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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Thou thyself, therefore, bring near unto thee–Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, that they may minister as priests unto me,–Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, sons of Aaron. |
His sons with him – There were 8,580 Levites, but only five priests sacrificing, which may illustrate the proportion of justified believers to self-sacrificing consecrated ones. T118, R443:1
After the establishment of the Kingdom the distinction between the Church and the larger company ot Levites will be perpetual. R5418:5
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| 2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother,–for glory and for beauty. |
Make holy garments – Symbolizing the heavenly grandeur, honors and glories of the Messiah during his reign. OV127:5
Clad in his robes of glory, the High Priest represented Messiah blessing mankind. PD36/47
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| 3 Thou thyself, therefore, shalt speak unto all the wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom,–and they shall make Aaron's garments, to hallow him for ministering as priest unto me. |
Spirit of wisdom – Fecundating their minds, energizing natural faculties without affecting them in any moral sense. E175[E175]
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| 4 These, therefore, are the garments which they shall make–a breastpiece, and an ephod, and a robe, and a tunic of checker work, a turban and a girdle,–so shall they make holy garments, for Aaron thy brother, and for his sons, for ministering as priests unto me. |
A breastplate – Type of the Law. T34
And an ephod – Type of the Abrahamic covenant (front part) and the New covenant (back part). T30
And a robe – Of blue, representing Christ's faithfulness. T30
A broidered coat – Of white linen, representing the High Priest's purity. It's embroidery showed works of grace. T29
A mitre – Of white linen (righteousness), to which the golden plate, or crown, (royalty) was fastened. T29
And a girdle – Indicating a righteous servant. T30
Make holy garments – Symbolizing the heavenly grandeur, honors and glories of Messiah during his reign. OV127:5
Clad in his robes of glory, the High Priest represented Messiah blessing mankind. PD36/47
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| 5 They themselves, therefore, shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple,–and the crimson, and the fine linen. |
Shall take gold – Representing the divine nature. T18, T20
And blue – Symbol of faithfulness. T30
And purple – Symbol of royalty. T34
And scarlet – Symbol of the blood of the ransom. T34, T109
And fine linen – Symbol of righteousness. T29, T30, T36
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| 6 And they shall make the ephod,–of gold, blue and purple, crimson and fine-twined linen, the work of a skilful weaver. |
Make the ephod – Type of the Abrahamic covenant (front part) and the New covenant (back part). T30
Of gold – Representing divine power. T34
Of blue – Representing the ability faithfully to maintain his righteous character. T34
And of purple – Proclaims the royal power of the Kingdom cooperating. T34
Of scarlet – Representing redemption from the Adamic curse through the blood of the ransom. T34
Fine twined linen – Indicating the restoration of man to his original purity. T34
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| 7 Two joining shoulderpieces, shall there be to it, upon the two extremities thereof, that it may be joined together. |
Two shoulder pieces – Golden clasps, representing divine power to enable Christ to carry out the terms of both covenants. T30
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| 8 And, the curious band for fastening it, that is upon it, like the work thereof, of the same, shall it be,–of gold, blue and purple and crimson, and fine-twined linen. |
The curious girdle – Representing a servant. "The messenger (servant) of the covenant whom ye delight in." (Mal. 3:1) T33
A servant of a "curious" or peculiar kind. R72:3
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| 9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones,–and engrave upon them, the names of the sons of Israel: |
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| 10 six of their names, on the one stone,–and, the names of the six that remain, on the second stone, according to their births: |
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| 11 with the work of a stone engraver, like seal-ring engravings, shalt thou engrave the two stones, after the names of the sons of Israel,–to be encircled with settings of gold, shalt thou make them. |
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| 12 And thou shalt put the two stones, upon the shoulderpieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial, for the sons of Israel,–so shall Aaron bear their names before Yahweh, upon his two shoulders, for a memorial. |
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| 13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold; |
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| 14 and two chains of pure gold, like cord, shalt thou make them, of wreathen work,–and thou shalt put the wreathen chains on the ouches. |
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| 15 And thou shalt make a breastpiece for giving sentence, the work of a skilful weaver, like the work of the ephod, shalt thou make it, of gold, blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine-twined linen, shalt thou make it. |
The breastplate – Type of the Law. T34
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| 16 Four-square, shall it be, double,–a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof. |
Being doubled – Representing the spirit and the letter of the Law. The front part, which bore the jewels, representing the spirit of the Law, fulfilled in us "who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." (Rom. 8:4) The back part representing T35; R72:4
Representing the Jewish and Gospel ages. R72:5
A span – Indicating that the Law of God is the full measure of a perfect man's ability. T35; R72:5
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| 17 And thou shalt set therein, a setting of stones, four rows of stones,–one row–a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald, the first row; |
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| 18 and, the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond; |
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| 19 and, the third row, an opal, an agate, and an amethyst; |
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| 20 and, the fourth row, a Tarshish stone, a sardonyx, and a jasper,–enclosed with gold, shall they be when they are set. |
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| 21 And, the stones, shall be, after the names of the sons of Israel–twelve, after their names,–as the engravings of a seal-ring–every one, after his name, shall they be, for the twelve tribes. |
And the stones – Representing the true Israel, the "Little Flock." "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." (Mal. 3:17) T36
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| 22 And thou shalt make, upon the breastpiece, chains like cords, of wreathen work,–of pure gold. |
Work of pure gold – Indicating that the Law is divine and that we are upheld by the golden chain of divine promises. T36
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| 23 And thou shalt make, upon the breastpiece, two rings of gold,–and thou shalt place the two rings, upon the two ends of the breastpiece. |
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| 24 And thou shalt hang the two wreathen chains of gold upon the two rings,–upon the ends of the breastpiece; |
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| 25 and, the other two ends of the two wreathen chains, shalt thou fasten upon the two ouches, so shalt thou hang them upon the shoulderpieces of the ephod, in the forefront thereof.
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| 26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastpiece–upon the border thereof, which is on the side of the ephod, inwards. |
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| 27 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and place them upon the two shoulderpieces of the ephod, beneath, on the front of the face thereof, over against its joining,–above the curious band of the ephod: |
The ephod underneath – As the Israelite regarded them, not seeing the hidden connection, the Abrahamic covenant and the Law were all one. T34
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| 28 that they may bind the breastpiece, by the rings thereof, unto the rings of the ephod, with a cord of blue, so that it may remain upon the curious band of the ephod,–and the breastpiece not be removed from of the ephod. |
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| 29 So shall Aaron bear the names of the sons of Israel, in the breastpiece for giving sentence, upon his heart, when he goeth into the holy place,–for a memorial before Yahweh, continually. |
Upon his heart – Showing the Law as a covering for his innermost affections. R72:4
"The Law of his God is in his heart." (Psa. 37:31) R72:4
Continually – That is, all through the year, except on the Atonement Day. R160:6*
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| 30 Thus shalt thou place, in the breastpiece for giving sentence, the lights and the perfections, so shall they be upon the heart of Aaron, when he goeth in before Yahweh,–so shall Aaron bear the sentence of the sons of Israel, upon his heart, before Yahweh, continually. |
Urim and the Thummim – Hard cases of judgment were, after Moses' death, brought directly to the Lord through the High Priest, the answer being Yes or No by the Urim and Thummim. A49
Working in some unknown way with the stones of the breastplate. R5042:4; Q697:2
Perhaps by particular stones on the breastplate shining with special brilliancy; perhaps light being Yes, and dark No; nothing definite. Q728:2
Upon Aaron's heart – Indicating that it was precious to him. That which condemned all imperfection was Christ's pleasure--" I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." (Psa. 40:8) T35
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| 31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod, wholly of blue; |
Of blue – Symbol of Christ's faithfulness. T30
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| 32 and the opening for his head shall be in the midst thereof,–a border, shall there be to the opening thereof round about, the work of a weaver, like the opening of a coat of mail, shall there be to it, it must not be rent. |
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| 33 And thou shalt make upon the skirts thereof, pomegranates of blue and purple and crimson, upon the skirts thereof, round about,–and bells of gold in the midst of them, round about: |
Shalt make pomegranates – Representing that the faithful performance of the Redeemer's work of sacrifice has borne rich fruits. T30
And bells of gold – Signifying that when our High Priest appears in glory the fruit of his sacrificial work will be proclaimed to all. T30
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| 34 a bell of gold, and a pomegranate, a bell of gold, and a pomegranate,–upon the skirts of the robe, round about. |
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| 35 And it shall be upon Aaron, for ministering,–so shall be heard the sound of him–when he goeth into the holy place, before Yahweh, and cometh out, and dieth not. |
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| 36 And thou shalt make a burnished plate, of pure gold,–and shalt engrave thereupon, like the engravings of a seal-ring, Holiness to Yahweh. |
Plate of pure gold – A crown proclaiming his royalty. Christ is to be "a priest upon his throne." (Zech. 6:13) T29
HOLINESS TO THE LORD – Thus proclaiming Christ's entire devotion to the accomplishment of Jehovah's purposes. T30
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| 37 And thou shalt put it upon a cord of blue, so shall it be upon the turban,–upon the forefront of the turban, shall it be. |
On a blue lace – Showing that the crown was rightfully his. T29
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| 38 So shall it be upon the forehead of Aaron, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the hallowed things, which the sons of Israel shall hallow, for all their hallowed gift,–and it shall be upon his forehead continually, that there may be acceptance for them, before Yahweh. |
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| 39 And thou shalt weave, in checker work, the tunic of fine linen, and shalt make a turban of fine linen,–and, a girdle, shalt thou make, the work of an embroiderer. |
Thou shalt embroider – The white linen coat represented Christ's purity, while its embroidery showed works of grace. T29
Make the mitre – White linen (righteousness), to which the golden plate or crown of royalty was fastened. T29
Make the girdle – Indicating a righteous servant. T30
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| 40 And, for the sons of Aaron, shalt thou make tunics, and shalt make for them girdles,–and, caps, shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. |
And for Aaron's sons – Representing the members of Christ's Body. T36
Make coats – Linen garments, representing the righteousness of Jesus imputed to his Body members. T36
For them girdles – Representing us as servants of righteousness. T36
And bonnets – To indicate that they were not the head of the priesthood, but merely members of the body. God gave Jesus "to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body." (Eph. 1:22, 23) T36; R72:6
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| 41 And thou shalt clothe therewith, Aaron thy brother, and his sons, with him,–and shalt anoint them, and install them, and hallow them, so shall they minister as priests unto me. |
Aaron ... and his sons – The anointing came upon Aaron only at first, but then upon each of his sons as they succeeded to the office of chief priest. F131; Q689:3
The High Priest was anointed with oil, which constituted the divine evidence of his call to the priestly office. SM598:2
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| 42 And thou shalt make for them, breeches of linen, to cover their unseemliness, from the loins even unto the thighs, shall they be; |
Linen – Symbol of righteousness. T29, T30, T36
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| 43 so shall they be upon Aaron and upon his sons, when they go into the tent of meeting, or when they approach unto the altar, to minister in the holy place, lest they bear iniquity, and die,–a statute age-abiding, to him, and to his seed after him. |
Unto the altar – The Golden Altar in the Holy represents the Church in the sacrificing condition. T120
Representing the privilege of worship and prayer. R5418:5
And die – Every feature had to be exactly performed because typical of important future events. To insure this the penalty for any violation was death. T12
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