So I was listening to Exodus today (curtesy of the ESV chronological podcast) and I was struck by Aaron's clothes. The whole of chapter 28 is devoted to what Aaron and his sons are wearing when they go in to serve the Lord. As I was listening the reader read the line about how the breastplate was there for decision making. I thought to myself, "Huh, Paul talks about a breastplate in Ephesians." Then he read the part about how Aaron's turbin has a gold plate hanging from it that reads "Holy to the Lord" and that it bears the guilt of Israel so that their gifts can be acceptable to the Lord. At this point I thought, "Huh, Paul talks about a thing you wear on your head too." So I thought about it some more and here's what I came to.
In the Old Testament the priest goes in to meet with God wearing the the ephod from which the breastplate hangs. On this breastplate are twelve stones with the names of the twelve sons of Israel. Also on the breastplate are the Hebrew words Urim and Thummim. No one is quite sure how to translate these words, which is why the ESV leaves them in Hebrew I think. However, of the possibilities the one that seems the most likely to me is "innocent" and "guilty". Verse 29 says, "...(Aaron) will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD." To me this is both a memorial to God's faithfulness and mercy toward Israel (the man) and a reminder to God of his promises to Israel (the man and nation). This way when Aaron walks in with the question "innocent or guilty?" hanging on his chest, God is inclined to count him and the nation of Israel innocent because he is reminded of his promises.
Now in Ephesians we are told to put on a breastplate. A breastplate of what? Righteousness. Whose righteousness? Jesus' eternal righteousness. HOW SWEET IS THAT! We come before God wearing a breastplate of righteousness bearing Jesus' name that declares us innocent for all of eternity! Sweet. That's what that is.
Next Exodus talks about Aaron's hat. God tells Moses to make the "Holy to the Lord" plate and hang it from Aaron's turbin so that it rests on his forehead. God then says that as long as Aaron wears this plate on his forehead he can bear the guilt of Israel when they bring gifts to God that their gifts might be acceptable, but that he has to wear it continually.
Well guess what Paul tells his readers to put on their head? The helmet of salvation. We wear the perfect salvation through Christ's blood on our foreheads and this makes the things we do for God acceptable, for good. We are told to wear the righteousness and salvation that come through Christ and by doing this we can give God more than the dirty rags that our good deeds once were.
The last thought I had was this: in the Old Covenant Aaron and his descendents were the only ones who could wear these clothes and approach God, but Paul tells his readers, all of them, to put the new clothes on. There is one mediator, Jesus Christ, and he brings everyone direct access to the Most Holy place. Awesome. That's what that is.
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