Exodus 28:31-43 NKJV
31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. 33 And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die.
36 “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet:
HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
37 And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
39 “You shall skillfully weave the tunic of fine linen thread, you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the sash of woven work.
40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty. 41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests. 42 And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place, that they do not incur iniquity and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and his descendants after him.
A divine connection exists between the priestly garments and the tabernacle, both being from the Lord. The ephod (v 6), breastplate (v15), robe (v 31), turban (v 37), and the plate of pure gold (v 36) were made with the same materials used for the tabernacle (Ex. 26:1), inner veil (26:31), outer veil (26:36), and court veil (26:16). The attire of the priests had a direct association with the holy presence of the Lord.
Something very comforting to keep in mind when being drawn by God’s Gospel to partake of what He has to give in His beloved Divine Service is that from the very beginning of the Service — the Invocation (or calling down) of God’s name among us — we are, ever-importantly, being reminded of how we are to approach the One, true, and holy Lord. Namely, it is only by God’s doing through Holy baptism.
Hear how Valerious Herberger (a Lutheran theologian from the late 16th & early 17th centuries) draws out a deeper understanding of the garments given to us by God:
“Aaron had many beautiful, holy, and glorious garments. Only the garments of Your innocence cover and around me in the sight of Your heavenly Father. “You are clothed with majesty” (Ps. 93:1). You clothe us with the lambskins of Your merit (Gen. 3:21), that is, the garments of majesty, as they are called in the Chaldean Bible. Oh, divide Your clock with me, Lord Jesus, as St. Martin did with the poor man! “You are rich unto all who call upon You” (Rom. 10:12). Give me also the true, spiritual Sunday clothes and solemn garments, as Samson did his wedding guests (Judg. 14:19). I only have unclean, filthy garments. I confess the clock of my sins. You, however, have holy and majestic garments. I will take off the ugly coat of my sins. Cover me in Your beautiful garments; for You can cover and preserve every repentant heart unto eternal life. (The Great Works of God, Trans. Carver, pg. 465-6, Emmanuel Press)
Let us pray: O Lord, praise to You for perfectly covering us with Christ’s righteousness not just for Your divine service of us, but throughout our life within this new year. Amen.