The High Priest

by BUTLER, J. R. | Category: N/a | Jan 2005

Honour due to him

The Israelites would gaze upon Aaron their high priest with a sense of awe when they saw him dressed for service in his priestly garments of glory and beauty - those garments that displayed characteristics of God Himself (see Ex.28:2). What honour, what reverence was due to the man through whose offices a holy God accepted them, His people!

Important as Aaron was in his position as Israel's high priest, he was no more than a shadow or reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we know as 'a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens' (Heb.8:1). The Father has given all judgment to the Son so that all may honour Him (see John 5:22,23). His people should surely honour Him in every aspect of their lives, and so please the Father.

We have mentioned Aaron's special attire, but all the Levitical priests had specified clothing, and they had to pay attention to their cleansing and their dress when they were to serve God as priests (see Ex.40:12-15). We have no specific instructions as to dress when we come to worship God in this dispensation of grace, but it is surely worth remembering what God expected of His special servants under the old covenant. Our demeanour - and there is more than clothing involved in that - will often display our attitude, therefore we should take care how we present ourselves in God's service. This is not to commend the wearing of ostentatious clothing, but there should be regard for cleanliness, tidiness and modesty when we are involved in the worship service of a holy God. We must have reverence for, and give due honour to God the Father and His Son our great High Priest.

His headdress

There is something instructive in all the garments of the high priest, but we shall confine our consideration to his headdress: The plate of pure gold that was to be attached to his turban, traditionally called the mitre.

'"You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, 'Holy to the LORD.' You shall fasten it on a blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban. It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD"' (Ex.28:36-38).

His separateness

This plate of pure gold is said to have been like the petal of a flower (Jamieson Fausset and Brown) stretching right across the forehead. It is called a crown in Ex.29:6. It was engraved, probably in one line across, with the words 'Holy to the LORD'. This beautiful crown, worn in such a clearly observable place was not so much a designation of the high priest's personal character, but an indication that he was separated to God from the rest. It proclaimed his separateness. In this he typified the Lord Jesus Christ our great high priest, of whom it is written, He was 'holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners' (Heb.7:26).

His purity

Of course, to typify Christ or to be Christ-like one must have concern for personal purity of life. The high priest was also to be holy in the sense of clean and pure, and so were those who were associated with him. Whenever there was sin or uncleanness it had to be dealt with by the shedding of blood. The whole nation of Israel should have had the status of a holy nation if they had been obedient to God's voice and kept His covenant (see Ex.19:5-6). It is good for us to consider, and re-consider the holiness required of those who represent God's spiritual house. Besides separateness, purity is inherent in the word holiness - purity that will expose and emphasise in our experience the unclean or profane. One's eyes may grow so accustomed to darkness as to be able to see sufficiently well to move about, even to walk in it, but after coming out of light into darkness it is very hard to see at all. In a spiritual sense, let us remain in the light where we shall be preserved from the need to find our way in the darkness! In God there is no darkness (see 1 John 1:5). The saint of God must know how to distinguish between light and darkness - between the holy and profane. We must know that the profane is not acceptable in the service of God, whether that service is considered to be of holy priesthood character or otherwise. Our service is to be 'in newness of the Spirit' (Rom.7:6), and our worship 'in spirit and truth' (John 4:24). Let us remember that we as God's people are called 'a holy nation, a people for God's own possession' (1 Peter 2:9), and we are to be holy in all our behaviour (see 1 Peter 1:14-15). Clearly, God's people being in a position of holiness, separateness to the Lord, should display a purity of life - they are required to be what they are.

He takes away iniquity

The high priest's gold crown was to be always on his forehead so that the sons of Israel would be accepted before the Lord. They prepared and presented their holy gifts for the Lord, but there was iniquity associated with those holy gifts (Ex.28:38), and it had to be taken away. The high priest was fitted for this duty. The clean white turban he wore would speak to God of the perfect righteousness of His Son, and the gold crown we have been considering would speak of the His holiness and divinity. God's Son, who would come to earth and accomplish His sacrificial work, would by His offering perfect His holy ones, so that their service would be acceptable to the Father, without any vestige of iniquity, of self or the flesh. Is it not true that there are times - even when it is our purpose to honour God with our thanksgiving and praises, when we are aware there is something of self in our presentation? Yet, thanks be to God such 'iniquity of the holy things' is taken away by our great High Priest. 'For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified' (Heb.10:14). After having completely satisfied God with regard to cleansing the sins and iniquities of His people 'He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high' (Heb.1:3).

His people are accepted

How the sons of Israel must have rejoiced as they realized that not only the gifts they had set apart for God, but they themselves would be accepted by Him through the office of their high priest. Are we not also thankful when we consider how our glorious High Priest - in whom we see the absolute holiness of God - presents the thank offerings of His people acceptably and without imperfection in the majesty of God's presence?

For us He wears the mitre

Where holiness shines bright;

For us His robes are whiter

Than heaven's unsullied light. (Mrs Peters)

(Verbatim quotes from NASB)

BUTLER, J. R. | Jan 2005
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