner side of the afad. You shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the shoulder pieces of the afad on the front of it Close to the place where it is joined above the skillfully woven band of the afad.

They shall bind the breast piece by its rank rings to the rings of the afad with a blue cord so that it will be skillfully woven so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the afad and That the breastplate breast piece will not come loose from the afad.

Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breast piece of judgment over his heart. When he comes into the holy place for a remembrance before Yahweh continually you shall put in the breast piece of judgment the Urim and the.

Thumbin and.

They shall be over Aaron's heart when he comes in before Yahweh and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before Yahweh continually. Father again, our heart is drawn out in thankfulness for your grace.

For the gift of Christ.

For the work of the Holy Spirit Father we are reminded of your grace and mercy. We Contemplate eternity in your presence. We see over and over again in our lives the continued provision that you have made.

Father we acknowledge the fact that you and you alone Have raised us from death to newness of life. Lord it is our desire not to seek the favor of men. For the favor of men fades and Is fleeting. Father your favor is eternal.

May we serve you In whatever ways that you require of us.

Regardless of the trials of.

Persecutions of tribulations that rise against us. Or may we Always remember that your grace is sufficient for our lives Lord that we acknowledge you in all things glorify you in all things and Desire nothing more than to make your way.

Our way.

Lord we pray that you in Christ settle us give us assurance and certainty That we are his and he is ours And that our hearts will be filled with joy and with peace. Lord we ask all of these things in the blessed name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Breastpiece, the Ephod, and the Colors of Christ

You may recall as we began our text last week. That there was a list of priestly clothing given to us in verse 4 of.

Exodus 28.

In that list the first item that is mentioned in regards to the clothing That he commands to be constructed is The breast piece. First four says. These are the garments which they shall make a breast piece and in a fad in a robe and a tunic of checkered work a turban and a sash.

And they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons in order for him to minister to me as priest. The fact that the breast piece is the very first item on the list actually reminds us of the significance of this particular article of clothing.

Now to be sure every article every piece is important but in in all reality these pieces serve as a backdrop or as an accentuation to this specific piece. To this breast piece as.

You.

Read or as we read. Hopefully you noted that the colors of this breast piece were to Again, be the same colors that we have continued to see as we worked our way through the tabernacle through the afad of the priestly clothing.

This this blue and scarlet and purple and.

Crimson.

And white Each time we have seen this same Arrangement Again reminding us continually of this unification between the tabernacle and the priesthood and and all of these things pointing us to Christ. The celestial blue again reminding us of of his heavenly origins.

The royal purple It reminds us of his sovereign kingship. Overall the bloody crimson Reminding us of his precious blood spilt on the cross for the sins of his people. And last but certainly by no means least the pure white linen reminding us of His purity and his perfection both as truly God and as truly man.

The purity and the perfection that it abled him to grant us. The righteousness that is required For us. That ensures our entry into the presence of the Almighty. That allows us access behind the veil into the Holy of Holies As the people of God redeemed for the glory of God.

And for our.

Good.

The Breastpiece as a Pouch and Its Secure Attachment to the Ephod

Oftentimes we will hear this breast piece referred to as a breastplate. Which is a a little bit misleading in that it this is not a piece of armor. It was not designed to protect the chest of the high priest.

It was fabricated of cloth and. As something fabricated of cloth, it was not made of metal. It was not going to offer very much in the way of protection. You may recall that last week as we were studying the aphod we briefly mentioned that the aphod and the breastplate in a best breast piece in most places in Scripture are listed as.

One.

Singular unit. The breast piece is described as being a square pouch. It's not a hundred percent clear from just a basic read of the text, but the function of the breast piece was Dual. It would serve as what we'll talk about today.

But it also served as a pouch that the urim and the thumb and were carried in. And so it was a nine inch roughly square pouch the the measurement that we have used here is a span and a Span for them was half a cubit or roughly the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip of your pinky when your hands are sprayed out like this, and so it would rest on the.

Chest of.

The high priest as it was fabricated it would be attached to the aphod in Such a way that it would not be able to come up off easily. Rings were fabricated made of solid gold Attached with gold chains that ran up to the filigreed shoulder Settings that we talked about last week that were on the aphod and so it it attached by chain from the Corners or from the shoulders of the priest down to the corners of the breast piece and then behind it.

There were another set of rings on the bottom and a set of rings on the aphod itself and then through that those rings were Past a blue cord that bound it securely. So securely in fact that in Exodus chapter 28 verse 28, we see that it says the breast piece will not come loose.

From the aphod.

This demonstrates again to us that this is a singular unit the aphod and the breast piece along with the onyx stones all function as One piece and as we'll see next week. This is Extrapolated out over all of Scripture as we see this Used multiple times in the life of history in the life of history in the life of the Israelites as Usual as we look through what is being described for us the instructions that are being given to us.

This is a type that is given here as as we see and we talk about this over and over again, but Every jot and tittle of Scripture is important. It's a necessary. It's there it carries weight. It carries meaning.

The press piece is certainly Not merely a simple piece of clothing to be worn In fact within the fabrication and the instructions regarding this piece are magnificent realities. To behold A .w. Pink writing a summary is helpful to us as he writes this there are at least at least five things Which serve as guides to help us ascertain the distinctive typical? Meaning of this part of the high priest dress.

So what pink is saying here is there are five things that begin to point us in the direction to understand what this is in its Entirety and the reality is is as we'll see next week as we talk about the the second half of this.

We cannot fully fathom the depths. But there is a great amount that we do know and do understand. First its name it is called the breastplate of judgment or breast piece of judgment verse 15. Second the twelve gems which are set upon it which are engraved with the names of Israel's twelve tribes.

Third It is inseparable from the afad that the breast piece be not loose from the afad Verse 28. Fourth the place where the breastplate was worn It was upon the high priest's heart and fifth the mysterious room and Thurman Which were placed in it?

Now next week we will see that the first and the fifth Item or thing that is on the pinks list here or Intricately related That the reason it's called the breast piece of judgment has to do primarily With the urim and Thurman, so we'll we will tackle all of that next week, but that leaves us With three additional things that we still need to discuss the gemstones the fact that it is inseparable from the if I and finally The location That the breast piece inhabits.

So as we read the text It should become abundantly clear As we study this even if it's just a cursory.

Study as.

We look at the detail which is given here in this passage. One of the things that first Just jumps off of the page to me at least is It over and over again in this passage now To be sure you need to be reminded that God has already told Moses multiple times That took to make exactly what he's telling them and showing them.

Remember as he was demonstrating or giving him the instructions for the tabernacle He repeatedly tells him to build it just as you have seen on the mountain. So we know that these things are commands of God just like in the instructions regarding the Creation of the Aphod.

We know that it is a command of God, but look at how God Works when he comes to the breast piece. Note the repetitive nature which we run into the fact that this is a command if you look here. Verse 15 you shall.

Verse 16 it shall. Verse 17 you shall. Verse 21. Verse 20 They shall. 21 The stones shall. 22 you shall. 23 you shall. 24 you shall. You get my picture. There is an in a Command that has been given by God, but but in this particular piece God is very Just just hammering the fact home to Moses that this thing is to be built with precision That is to be done exactly like he Describes as we look at the text.

It also becomes very obvious very quick that these 12 stones That are set on the breast piece or the central focus of What's happening? with the peace Few if you would just picture just just for a moment just Try and see this high priest standing before you.

A man's dressed predominantly in white except For from his shoulders to his thigh in that area. He would have these majestic colors of of blue and royal of purple and.

Crimson and.

White mixed in and gold fills the Area and in the midst of all of this There sits these 12 precious stones that are Placed over the heart of the high priest. That is he went about his priestly Duties he carried those stones Bearing them on his heart if you will before our God you may recall last week as we talked about the two onyx stones that set on the shoulders that they were engraved with the names of the sons of Israel.

And that they were positioned on the shoulders a place of strength and support. Here we have on the breast piece 12 stones each one carrying a singular name of a son of Israel each one placed in a position of Affection and so just as it is with the sons of Israel so it is with all of God's people Christ our High-priest bearing on his heart sustaining and presenting before God his blood vault People as we continue studying the text that surround the clothing of the high priest There's a theme that we must be aware of That continually we are brought back to the fact that all of this is being done Before God or in the presence of God now, here's a place where we need to Spend some time and develop our understanding.

The reason I say that is because in our Traditional church language in just the language of the church in general. It is not Uncommon to hear the term in God's presence. We talk about being in the presence of God all the time however, what I find in my life and I would imagine that in in many of our lives we find that the Our lives are filled with things that we talk about on a daily basis that we interact with on a daily basis that we absolutely 100 take for granted and I would argue that the presence of God is One of those things now, I want to be careful here because I want to articulate this in a way that it it helps that it that it in that it heightens that we understand how important this is in.

Our life.

Listen we all have things right? We have family. We have friends. We have food. We have water. We have clothing. We have shelter. Yet how often do we take these things? For granted it's interesting. Lisa and I have commented, you know over the years as as Lights have gone off, right?

And I'm old enough that there's been a massive change in how all that worked. Right when I was a kid You start hearing a thunderstorm. Everybody was quiet and You were told to be quiet. I don't know why but we were told to be quiet and over time that kind of slipped away and You know, you just dealt with it.

It was part of life lights go out. It's okay. It's no big deal. Now when the lights go out, we are concerned with how we're going to charge our phones. How we're going to keep the internet running how we're going to turn our TV on.

I Week and my biggest concern was getting a cup of coffee. Because the generator wouldn't run the Keurig and keep the refrigerator running at the same time. All of these things are things that we take for granted.

On a day in and day out Basis, however, I would argue that there is one thing That even as the people of God that we take for granted Way more than we do anything else. And that is the gift of the continual presence in the life of a believer of the Holy Spirit.

Let me see if I can put this in a Picture that you would understand take the Israelites.

The Israelites.

Were a people Who had been called out of the land Brought to where They were placed in slavery for 400 years Brought out of slavery brought out of bondage out of Egypt. And as they were brought out they were given a pillar of Cloud by day and fire by night to guide them.

Now in a sense God was ever present with them in this manner, but he was unapproachable. They could not enter into his.

Presence.

It could not simply bow their heads and go to him in prayer. It was only through the high priest only through an intermediary That they could enter into the presence of God. And you need to understand that even then they weren't physically entering.

The high priest was entering on their behalf. He was their representative just as Christ as our representative which allows us to now enter and have a personal conversation With God the Holy Spirit to indwell the life of a believer to in in give us the ability to Be obedient.

This is why the names being engraved on the stones Was such a big deal. Because here's what happened. This gave them personal.

Representation in.

Front of God. It began with the shoulders. The place of strength where all 12 tribes were listed together. Right. Two groups six on each shoulder. Then we come to the chest and on the chest. We have each individual tribe listed.

Douglas.

Stewart writes it this way already The reader is aware that the two onyx shoulder stones of the afad held the engraved names of the twelve tribes six to a shoulder stone. Now the reader learns that there would be yet another means of representing those twelve tribes this time by twelve individual Precious stones one for each tribe with the name of a single tribe engraved on a single stone.

By means of the combination of the shoulder stones and of the breast piece stones the Israelite tribes were represented both as groups and individually by the high priest. In that way both the entire family and The individual families were listed before God at all times of worship.

He goes on to explain that if you follow this psychologically to its logical conclusion What it ultimately speaks of is not just the Entirety of Israel being presented to God not just the families of Israel being presented to God, but the each individual Israelite being represented.

Not only Were they represented? But if you study the text Regarding the stones what you will see is that they were securely held. I want you to note for just a second the attention to detail That we find in this passage regarding attaching the breast piece to the afad.

There are if you will count.

One two three four five six seven verses. Dedicated to attaching this piece to the other piece to ensure as verse 28 concludes That it will not come loose from the afad. On top of this if you go back up to verse 20 and You look at the very end of verse 20 you read these words.

They shall be set in gold settings now. This is the twelve stones. The word that we translate settings there can also be translated as an.

Enclosure or.

Enclosing.

Meaning that they were not just.

Attached they literally were enclosed in such a way that they were securely held and Could not be separated from it. Now Why this? Absolutely demonstrates the continual presence of each individual Israelite in the presence of God.

It serves us today as a type because we remember we're not Israel. Not. This is real right. And so the type that it serves the the demonstration that it serves Points us to the eternal security of the individual believer upheld in the presence of the Father on the shoulders and in the heart of the.

Son.

A .W. Pink is helpful again. Their position meaning the Israelites their position or standing before God was neither affected nor altered by their changing circumstances Infirmities or sins. Wherever Aaron went into the holy place there on his heart were the names of all of God's people emphasizing this truth of security.

Note carefully how their names were not simply written upon so that their erasure was possible.

But engraved.

Into the stones. Still emphasizing the same thought notice also how each Jewel was secured to the breastplate in a golden setting that they shall be set in gold in their Enclosings that was the early translation.

Thus it was impossible for them to slip out of their place or for any one of them to be lost. Note to the provision made for firmly fixing the in place the breast piece itself. This is shown in verses 21 through 28 fastened by chains at the ends of wreathed in the work of pure gold and these were passed through two rings of Gold on their ends of the breast piece.

Thus the people of God as Represented by their names were literally chained to their high priest. You and I as a people of God are literally Chained to our great high priest. If you don't get anything else today that I say notice the Magnificent and the wonderful precious gift that we have been given.

To know that we are bound eternally Before the Father not by anything that we have done or will do but by the work of Christ. Listen the more that we see this the more that we understand this the less ordinary it will become and the more wonder all Amazement we will have as we recognize what it truly means to be in the presence of Almighty God, but we cannot Help but to also be captivated for a few moments.

By the listings of the stones that are used in the original text in the in the original language. It's it's it's interesting to know we cannot with 100 accurate Accuracy identify each of these stones or the colors now.

You'll note that the LSB that we read today gave us a list of stones. Most of those stones are probably familiar to you but that is not a 100 absolute. That's a best guess. But what's also interesting is that this listing is not just Arbitrary.

In fact as we read this listing hopefully it calls to mind Some other listings. First in Ezekiel chapter 28 verse 13 Ezekiel writes you were in Eden the Garden of God now. We all remember where Eden was right?

Hopefully. We all know what even one right. Y 'all wait, okay, we all know what Eden was. Ezekiel is writing to the people of God saying listen you weren't there. Every precious stone. Was your covering.

Listen to this list the ruby the topaz and the diamond the barrel of the onyx and the jasper the lapis lazuli the turquoise and the emerald and with the gold. The workmanship of your settings and sockets was in you on the day that you were created.

They were prepared. Then we go that's so that's one in right the the Garden of Eden is on one end. I understand Ezekiel's in the middle, but he's talking about the Garden of Eden, which is on one end of scripture.

We go all the way to the other end of scripture. And we read the following regarding revelations in Revelation chapter 21 verses 19 and 20 regarding New Jerusalem the foundation. Stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone.

The first foundation stone was Jasper the second sapphire the third Chalcedony the fourth emerald the fifth sardonyx the sixth Sardis the seventh chrysolite the eighth barrel the ninth topaz the tenth chrysophage the eleventh jacent the twelfth amethyst.

Philip Rankin is helpful here. He says nearly all the gemstones were found in the Garden of Eden and We will see them again in heaven where they decorate the foundations of God's city. This is a hint that what God was doing with Israel at the Tabernacle was a part of his plan for the world a plan that stretches from creation.

It's a glory. These gemstones represented the people of God. They were 12 stones one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel each stone engraved with the name of a tribe. This was a vivid reminder of what God said when his people first arrived at Mount Sinai.

Exodus 19 verse 5. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant then out of all nations You will be my treasured possession Although the whole earth is mine. You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

You and I sitting here today are that kingdom of priests. We are that holy nation. We are the treasured possession that is identified. God's promise was displayed in the presence of Israel on the breastpiece as The high priest went about his sacred duties Represented the holy nation of God's people a kingdom of priests.

By their inscriptions the ruby the topaz the emerald the other stones. Signified that these people were God's treasured. The gemstones declared that God that Israel was precious unto God. Now I don't know how many of you have ever had the privilege of seeing a raw uncut gemstone in person or a picture.

But they are not found in nature in the dazzlingly brilliant way in which we present them. They are if you will literally rough in fact diamonds and gemstones that are not cut polished or Said to be in the rough.

There's nothing natural in the gem that makes it worthy without something intervening much as there is nothing in the natural state of humanity. That makes it worthy without the intervention of.

Christ.

Both the gem and the human. Apart from the choosing of God or nothing spectacular or noteworthy The fact is the fact is that the worthiness and Excellency or shall we say righteousness That is imputed to both the gemstone through the process of cutting and polishing and the believer Through grace by faith in the finished work of Christ.

Is what makes it worthy? in the eyes of God. Theologian CH. Bright notes. Concerning each stone has been well said much very much of its beauty depends upon its cutting. Cut skillfully so as to reflect the rays of light from many sides it sparkles with a beauty quite unknown to its natural condition.

Thus to with believers Undoubtedly each one has some inherent characteristic difference. But only as the divine hand in much patient and skill cuts and Polishes the stone to catch and discover the colors of the divine light which illuminates it but that appear beautiful.

Its beauty is not its own. But it has been endowed with the capacity to appreciate and reflect the beauty of him who is light and love. And it is to reflect the beauties of the perfect one that we have been chosen that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through.

Christ Jesus.

So in that day of manifestation of the glory of his grace comes the nations Shall walk in his light these gems Residing on this breastpiece as we have already noted Are secured in a position That was over the heart but for just a couple of moments we need to Dive into that statement just a little deeper.

The reason we need to dive into that statement just a little deeper is if you'll notice in verses 28 or 29 and 30 the phrase over his heart is Repeated three times now we have not made a.

Secret of.

Announcing to you that anytime something in Scripture is repeated three times It is being elevated to a status that is noteworthy and so it requires a little more than a cursory Examination. Once again, AW pink is helpful.

This is What he writes. Lovely type was this of our Redeemer in his present heavenly ministry Exercising his power to uphold his poor people in his deep tender Unchangeable love embracing them binding them close to his heart and Presenting them to the father in the glory and preciousness of the splendor with which he is invested.

This is precious and oftentimes. We need to refresh ourselves by considering best the Apostle and high priest of our confession. There are times when we forget.

That.

We have one on high whom in grace cares for and watches over those who are treading the path of faith. He wants trod here on earth. And there are times when though we remember this we limit either his love or his power.

Precious then it is to be thus reminded that according to what he can do His love makes us willing to do. And according to what his affection is he hath strength to carry out. What it dictates. It is beautiful to note in the song of Solomon how the bride says to her beloved set me as a seal upon thine heart and a seal upon thine arm.

Let my name be engraven deeply in thine heart where love is strong as death. Which many waters cannot quench and the floods of the Almighty have not drowned. And let my name be also graven in the seed of thy power that I may be upheld from sin and folly.