King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, February 08, 2026
Chapters: Exodus 28-29
Message: Exodus: God Ordains The Priests
Hello My Friend,
Sometimes when you read the Bible, you may wonder why God went into such detail about certain things, especially regarding the materials and craftsmanship that went into the design of the Tabernacle. Yet the more you study it, the more you begin to understand the significance and purpose behind every instruction. Yesterday, we read about God giving Moses the instructions on how to build the Tabernacle, as we continue in the reading of Exodus, God gives Moses the instructions concerning the priesthood, beginning with the clothes they would need to wear.
[Exodus 28:1-4 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.]
The priest’s were not without sin so in order to serve God, they had to be redeemed and atoned for their sin even before they could enter the Tabernacle every time. In order to minister or serve God we first must be consecrated, and in today’s terms that means that we need to be saved, born again Christians. Clothes matter on this, well, spiritual clothes anyway, Jesus said it this way in a parable, [Matthew 22:11-14 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.]
The holy garments not only distinguished the priests from the rest of the people, they also served as emblems of the glory and beauty of God. In the same way, true saved, born again Christians are given a new set of garments by Christ Himself. He clothes us in His righteousness, giving us a clean slate, so to speak, from which we begin our ministry and service to Him. The high priest had the most responsibility, his clothes would have a few more things attached to them as a reminder or his responsibility, including an ephod (girdle) with two shoulder pieces,
[Exodus 28:7-11 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. 8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. 11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.]
The colors and materials used each carried a specific purpose and meaning. Gold represented the Deity of God; blue pointed to Heaven; purple signified Royalty; scarlet spoke of Sacrifice; and fine linen symbolized personal righteousness. The names written upon their shoulders signified that the high priest carried the people continually before the Lord. To picture this more clearly, we can think of it as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, finding His lost sheep and lifting them upon His shoulders, carrying them safely as His own, [Luke 15:5-6 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.]
Every time the high priest stood before God, the Lord saw those names, and it served as a continual reminder of the promise He had made to save and protect all who came to Him for atonement. Now, in addition to the ephod, there was a special breastplate that the high priest was to wear, specifically called the breastplate of judgment. It held twelve stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel.
[Exodus 28:15-17,21 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. 16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. 17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. 21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.]
The name of each tribe was graven in a precious stone to signify just how precious they were in God’s sight. As lively stones, chosen and set apart by Him, they were carried upon the high priest’s heart as a continual reminder that God’s people are both valued and remembered, [I Peter 2:4-5 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.]
The breastplate of judgment was placed upon Aaron to remind him that he was to execute justice and judgment faithfully in the service of God’s office. The names engraved upon the stones served yet another purpose, which God goes on to explain, revealing the depth of His care and the seriousness of the priestly calling.
[Exodus 28:28-30 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod. 29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.]
[Urim; Light, Thummim; Perfection.] The breastplate of judgment was placed upon Aaron to remind him that he was to perform righteous justice and judgment in the execution of God’s office. Now, in addition to the ephod and breastplate of judgment, a robe was also to be worn as part of the holy garments.
[Exodus 28:32-36 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. 33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not. 36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.]
As the high priest walked into the Holy Place wearing this robe, the bells upon its hem would sound—much like the ringing of church bells—signifying his approach. This was not because God needed an audible alert to know someone was drawing near the veil; of course He already knew. Rather, the sound testified that the one approaching had been consecrated, set apart, and properly prepared. Anyone attempting to enter without consecration would face certain death. In the same way, it does not matter how long we serve God or how faithfully we labor; if we are not truly saved, none of it is recognized by Him.
[Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]
“HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” In this, the high priest stood as a type of Christ, who is holy in Himself—holy in His person, in both His divine and human natures, and holy in every office He fulfills as Prophet, Priest, and King. He is holiness itself: the Most Holy One, essentially, infinitely, and perfectly so. This holiness is the foundation of our sanctification in Christ. By virtue of our union with Him, His holiness becomes the source, the standard, and the cause of holiness in His people, complete and perfect in Him, []
When you step back and look at all of this together, you begin to see how every detail points directly to Jesus Christ. Each element foreshadowed the perfect High Priest who would come. Now, God goes on to instruct Moses concerning what Aaron’s sons were to wear, and how they were to be anointed with oil and consecrated for service.
[Exodus 28:40-43 And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: 43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.]
As long as the Aaronic priesthood continued, it stood in place until Christ Himself should arise—made a High Priest not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek. In His coming, He brought the former priesthood to its appointed end by fulfilling and answering every type and shadow it contained, [Hebrews 5:8-10 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.]
Just as the high priest and his sons could not minister without being set apart, so Christ, the true High Priest, was anointed by the Spirit and consecrated to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. It was not enough for the priests to wear the proper garments; they also had to be cleansed from their sin. This was a cleansing that water could never accomplish. The only thing that removes sin is blood. Therefore, God gave Moses specific instructions regarding what the priests were to do in order to be cleansed or hallowed.
[Exodus 29:1-5 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. 5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:]
A total of three animals—each one unblemished—along with unleavened bread in the form of crackers, cakes, and wafers dipped in oil, would be required as the sacrifices necessary for the priests to be hallowed and made fit to serve God. However, before they could even put on the sacred garments, the very first thing they were commanded to do was bathe. This outward washing symbolized the inward cleansing they needed, reminding them that no one can approach God’s service without purification. Once they had bathed and put on the sacred garments, they were to be anointed with oil. This was no ordinary oil; it was a holy anointing oil, set apart exclusively for this purpose and never to be used for anything else. Then consecration would begin.
[Exodus 29:7-11 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. 8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. 9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be their’s for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. 10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.]
Aaron and his sons were to place both hands upon the head of the animal, and then Moses would kill it. The blood that was shed was immediately applied to the horns of the altar, while the remainder was poured into a basin beside it. The animal was then butchered, and all the inward parts were placed upon the altar, while the rest of the carcass was taken outside the camp and burned. This was the sin offering. By laying their hands upon the head of the animal, they symbolically transferred their sin to it, and the animal was sacrificed in their place. This is what Jesus did for us to make that permanent, [Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.]
In addition to the sin offering, there was also a burnt offering. This animal, too, would be butchered, but unlike the sin offering, the entire animal was to be placed upon the altar and consumed by fire for God. Nothing was held back. The whole sacrifice was offered up, signifying complete surrender, total devotion, and the giving of oneself entirely to the Lord, [Exodus 29:15-18 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. 16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. 17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. 18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.]
A ram wholly burned upon the altar signified their dedication of themselves entirely to God and to His service—living sacrifices, consumed with holy fire and ascending in the flame of devoted love. Yet their consecration was not complete. Now the second ram was brought forward, known as the ram of consecration.
[Exodus 29:19-21 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. 20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.]
Now we understand why the Christian life is often associated with the “right,” for there was a specific purpose behind this symbolism. The right side consistently signifies what is truly right, as opposed to the left, which represents what only appears to be right but is, in reality, wrong. The application of the blood to the right ear was to remind them to remain attentive to what they heard; the blood on the right thumb was to keep them mindful of what they touched; and the blood on the right toe was to make them conscious of where they walked. And in addition to the three animals already offered, one more sacrifice was required—the bread.
[Exodus 29:23-27 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD: 24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. 25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part. 27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:]
The ram of consecration was unique among the offerings because the priests were permitted to eat a portion of its meat. Part of the flesh was waved heavenward and burned, as though God Himself fed upon it, while the remaining portion was eaten by the priests.
[Exodus 29:28,32-34 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD. 32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy. 34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.]
Their eating of the sacrifice for atonement pointed to the believer’s receiving of Christ’s atonement by faith, and the enjoyment of all the blessings that flow from it. All of this was done to consecrate and sanctify them, that they might be filled, fitted, and set apart for the office of the priesthood. But a stranger was forbidden to eat of it, for these things were holy. In like manner, God does not recognize anyone who is not holy, [I Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.]
Believe it or not, their consecration and readiness for service in the Tabernacle did not take place in a single day. It required seven full days, and each day they were required to repeat the same procedures. Though all the ceremonies were performed on the first day, they were not to regard their consecration as complete until the full seven days had passed.
[Exodus 29:35-37 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. 36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. 37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.]
Why were they required to make atonement for the altar? Because of all the blood that had been shed upon it. The altar itself needed to be cleansed from the blood that had been poured out for the sins of the people—and with good reason. Imagine what it would look and smell like if it were never cleansed. Anyone who has used a barbecue grill knows what happens when it is not cleaned. In reference to our salvation, this is why we must confess our sins daily. Confession refreshes us and cleanses us from the sins we accumulate throughout the day, restoring our fellowship with God, [I John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.]
This placed a solemn weight upon their admission to the priesthood, creating a clear distance between their former state and their new calling. It required them to enter upon their sacred work with a pause—time to reflect on the responsibility, and holiness of the office to which they were being set apart. This pattern was to be observed in generations to come. Only after this period of continual consecration were they fully set apart and permitted to proceed with their duties.
[Exodus 29:38-40,42,45-46 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. 42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.]
Since every soul becomes a Tabernacle or Temple the moment we receive Christ as our Saviour, He enters into our very being and sanctifies us by His glory. I tell you, I am truly grateful that Jesus made sanctification—consecration—both easier and permanent. All we must do to be sanctified by His glory is receive Him as our Saviour, [Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
Today’s Prayer: God, We know that there is nothing we can do or say to merit salvation, it is a free gift to all who believe in the ultimate price that Your Son paid for our sins. Thank You, Jesus, for giving Your life, and saving my soul. And thank You also for cleansing me so that I may be able to stand before You in light and integrity. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power, wisdom, guidance, and the strength to be the minister that You want me to be. Help me remove everything from my life that would keep me from serving You with my whole heart. And fill me with Your mercy, grace, and the things that are acceptable to You. I ask these things in your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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