judgment, the illuminations and perfections, and they shall be upon the heart of Aaron; that is, "He shall be endued with the power of knowing and making known the mind of God in all difficult doubtful cases, relating either to the civil or ecclesiastical state of the nation. " Their government was a theocracy; God was their King, the high priest was, under God, their ruler, the Urim and Thummim were his cabinet council; probably Moses wrote upon the breast-plate, or wove into it, these words, Urim and Thummim, to signify that the high priest, having on him this breast-plate, and asking counsel of God in any emergency relating to the public, should be directed to take those measures, and give that advice, which God would own. If he was standing before the ark, (but without the vail,) probably he received instructions from off the mercy-seat, as Moses did; (ch. 25. 22.) thus, it should seem, Phineas did; Judg. 20. 27, 28. If he was at a distance from the ark, as Abiathar was when he inquired of the Lord for David, (1 Sam. 23. 6, &c.) then the answer was given either by a voice from heaven, or rather by an impulse upon the mind of the High Priest, which last is perhaps intimated in that expression, He shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart. This oracle was of great use to Israel; Joshua consulted it, (Numb. 27. 21.) and, it is likely, the judges after him. It was lost in the captivity, and never regained after, though, it should seem, it was expected, Ezra 2. 63. But it was a shadow of good things to come, and the substance is Christ. He is our Oracle; by him God in these last days makes known himself and his mind to us, Heb. 1. 1. John 1. 18. Divine revelation centres in him, and comes to us through him; he is the Light, the true Light, the faithful Witness, the Truth itself, and from him we receive the Spirit of truth, who leads into all truth. The joining of the breast-plate to the ephod denotes that his prophetical office was founded in his priesthood; and it was by the merit of his death that he purchased this honour for himself, and this favour for us. It was the Lamb that had been slain, that was worthy to take the book, and to open the seals, Rev. 5. 9.
31. And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32. And there shall be a hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of a habergeon, that it be not rent. 33. And beneath, upon the hem of it, thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34. A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. 35. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister; and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not. 36. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre: upon the fore-front of the mitre it shall be. 38. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. 39. And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needle-work.
Here is,
1. Direction given concerning the robe of the ephod, v. 31..35. This was next under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, without sleeves, and was put on over their head, having holes on the sides to put the arms through, or, as Maimonides describes it, was not sewed together on the sides at all. The hole on the top, through which the head was put, was carefully bound about, that it might not tear in the putting on. In religious worship, care must be taken to prevent every thing that may distract the minds of the worshippers, or render the service despicable. Round the skirts of the robe were hung golden bells, and the representations of pomegranates made of yarn of divers colours. The pomegranates added to the beauty of the robe, and the sound of the bells gave notice to the people in the outer court, when he went in to the holy place to burn incense, that they might then apply themselves to their devotions at the same time, (Luke 1. 10.) in token of their concurrence with him in his offering, and their hopes of the ascent of their prayers to God in the virtue of the incense he offered. Aaron must come near, to minister in the garments that were appointed him, that he die not. It is at his peril if he attend otherwise than according to the institution. This intimates, that we must serve the Lord with fear and holy trembling, as those that know we deserve to die, and are in danger of making some fatal mistake. Some make the bells of the holy robe to typify the sound of the gospel of Christ in the world, giving notice of his entrance within the vail for us; Blessed are they that hear this joyful sound, Ps. 89. 15. The joining of the pomegranates, which are a fragrant fruit, denotes the sweet savour of the gospel, as well as the joyful sound of it, for it is a savour of life unto life. The church is called an orchard of pomegranates.
2. Concerning the golden plate fixed upon Aaron's forehead, on which must be engraven, Holiness to the Lord, (v. 36, 37. ) or the Holiness of Jehovah. Aaron must hereby be reminded that God is holy, and that his priests must be holy; Holiness becomes his house and household. The High Priest must be sequestered from all pollution, and consecrated to God, and to his service and honour, and so must all his ministrations be. All that attend in God's house must have Holiness to the Lord engraven upon their foreheads, that is, they must be holy, devoted to the Lord, and designing his glory in all they do. This must appear in their forehead, in an open profession of their relation to God, as those that are not ashamed to own it, and in a conversation in the world answerable to it. It must likewise be engraven like the engravings of a signet, so deep, so durable, not painted to be washed off, but sincere and lasting; such must our holiness to the Lord be. Aaron must have this upon his forehead, that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things, (v. 38.) and that they may be accepted before the Lord. Herein he was a type of Christ, the great Mediator between God and man, through whom it is that we have to do with God. (1.) Through him what is amiss in our services is pardoned. The divine law is strictf in many things we come short of our duty, so that we cannot but be conscious to ourselves of much iniquity cleaving
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