For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.
Here we start anew with the linen garments, the first layer of the priestly vestment. The first piece that was put on Aaron was a pair of trousers, shorts, lets call them drawers. They were given to hide his shame.
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves. (Gen 3:7 CEV)
They tried to cover themselves and hide their shame. But you know that this was not enough. The fig leaves remind me of a hospital shirt (giving a fresh meaning to ICU) – just don’t turn around. So God offered the first sacrifice ever, an animal had to die to cover their shame. He took from the earth to cover their bodily shame. In the same way the shorts are the only part of the garments that is put on from beneath. Everything else is put on from above.
Aaron and his sons were never to come before God without the shorts on, by death penalty. We can come before God empty handed, but He will always take our shame away, it has no place in His sight.
The linen tunic was woven from one piece. We are reminded of the tunic that Jesus wore. As we saw, the white linen speaks of righteousness. It speaks of dieing to worthless deeds and faith into the done work of Christ on the cross. Passover.
When I think of Jesus’ robe, the woman with the issue of blood comes to mind. When she touch the hem of His garment, she was immediately healed. There is healing in the cross, in His stripes we are healed. When we look at church history, we see that all these truths were restores from the first reformation with Martin Luther right through the healing crusades with Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, Maria Woodworth-Etter, John Alexander Dowie and others.
The Mitra speaks of our covering.We are covered by God.
The linen garments came with a girdle. This girdle was not seen. It speaks of inner strength. It is interesting that Aaron’s sons had all the linen garments as well, but their girdle was from white linen, plain, while Aaron’s girdle was crafted with needle work in blue, purple, and scarlett.
- Blue – Heaven, the Holy Spirit
- Purple – Kingdom, the King
- Scarlett – the Blood
- White – righteousness
These colors can be seen in the door to the outer court of the Tabernacle.
The needle work speaks of piercing. God will pierce and work you to make you ready for ministry. The colors in the girdle set Aaron apart and are a foreshadow of the layers, the truths to come. Before Jesus went to the cross and all authority was given to Him, he foreshadowed His Kingship on Palm Sunday. Before Jesus went to heaven and the Holy Spirit was released, He blew at His disciples and said: take the Holy Spirit. And everything is bought by the blood.
Since Aaron’s sons are priests, they should also look dignified. So make robes, sashes, and special caps for them. Then dress Aaron and his sons in these clothes, pour olive oil on their heads, and ordain them as my priests. Make linen shorts for them that reach from the waist down to the thigh, so they won’t expose themselves. (Ex 28:40-42 CEV)
Does this mean that – as Jesus is our High Priest and we are a people of kingly priests – that this was it for us? If we are kings, and He is the King of Kings, if we are priests, and He ist the High Priest, if we are sons, and He is the first born Son, we have to stop here, as Aaron’s sons did. But then Pentecost and Tabernacle are not for us.
By experience we know that this is not true – each of us has experienced Pentecost. But we do not base doctrine on experience.
But we are also called the Bride. The Priests Wife (I could not resist – remember the Preachers Wife?). And the two of them shall become one.
Well, as we saw in my post about your identity, we are part of the body of Christ. There are only two people on the earth, Adam and Christ, and with Christ being our High Priest in Heaven (Heb 7), we are part of the High Priest. We have the right and the obligation to be clothed with the two other layers as well.
This series consists of