This morning’s interaction with God’s word was one of those that provides a taste of something precious . . . but you know there’s a lot more to the meal. It’s one of those encounters that you know you should come back to . . . should take some time and follow up on . . . should dig deeper into . . . but, at least for me, rarely do. For now though, I’ll just savor and enjoy whatever inkling of insight I think I’m getting about the amazing interaction of the high priest and the holy place. The phrase that caught my attention this morning in Exodus 28 . . . repeated 4 times . . . is “Aaron shall bear.”

. . . And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. . . . So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD. . . . Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly. . . . 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.   (Exodus 28:12, 29, 30, 38 ESV)

I’m continuing to read the LORD’s instruction to Moses concerning the building and operation of the tabernacle . . . the place were God desires to “meet with His people” (29:43) . . . the place where He determines to dwell among the people . . . and be their God . . . that they might know that He is the LORD their God . . . the God of their deliverance . . . that He might dwell among them (29:45). And key to the operation of the tabernacle . . . key to God’s dwelling among the people . . . is the role of the high priest. And key to the high priest doing what the high priest does, is the make up and fashioning of his priestly garments . . . laid out in detail in Exodus 28.

And apart from understanding anything else, I get that, through these priestly garment, the high priest was “to bear”. To bear the names of the God’s people on his shoulders for remembrance . . . to lift up their names, which he carried over his heart, when he went into the Holy Place . . . to carry on himself the petition for God’s judgment, for the LORD’s will, as it concerned the leading of His people . . . to take away any guilt from the imperfection of the people’s holy offerings and gifts. If I pick up on nothing else, it is that the high priest was integral to God’s dwelling among His people . . . foundational to the people being represented in the Holy Place of God’s glory.

And that’s enough to trigger thanksgiving . . . sufficient to ignite a pilot light of praise . . . enough fuel to fan the flame of worship . . .

I may not get all the symbolism of the priestly garment . . . but what I get is that whether it’s the two stones, engraved with the names of the sons of Israel, on the shoulder pieces . . . or the twelve jewels, each bearing a name of one of the twelve tribes, on the breastpiece . . . or the turban, with “Holy to the LORD’ inscribed upon it, set upon the forehead . . . it reveals that the people of God are brought into the presence of God through the high priest of God. And, thanks be to God . . . glory be to His Son . . . I have such a High Priest . . .

“We have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God . . . let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:14-15). “He is a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God . . . making full atonement for the sins of the people” (Heb. 3:17). “He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:24-25). Praise God! . . . “we have such a High Priest, One who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a Minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man” (Heb. 8:1-2).

Thank You, Jesus . . . for cleansing me by Your blood . . . for making a way for me to enter the Holy of Holies . . . for bearing me before the Throne.

To You alone be all glory . . . amen!