“Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve Me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.  Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty.  You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve Me as priest. These are the garments that they must make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve Me as priests.  They should use gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.”  (Exodus 28:1-5  HCSB)

The High priest was responsible for the Tabernacle’s daily offering and functions, and its regular Feasts: at the Passover, at Pentecost and at Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement.  It was on the Day of Atonement, celebrated once a year, that the High Priest was to take the blood of the sacrifice goat into the Holy of Holies on behalf of God’s people, for  the forgiveness of  their sins.  Aaron was chosen by God to be the first High Priest. There wasn’t anything special that Aaron did to become the High Priest.  He and his sons were chosen by God from the tribe of Levi!  The only way to the priesthood of Israel was not earned; one must be born into a priestly family.  Under the new covenant, our priesthood is also not earned.  We are priests because of our new birth into Jesus’ priestly family.  (1 Peter 2:5)

“They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.  It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together.   The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod must be of one piece, according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.” Exodus 28:6-8 HCSB

The Ephod is the apron-like-garment worn by the High Priest,  It was made with the same colors as the veil, (blue, purple, scarlet on white linen) except gold thread that was cut from gold plate to be  added and interwoven with the other colors.  (See Exodus 39:3)  Gold is not only precious, but implies God: “divine” and “heavenly”!

“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth.  Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.  Fashion gold filigree settings and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings. Exodus 28:9–14 HCSB

While the first ministry of a priest is always unto God Himself, a priest also is constantly connected to the people, bearing them on his shoulders. The shoulders are a place of work; therefore in the priest’s ministry unto the LORD, he also worked for and with the people.

In Exodus 39:2-7, we read the actual making of the Ephod by the craftsmen God had promised to give a special gifting and “spiritual wisdom”!   If it is really done to the glory of God, practical, manual service requires the leading of the “spirit of God” just as much as what we normally consider to be “spiritual” service

“Bezalel made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.  They hammered out thin sheets of gold, and he cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and the fine linen in a skillful design.    They made shoulder pieces for attaching it; it was joined together at its two edges.   The artistically woven waistband that was on the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then they mounted the onyx stones surrounded with gold filigree settings, engraved with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal.   He fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”  HCSB

We have so much more to study!  Hope you enjoy this journey!!  It really is more important to us today than we can imagine!!