And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment of artistic work, like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus shalt thou make it.
The breastpiece is made from the same rich materials as the ephod, the high priest's main garment. Two questions sit at the centre of the verse. Why did this piece need such fine work? And why is something worn over the heart called a breastpiece "of judgment"?
The words "in skilled work" describe how the breastpiece was made. One writer explains why the work had to be so fine:
It was made of exquisite work, of great skill and beauty, for it was designed to express the features of Him who is the embodiment of all wisdom, beauty and perfection.
The breastpiece matched the ephod, and the two were never separated. One writer traces what the gold meant and what the priest carried:
The ephod was the priestly garment above all others. In it there was gold, because the priest must have divine righteousness. Dressed in these robes of glory and beauty, the high priest bore the names of the people of God before God, in the fullness of their order. He bore the weight of their government on his shoulders, and he bore them on the breastplate over his heart. The breastplate could not be separated from the ephod, that is, from his priesthood and his appearing before God. He also bore their judgment before Him, according to the perfections of God's presence.
Each colour in the list carries its own meaning:
The blue speaks to us of the heavenly character of the Son of God. The scarlet speaks of His glory as king. The purple, a blend of blue and red, speaks of the heavenly One who will rule as Son of Man. As in the veil, the purple sits between the blue and the scarlet. This shows that the glories of the Lord are distinct, yet merged and inseparable. The mounting was of fine twined linen. It speaks of the Lord's perfect life on earth, and gives a beautiful pattern — pure, white and even, without a blemish.
The name comes from what was put inside the breastpiece:
The expression "the breastplate of judgment" occurs several times. It is called this because "the Urim and the Thummim" were also placed in it. These two words mean "Light" and "Perfection." No one knows exactly what they were, or how they worked. After the captivity in Babylon they were lost, as Ezra 2:63 shows. What does seem certain is this: through the Urim and the Thummim people could ask God a question and receive an answer. So God could shed perfect light on dark points in Israel's history.
This matters when God's people face hard decisions today:
So Christ bears on His heart the administrative government of all His saints. It is He who discerns between one and another, who cares for the need of His saints with complete impartiality, judging rightly in every case. This reminder is needed whenever decisions must be made about problems among God's saints.
The name still surprises. One writer explains why it is good news:
The breastplate is called the breastplate of judgment. We might have thought it would be called the breastplate of love. But love is made perfect with us in this, so that we might have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. What can the holy judgment of God say to those who are only seen as written in each precious stone? The Urim and Thummim — lights and perfections — shone in the breastplate. They showed the beauty and perfection of the setting of the names according to the judgment of God.
- Design. The fine work and beauty had a purpose: to express the features of the One who is wisdom, beauty and perfection.
- Union. The breastpiece matched the ephod and could never be parted from it — that is, from the priest's office and his appearing before God.
- Glory. Blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen carry glories that stay distinct yet inseparable: heavenly character, rule as Son of Man, glory as king, and a spotless life on earth.
- Judgment. It is called "of judgment" because the Urim and Thummim — Light and Perfection — lay inside it. Through them Israel could ask God about matters no one could settle alone.
- Love. Judgment is worn over the heart. Christ bears His saints there and judges each case rightly, so those whose names are written in precious stones can face that day with boldness.
Square shall it be, doubled; a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof.
God gives Moses the exact shape and size of the high priest's breastplate: a square, folded double, one span in each direction. Why would a garment need measurements this exact? And what does this small doubled square mean?
First, picture the object. One writer gives the reason for the fold and the size in today's terms.
It was doubled into a square, no doubt to make it firmer, so that it could hold the twelve settings of gold with their precious stones. Its size was one span square, that is, three handbreadths, about twelve inches.
So the fold is not decoration. It made the cloth firm enough to carry twelve gold settings and their stones.
Commentators differ on whether the doubling is only practical. One writer reads each of the three details in the verse — the square, the fold, the span — as saying something about Christ.
The breastplate was square, which speaks of Christ's universal authority. It was double, which shows the strength and power behind His authority. Its measure was a span — the measure of a man, for Jesus our Lord was perfect Man though truly God. Its precious stones sat in settings of pure gold, because every glory of Christ is held secure in relation to what He is as divine in His very being.
A span is a measure taken from the human body. This writer hears in that unit the truth that the One pictured here was a real man.
The square is not unique to the breastplate. A reference work lists where else it appears.
We may perhaps call this the most perfect flat shape on earth (the cube being perfection for a solid). It was the shape of the bronze altar, Ex. 27:1; Ex. 38:1; the breastplate, Ex. 28:16; Ex. 39:9; and the altar of incense, Ex. 30:2; Ex. 37:25.
So the same perfect shape belongs to the place of sacrifice, to the place of incense, and to the names carried on the priest's chest.
The measurements serve a purpose: this square is a frame for twelve engraved stones. A reference work gives the piece its name and what it pictures.
It was made double, and was square, being a span each way. Scripture calls it several times "the breastplate of judgment." It is a picture of Christ, who holds His people up before the Lord according to the holy judgment of God. God's own lights and perfections expressed that judgment. He bears the whole people on His shoulders of strength and on His heart, seen in the beauty of the gems, that is, in acceptance before God.
Two places on the priest's body carry the same twelve names — the shoulders and the chest. The difference is the whole lesson.
It was square in shape, and it held four rows of precious stones. These stones also carried the engraved names of the children of Israel, set out by their twelve tribes. The breast stands for the affections. So it teaches that Christ holds His people up before God by everlasting strength, and that He also carries them on His heart in everlasting love.
The same writer explains what went inside this doubled square, and what that means for us.
Aaron bore the judgment of the people in connection with the Urim and Thummim. These went into the breastplate of judgment. Urim and Thummim probably mean "lights" and "perfections." Because Christ has borne our judgment according to these, we stand before God according to the perfection of God Himself. Our position, guidance, light, and spiritual understanding are according to this same divine light and perfection.
- Squared — A span each way, equal on every side. The same shape marks the bronze altar and the altar of incense. Commentators call it the most perfect flat shape on earth.
- Doubled — Folded to a double thickness. One writer reads this as firmness, so the cloth could bear twelve gold settings. Another reads it as the strength and power behind Christ's authority.
- Measured — A span is a measure taken from the human body. One writer hears in it the One who was perfect Man though truly God.
- Filled — The square frames four rows of engraved stones, each name set in gold. Inside it lay the Urim and Thummim, and so Scripture calls it the breastplate of judgment.
- Carried — And carried on the chest, not only the shoulders. Strength holds the weight; the heart holds the love. Christ bore our judgment, so together they present us to God in God's own perfection.
And thou shalt set in it settings of stones -- four rows of stones [one] row, a sardoin, a topaz, and an emerald -- the first row;
Exodus 28 describes the clothes of Israel's high priest, and verse 17 begins the list of twelve jewels for the breastplate he wore over his heart. Four rows of three stones, each cut with the name of a tribe — commentators read this as a picture of how God carries and values His people.
The stones sit in a piece worn on the chest. Aaron already carried Israel's names on his shoulders, so the breastplate says something the shoulders did not:
Aaron bore the names of the children of Israel on his heart, as well as on his shoulders. The breast is symbolic of the affections. So it teaches this: Christ upholds His people before God by everlasting strength, and He also carries them on His heart in everlasting love... He has bound us on His shoulders — carrying our weight — with His own almighty strength. And He has fastened us on His heart with His own undying love, a love no one can fathom.
The first row alone names three different kinds of gem. Why not twelve of the same stone?
We are not able to say what the special meaning of each stone is. But we have no doubt that they do have a special meaning... Each stone had its own character — its colour, its density, the way it bent light, and so on. So each stone was different from the others. In the same way, God takes account of the different ways Divine character is formed in believers. God is surely not the Author of mass-produced articles with no variation at all.
The two onyx stones on the shoulders were alike. The twelve on the breastplate are not:
With the onyx stones, no difference showed between any of the tribes: all were the same. This shows that all Israel stood on the same basis of acceptance... The twelve stones of the breastplate, though, show difference among the tribes. They picture the difference there is among believers. All are set in the breastplate — that is, all believers are one "in Christ," yet each believer is the workmanship of God created to function in a distinct way.
Each tribe's name was cut into a gem. One writer points out what the eye actually sees:
Each name was in a gem, but the name is lost in the gem, and you see only the gem. It is the same in the heavenly city. The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are in the foundations, but their names are never given. We see them only in the beauty and value of the costly stones that adorn the foundation.
The engraving is also permanent:
These twelve names are engraved on the jewels, so you would have to break the jewels to pieces to get them off. There they stay, as unchanging as the jewels themselves. In the light of the jewels you read the names.
Sardius, topaz, carbuncle — these are costly stones. That choice says something about how God views the people they stand for:
We are used to the thought that divine mercy sees us as objects of pity, or that divine favour sees us as objects of kindness. But we are hardly used to the thought that divine love sees us as objects of value and beauty — objects of adornment, of radiance and rarity. Ah! that is very different... it would give us a higher view of the value of every one, even the humblest, of those He calls "My jewels."
The setting matters too. Light does something to a jewel:
Light falling on precious stones brings out their varied and many beauties. So, as noted with the onyx stones, the names of God's people, carried on the heart of the priest, shine out in all the sparkling brightness and beauty of the stones on which they are engraved. This symbolizes that believers are before God in all the acceptance of Christ.
This is not the only list of gems in Scripture, and the three lists are read as three different displays:
On the breastplate we have mention of twelve precious stones. Again in Ezekiel 28, in connection with the king of Tyre, there are nine precious stones mentioned. Yet again we have mention of twelve stones in the foundations of the wall of the holy city. Now in each case these stones are there to reflect the glory of God. In Ezekiel 28 they reflect the glory of God in creation. On the breastplate they reflect the glory of God in grace. In the holy city they reflect the glory of God in redemption.
- Borne — the shoulders carry weight; the breastplate carries love. Strength and love together present the believer before God.
- Borne distinctly — twelve unlike stones, not twelve copies. All share one basis of acceptance, yet each believer is shaped to work in a distinct way.
- Borne permanently — the names are cut into the gems. You could not get one off without breaking the stone.
- Borne as treasure — the stones are costly. God sees us not as objects of pity but as objects of value and beauty.
- Borne to display — as in creation and in the coming city, these stones exist to reflect the glory of God, here in grace.
and the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond;
The high priest's breastplate carried four rows of gems, three in a row. This verse names the second row, and each stone carried a name of the children of Israel. So why did God keep His people before Him in this way?
Before assigning meanings, one writer sounds a caution about how much we can actually recover from the Hebrew.
On it were twelve precious stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel, whose judgment Aaron bore on his heart. Connected with it were the Urim and the Thummim, carried by the high priest; but what these were, no one can tell — they are lost. Neither can the names of the precious stones be given, since the meaning of the original words is unknown.
The uncertainty is not vague. It can be traced word by word — the "diamond" here is one such case.
The Hebrew word in Ex. 28:18; Ex. 39:11; Ezek. 28:13 is yahalom. It occurs only in these places and cannot be identified; it is generally held not to be what is now known as the diamond.
This is why the first stone in this row appears as an emerald in some translations and as a carbuncle in others.
Commentators read the sapphire's colour as pointing upward.
The sapphire has an intense blue colour, suggesting the heavenly glories of Christ. Scripture tells us that "the second man is from heaven," and "as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven" (1 Cor. 15:47-48), for the saints take their character from the Lord Jesus. The children of Israel were told to fasten "a cord of blue" on the edges of their garments. This means that the heavenly features of the life of Christ should mark the saints at every step as they pass through this world. The meaning of the name on the sapphire is "set apart."
Another writer pushes the colour further than "heavenly."
In this full and far-reaching rule, everything on earth and everything in heaven centres in the anointed One — in our Lord Jesus Christ. In plain words, it is universal! Not simply world-wide! Not only heavenly! but universal. Here then we have the blessed symbolic meaning of the sapphire with its beautiful blue brilliance. If there is one colour more than any other that might be called the universal colour, it is blue.
The emerald turns up again around God's throne. That scene gives its meaning.
The emerald is an apple-green stone. Revelation 4 speaks of it, where the rainbow around the throne "had the appearance of an emerald." In the middle of the divine glories of that heavenly scene stands the remembrance of God's covenant with the earth. When the Lord Jesus comes from heaven, He will appear in His Father's glory. He will also be seen as Son of David, and King of kings and Lord of lords. All the glory of the kingdoms of the earth will be His.
One writer asks where else the diamond appears in Scripture — and where it is missing.
The diamond is the most valuable and most beautiful of all these precious stones. It seems to single out some special and supreme glory of Christ. Nothing but diamond can cut diamond! Like the onyx, it is not found in the wall of the city in glory. Where is it? It shines in the first three stones of Ezekiel 28, and it glistens on the breastplate of Aaron, yet it is missing from the city wall. This tells us that the diamond points to Jesus, who takes up the kingly dignity in government and the priestly place in grace. He is both King and Priest.
Others hold back from assigning a meaning to each gem, and read the lesson from the variety itself.
What the special meaning of each stone is, we are not competent to say. That they have a special significance we do not doubt. A well-known expert in precious stones gave his considered opinion: the order in which these gems were chosen and arranged was beyond human skill. Only divine arrangement could have done it. Each precious stone had its own character in colour, density, the way it bends light and so on. So each stone differed from the others. In the same way God takes account of the different ways in which divine character is produced in believers.
This row sat on the breastplate, and the breastplate sat over the high priest's heart.
Aaron bore the names of the children of Israel on his heart, as well as on his shoulders. The breast is a symbol of the affections. It teaches, then, that Christ upholds His people before God by everlasting strength. And He also bears them on His heart in everlasting love. He has bound us on His shoulders with His own almighty strength, bearing our weight. He has fastened us on His heart with His own deathless love that no one can measure.
- Honesty first. No one can now name these stones with certainty. That is why translations differ here.
- Sapphire. Its deep blue speaks of heavenly glory. It points to a rule that is universal — not just world-wide, not only heavenly.
- Emerald. Its green returns as the rainbow around the throne. Even in heaven, God keeps His covenant with the earth in view.
- Diamond. It shines on the breastplate and in Ezekiel 28, but is missing from the city wall. It marks the One who is both King and Priest.
- Different, and carried. No two stones match, because God takes account of what He has produced in each believer. Yet all of them rest on the shoulders of strength and over the heart of love.
and the third row, an opal, an agate, and an amethyst;
This is the third of four rows of gems on the high priest's breastplate. Each stone was different from the rest, and each carried the name of one of Israel's tribes over Aaron's heart when he came before God.
Each stone held a tribal name. So the high priest carried the whole nation in two places at once.
Verses 17-20 list the names of the stones, set in four rows… the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst… Each one had engraved on it the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. So all Israel was again pictured as carried on the heart of the high priest, just as all were carried on his shoulders (v. 12).
Some translations begin this row with "a ligure" or "an opal" where the ESV has "a jacinth." No one can say for sure which stone the Hebrew word means.
leshem. The first in the third row of gems in the breastplate. Some suppose it to be the hyacinth, others the lyncurium, and others amber; but its identification is uncertain.
Each stone carried one name. One writer draws from that the equal and personal love of Christ for each of His own.
Every name on the breastplate had its own stone, but not one was larger or brighter than another. Each had a distinctive glory, but all had an equal place on the heart of the High Priest. Each name was deeply engraved there, "like the engravings of a signet," and set to shine with an equal brilliance in the light of the sanctuary… Each saint of God has an infinite preciousness to Jesus; each one is loved by the same love that passes knowledge. He calls His own sheep by name; each one has a personal link with Him.
Some writers read the stones themselves as pictures of Christ's varied glories. The first gem of this row shows many colours:
The Ligure (or the opal) had on it the name "double fruit." How rich and varied are the colours in this precious stone! And how rich and varied were the traits of the heavenly life shown in the Son of God as Man… Christ's death has secured "much fruit" (John 12:24). There is fruit for His God and Father, in those who are like Himself, the many sons. And for Himself He has a bride.
The last stone of the row is purple. One writer reads its colour and its name together:
The amethyst is purple, and reminds us that men, in mockery, clothed the Son of Man in purple. But the Son of Man will soon appear in the glory that the purple pictures. Every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. "Gift" is the meaning of this stone's name, recalling that He was the One God gave for the salvation of men. But He has received a gift from the Father, and speaks of His own as "those whom You have given Me."
Ezekiel 28 lists the precious stones on the king of Tyre. That list is short by three, and one writer names which three:
The first three stones speak of Christ's glory as the Messiah, as shown in Matthew's Gospel. The second row shows Christ as the Servant in Mark. The third row shows Christ as the Son of Man in Luke. The last row — chrysolite, onyx and jasper — shows the glories of the Son of God as in John. The ornaments of the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 use nine of the twelve stones on Aaron's breastplate. The three missing stones are the third row, the ones that relate to the glory of the Lord Jesus as Son of Man.
A precious stone answers to light rather than fading under it. That fact is turned into a picture of how the tribes stood before God.
Light can never make a precious stone look dim. It only increases and brings out its shine… Whatever their weaknesses, their errors, or their failures, their names glittered on the breastplate with unfailing brightness. The Lord had set them there, and who could pluck them away? Who could get into the holy place to snatch from Aaron's breast the name of one of Israel's tribes?
- Carried. The third row completes four rows of three. Every tribe rode on the high priest's heart and on his shoulders.
- Named. One name per stone: no one is lost in the crowd, and each is engraved as with a signet.
- Uncertain. The first gem is leshem — "jacinth," "ligure," or "opal." No one knows for sure which stone it was.
- Christ. Writers read the stones as His glories: much fruit from His death, and the purple of mockery that points to the glory He will soon be seen in.
- Secure. Light only makes a jewel shine brighter. No one could dim or remove the names God set in that place.
and the fourth row, a chrysolite, and an onyx, and a jasper; enclosed in gold shall they be in their settings.
The last row of the breastplate adds three more stones, and one detail that holds the whole design together: every stone sat in a gold setting. That brings the count to twelve, one for each tribe — so why twelve separate stones, and why gold around each one?
The verse closes a list that began in verse 17. One commentator sets out the whole arrangement and its point.
Verse 20 shows that the settings of the stones were gold. Verses 17-20 list the names of the stones, set in four rows. Each of these stones carried the engraved name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. So the high priest carried all Israel on his heart, just as he carried them all on his shoulders.
The jasper ends both the row and the list. It appears again in the last book of the Bible.
The jasper points us to passages in Revelation that use it to show divine glory. In Revelation 4 we see the vision of the throne of God, and the One who sat there looked like jasper. In Revelation 22, the glory of God shining in the heavenly city is like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. The name jasper means "strength." How great is the strength of Him who sits on the throne! He upholds all things by the word of His power, and He will sustain all in the coming kingdom.
Commentators differ on how much weight each single stone can carry. One of them will not guess.
We are not able to say what each stone means. But we have no doubt that each one carries a special meaning. A celebrated lapidary, an expert in precious stones, said, after careful study, that no human skill could have chosen and arranged these gems in this order. Only God could have done it.
Each tribe had its own stone, and each stone sat inside gold. One writer draws both details together.
The smallest tribe in Israel, like the greatest, had its own jewel and its own engraving. In the same way each believer is now always kept before the face of God. God holds him up by His almighty power, which the shoulders show us as the place of strength, and by His perfect love, which the breastplate worn over the heart sets forth. Each precious stone sat enclosed in gold. This seems to say that we are kept before our God in Christ, who is our lasting righteousness — "in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
The twelve stones were not twelve copies. That difference says something about how God works with people.
Each precious stone had its own character in colour, density, the way it bends light, and so on. So every stone differed from the others. In the same way, God takes account of the different ways divine character is formed in believers. God is surely not the Author of mass-produced articles that never vary in the slightest. In nature, they say, no two blades of grass are alike, and no one ever sees two faces alike in every detail. No doubt it is the same in the realm of grace.
Each stone carried a name, yet the list names only the stones.
Each name was in a gem, but the name is lost in the gem, and the gem alone is seen. It is the same in the heavenly city. The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are in the foundations, but Scripture never mentions those names. We see the apostles only in the beauty and value of the costly stones that adorn the foundation.
Even the names of these stones are uncertain, and so is the order of the tribes on the breastplate.
We cannot even give the names of the precious stones, because the meaning of the original words is unknown. The order in which the names of the tribes of Israel were written on the breastplate is unknown too, but for a divine reason. We should not think that any one of the redeemed comes before another on the high priest's breast, for all are loved perfectly. His love knows no priority of favour — "having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end," or perfectly.
- Twelve, complete. The fourth row finishes the set. Every tribe rides on the high priest's heart, as they did on his shoulders.
- Twelve, distinct. No two stones match. God takes account of the different ways His character is formed in each believer.
- Twelve, in gold. Every stone sits in a gold setting — each one held before God in Christ, who is our righteousness.
- Twelve, unnamed. The stones are listed, the tribes are not; the name is hidden in the gem, and only the gem's value is seen.
- Twelve, equally loved. Position in the rows grants no rank; the last stone rests on the same heart as the first.
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, engraved as a seal every one according to his name shall they be for the twelve tribes.
This verse closes the breastplate instructions: twelve stones, twelve names, each name cut into its own gem like a seal. Commentators read this as a picture: the high priest carried the whole nation into God's presence, and Christ carries His people now.
The verse compares the lettering to a seal. One writer shows what that kind of cutting secures:
The names were cut into the stones "with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engraving of a signet." They were not to be written or painted. The engraver had to cut them in deep, to last. The stones were then "set in settings of gold." No one could erase the names, and the stones themselves could never fall out of their place.
Each stone carries one name. One writer presses what follows from that:
Every name on the breastplate had its own stone, but not one was larger or brighter than another. Each had a distinctive glory but all had an equal place on the heart of the High Priest. Each name was cut deep into its stone, "like the engravings of a signet," and set to shine just as brightly in the light of the sanctuary… The Lord could see every name on the breastplate, and not one of them was obscure.
One writer weighs the breastplate against the shoulder pieces:
There is a second reason for engraving the names on the breastplate as well as on the shoulder pieces. God would show us His tender interest in each individual believer. On the shoulder pieces six names shared each stone. On the breastplate each name had a stone to itself. What a vast family is the family of God, in its millions, spread over all the earth! Yet each individual saint, however poor and lowly, has his own place in the divine affections.
The chapter names every stone, but never says which tribe goes on which. One writer treats that silence as deliberate:
Notice that here, as with the onyx stones on the shoulder pieces, Scripture names only the precious stones. It never names the tribes. Each name was in a gem, but the name is lost in the gem, and you see only the gem.
Another writer notes what light does to a precious stone, and what that pictures:
Light falling on precious stones brings out their many and varied beauties. So the names of God's people, carried on the heart of the priest, shine out in all the sparkling beauty of the stones they are engraved on. This shows that believers stand before God in all the acceptance that belongs to Christ.
The verse puts no name above another. One writer sees a reason in that:
No one knows the order in which the names of the tribes of Israel were engraved on the breastplate. There is a divine reason for that. We must not think that any of the redeemed comes before another on the high priest's breast, for His love for each one is perfect. The oldest may indeed come first on his shoulders, since our High Priest upholds the one who lives longest for the longest time here on earth. But His love has no favourites.
One writer sets the heart beside the shoulders:
So it teaches this: Christ upholds His people before God by everlasting strength, and He also carries them on His heart in everlasting love. Everlasting strength and everlasting love meet as the Priest presents believers before God… He has bound us on His shoulders — carrying our weight — by His own almighty strength. He has fastened us on His heart with His own deathless love, a love no one can measure.
One writer draws out what this meant for the people whose names were there:
Aaron always carried the twelve tribes before the Lord, on his breast and on his shoulders — the smallest as well as the greatest, one just like another… Whatever their weaknesses, errors, or failures, their names still glittered on the breastplate with unfailing brilliancy. The Lord had set them there, and who could pluck them from it? … Who could enter the holy place to snatch from Aaron's breast the name of one of Israel's tribes? … Not one. They lay beyond the reach of every enemy — beyond the influence of every evil.
- Engraved — the names were cut in like a seal, not written on. No one could erase them, and no stone could drop out of its gold setting.
- Individual — twelve names on twelve separate stones. God's interest rests on each believer, however poor or lowly, not just on the whole company.
- Equal — the shoulders may carry names in birth order, but the breastplate gives no order at all. No one on the High Priest's heart ranks above another.
- Adorned — Scripture never matches a tribe to a particular stone. Each name shines in the beauty of its gem, and believers stand before God in all the acceptance that belongs to Christ.
- Secure — strength carries those names on the shoulders, love holds them on the heart. Inside the holy place no enemy can reach them, whatever the failures of the people they stand for.
And thou shalt make on the breastplate chains of laced work, of wreathen work, of pure gold.
Exodus 28:22 describes one small part of the high priest's dress: two chains of pure gold for the breastpiece, twisted like cords. The detail looks minor, yet these chains hold the names of God's people in place — over the priest's heart and on his shoulders.
The chains are part of a fastening system that runs from the breastpiece up to the priest's shoulders.
Two rings of gold were put on the upper edge of the breastplate, one on either end, and braided chains of gold put into the rings (vv. 23-24). The other ends of the chains were fastened in two settings attached on either side to the two shoulder pieces of the ephod (v. 25). This was where the onyx stones were set, so it seems these were the same chains mentioned in verse 14.
The ephod was the priest's outer garment.
The chains tie the shoulders to the heart. One writer sees in that link two things about Christ that must never be pulled apart.
Rings and chains of gold coupled the breastplate to the shoulders; these two were never to be separated. The breastplate was made of twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of a tribe of Israel, "like the engravings of a signet" — one name on each stone. But pure gold set them all and bound them into one, a symbol of divine faithfulness and glory. The meaning of the type is clear: the great High Priest carries the saints of God on His heart, and He also holds them up by His power. His unchanging love is behind His undiminished and patient strength. The ephod made the breastplate and the shoulder pieces one. His is not a powerless love, or a loveless power; His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
Older translations call these chains "wreathen work." One writer reads the gold and the blue cord as saying something about the Priest Himself.
The chains and rings of gold speak of the Godhead glory of our Priest. The lace of blue speaks of the heavenly grace of His Manhood. The word translated "wreathen" means a strong band. The strong bands of His Godhead and Manhood show us how well and securely we are sustained according to God. However great the testing we go through, in our High Priest we have One who is more than equal to every circumstance of the way. He will bring us safely through.
Each chain was many strands twisted into one. That shape carries its own meaning.
Strands of gold wire twisted together — "wreathen chains of gold" — kept the engraved jewels in their places. The many strands combined in one offer a symbol of the many kinds of glory that God displays. They unite in one chain of unbroken strength, holding up the purpose of God.
Every part of the fastening was gold — the settings, the rings, the chains. One writer reads that gold as the emblem of divine righteousness.
Each precious stone is enclosed in gold. This seems to imply that we are kept before our God in Christ, who is our lasting righteousness — "made the righteousness of God in Him." But notice also that two golden chains of wreathen work, of pure gold, connect the shoulder pieces. The connection is a divine one, since gold is the emblem of divine righteousness. Those chains assure us of this: the almighty power of Jesus the Son of God and His perfect love both combine to keep us in righteousness and in acceptance in Himself, always before the face of God.
What held the breastpiece in place says something about the priesthood itself.
This breastplate was fastened to the onyx stones of the shoulders above, and to the ephod above the belt below. This was the permanent place of the people. It could not be separated from the work of the high priesthood as He goes before the Lord. What was divine and heavenly secured it — the chains of gold above, and the rings of gold with lace of blue that tied it to the ephod above the belt beneath. The priesthood is exercised in humanity. Yet the priesthood, and the people's connection with it, rests on a basis that is unchangeable, divine, and heavenly.
- Chain — two gold chains ran from the breastpiece up to the settings on the shoulder pieces. They link the heart to the shoulders.
- Strength — the shoulders carry the names. The chains mean His power never works apart from His love.
- Twisted — "wreathen" means a strong band. Many strands combine into one chain of unbroken strength.
- Pure gold — the tie is divine righteousness. So the people stand before God in Christ, not on their own footing.
- Secure — the breastpiece could never come loose. The link between the people and their Priest rests on a basis that cannot change.
And thou shalt make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
The high priest's clothing fills a whole chapter, and verse 23 gives one of its smallest details: two gold rings for the breastpiece, or breastplate. Why does God give instructions about a fastening, and what were these rings meant to hold together?
The rings are the anchor points for what comes next in the passage. One writer traces the fitting step by step.
Two rings of gold were put on the upper edge of the breastplate, one on either end. Braided chains of gold were put into the rings (vv. 23-24). The other ends of the chains were fastened in two settings attached on either side to the two shoulder pieces of the ephod (v. 25). This was where the onyx stones were set, so it seems these were the same chains mentioned in verse 14.
So the rings are not decoration. They link the breastplate over the heart to the two stones on the shoulders. Those stones sat on the ephod, the priest's shoulder garment.
The rings are gold, and gold carries a meaning of its own.
Gold stands for Deity when it refers to Christ, and for divine righteousness when seen in relation to men. In Exodus, whenever gold pictures Deity, it is always "pure gold." When it pictures divine righteousness, the word gold is used without the adjective "pure."
Verse 23 calls for rings of gold, not pure gold. On that reading, the fastening speaks of God's righteousness toward people.
What the rings hold together is the whole point. One writer draws out what the shoulders and the breastplate each stand for.
In the Greek version of the Old Testament the ephod is called the "shoulder piece." That is because a great part of the priest's work was to carry the burden of the people of God before Him... Coupled to the shoulders by rings and chains of gold was the breastplate; these two were never to be separated... The meaning of the type is clear: the saints of God are borne upon the heart of the great High Priest as well as upheld by His power. His unchanging love is behind His undiminished and patient strength. The ephod made the breastplate and the shoulder pieces one. His is not a powerless love, or a loveless power; His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
The chains that run through these rings were not made of single wire.
Strands of twisted gold wire held the engraved jewels in place — "wreathen chains of gold." The many strands combined in one are a symbol of the many kinds of glory God displays. They unite in one chain of unbroken strength that sustains the purpose of God.
Rings, chains and a blue cord all hold the same load. One writer sees a purpose in so much detail.
Gold rings were attached to the two ends of the breastplate. Two more rings were attached to the ephod, and a cord of blue bound rings to rings. So these precious stones were held securely on the person of the High Priest... With such wealth of detail the Spirit of God would emphasise a glorious truth: divine love and divine power are united in the security of the believer... Our Lord plainly said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish" (John 10:27-28). Eternal life could not be given if it could be lost.
The gold and the blue each say something about the Priest who wears them.
The breastplate is bound by chains and rings of gold, and with a cord of blue, to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. The chains and rings of gold speak of the Godhead glory of our Priest. The cord of blue speaks of the heavenly grace of His Manhood. The word translated "wreathen" means a strong band... However great the testing we go through, we have in our High Priest One who is more than equal to every circumstance of the way. He will bring us safely through.
- Gold rings. Two gold rings hold the ends of the breastplate. Gold in relation to men stands for divine righteousness, so the fastening rests on God's own righteousness.
- Gold chains. Braided chains run through those rings. Many strands twist into one — a picture of varied glories united in one chain of unbroken strength.
- Gold links heart to shoulders. The chains join the breastplate over the heart to the stones on the shoulders. Love is joined to power, and His power serves His love.
- Gold holds. Rings, chains and cord hold the stones fast to the Priest. All that detail teaches the security of the believer.
- Gold carries you home. "Wreathen" means a strong band. The Priest who wears it is equal to every circumstance of the road, and He brings His people safely through.
And thou shalt put the two wreathen [cords] of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate;
Two braided gold cords go into the rings at the top corners of the breastpiece, the piece older translations call the breastplate. These small fastenings hold the names of God's people onto the high priest's clothing, and the writers ask what that security pictures.
These cords are one half of a link. Their other ends fasten higher up, on the shoulder pieces of the ephod — the priest's outer garment. One commentator thinks these may be the same chains ordered earlier in the chapter:
Two rings of gold went on the upper edge of the breastplate, one on either end, and braided chains of gold went into the rings (vv. 23-24). The other ends of the chains fastened into two settings attached on either side to the two shoulder pieces of the ephod (v. 25). This was where the onyx stones were set, so it seems these were the same chains mentioned in verse 14.
The cords run from the breastpiece up to the shoulder. That joins the two places where Israel's names appear. One writer reads the shoulder as carrying and the heart as love:
A great part of the priest's work was to bear the burden of the people of God before Him. But He was to have compassion on the ignorant and on those who are out of the way also, and this called for patient love. So the breastplate was coupled to the shoulders by rings and chains of gold. These two were never to be separated… The saints of God are carried on the heart of the great High Priest as well as held up by His power. His unchanging love is behind His undiminished and patient strength… His is not a powerless love, or a loveless power. His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
Another writer says who does the binding, and how long it holds:
He has bound us upon His shoulders — bearing our weight — with His own almighty strength. And He has fastened us upon His heart with His own deathless and unfathomable love… The rings show that the connection is eternal, for a ring has no end. As Priest, Christ can never fail us.
The older translation calls these cords "wreathen chains." They were made by twisting many gold wires together. One writer draws meaning from how they were made:
Strands of twisted gold wire — "wreathen chains of gold" — held the engraved jewels in their places. The many strands combined in one are a symbol of the many kinds of glory God displays. They unite in one chain of unbroken strength, holding up the purpose of God.
One writer takes the gold and the blue cord as what is divine and heavenly. Nothing human holds the breastpiece on. It hangs from above and fastens below:
This breastplate was fastened to the onyx stones of the shoulder above, and to the ephod above the belt below. This was the permanent place of the people. It could not be separated from the high priest's work as he went before the Lord. What was divine and heavenly secured it — the chains of gold above, and the rings of gold with the blue cord to the ephod above the belt beneath. The priesthood was carried out in humanity. Yet the priesthood, and the people's connection with it, rests on a basis that is unchangeable, divine and heavenly.
A few verses later God gives the reason for all this fastening. One writer turns it round from the people to the priest:
The breastplate was never to be separate from the ephod, v. 28: "so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod." Whenever the high priest went into the presence of God, he went in his garments. He could not go without representing the people. It is impossible for Christ to stand there in the presence of God without us.
Another writer draws the same security from the sheer amount of detail God gives about rings, cords and laces:
With such a wealth of detail the Spirit of God would stress this glorious truth. Divine love and Divine power unite to keep the believer secure, and to keep believers before God in Divine favour. Our Lord plainly said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish." Eternal life could not be given if it could be lost.
- Cords — two braided gold cords run from the top of the breastpiece up to the shoulder pieces. They link the two places where Israel's names were engraved.
- Coupled — the cords join breast to shoulder. Love and power never come apart. The heart that feels for us and the strength that carries us belong to one Priest.
- Woven — many strands of gold wire twist into one chain. They picture many forms of divine glory combining into one unbroken strength.
- Anchored — the breastpiece hangs from above and fastens below. The bond between the people and the priest rests on what is divine and unchanging, not on anything human.
- Inseparable — the priest could never enter God's presence without wearing these names. So Christ cannot appear before God without us, and what He holds cannot be lost.
and the two ends of the two wreathen [cords] thou shalt fasten to the two enclosures, and shalt put [them] on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, on the front thereof.
This verse sits inside God's instructions for the high priest's clothing. It describes one small fastening: two gold cords that tie the breastpiece to the shoulder pieces of the ephod, the priest's outer garment.
One commentator traces the mechanics:
Two gold rings sat on the upper edge of the breastplate, one at either end, and braided gold chains went into the rings (vv. 23-24). The other ends of the chains fastened into two settings, one on either side of the ephod's two shoulder pieces (v. 25). The onyx stones sat in those same settings, so it seems these were the same chains mentioned in verse 14.
So the chains do not hang loose. They tie the stones over the heart to the stones on the shoulders.
The names of Israel's tribes were already engraved on the shoulder stones. They are engraved again on the breastpiece. The repetition is deliberate, and this verse is what joins the two sets together:
The people's names were not only on the shoulder pieces; they were on the breastplate also. Why this repetition? There are two reasons for it. First, God would show us that in Christ power and love combine for the blessing of His people… Gold chains joined the breastplate to the shoulder pieces (verse 25). This shows the union of power and love in the Lord Jesus for the good of His people.
The shoulder carries weight. The heart holds affection. The chain says the two belong to one person.
The chain runs both ways, so the two can never come apart:
In the Greek translation of the Old Testament the ephod is called the "shoulder piece," because much of the priest's work was to carry the burden of God's people before Him. But he was also to have compassion on the ignorant and on those who go astray, and this called for patient love. So rings and chains of gold coupled the breastplate to the shoulders; the two were never to be separated… The meaning of the picture is clear: the great High Priest carries the saints of God on His heart as well as holding them up by His power. His unchanging love stands behind strength that never weakens and never loses patience. The ephod made the breastplate and the shoulder pieces one. His love is not powerless, and His power is not loveless; His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
The cords tie into settings of gold — the same gold that holds the onyx stones on the shoulders. One commentator finds more than decoration there:
The onyx stones were gems — precious stones that picture the excellencies of Christ. Put that together with their gold settings and you get two things. First, the names of His people appear on the shoulders of the Priest in all His beauty and excellency. The gold symbolizes that they are set there in divine righteousness. The shoulder is the emblem of strength… What a comfort to us when we feel our utter feebleness! He who upholds all things by the word of His power keeps us before God. Notice too that the settings holding the onyx stones were fastened by two twisted chains of gold, binding them on His shoulders in divine righteousness.
The names do not lie on bare cloth. They rest in gold, and a strength not their own carries them.
The old word for the twisted cords points to strength, not beauty. That matters for the road a believer walks:
The chains and rings of gold speak of the Godhead glory of our Priest. The lace of blue speaks of the heavenly grace of His Manhood. The word translated "wreathen" means a strong band. The strong bands of His Godhead and Manhood show us how well and how surely God holds us up. However great the testing we face, our High Priest is more than equal to every circumstance of the way, and He will bring us through.
- Fastened — the two cords run from the rings on the breastpiece to the gold settings on the shoulder pieces. Front and shoulders become one garment.
- Carried — the shoulder is the place of strength. A strength greater than our own carries the names cut into those stones before God.
- Loved — the same names appear again over the heart. He holds His people in love as well as holding them up in power.
- Joined — the gold chain keeps the two together: no strength without love, no love without strength.
- Secured — the cords are strong bands, not ornaments. What they hold will hold through every test on the way.
And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and shalt put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the border thereof, which faceth the ephod inwards.
This verse adds a second pair of gold rings to Aaron's breastplate, set at its lower corners on the inside edge that faced the ephod — the high priest's official garment. Why would God design a fastening that no one would ever see?
One commentator traces where these rings go, and what ties them to the ephod:
Two more gold rings went on the lower edge of the breastplate, but on the inside, to match two gold rings also attached to the ephod. A blue lace then bound these rings together, fastening the breastplate to the ephod on the lower side. The blue lace would remind us of the heavenly character of this testimony, and the text adds that the breastplate would then not come loose from the ephod.
One writer recalls a speaker who explained what the gold and the blue stand for:
He dwelt on this happy theme: that Aaron's breastplate spoke of Christ's unchanging love for His own, that the rings of gold stood for Divine righteousness, and that the ribbon, or lace, of blue stood for heavenly grace. As he did so, he stressed the absolute security of the believer.
The rings serve one stated purpose, spelled out in verse 28: the breastplate must not come loose. One commentator draws out what that means about Christ.
The breastplate was never to be separate from the ephod, v. 28. "That the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod." Whenever the high priest went into the presence of God, it was in his garments. He could not go without representing the people. It is impossible for Christ to stand there in the presence of God without us.
The breastplate was held at two levels — chains to the shoulder stones at the top, and these rings with their blue cord at the bottom. The same writer reads the two fastenings together:
This breastplate was fastened to the onyx stones of the shoulders above, and to the ephod above the sash below. The people held that place always, and it could never be separated from the high priest's work as he went in before the Lord. What was divine and heavenly secured it — the chains of gold above, and the rings of gold with lace of blue below. The priesthood is exercised in manhood, yet it, and the people's link with it, rests on a basis that cannot change: divine and heavenly.
One writer looks at what the rings and chains of gold join together:
So the breastplate was coupled to the shoulders by rings and chains of gold, and these two were never to be separated. The breastplate was made of twelve precious stones with the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on them, one name on each stone, but all bound into one by being set in pure gold — the symbol of Divine faithfulness and glory. The meaning of the picture is clear: the great High Priest carries the saints of God on His heart, and He also holds them up by His power. His unchanging love stands behind His undiminished and patient strength. The ephod made the breastplate and the shoulder pieces one. His is not a powerless love, or a loveless power. His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
One writer takes the firmness of these fastenings straight to the question of whether a believer can be lost.
So these precious stones were firmly attached to the person of the High Priest... With such wealth of detail the Spirit of God would stress this glorious truth: Divine love and Divine power join in the security of the believer, and keep the believer before God in Divine favour. Our Lord plainly said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish" (John 10:27-28). Eternal life could not be given, if it could be lost.
One writer points to the sash whose one job was to keep the breastplate in place, and to the link that nothing can break:
Aaron's girdle, or sash, was unique. The word used for it is completely different from the word used for the sashes of his sons. What was its unique job? To see that the breastplate was not loosed from the ephod... This is unique — a link found nowhere else... Our names, dear friends, are on that breastplate! He carries us on His affections, and a link binds that breastplate to our heavenly priest. Nothing can come in and break that link. He intercedes for us, and we are held secure in the heart of our Great High Priest.
- Hidden — the rings sit on the inside edge, facing the ephod, out of sight. Yet they help hold the breastplate in place.
- Gold — the rings are gold, the picture of divine righteousness. The fastening rests on what God is.
- Blue — the lace through the rings is blue, the heavenly colour. The tie that holds the people to the Priest is grace from above.
- Bound — the breastplate cannot come loose. So Christ cannot stand before God without His people, whose names He wears on His heart.
- Secure — love on the heart, power on the shoulders, one garment joining both. What such a Priest holds cannot be lost.
And two rings of gold shalt thou make, and shalt put them upon the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, to the front thereof just by the coupling thereof, above the girdle of the ephod.
God tells Moses exactly where two small gold rings belong. They sit low on the front of the high priest's ephod, the shoulder garment, where its seam meets the woven band. Why does Scripture spend a whole verse on two rings, and what did they hold in place?
These rings are part of a fastening described over several verses. One writer sets out how it worked:
Two more gold rings sat on the lower edge of the breastplate, but on the inside. They matched two gold rings also fixed to the ephod. A blue cord then tied these rings together, fastening the breastplate to the ephod at the lower side. The blue cord reminds us of the heavenly character of this testimony, and the text adds that in this way the breastplate would not come loose from the ephod.
Gold and blue are not just materials. The chains, rings and cord each say something about the Priest Himself:
The chains and rings of gold speak of the Godhead glory of our Priest. The lace of blue speaks of the heavenly grace of His Manhood. The word that older versions translate "wreathen" means a strong band. These strong bands of His Godhead and His Manhood show us how well and how securely we are sustained according to God. However great our testing, we have in our High Priest One who is more than equal to every circumstance of the way, and He will bring us safely through.
This verse fixes the rings to the shoulder pieces. What they hold there is the breastplate, worn over the heart:
An early Greek translation of the Old Testament calls the ephod the "shoulder piece," because much of the priest's work was to carry the burden of the people of God before Him. But He was also to show compassion to those who are ignorant and going astray, and this called for patient love. So rings and chains of gold coupled the breastplate to the shoulders, and the two were never to be separated. Twelve precious stones made up the breastplate. Each stone had the name of one tribe of Israel engraved on it, yet pure gold set them all into one — a symbol of Divine faithfulness and glory. The meaning of the picture is clear. The saints of God are carried on the heart of the great High Priest, and also held up by His power. His unchanging love lies behind strength that never weakens and never runs out of patience. The ephod made the breast-plate and the shoulder pieces one. His is not an impotent love, or a loveless power; His power is the servant of His love, and both have no measure or end.
The rings sit just above the woven band of the ephod. Older translations call it "the curious girdle," and that band carries its own meaning:
After the ephod, we read of the curious girdle of the ephod. It was made of the same materials as the ephod itself (verse 8). The girdle is the sign of service; compare Luke 12:37; 17:8… He took the form of a servant when He became man, and He will never lay that form aside. In the days of His humbling He was the tireless servant of all. And more than that, like the Hebrew servant of Exodus 21, He had chosen to be a servant for ever. So He serves on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary while we journey here on earth.
The next verse gives the reason for the rings. One writer points to the band that held Aaron's breastplate in place:
Its unique work was to see that the breastplate was not loosed from the ephod… What does "bind the breastplate to the ephod" mean? How unique the priesthood of Christ is! "He always lives to make intercession for us." Our names, dear friends, are on that breastplate! They are carried on His affections, and there is a link that binds that breastplate to our heavenly Priest. Nothing can come in to break that link.
The fastening held for good. So the priest could never enter God's presence without the people on him:
The breastplate was never to be separate from the ephod (verse 28): "so that the breastplate does not come loose from the ephod." Whenever the high priest went into the presence of God, it was in his garments. He could not go without representing the people. It is impossible for Christ to stand there in the presence of God without us.
- Rings — Two gold rings sit low on the front of the shoulder pieces. Their one job is to hold the breastplate in place.
- Materials — Gold speaks of the Godhead glory of our Priest. The blue cord speaks of the heavenly grace of His Manhood. Both are strong bands, and both hold.
- Joined — The rings join shoulders to heart. Power and love are one garment, and His power serves His love.
- Girded — The rings sit above the woven band, the mark of service. Our High Priest took the servant's place, and He will never give it up.
- Secure — The result is a link nothing can break: He cannot stand before God without us.
And they shall bind the breastplate with its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
A cord of blue ties the high priest's breastplate to the ephod, his outer garment. God gives the reason Himself — the breastplate must never come loose — so why such care over one blue thread?
This verse adds a second fastening, low down and hidden from view.
Two more rings of gold were put on the lower edge of the breastplate, on the inside. They matched two rings of gold also attached to the ephod. Then a blue lace was tied through these rings, fastening the breastplate to the ephod on the lower side. The blue lace reminds us of the heavenly character of this testimony, and the verse adds that the breastplate would then not come loose from the ephod.
The breastplate carried the names of God's people. So this small tie settled who came with the priest whenever he entered God's presence.
The breastplate was never to be separate from the ephod, verse 28: "So that the breastplate shall not come loose from the ephod." Whenever the high priest went into the presence of God, it was in his garments. He could not go without representing the people. It is impossible for Christ to stand there in the presence of God without us.
The command is not only about where the breastplate sat. It is about how long it stayed there.
The breastplate was also joined to the ephod itself by blue lace ties. The reason given is "so that the breastplate does not come loose from the ephod" (verses 26-28). There must be no chance of the breastplate getting out of its place for a single moment. God's eye must never rest on the priest without being reminded of all His people.
The lace held the breastplate just above the ephod's woven band. Older translations call that band the "curious girdle."
In Exodus we get another unique word — the "curious girdle." Aaron's girdle was unique. The word used is entirely different from the word used for the girdles of the sons. What was its unique job? To make sure the breastplate did not come loose from the ephod… "Bind the breastplate to the ephod," what does it mean? O the uniqueness of the priesthood of Christ! "He ever lives to make intercession for us." Our names, beloved, are on that breastplate! They are carried on His affections, and there is a link that binds that breastplate to our heavenly priest. Nothing can come in to break that link. He intercedes for us who are held secure in the heart of our Great High Priest.
The cord is blue, and one writer sets it beside another blue thread in the law.
Why did the Lord give such detailed instructions about the materials and the security of the breastplate?… "And they shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the ephod with a lace of blue." Blessed security! fastened on the heart of the high priest with a heavenly tie — the heavenly colour, blue. The ribbon of blue reminded Israel of the heavenly, holy claims of God on them — claims they never met. But the lace of blue points to those whom the Father has given, and who are always accepted in the Son. And how secure the fastenings: "so that the breastplate shall not come loose from the ephod."
This verse also explains events far from Exodus. The breastplate held the Urim and Thummim, the means by which God gave answers.
Exodus 28:30 tells us that the Urim and Thummim were in the priest's breastplate, and verse 28 tells us that this breastplate could not be separated from the ephod… So when Abiathar brought the ephod, he also brought the breastplate of judgment, and with it the Urim and Thummim, through which the answer came.
- Bound — Gold rings under the breastplate matched rings on the ephod. A blue cord tied them, and the two garments became one.
- Blue — The colour speaks of what is heavenly. The tie that holds God's people to the priest is a heavenly one, and God Himself ordered it.
- Never loosed — The breastplate could not slip out of place for a moment. So whenever God looked at the priest, He saw all His people there.
- Never alone — The names stay on the garment, so Christ cannot stand before God without the people He represents.
- Never idle — Nothing can break that link, and the Priest who wears it never rests: He lives to intercede for us.
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the sanctuary, for a memorial before Jehovah continually.
Exodus 28 describes the clothes God designed for Aaron, the high priest. Verse 29 fixes on one detail: Aaron carries Israel's names on his heart, cut into precious stones, whenever he enters the holy place — a picture, commentators say, of how Christ holds His people before God.
Earlier in this chapter the same names sat on Aaron's shoulders. Commentators weigh the difference between the shoulders and the heart.
The breast stands for the affections. So it teaches this: Christ upholds His people before God by everlasting strength, and He also bears them on His heart in everlasting love. … If we think of power, we remember His words: "no one will snatch them out of My hand." If we think of love, we remember the apostle's challenge: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" He has bound us on His shoulders with His own almighty strength, and that strength carries our weight. He has fastened us on His heart with His own undying love, a love no one can measure.
The stones in the breastplate carried those names before God. One writer draws out what that means for each person.
These precious stones gleam in the breastplate of the High Priest. They picture our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. He represents His own and holds them in deepest affection in the presence of God. We are not lost in a crowd. We are not lumped together in a vague generality. We are each of us, individually known, cared for, ministered to, upheld, represented in all the strength of divine love in the presence of God.
The material matters too. Gems are what people treasure, and that says something about us we find hard to believe.
We are used to the thought that divine mercy sees us as objects of pity, or that divine favour sees us as objects of kindness. But we are hardly used to the thought that divine love sees us as objects of value and beauty — objects of adornment, of radiance and rarity. Ah! that is very different. Grasping it would enlarge our knowledge of that love which passes knowledge. And it would raise our estimate of the worth of every one He calls "My jewels" — even the humblest.
How were the names made? And what held the breastplate onto the ephod, the priest's outer garment?
Read verse 11 to see how these names were put into the stones. They could not be rubbed out or blotted out. It speaks of our security in Christ… The breastplate was "on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place." Verse 30 repeats the words "on his heart" twice. Here we have the blessed picture that Christ carries all His people on His heart of love. A blue lace held the breastplate to the ephod so it could not come loose. There was no possibility that the breastplate could shift; there is no possibility that His love for His own can ever grow less. His power and His love go together.
The verse calls it a breastplate of judgment. So how can guilty people rest there? One writer answers by pointing to what Christ did first.
Here, then, is the ground of our security on the heart of Christ. He who bears our names on His heart has first borne the judgment due to us… Before He sat down in the radiance of the glory of God, He purged our sins. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. He was delivered for our iniquities.
Israel's priesthood failed. One writer sets that failure beside the Priest who never fails.
Grant that everything for Israel failed through sin, in the priests as well as the people. Then see what blessing is pictured for us who believe in Him to whom it all pointed without fail! How immense the favour! He died to make expiation for our guilt, and He lives for us before God on high. He bears our judgment on His heart, not as if ashamed of us, but gloriously and continually.
One writer turns this to our lowest moments, when the memory of failure is loudest.
How precious it is to look up and see this! No weakness or failure of ours can erase the engraving of our names from His heart. Not even eternity itself can erase it. And when the sight of our weakness, forgetfulness and shortcomings casts us down, what a blessing to look up and see that endlessly loving, faithful heart. It is always engaged about us, always presenting us before the face of God.
- Borne — the shoulders carry God's people by strength, the heart by love. Both present them before God at once.
- Named — no one is lost in a crowd. Christ knows each person and represents each by name.
- Valued — the names are cut into gems. Divine love sees His people not only with pity, but as objects of worth and beauty.
- Secured — the engraving cannot be rubbed out. The breastplate cannot slip. His love for His own can never grow less.
- Grounded — He first bore the judgment due to us. Now He carries our names into God's presence, and He is never ashamed of us.