The Priestly Garments

Israel’s tabernacle could not function without a priesthood to oversee the sanctuary and offer the sacrifices for the people. Thus, God’s instructions for the tabernacle include directions for the priestly garments and how to consecrate the priests for service to the Lord. Today’s passage begins the instructions for the priests’ garments, specifically the clothing for the high priest.

Exodus 28:1 identifies Aaron and his sons as the priests of Israel. Importantly, God makes this appointment, telling Moses to set apart the individuals whom He has chosen to represent Israel in worship and serve in the tabernacle. As one commentator indicates, this shows that the office of priest was not one that should be bought and sold and not one that just anyone could fulfill. Sadly, much later in history the Israelites would not follow this ideal. Near the time of Christ, the Jews sometimes fought over the office, and the Romans at times deposed the high priest to appoint another of their choice. Nevertheless, the priesthood as instituted was God’s appointment, not man’s. There is a parallel to officeholders in the new covenant church. The church plays a role in calling a man to the office of elder or deacon, but properly speaking the church does not choose a man for office in the church. Instead, it recognizes those whom God has called and gifted to serve the church in leadership. The Lord gives the Spirit and wisdom to these men for their offices, and the church discerns these giftings by examining their lives to look for fruits of the Holy Spirit’s work (Acts 6:3; 1 Tim. 3:1–13).

Before giving detailed instructions for the priestly garments, God tells Moses that the clothing has as its purpose “glory and beauty” (Ex. 28:2). This verse helps us understand that God appreciates beauty in the things that are used in worship and that everything in the corporate praise of God’s people, down to the clothes that are worn, should be focused on the glory of our majestic Lord. In Exodus 28:3, we see that these garments would be made by those whom God gave a “spirit of skill.” Our Creator would give artistic skill to individuals for making the fine priestly garments, but since all things are from Him (Rom. 11:36), we may rightly infer that whatever skills anyone possesses have been given by the Lord even if that person has not been chosen to make priestly clothing. We do well, then, to remember with Matthew Henry: “Eminence, even in common arts, is a gift of God, it comes from him, and, as there is occasion, it ought to be used for him.”