This morning I finished up Exodus. All the parts of the tabernacle have been constructed and fashioned, assembled, and are ready for occupancy . . . and the glory of God finds a home among His people (Ex. 40:34-35). In addition, the high priest’s garments are completed . . . ready for Aaron to wear in order to do his job as the one who would bring the offerings of the people to God, the one who would minister in the holy place. And it’s here that I paused . . . one piece of apparel catching my attention.

The high priest was to wear a headband over his turban. It was a type of crown . . . made of pure gold . . . and engraved upon it was “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” (Ex.39:30). How come? It’s explained earlier in Exodus . . . “It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD” (Ex. 28:38).

Aaron, in type, was to be “holiness to the Lord.” The people couldn’t approach God . . . their sin-stained hands prevented them from entering into the Holy of Holies . . . their guilt precluded them from drawing near to Most Holy God . . . thus, they needed a priest. He was to be their “go between” . . . He was to be their “holiness to the Lord.”

And you don’t chew on this very long before the praise starts to rise . . . giving glory to our High Priest . . . who truly is our “Holiness to the Lord!” Not because He wears a headband . . . but because He is Holy! He doesn’t need a symbol on His head to be our representative before Most Holy God . . . He is holy . . . and having born our sin and guilt, presents us as holy before the majestic throne of God. “Therefore [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself” (Heb. 7:25-27).

That’s what I needed . . . someone to be my holiness to the Lord. And that’s my Jesus . . . Hallelujah, what a Savior!

And now that access has been made for all who believe . . . now that the veil has been rent . . . now that I bear the imputed holiness of the spotless, perfect Lamb of God through faith . . . now that I have been called out to be “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2:5) . . . I too, am to be holy, for He is holy (1Peter 1:15-16). I wear a kind of headband myself, the righteousness and holiness of Christ, as I boldly approach the throne of grace . . . but I am also called to yield to the Spirit’s sanctifying work in my life that I might, in reality, reflect that holiness more and more. It’s not going to be perfection this side of heaven . . . but there should be progress. As I’m conformed to the image of Christ, His holiness should reflect itself more and more in this jar of clay.

Oh, that by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I might be more and more, holiness to the Lord . . . for His glory . . . amen.