The Mitre

by MCILREE, A. | Category: Garments For Glory | Apr 2009

Exodus 28:36-41; 39:27-30; Leviticus 8:9, 12; 21:10-12

On the day that Aaron was consecrated, God took good care to emphasise a divine principle: consecration is impossible without sanctification. In other words, being set apart for holiness is nothing without being set apart in holiness. His indispensable prerequisite for service is clear - a man in a spiritual position must be in a good spiritual condition. But God's principle holds another lesson: if sanctification is the basis of consecration, righteousness must be the foundation of sanctification. Scripture gives its own commentary on men who occupied a divinely appointed place yet were spiritually unsuited for the job, and so does history. It is not enough to be set apart, every servant of God must be set apart in holiness for in this lies the evidence of God's glory and beauty!

Once Aaron was clothed down to his feet in white, Moses next focused on Aaron's head and, taking a length of matching fine linen, wound it around to form what older Bible versions call a mitre. In Hebrew, the word 'mitsnepheth' means to roll or wind around, giving the concept of a turban,(1) as it is described in many newer versions. It also carries the thought of binding and, in keeping with the sash that bound the holy linen coat to his body; the turban now wrapped and bound the symbol of Christ's righteousness to Aaron's mind. But the Hebrew word has a grander connotation. Speaking of a day when Jerusalem's 'righteousness goes forth as brightness',(2) God used the associated word 'tsaniyph' when referring to her as 'a royal diadem'(3) in His hand, and righteous Job used it when he said, 'my justice was like a robe and a diadem'.(4) Such was the all-pervasive nature of God's righteousness that Job surrendered every consideration and conclusion to its control, as if it had been wrapped around his mind. Being so fortified, he then translated righteous thinking into action for the practical help of young and old, noble and poor, fatherless and helpless, and for bringing a song to grieving widows' hearts.(5) And it would be no less practical for Aaron. When Moses wound the turban around his head, it was as if the pre-eminence and permanence of the righteousness of Christ was being bound to the mind of God's high priest. What an honour for the man who was never able to foreshadow the disfigurement of Christ, yet so ably depicted His adornment! The turban was a piece of white cloth, plain to the eye of the beholder, but to God it was a gem - a diadem of priceless worth for it pointed to the resplendent brilliance of the mind of Christ.

In his inauguration, Aaron learned to value the head of the offerings: first, in the law of transferred guilt, by leaning on the sin offering; laying his hands on the burnt offering and on the ram of consecration.(6) Now he must learn to value his own head by allowing himself to lean on God's righteousness every day for every decision. His thoughts, opinions, intentions, and evaluations must all be guarded and guided by it. But his adorning is not yet complete. A plate of pure gold(7) must be added to his diadem, and it is described as 'the holy crown'.(8) Two thoughts emerge from these descriptions. The Hebrew word 'plate' comes from a word that can mean 'to blossom like a flower'. When thinking of lilies, the Lord Jesus Christ could say 'that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these',(9) but here Aaron has something which speaks of Christ whose glory is greater than the lily and was designed to blossom in every aspect of his service before God. Significantly, the plate is also a crown and God said, 'it shall always be on his forehead'.(10) From inside the veil to outside the camp, whether representing the worshipper or the leper, its unalterable message was applied: 'HOLINESS TO THE LORD'.(11) With eyes that were governed by these words, Aaron surveyed each potential sacrifice and assessed its acceptability by this righteous standard. Similarly, he stood with the outcast to assess his readiness for returning to the encampment of God's people, knowing that his verdict was determined by the same requirement. The offerer and leper alike read the same engraving, fully aware that, like a signet, it could grant or deny the seal of God's affection, His approval and acceptance. Looking on it, each was assured that its gold announced beckoning or rebuking glory, and marked him out as the man who stood for them in the holy and most holy places. Even when farthest out, he was reminding all of their innermost glory and holiness. It was 'on the front of the turban',(12) not only to challenge, but to give confidence and comfort. Standing at the altar could have been an intimidating experience, for holiness ought to intimidate the ungodly, but the careful offerer came confidently, comforted in knowing that the holy crown was 'on Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things'.(13) Even though the offering may be deemed suitable by the offerer and the high priest's eyes had determined its acceptance, a dying creature could never be perfect. The process of daily decline and decay guaranteed some hidden, unseen fault, but this was overcome by the imputed holiness of the golden plate and God accepted the sacrifice.

Although from the tribe of Levi and not from the kingly line of Judah, Aaron's golden crown brought its majestic stateliness to his priestly work, and gives us a welcomed glimpse of Christ whose whole being exudes holiness to the Lord. With His greater being comes greater challenge, of course, but He also gives greater confidence and greater comfort as we 'offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ'.(14) Does this mean that our worship is perfect? No, it means that it is perfected by Him; therefore we bring our Spirit-led best, knowing that we have boldness(15) or 'freedom of speech' in the holy place. Infinitely more righteous than Aaron, Christ also assesses our walk that it may be 'acceptable to God',(16) but how conscious are we of His searching scrutiny as He examines us with all the care and concern of His compassionate heart? If only we lived with the consciousness that our High Priest's expectations of us are still the same! Does He find us pursuing holiness and endeavouring to live according to the requirement of the golden plate or, ungrateful of His fellowship, do we let Him walk away alone? He is 'touched with the feeling of our infirmities'(17) and, far more ably than Job, wants to be our helper in every trial - in youth or old age, whether rich or poor, in family life or singleness, and many a widow's heart He has caused to sing for joy! Rightly, and uniquely, He officiates as our King-Priest above and there confirms that the crown's engraved inscription tells how His perfections outlast time in the eternal and non-erasable quality of His character.

The crown and its message were doubly secure for God demanded that it be 'tied to a blue cord, to fasten it above on the turban'.(18) The Authorised Version of the Bible quite correctly sets it among God's fastened things: the settings on the high priest's shoulders, the breastplate, and the sockets for the boards of the tabernacle(19) - a secure sense of belonging to the person and the place. The language of Scripture is so precise. God did not tell Moses to put a blue cord on the golden plate. Rather He said, 'you shall put it on a blue cord.'(20) Our great High Priest is not heavenly because He is righteous. He is righteous because He is the Son of God from heaven! In the fine linen, the blue cord, and the holy crown, we have three lovely presentations of Christ: the white speaking of His righteousness, the blue of His heavenliness, and the crown of His kingliness. As we consider the blue cord attached to the crown, we see Him as our heavenly King. Combined with the turban, we view Him as our heavenly High Priest. Put all three together and, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit of whom He said, 'He will take of what is Mine and declare it you',(21) we rejoice to see our great High Priest in the majesty of His heavenly righteousness. Our Diadem!

Bible quotations from NKJV unless stated otherwise

(1) Ex. 28:4 (2) Is. 62:1 (3) Is. 62:3 (4) Job 29:14 RV (5) Job 29:8-13 (6) Lev. 8:14,18,22 (7) Ex. 28:36 (8) Ex. 39:30 (9) Mat. 6:29 (10) Ex. 28:38 (11) Ex. 28:36 (12) Ex. 28:37 (13) Ex. 28:38 (14) 1 Pet. 2:5 (15) Heb. 10:19 (16) Rom. 12:1 (17) Heb. 4:15 RV (18) Ex. 39:31 (19) Ex. 28:14,25; 40:18 (20) Ex. 28:37 (21) John 16:14

MCILREE, A. | Apr 2009
Garments For Glory