Parashah 65–“You are to order…”–Shemot 27:20-28:43
Focus Must Guide Our Study of Torah
As with any study of Torah, the true disciple of Y’shua haMashiyach considers the contents contained therein from a Messianic—Yeshua-centric—Yeshua-focused perspective.
How do we do it? There are a number of ways in which a Messianic Torah student to accomplish this. However, I would suggest the following ways to structure your studies:
(1) Seek understanding as to what instructions and mitzvah YHVH requires His children keep and observe.
(2) Through the leading and teaching of the Ruach haKodesh, identify, ponder and explore the types and shadows of the various elements of Torah, the Tabernacle worship and experiences of the patriarchs that point to the Person and Office of Mashiyach. Such understanding helps us rationalize how we are to carry out our walk in Mashiyach each and every day. For we have been destined to called to Mashiyach’s image. Y’shua is the prototype of Child that Father requires all his other sons and daughters to conform to.
So, we study the Torah Readings each week with these (and other) things in mind. Not simply going through the motions each week of getting the reading done and out of the way as many choose to do. We love Torah; Yah’s Word. It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (I.e., embodied in the Menorah). It is our [spiritual] sustenance that nourishes us and leads us along the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.
The oil (shemen) for the menorah
The oil or shemen for the menorah was to come from pure, beaten olives (mizayit) (27:20). The light of the menorah was to burn before YHVH continually and Aharon and sons were to tend to the menorah from evening till morning (27:21). And of course the pure olive oil is generally symbolic of the Ruach haKodesh (aka, the Holy Spirit). And it is the Holy Spirit that provides illumination to the very throne of our Heavenly Father.
Indeed, our Ruach-filled (i.e., Spirit-filled) Master also represents the Person and Office of Mashiyach. He showed and opened the Way for us to His Father. Furthermore, it was through His teachings and ministry that Abba’s Torah was brilliantly and perfectly illuminated for us. His example and teaches, along with the Ruach of YHVH, facilitates our walking out Torah in our day-to-day lives in a manner that is wholly acceptable to YHVH our Elohim.
Aharon and sons appointed as cohanim (28:1).
Their garments would serve to set them apart (i.e., Holy) from the rest of the nation and for service unto YHVH–“Expressing dignity and splendor” (28:2). Hertz’ Torah and Haftorah re-words as “for splendour and distinction,” which is in line with the Levitical Priests being distinct and separate from the rest of the nation.
The NET commentary suggests that these garments were purposed to “exalt the office of the high priest as well as beautify the worship of God.” The writer’s use of the term “glory” underscores the importance of the office of the Cohen as well as giving the laymen a sense of exaltation of the service provided by the office of the Cohen.
In line with this thinking, I recall when I served the U.S. Navy as an officer, it was our dress-class uniforms that underscored the importance of the officer rank as well as the service that each wearer of the uniform provided the military organization. I would say, in a rough sense, the same applies here.
The craftsmen appointed to create the garments would possess the Spirit of Wisdom (28:3).
The garments of the office of Cohen would consist of (28:4)
- The Breastplate–it contained the Urim and Thummim (Exo. 28:30; Lev. 8:8). Also referred to as the Breastplate of Judgment (28:30).
- An Ephod–strictly Hebrew. Another way that Scripture looks at the ephod as some form of image for a god (Jug. 8:27).
- A Robe–blue in color (28:31). (See explanation of the color of blue below.) It was to have ornate embroidery of pomegranates of blue, purple with an attached gold bells. The pomegranates and bells would alternate around the hem of the robe (28:34). The sounds of the bell would sound as Aharon entered and left YHVH’s presence in the sanctuary so that he not die (28:35).
- A Coat of checkered work; a fitted tunic–made of fine linen (28:39). Made of fine, flax linen, this coat represented the righteousness of Mashiyach.
- A Turban–made of fine linen (28:39).
- A Sash–the work of an embroiderer (28:39).
The colors associated with the cohens’ garments are in lockstep with those used in the design of the Tabernacle (28:6)
- Gold—Gold represented that which is divine in nature. Scripture described it in the construction of the Tabernacle as being “divinely excellent and precious” (Exo. 25:3). God made pure gold. It comes down to man from YHVH above. The gold of the Tabernacle foreshadowed the divinity and glory of Yahoshua haMashiyach.
- Blue–the robe’s color (28:31). Unlike pure gold, blue as used in elements of the Tabernacle and the priestly garments was of shellfish. Dye was made from this a particular shellfish found only in the region. The Hebrew root of the word signifies perfection. It is also the color of the heavens above. Thus, it would symbolize the heavenly and spiritual realm.
- Purple—Purple commonly denotes royalty. It is derived from a combination of scarlet and blue, which reminds us of the union of the earthly dignity and the heavenly perfectness of the Mechizedekian Priesthood of our master Yahoshua haMashiyach. It is He that serves as the Cohen Gadol in the heavenly Tabernacle (25:4).
- Scarlet yarns—This color is derived form a worm that infested certain trees of the Middle East. It of course typified Mashiyach in His sacrifice and suffering. Interestingly, there is a Messianic prophecy in Psalm 27 where Mashiyach utters, “I am a worn.”
- Fine twined Linen–points to the loveliness and purity of Mashiyach. Fine Egyptian linen came from the flax plant. In appointing him to the 2nd highest office in Mitsrayim (i.e., Egypt), Pharaoh dressed the patriarch Joseph in fine linen because he was rare and fine and privileged, citing “Can we find such a one as this? A man in whom is the Spirit of God” (Gen. 41:38). Linen highlighted the uniqueness of the individual who was privileged to wear it. The linen of the Priestly garb foreshadowed the “intrinsic worth and essential nature” of Mashiyach (McIlree). Its design would be flawless as was the Person of Mashiyach.
Two onyx stones set in gold “filigree” would be engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Yisrael (28:9-11, 13). The stones would rest on the shoulder pieces of the ephod and serve as a memorial for the sons of Yisrael before YHVH continually (28:12, 29).
Four rows of precious stones set in gold filigree would be situated across the breastplate (28:17-20).
Each stone would bear the engraved name of one of the 12-tribes of Yisrael (28:21-28).
It is believed that the Urim and Thummim were used for determining Yah’s Will. It’s unclear as to what exactly these objects were. Jewish tradition says one was light and the other dark respectively. These possibly could have been stones. Because Yah referred to the breastplate as the breastpiece of judgment in other areas of Torah, it’s possible they were instrumental in helping the Cohen Gadol make decisions. At least one bible scholar described these as being instruments of a sacred lot of some sort, that the priests would utilize to discover YHVH’s Will in “areas that were beyond human knowledge” (U. Cassuto).
Regardless, these elements were worn over Aharon’s heart as part of the breastplate and they served to bear YHVH’s will for His people whenever he’d go before YHVH (28:30).
A gold plate would have engraved upon it “Holy to YHVH” (28:36). The NLT describes this plate as a gold medallion while the NRS described it as a rosette of pure gold (28:36). The plate or medallion would have from a blue cord attached to the turban or mitre (28:37). It was to be worn by the Cohen Gadol (i.e., Aharon) upon his head and he would atone the for the iniquity of the holy things (28:38).
All the above were expressly for the garments of the Cohen Gadol. But the garments of the cohens (i.e., Aharon’s sons) would consist of tunics, sashes, and headbands for glory and beauty (i.e., for service) as was purposed above (28:40).
YHVH instructed Moshe to clothe Aharon and sons in these garments; anoint and ordain them; sanctify (set them apart) as holy so that they may minister unto YHVH Elohim (28:41). They would also have linen undergarments.
Whenever the priests entered and served in the Tent of Meeting, they were required to have on these specified vestments or face death. This was a perpetual ordinance for Aharon and his sons and descendants (28:43).
The Priestly Garments
YHVH placed a great amount of attention to garments throughout time. Adam and Eve received garments from YHVH that were provided through bloodshed/sacrifice of an innocent animal. This act of providing the garments for our original parents foreshadowed the ministry and work of our Master. They wove fig leaves according to their own understanding and invention. Their actions served to cover over their sin.
Taken into account when discussing spiritual concepts such as “sacrifice” and “substitution,” when it came to creating the Levitical Priestly garments, these, like every element of the Tabernacle, pointed to Mashiyach.
Master was so precious. He was the “Light of the World,” (i.e., the Menorah) and the “Bread of Life” (i.e., the Table of Shewbread). Yet we “despised, rejected, esteemed Him not…we esteemed Him stricken. He was smitten by Elohim and afflicted (Isa. 53:3).
And it was Father who, through the work and agency of Mashiyach, clothed us with “garments of salvation; covered us with a robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isa. 61:10).
YHVH in our Torah text of Shemot 28 clothes Aharon and sons in “Garments of Ministry” (Andy McIlree; “Garments for Glory;” 2018). In contrast to the garments that Adam and Eve invented to cover over their sins, the Holy Spirit guided artisans (“skilled and filled”–McIlree) employed by Moshe to create garments for the Levitical Priests for proper Tabernacle worship.
The Garments Provided by YHVH Pointing to Mashiyach
Father’s provision of garments for Adam and Eve were made from the skins of sacrificed, innocent animals. They pointed to Mashiyach’s atoning sacrifice on Calvary’s execution stake. Followed by Father’s provision for dictating to Moshe the garments of the Levitical Priest, that foreshadowed the Priestly role presently fulfilled in the Heavenly Tabernacle by Mashiyach on our behalf.
Again, just like the elements of the Tabernacle, the Levitical Priestly garments were “the copy (i.e., example in the KJV) and shadow of heavenly things and of good things that would come (Heb. 8:5; 10:1). These also pointed to Mashiyach’s present work in the heavenly Tabernacle and of His “holy character” (McIlree).
Interestingly, McIlree likens Moshe to an Apostle (i.e., emissary in the CJB) and Aharon the Cohen Gadol, both offices Mashiyach would fill and serve in.
Haftarah–Hosea 14:4-9
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Heb 4:14-16 ESV)
The Levitical Priests were separate from the rest of the people in the nation. They were not like and separated from the laymen of the nation. Yet Yahoshua, our High Priest under the Order of the Melezedek was like us and He underwent temptations and every hardship of life as we. Thus, our Melchezedekian Cohen Gadol can identify with our human struggles. And thus, we may draw near to the throne of grace as He intercedes on our behalf.