I believe with all my heart that these detailed descriptions of the construction of the tabernacle in Exodus are as much the inspired Word of God as my favorite psalm. But for a free-spirited, color-outside-the-lines kind of girl like me, the sheer number of details recorded in these chapters gives me flashbacks to my freshman accounting class.
Why did the Lord instruct Moses to build altars and tables, lampstands and basins, tunics and turbans with such extreme attention to detail? Why were these details recorded so meticulously? All these centuries later, what do they have to teach us about the character of God and our relationship with Him?
Let’s zero in for a moment on Exodus 39, where we find the description of the priestly garments. This was more than a garment. With gold and stones, bells and crowns, this was an ensemble made to take our breath away. But why? Aaron’s robes weren’t designed to turn heads at Fashion Week. They wouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder. So why was such detailed extravagance needed?
Peel away the layers, and we find the answer in a single thread. The scarlet thread mentioned over and over in Exodus 39 is the same thread that is stitched throughout all of God’s Word. It is the thread God used to sew together garments of grace for Adam and Eve after the fall (Genesis 3:21). It is the thread that signaled salvation from Rahab’s window (Joshua 2:18). And most significantly, we see it at the cross, as trails of blood stream down our Savior’s face as evidence of His atonement for our sins.
Aaron’s priestly garments were woven with red thread, a picture of the gospel illustrated by the thread of salvation woven throughout all of God’s Word. The weight of the robe covered with stones was symbolic of the burden of sin; as Aaron slipped it on, I imagine its heaviness reminded him of the weight of his own sin and of ours. The crown on the priest’s head was a shadow of the crown of salvation purchased for us at Christ’s cross.
The garment maker couldn’t have known it, but he was preaching the gospel. Stitch by meticulous stitch, he was proclaiming salvation was near. Through the lens of the cross we see these extravagant robes showcase an extravagant gospel.
It’s possible the craftsmen tasked with the minutiae of the tabernacle felt overwhelmed and even belabored by the tedium of so many details. Obedience can often feel like that. As we shepherd our own children, or serve in other often thankless ways, or pull out our Bibles listening for God’s voice again and again, there are times when we all wonder, Why does all of this matter?
The answer rarely seems to come in the moment, but in hindsight we see that routine obedience to the Lord always reveals the gospel thread. He is using our seemingly small acts of surrender to transform these filthy rags into robes of righteousness. As we trust and obey, we can look back and sigh with gratitude saying we have “done just as the LORD commanded” (Exodus 39:43).
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34 thoughts on "Making the Priestly Garments"
Did they ever wash the priestly garments? They were supposed to be beautiful, but then they pour oil on the headpiece, and sprinkle blood on the garments and some oil and blood mixed was sprinkled on the robes.
At one point it says they had to wear them seven days.
I just can’t imagine how they kept them looking nice like the beautiful drawings I find online. Did they ever wash them? And did the blood spots ever come out, or did they spots increase and increase with each sacrifice?
Yes, I am looking at this from a practical point of view.
Loved todays reading! As an artist I’m a very visual person and reading these chapters has always been difficult for me. Having it broken down and discussed chapter by chapter made this so much easier to digest. So much so that God gave me a clear picture for my next painting, which normally only happens for me during worship. I sketched it out real quick after reading and I’m super excited to get started. Thank you!
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I’m reminded that even though it may take less than an hour to read of the construction of the temple in Exodus 36-39, that doesn’t mean that that is also the timeline in which it was constructed. I’m not sure if Scripture really says so. This work could’ve taken hours, days, weeks, months, even years.
I was drawn to verse 3. The gold thread used to make the priestly garments was made by hammering out a sheet of gold leaf and then cutting it into thread! How time consuming and delicate that task must have been. Amazing craftsmanship to ponder.
Tina, you are a treasure to us. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Tina, you always inspire me to look deeper.
@Rebecca Fuller-Good to have you back, and that you are committed to SRT daily and the community! I recently (3 years now!) moved to a new city! I had prayed that I would carry out God’s purpose for my life, to serve, find a home church, and find good friends. Well, I can say Praise God,I have found all that and more! God is so faithful and true and is so wonderful to see the thread of God working so amazing and beautiful in my life! No matter what shall come, He is my Lord and Saviour and He gets all my praise, on the mountain and in the valley. Anyway, I know you will find good friends and be used for His Glory if asking!
There were just so many good insights from all of you this week! It will be sad for Exodus to end, it has been such a rich and powerful study! But of course, all of them have been since I found SRT back in 2015 or so!
TINA loved your story! So powerful when we keep opening ourselves up to God’s voice and lesson!
As Eugene Peterson said (and I paraphrase), the Christian life is about long obedience in the right direction. Each day, choosing to follow Christ, in the big and small things. Today’s passage reminds me of that!
“For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.” – Hebrews 6:10 This verse was in my other devotional today. God will not forget our obedience to Him. ❤️
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Tina, I love this! Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Michelle P- praying for you as you lead and intercede for others. That you do not grow weary and remember that Jesus is there, interceding for you <3. Praying that God covers all your needs: a new job, a fixed car and new home.
@ JENNIFER LOVES JESUS
Thank you for your meditation on the bells and pomegranates. I love the questions that you pose. I want to ask that of myself. What do people hear? What taste do I leave?
I also love how you linked the bells to intercession. What a great reminder and encouragement that are prayers and intercession matter to God and are beautiful in His sight.
Thank you.
@KRISTEN
Thank you for sharing this gem from R. C. Sproul. What wonderful teaching!
This plan has been so crucial to my life. Every day, the Lord has been showing me parallels to my own story with Moses.
I have needed it. It can be lonely to be a leader, at the top of the mountain. You look down and see the people and intercede for them, daily. You care so deeply you put your own life on the line for them in ways they can’t and won’t ever see.
I have to learn how to not expect the intercession in return. That sometimes, as a Christian, you serve and love people so deeply that don’t have it in them to return the favor.
It hurts. Man. It hurts because sometimes it’s the people you expect it from, that don’t love you the way you need to be loved.
Moses had a hard job.
I can relate to him in some ways, but in some ways, I’m thankful I’m not called to lead a rebellious people for the last 40 years of my life. Lol.
My heart is grieving the loss of intimacy I’ve experienced the past few years. Constantly giving my heart away to only learn they aren’t going to care for it the way I need them to. I have taken some time to be with God on the mountain and I feel it all.
Though, I celebrate the victory of this season. The seeds I planted and helped God care for . But I so desperately need to let it all go and move on. I did my job. Now, I trust God to let me pray from afar.
I’m praying for a new job. God told me I’ll be moving soon. I have no money saved. My car is in the shop. I can’t work because I use my car for work.
Here on the mountain, I feel it all.
Thanks for sharing Tina! I have often too held on to the fact that I never felt good enough. Gods glory is really divine and I’m glad you can see gosh now.
As I was reading the scripture I was thinking to myself, “the men who were priest had to be stout, sturdy, well built, strong men, especially the head priest, because of the weight of all that was on the garments.” But unlike Erin, I failed to think of the significance of the weight of the garments. I love her analogy of the different parts of the garments.
My sister is getting out of rehab today.
Sisters, be blessed and ALWAYS trust and obey God.
Erin wrote about the garments of grace made for Adam and Eve. I just heard a teaching by R C Sproul. In one part he talked about metaphors/anolgies in the Bible that talk about imputation as described as a covering. He says that it starts in Genesis. Right after the fall they looked for coverings, because they felt the first human experience of guilt. This was a profound experience of shame of an acute awareness of walking around without any clothes on. Adam was hiding. The very first act of redemption was God in His mercy, came down and made clothes and covered their nakedness. He said every time we see someone with clothing, or put on our own clothes we should think about the first piece and the mercy of God that we don’t have to parade around our shame to the world. Then he talks about the day of atonement and the elaborate instructions are given. The priest had to get animals and their blood is taken into the Holy of Holies. The blood is sprinkled on the mercy seat between the cherubim which indicates God’s throne, before which we are all guilty. The priest under God’s instruction covers the mercy seat symbolizing our covering. Then, there is the scapegoat. The sins are transferred symbolically to the goat which is driven out symbolizing the removal of sin. ThIs blood could never be enough but pointing to the only One that could truly save! We are covered by Him. ( I’m paraphrasing.) What an amazing merciful God and a beautiful, wonderful Savior! May we never take Your mercy and Sacrifice lightly! Praise to Him always and forever! Amen!
“Woven red thread, a picture of the gospel illustrated by the thread of salvation woven throughout all of Gods word” “the crown of the priest’s head is a foreshadow of the crown of salvation “
“Woven red thread, a picture of the gospel illustrated by the thread of salvation woven throughout all of Gods word”
This was so good, Erin! “The garment maker couldn’t have known it but he was preaching the Gospel.” I don’t think I’ve really thought of the symbolism of the scarlet cord, the weight of the garment and the weight of sin and the crown on their heads. What a foreshadowing of what Jesus did for us! “Extravagant robes” pointing towards an “extravagant gospel.”
@Jennifer Loves Jesus – beautifully said! I wonder if the forbidden fruit in the garden was actually a pomegranate instead of an able like they always show lol
My thoughts exactly. Beautiful to know our obedience is transformed to robes of righteousness so that we can look back and say we did all according to all that God commanded. I would add through the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. Have a blessed day.
What’s with the bells and pomegranates?! The robe of the high priest had a hem ornamented with 72 each of them. This was a robe of distinction and protection. Exodus 28 describes a woven collar with an opening like body armor (v. 32). And the sound of the bells was heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he will not die (v 35). How would sound and taste protect life with bells and pomegranates? And if Jesus is in view as the final and Highest Priest, all begins to click in my heart. In the Old Testament the people could not enter the sanctuary to approach God, but they could hear when the high priest was there behind the curtain interceding to God for them. The purest golden bells are like the voice of our Savior, interceding for us. And what is the purest sound to God’s ears? I think it must be prayer to Him. The bells signified the sound of intercession. And the pomegranates? A whole nother rabbit hole! :) The fruit symbolized abundant life. The five points of the peeled back shape was the inspiration or the crown of kings. The intimacy in Song of Songs uses pomegranate imagery all throughout the book. And God commanded 72 of them to be sewn between the bells. All made from the fines yarns of scarlet, blue and purple. Rich in mercy. Rich in love. Protection. Bells and pomegranates. Sound and taste. What do people hear when I enter a room? What do they taste? Fruits of the Spirit come directly to mind. I will ponder this today. Taste and see, listen and pray. Touch the hem of His garment for healing. He protects me with His love. I hear the sound of His voice in my heart. I see the abundance of life in Him. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
Beautiful the thread of gospel woven through scripture. Never thought of the scarlet thread as that.
I was struck with how many time in todays reading was the phrase “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” I found 10 times just in today and I know there have been more as they have been building the tabernacle.
Praying that I would also be doing “as the Lord commanded”
“It’s possible the craftsmen tasked with the minutiae of the tabernacle felt overwhelmed and even belabored by the tedium of so many details. Obedience can often feel like that. As we shepherd our own children, or serve in other often thankless ways, or pull out our Bibles listening for God’s voice again and again, there are times when we all wonder, Why does all of this matter?
The answer rarely seems to come in the moment, but in hindsight we see that routine obedience to the Lord always reveals the gospel thread. He is using our seemingly small acts of surrender to transform these filthy rags into robes of righteousness. As we trust and obey, we can look back and sigh with gratitude saying we have “done just as the LORD commanded” (Exodus 39:43).”
Yes! When we humble ourselves and obey our Lord, His grace will shine through and He will be glorified.
I also saw the symbolism of salvation in these clothes that the high priest wore. The tribal names on the shoulder stones of the ephod reminded me that the priests bore the burden of the people’s sins just as Christ bore the burden of our sin as He offered the sacrifice that would take our sin away.
The names of tribes on the breastpiece symbolized that the priest bore the Israelites on his heart. His service was to be a service of love for his people. Christ laid down His life for us because He loves us. Oh the glorious truth of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” and so many other Bible verses that remind us that God offers us salvation because He loves us!
Also, because He loves us, He will not forget us or forsake us. Isaiah 49:16 states, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands …” This was written to the tribe of Judah before they were exiled to Babylon to remind them that the Lord would not forget them and would restore them. God is the same today as He was then. He does not forget His own. Nothing will separate His people from His love (Romans 8:31-39).
The breastpiece also reminds me of the breastplate of righteousness in Ephesians. We are only able to be righteous because we take off our old nature and put on the righteousness of Christ (Colossians 3). What was the symbol of our sin before God has now become the symbol of our righteousness. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul writes, “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love.” So, not only is the breastplate the breastplate of righteousness, it is also the breastplate of faith and love. We must put on Christ’s righteousness in faith, trusting that His righteousness covers our sins. Also, any righteousness that we have is not in order to appease our God, but is out of love for the sacrifice He made for us and all that He has done for us.
Finally, the stones on the breastpiece are similar to the stones on the foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem. Christ’s work of salvation is our sure foundation; and His righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne (Psalm 89:14; Psalm 97:2).
JM, I’ve been wanting to know how you’re doing? You posted last month that you’ve been struggling with a hardened heart, and I have been praying for you. An update on my sister and her baby for those who have prayed for her. They both had a difficult time during and post-labor. Baby Robert had to go to children’s hospital again with rsv a couple weeks ago, but they seem to be doing well since. Thank you again for your prayers and praise to God for bringing them through.
I continue to find it amazing that instructions carved in stone by the finger of God were actually followed. And this reading makes it clear that it was with reverence. That the artisans took time and love to make sure everything was exactly right. They knew this mattered forever, not just then, and it was pointing to something so much greater.
Erin, thank you.
Well, TINA, add me to the list (along with at least Kelly (NEO)) of those your story brought to tears. An absolutely beautiful and moving testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness! Am I unnecessarily nursing or dealing with hurts from long ago? Has my clinging to lies blinded me to Truth?
A big Thank You to everyone that researched and added commentary or insights this week. The level of instructional detail and the intentional obedience is amazing. I’m finally learning to sew and there’s a lot to learn about fabric and thread types for various projects. Reading about the weaving and construction of the garments and curtains has been mind boggling – this was several thousand years ago! And in today’s Scriptures, they pounded the gold and cut it into threads .
So beautiful Tina! Rejoicing with you.
Thank you for sharing.
Amen
TINA – moved to tears of joy for you and your release from bondage to a lie. ❤
“It’s possible the craftsmen tasked with the minutiae of the tabernacle felt overwhelmed and even belabored by the tedium of so many details. Obedience can often feel like that.” Ouch! How often is my disobedience boiled down to thinking my way of doing something is “better” than what God’s (surely He had not fully thought it through and realized my situation would make obedience “impossible”)…
From HRT: “When it comes to obeying God’s Word, where do you find yourself cutting corners? Are there areas in your life, under the loving leading of the risen Lord, that you don’t care to do just as He says? Do you think His commands are optional, that Christ’s call to discipleship is just too costly?
“But there’s also another form of disobedience in adding our own creative touches to what the Lord asks of us. As the various craftsmen and artisans were making the priestly garments, no one took creative liberties. No one added a jewel where they thought one was needed. No one swapped out the purple yarn for another color, believing they could better the color palette of God’s design.”
Another ouch!
Be led by the Spirit today Shes!
Why does all of this matter?
It absolutely does, because in/at the end we will be able to say..
We have “done just as the LORD commanded” (Exodus 39:43)
Life doesn’t always have to be about or measured by the big things. The little things also count.. they also shape, mould and help us grow well in Our Fathers love and hope for us.
I spent a lot of my teenage life feeling disheartened by my family set up.. mum remarried and had 5 more children with my step father, I felt I never fitted in, when I came to spend the summer with her at the age of 16.
All my angst stems from those early days with her and her new family.
Here’s the thing, I have wasted nearly 50 years holding a thread and thought of rejection, unloved, ‘not one of them’ that 3 weeks ago, I realised was a lie!
I sat with my dad, for 6 hours, holding his hand praying, talking, and just being with him. His soft voice, his caring and kind words, advice and request to look after the siblings ‘ as you are the eldest child’
To an angry teenager with hormone issues in the 70’s that day was never going to happen..
BUT GOD..
You see what He did there, do you see what God did there?
In/at/near the end of dad’s life, God’s grace, love and kindness shone through. God gave me closure. He gave me the real thread of truth that was there all along. He restored to me the life He always had for me, only I was toooooooo stubborn to see!
He raised my spirit.
Days, years had been wasted, but in dad’s last days, I was set free from the thread of lies to the thread of truth, which was that I had always belonged..
And that thread is a game changer. A life saver. A truth/ thread worth stitching into the fabric of my life from now on!
BUT GOD..
AMEN..
Happy Thursday my dears wrapped in love and prayers as always ❤