The Garments Of Ministry

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

Exodus 31:10; 35:19; 39:1, 41

Among the many exciting themes that flow from Genesis to Revelation, God has shown that He is the designer of garments. Had it not been for Him, Adam and Eve would have left His presence covered but not clothed, wearing fig leaves inadequately sewn by their own hands rather than coats of skin from an animal sacrificially slain by His. By clothing sinners through the bloodshed of a substitute, He foreshadowed the work that His Son would accomplish on the cross as Sacrifice and Substitute, enabling each believer to claim Isaiah's words: 'He has clothed me with the garments of salvation' (61:10).

Among the treasures in the book of Exodus we find the Designer at work again. This time we see Him clothing Aaron in 'garments of ministry': a lovely phrase which the Septuagint describes as 'garments for worship' (Gr. 'stolai leitourgikai'). Unlike Adam, who was clothed for leaving the presence of God as a fallen sinner, Aaron was clothed for entering His presence as a favoured worshipper (Lev. 8:7). If clothing Adam pointed forward to the finished work of our suffering Saviour on the cross, clothing Aaron is intended to direct our minds to the work of our Priest on the throne. God fitted him for the lofty work of ministering in the holy place (Ex. 35:19). What an honour! Long before him, angels began to do it for they are ministering spirits (Heb. 1:14) who minister (Gr. 'leitourgos') God-ward. Long after him, the Man of Calvary would do it for He is the 'Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle' (Heb. 8:2). Taking his place in the 'shadow of the heavenly things' (Heb. 8:5) Aaron's 'garments for ministry' foreshadowed the work of a more glorious minister (Gr. 'leitourgos'), but they also depicted His worth by testifying that His character is holiness, glory and beauty (Ex. 28:2).

Before concluding Exodus, Moses wrote, 'the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle' (40:34), and its holy atmosphere awaited the answering character of a priest wearing 'holy garments'. These bear such remarkable contrast to whatever Moses wore. At the burning bush, God said to him, ''Take your sandals off your feet' (Ex. 3:5). It was the only reference God ever made to something Moses wore, and holiness required that they should be removed. Perhaps it was His way of saying that the mediator's clothes don't matter. This was shown again at the cross when men stripped the Lord and took His clothes. He obtained them here and He left them here, but they could never strip Him of the holy characteristics depicted in the garments of the high priest. These He brought with Him from above when He 'emptied Himself' (Phil. 2:7, RV), and He went back home with His nature intact!

On the most notable New Year's Day this world had ever seen, six men including Moses and Aaron responded to the divine call, and God's people followed. Before this enthralled assembly, Moses completed the initial work of erecting the tabernacle and then, stepping out from it, he further engaged their wonder as he began to put 'holy garments' on Aaron. For the first time, these two brothers stood as a combined visual aid to the beautifully related offices of 'the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus' (Heb. 3:1, RV). As the apostle, Moses came out from God's presence to meet the people; as high priest, Aaron went in from the presence of the people to meet with God. Moses brought God in touch with the people; Aaron brought the people in touch with God. Our Apostle and High Priest does both!

If Israel's men and women stood on tip-toe, endeavouring not to miss a moment of that dramatic day, should we not want to take in by the eye of faith something of the glories of Christ that Aaron prefigured? In one sense, it was Aaron's day; but in another it belonged to Moses for God used the mediator to introduce the glory and beauty of the priest. The mediator's role was vital, and the lesson is so valuable: by capturing an appreciation of the One who came to be our go-between, praise God, we now grasp real enjoyment of our great High Priest who was foreshown in these 'garments of ministry'!

Bible quotations from NKJV

MCILREE, A. | Jan 2009
Garments For Glory