Exodus Chapter Twenty-Eight
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Exodus Chapter Twenty - Eight Overview of Exodus Chapter 28 In Exodus chapters 26 and 27, the Lord gave Moses instructions with regards to the construction of the tabernacle and its furniture. Now in Exodus chapter 28, He gives Moses instructions concerni ng the attire of the priests and specifically those connected to the high priesthood rather than the Levitical priesthood which would come later. Both of which would officiate in the tabernacle on behalf of the Lord and the Israelites. These priests would minister in the tabernacle in several different ways: (1) burning incense on the golden altar twice daily. (2) maintain the lampstand (Numbers 18:3) (3) maintain the table of showbread (Numbers 18:3) (4) maintain and offer sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering (Leviticus 9) (5) bless the people (6) presid e over civil cases (Numbers 5:5 - 31; Deuteronomy 19:17; 21:5) (7) instruct the Israelites in the Law (Deuteronomy 17:9, 11; 33:8, 10). (8) give encouragement in time of war (Deuteronomy 20:2 - 4). (8) f unc tion in the Holy Place (Exodus 30:7 - 10). (9) c eremonially inspect unclean persons (Lev iticus 13 ; 1 4). (10) c ollect taxes from the people (tithes) (Num bers 18:21, 26 ; Hebrews 7:5). So Exodus 28 concerns itself exclusively with the sacred clothing of the high priest, which would be at this time in the narrative, Aaron and his successors who were from the tribe of Levi. These priests from the tribe of Levi would officiate over the offerings described in Leviticus 1 - 7 . The Levitical priests were: (1) Commis sioned by God (2) Separated unto God (3) Allowed to come near (Numbers 16:5). The Lord gave t hem a perpetual priesthood (Numbers 18:1, 8). The priesthood began with Aaron (the brother of Moses) and was to be carried on by his natural sons (Ex odus 28:1). I f you had any defects, you were disqualified from the priesthood and excluded from service in the Tabernacle of the Temple (Lev iticus 21:17 - 23). The Levitical priests were to be supported by Israel: (1) They received certain portions of the sacrificial of ferings (Numbers 18:8 - 14). (2) They received one tenth of one regular tithe that Israel paid (Num bers 18:21 - 28; cf. Lev iticus 27:30 - 33). (3) 1 3 cities were assigned to them (Josh. 21:13 - 19). (4) A special tithe we nt to them every third year (Deuteronomy 14 :27 - 29; 26:12). (5) They were also given the redemption money for the firstborn in Israel (Leviticus 27). (6) The priests received a percentage of the booty of war (Num bers 31:25 - 27). (7) They also received a portion of the showbread (Levticus 24:5 - 9). God has chosen the entire nation of Israel to be priests (Exodus 19:5 - 6). B ut when the nation failed, the Levites who backed up Moses (Exodus 26 - 28), were commi ssioned for the priesthood (Numbers 3:5 - 9). 2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 The way the high priest and the priests dressed was no different from the regular citizens of Israel. The only time they dressed different from the rest of the people was when they were officiating over a ceremony (Exodus 28). The most important day of the year for the high pries t was the Day of Atonement (Le viticus 16 ). He wore his ceremonial robes and entered the Tabernacle. He sprinkled the blood of the bullock of the sin offering for himself over the top of the mercy seat (Lev iticus 16:6, 14). If he came out of the Holy of Holies alive, he was assured of another year as priest. He reentered the Holy of Holies a seco nd time with the blood of the goat of the sin offering for the people to atone for them also. His return to the Israelites signified that he had obtained a pardon for the nation of Israel. The p eople were spared (Lev iticus 16:30). The priesthood was reorganized under David because of a population explosion. T here were 24 orders. T here were 16 orders who were descendants of Eleazar w ho were de scended through Ithmar (1 Chronicles 15; 16:4 - 6, 37 - 4 3). Succession occurred upon the officiating high priest’s death and the oldest surviving son wa s installed in the office (Numbers 20:28). The line was promised to pass down through Phinehas, the eldest son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron (Num bers 25:10 - 13) . Eli was a legitimate priest and descendant of Ithamar but was not a high priest. The switch in the line took place during Saul’s reign. I t was rightfully restored to the line of Eleazar during Solomon’s reign (1 Kin gs 2:26 - 27, 35). Seraiah was the high p riest in Jeremiah’s day when the nation of Israel was under the 5th cycle of discipline (2 Kin gs 25:18 - 21). His son Josedech never inherited the office because he died in captivity at Babylon (Hag gai 1:1, 14). His son Joshua entered the office when the hig h priesthood was restored in the days of Zechariah and Zerubbabel (Zech ariah 3:1). His successors were J oiakim , Eliashib , Joiada , Johanan and Jaddua who showed Alexander the prophecy in Daniel concerning Alexander and consequently won his friendship to th e Jews. Then following him were Onias I, Simon the Just and O nias II, Simon’s brother Eleazar who served because Simon’s son was too young. He was also known as Menelaus, an evil priest. A lcimus followed him and he was evil. The priesthood was passed down to the Asmonaean family of the order of Joiarib (1 Chron icles 9:10; 24:7; Neh emiah 11:10). T his line continued until Herod the Great destroyed it. The last in this line was Aristobulus who was murdered by order of Herod, the brother in law of Herod the Gre at. There were 28 high priests until the year 70 A.D. when the nation of Israel went on the fifth cycle of discipline. Annas and Caiaphas were the priests in our Lord’s day. The following is an outline of the chapter: (1) Introduction (1 - 5) (2) Ephod (6 - 1 4) (3) Breastpiece (15 - 30) (4) The High Priest’s Robe (31 - 35) (5) The Turban Forehead Plate (36 - 38) (6) The High Priest’s Tunic, Turban and Sash (28:39) (7) Garments for the Other Priests (40 - 43). 2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 The NET Bible has the following comment with regard to c hapter 28, “ Some modern scholars find this and the next chapter too elaborate for the wilderness experience. To most of them this reflects the later Zadokite priesthood of the writer’s (P’s) day that was referred to Mosaic legislation for authentication. B ut there is no compelling reason why this should be late; it is put late because it is assumed to be P, and that is assumed to be late. But both assumptions are unwarranted. This lengthy chapter could be divided this way: instructions for preparing the gar ments (1 – 5), details of the apparel (6 – 39), and a warning against deviating from these (40 – 43). The subject matter of the first part is that God 2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 requires that his chosen ministers reflect his holy nature; the point of the second part is that God requires h is ministers to be prepared to fulfill the tasks of the ministry, and the subject matter of the third part is that God warns all his ministers to safeguard the holiness of their service. ” 1 It might appear to some that an entire chapter is devoted to the g arments of the priests. However, what the clothing symbolized was extremely important to the Israelites and God. The clothing expressed the fact that the priests were ordained to serve the Lord in the tabernacle as well as the Israelites. The sacramental w ardrobe of Aaron and his sons spoke of their authority as well as the glory of the Lord. Exodus 28 concentrates on the clothing for the high priesthood rather than the priesthood in general. Leviticus 8 is specifically devoted to regulations concerning t he priests in general. However, both chapters share many common elements since the high priest was not very much different than ordinary priests since the roles, ordination and equipment of both group s overlap. The priests would function as the Lord’s ser vants in the tabernacle in the sense that they serve both the guests (the Israelites) and the host (the Lord). The worshippers of the Lord in the tabernacle were his guests and the priests were the servants. The guests in the tabernacle worship brought the ir own food however but not because it was theirs but because they sought to honor the Lord. The meal in the tabernacle demonstrated that the Lord and the Israelites had a relationship with each other since only allies in the ancient world ate together and not enemies. Warren Wiersbe has the following comment with regards to Exodus 28, he writes “ This chapter focuses on the clothing of the priests, while chapter 29 deals primarily with the consecration of the priests. As you study these two chapters, keep in mind that all of God’s people are priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9); therefore, the Aaronic priesthood can teach us much about the privileges and obligations we have as God’s priests.