sacred

Moved by the Almighty

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5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. – Ezra 1:5-11 ESV

More than a century before the events of Ezra 1 took place, the prophet Isaiah recorded God’s divine prediction that they would.

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
    who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
    who alone stretched out the heavens,
    who spread out the earth by myself,
who frustrates the signs of liars
    and makes fools of diviners,
who turns wise men back
    and makes their knowledge foolish,
who confirms the word of his servant
    and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
    and I will raise up their ruins’;
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
    I will dry up your rivers’;
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
    and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
    and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” – Isaiah 44:24-28 ESV

God pre-ordained the eventual fall and exile of Judah, handpicking the not-yet-existent Cyrus as His chosen servant to carry out the judgment He had planned for His rebellious and unrepentant people.

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
    whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
    and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
    that gates may not be closed… – Isaiah 45:1 ESV

God sovereignly orchestrated Cyrus’ rise to power so he might carry out the plan for the Israelites’ return to the land of Judah.

“For the sake of my servant Jacob,
    and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
    I name you, though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other,
    besides me there is no God;
    I equip you, though you do not know me,
that people may know, from the rising of the sun
    and from the west, that there is none besides me;
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.” – Isaiah 45:4-6 ESV

God had used Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army to bring about Judah’s fall and Jerusalem’s destruction. Years later, God arranged for the Medo-Persian forces to defeat the Babylonians, setting the stage for Cyrus’ rise to power and prominence.

“Cyrus inherited the throne of Anshan, a small state near the Persian Gulf, in 559 B.C. Due to his great leadership ability he was able to unite the Persian people. He then attacked the neighboring Medes and took their capital city, Ecbatana, without a battle. The Median soldiers abandoned their king to side with Cyrus. He then welded these two great peoples into the Medo-Persian Empire. He next conquered Lydia and Anatolia (in the western part of modern Turkey) in 547-546 B.C. The Babylonian Empire was then in a weakened condition. Cyrus invaded its capital, Babylon, by diverting the waters of the Euphrates River that ran through the city and marching under the city wall on the riverbed. This took place in 539 B.C. This victory enabled Cyrus to establish Medo-Persia as the major political power in the ancient Near East.” – Thomas L. Constable, Study Notes on Ezra

Ezra’s rather brief and matter-of-fact description of Cyrus’ decree fails to convey the magnitude of God’s well-planned and carefully orchestrated oversight of Judah’s fall and eventual restoration. This was not a case of karma, kismet, good luck, good fortune, or blind fate. God had ordained and ordered every single facet of Judah’s exile and eventual repatriation. Nearly 150 years before Nebuchadnezzar’s forces descended on Jerusalem, Jeremiah recorded God’s prophetic forewarning.

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations.

“This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste. I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.” – Jeremiah 25:8-9, 11-14 ESV

God eventually repaid the Babylonians for their role in Judah’s fall, orchestrating the rise of the Medo-Persian empire under Cyrus and their defeat of the Babylonians in 539 B.C.

Verses 2-4 might leave the impression that Cyrus was a worshiper of Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But Isaiah’s prophecy clarifies that Cyrus had no personal knowledge of or relationship with Israel’s God.

“I call you by your name,
    I name you, though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other,
    besides me there is no God;
    I equip you, though you do not know me…” – Isaiah 45:4-5 ESV

Cyrus was a polytheist and an equal-opportunity idolater. His primary god was Marduk but he believed in and embraced other deities, including those of the nations he had conquered. His reference to “the LORD, the God of heaven” (Yahweh) should not be interpreted as a statement of faith or allegiance. If anything, it is intended to convey God’s sovereign control over Cyrus’ life and kingdom. It may even indicate that Cyrus was aware of Jeremiah’s prophecy and viewed himself as the chosen servant of this foreign deity. Notice that Cyrus describes Yahweh as “the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3 ESV). This conveys the common understanding that gods were territorial and relegated to particular regions or domains. According to Cyrus, Yahweh’s influence was confined to a geographic location, so he sanctioned the return of the Israelites to Judah so they could rebuild Yahweh’s Temple – “the house of God that is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:4 ESV).

This powerful world ruler had no obligation to accommodate the Israelites or to underwrite their efforts to reclaim their lost homeland. But Cyrus was being motivated by forces beyond his control. Like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus was unwittingly being used as an instrument in the hand of God to accomplish His divine will concerning the people of Israel. Cyrus’ decree provided the impetus and legal authorization for the Jews to return to Judah, but it was Yahweh who moved their hearts to take the next step.

God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. – Ezra 1:5 NLT

After seven decades in the land of Babylon, the Israelites would have become comfortable and complacent. They had acclimated to their surroundings and had few memories of what life had been like in Judah. Yet, God moved their hearts to go and motivated their friends and neighbors to underwrite their journey.

…all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings. – Ezra 1:6 NLT

God ensured they would have adequate resources to make the long journey home and the funds to begin the painstaking and expensive process of rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. He even prompted Cyrus to return “the articles that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods” (Ezra 1:7 NLT). During their destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar’s forces pillaged the Temple and confiscated all the holy vessels used in the sacrificial system and the worship of Yahweh.

The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars in front of the Lord’s Temple, the bronze water carts, and the great bronze basin called the Sea, and they carried all the bronze away to Babylon. They also took all the ash buckets, shovels, lamp snuffers, ladles, and all the other bronze articles used for making sacrifices at the Temple. The captain of the guard also took the incense burners and basins, and all the other articles made of pure gold or silver. – 2 Kings 25:13-15 NLT

These sacred items had been preserved for seven decades in the royal treasury. They had not been lost, repurposed, or melted down. The Book of Daniel records a time when King Belshazzar used some of these sacred treasures to entertain guests at a royal feast.

King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. – Daniel 5:1-4 NLT

Yet, God preserved these holy vessels and orchestrated their safe return to Jerusalem. No detail was overlooked. God had set apart those vessels for His use and had protected them for 70 years so that they might once again be used for His glory.

God was moving behind the scenes, orchestrating every facet of the plan so that His will would be accomplished concerning His chosen people. Their days of exile were coming to an end and it was time to return to the land of promise. But the only way that could happen was if God stepped in and used His sovereign power to move hearts and motivate pagan kings to do His will.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Preserving God’s Presence

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1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, 3 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting. 4 This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6 Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. 7 And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular showbread also shall be on it. 8 Then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its tongs, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied. 10 And they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it on the carrying frame. 11 And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. 12 And they shall take all the vessels of the service that are used in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of goatskin and put them on the carrying frame. 13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 And they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the fire pans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.

16 “And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of the whole tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.”

17 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 18 “Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites, 19 but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, 20 but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.” – Numbers 4:1-20 ESV

Now God provides Moses with additional and more detailed instructions outlining each Levitical clan’s responsibilities concerning the Tabernacle. This entails Moses taking yet another census of families and clans of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari, the three sons of Levi. This time, the census was to include only those men who were 30 to 50 years old. God provides Moses with an age range that qualifies the Levites for service in the Tabernacle.

“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.” – Numbers 4:2-3 ESV

But later in chapter 8, God provides what appears to be contradictory standards for Levitical age qualifications.

“This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they must retire at the age of fifty. After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.” – Numbers 8:24-26 NLT

Upon closer examination, it appears that there are two kinds of service being discussed in these two passages. In Numbers 4, God refers to “the work” to be conducted in the tent of meeting or Tabernacle. The Hebrew word is מְלָאכָה (mᵊlā’ḵâ), and it refers to the “business” or “occupation” of these men concerning the Tabernacle. God goes on to describe the actual duties they were instructed to carry out that would require them to enter the inner recesses of the Tabernacle and interface with the holy objects contained within. Their responsibilities would require them to touch “the most holy things” (Numbers 4:4 ESV) to prepare them for transport from one place to another when the Israelites were commanded by God to break camp.

To qualify for this important task, a male Levite had to be at least 30 years of age, and no more than 50. But in the Numbers 8 passage, it appears that God lowers the entry level for service to 25 years of age. Yet, the context is this passage is slightly different. In this case, the men who are 25-29 years old are qualified “to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting” (Numbers 8:24 NLT). The phrase, “to do duty” could be translated “to go forth.” It is a military term that speaks of one’s responsibility to assemble for service. At age 25, young Levite males could begin to serve in a limited capacity. It might be best to view this as a kind of internship or period of apprenticeship. The kind of “service” they could perform appears to be different than that described in Numbers 4. The Hebrew word is עֲבֹדָה (ăḇōḏâ), and it refers to “labor” or “work.” The Numbers 8 passage provides four years of training for young men so that they might be properly prepared for future service within the Tabernacle. Up until the time when they turned 30, these young men would be relegated to performing manual labor and would not have been allowed to enter the Tabernacle itself.

All of the Kohathites from 30 to 50 years old were required to care for “the most holy things” within the Tabernacle. While Kohath was not the eldest son of Levi, he is mentioned first because the role assigned to his family and clan was the most important of all. They were responsible for all of the items located within the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle, and these sacred objects required special attention and handling.

Any time that the Israelites were ordered by God to break camp, the first order of business was to disassemble the Tabernacle, but this required careful planning and laser-focused attention to detail. Any failure to follow God’s instructions could be devastating, even deadly. It all began with the removal of the inner curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. This task was assigned to Aaron, the high priest, and his sons. Only the priests were allowed to enter the sacred spaces and prepare the holy furniture for transport.

The first order of business was to properly cover the ark of the covenant to prevent the Kohathites or any other Israelites from looking upon it. The very veil that served as an entrance into the Holy of Holies was used to cover the ark. Then they were to cover the veil with a goatskin tarp that would protect the ark from the elements. The final layer was a piece of blue-colored fabric. Once the ark was properly covered, Aaron and his sons were to insert the poles that would allow the Kohathites to transport the ark without having to touch it. All of the sacred objects were designed to be carried with poles so that no one would inadvertently touch them and die.

“…when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.” – Numbers 4:15 ESV

The Kohathites were also forbidden to look at the holy objects upon pain of death.

“…they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.” – Numbers 4:20 ESV

These men had the privilege of entering the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle and carrying the sacred furniture, but they were under strict orders to treat these objects with proper awe and reverence.

Every one of the sacred objects was to be treated in the same manner, including the Table of Shewbread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense. God’s instructions were very clear and He expected them to be followed down to the last detail.

“…they shall take all the vessels of the service that are used in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of goatskin and put them on the carrying frame.” – Numbers 4:12 ESV

Once Aaron and his sons had finished the preparatory phase of the operation, the Kohathites could enter the Tabernacle and begin the removal of the sacred objects. The only things they did not transport were the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the grain offering, and the anointing oil; these items were placed under the care of Eleazar, one of the sons of Aaron. This same young man was responsible for overseeing the entire process of preparing the Tabernacle for transport and ensuring that it made its way to the next destination without incident.

God had designed the Tabernacle to be portable because He knew that it would have to accompany the Israelites all the way from Mount Sinai to Canaan. Because of His omnipotence, He also knew that there would be a 40-year period in which the Israelites wandered through the wilderness because they refused to enter the land the first time they arrived at its borders. For four decades they would be required to transport God’s house from one location to another. His presence was directly tied to the Tabernacle and the maintenance of the Tabernacle’s holiness was essential if He was to remain among His people. So, God provided Moses and the Israelites with strict instructions for protecting the sacredness of His house and preserving the promise of His abiding presence, and the Kohathites would play an integral and irreplaceable role in the entire process.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All for the Glory of God

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20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.” – Exodus 27:20-28:5 ESV

The Tabernacle was no ordinary structure. It was to be God’s earthly residence and, as such, it was to be built of the finest materials according to a divinely ordained plan. And within its perimeter fence and inner walls there were a number of unique pieces of furniture that set it apart as a temple or sanctuary. There was the Bronze Altar in the courtyard, designed for the offering of sacrifices to Yahweh. Located within the Holy Place were the Altar of Incense, Golden Candlestick, and Table of Showbread. And sequestered inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat resting upon it. Each of these holy objects was designed to make this tent a temple to the worship of Yahweh and, like any temple, it required priests to serve as mediators between the people and their deity.

In the case of the Tabernacle, God assigned the priestly role to Aaron and his sons. Aaron would serve as the first high priest and his sons, Nadab and Abihu, would serve alongside him. Like the Tabernacle itself and all the elements contained within it, Aaron and his sons were to be set apart and consecrated for the service of God.

Moses and Aaron were brothers and members of the tribe of Levi.

The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. – 1 Chronicles 6:1-3 NLT

When God had called Moses to deliver the people of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, He had agreed to send Aaron, the older brother of Moses as an assistant.

“Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.” – Exodus 4:14-18 ESV

Aaron served alongside Moses during their days in Egypt as they attempted to secure the release of God’s people, then he assisted his brother as they journeyed across the wilderness to Sinai. And it was at Sinai that God set aside Aaron to serve as the first high priest of Israel and assigned his tribe to the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle.

“Bring your relatives of the tribe of Levi—your ancestral tribe—to assist you and your sons as you perform the sacred duties in front of the Tabernacle of the Covenant. But as the Levites go about all their assigned duties at the Tabernacle, they must be careful not to go near any of the sacred objects or the altar. If they do, both you and they will die. The Levites must join you in fulfilling their responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle, but no unauthorized person may assist you.” – Numbers 18:2-4 NLT

  God’s house required careful attention. It was to be considered holy and treated with the utmost care. This was no ordinary structure so it required extraordinary measures to ensure that it remained holy and free from defilement. Every facet of its maintenance was assigned to Aaron and his relatives, with special emphasis placed on Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu. These men were to serve as intercessors for the people before God, with the sobering responsibility to keep themselves and the Tabernacle itself pure and holy.

The people provided the materials used to construct the Tabernacle and its accouterments, but it was Aaron and his sons who were responsible for the ongoing care and utilization of this sacred structure and its content. God commanded the people to supply “pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn” (Exodus 27:20 ESV). This oil would have been of the highest quality, carefully purified so that it would burn with a minimum of smoke. But it was up to Aaron and his sons to pour the oil into the seven lamps located on the Golden Lampstand within the Holy Place.

Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel. – Exodus 27:21 ESV

From this point forward, Aaron and his sons would no longer be free to live their lives according to their own wills. They belonged to God and were obligated to spend the rest of their lives serving at His behest. Their role was sacred and to be taken seriously because it ensured the ongoing presence of God.

The role of the priesthood of Israel was not just ceremonial in nature. It was both practical and essential for maintaining the purity of the Tabernacle so that God’s presence would remain among His people. Aaron and his sons had to ensure that the lamps in the Golden Lampstand were always lit and properly maintained. They were also responsible for preparing the bread of the presence that was located on the Table of Showbread in the Holy Place.

“You must bake twelve flat loaves of bread from choice flour, using four quarts of flour for each loaf. Place the bread before the Lord on the pure gold table, and arrange the loaves in two stacks, with six loaves in each stack. Put some pure frankincense near each stack to serve as a representative offering, a special gift presented to the Lord. Every Sabbath day this bread must be laid out before the Lord as a gift from the Israelites; it is an ongoing expression of the eternal covenant.” – Leviticus 24:5-8 NLT

And each Sabbath, when Aaron and his sons replaced the bread of the presence with fresh loaves, they were allowed to consume the leftovers, as long as they did so in a holy place. God shared what had been dedicated to Him with His servants. These men were expected to serve the Lord day and night. They were commanded to tend the Golden Lampstand “from evening to morning before the Lord” (Exodus 27:21 ESV), so that the flames would never go out within the sanctuary of God. And the people of Israel found great comfort in knowing that God’s house was always under the watchful eye of His servants.

Years later, long after the Temple in Jerusalem had superseded the Tabernacle as the primary house of God, the people of Israel would gratefully acknowledge the priests for their role in its care and maintenance.

Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
    you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward the sanctuary,
    and praise the Lord.

May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,
    bless you from Jerusalem. – Psalm 134:1-3 NLT

The first men to serve in this illustrious capacity were Aaron and his sons. God hand-selected them to perform the sacred role of the priesthood.

“Call for your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Set them apart from the rest of the people of Israel so they may minister to me and be my priests.” – Exodus 28:1 NLT

God had Moses “set them apart.” In a sense, He was commanding that these men be separated from the rest of the nation of Israel and given an assignment that was not to be fulfilled by anyone else. And to help accentuate the distinctive nature of their role, God commanded that they be given garments that would set them apart.

“Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service.” – Exodus 28:2-3 NLT

These “sacred garments” were meant to distinguish Aaron and his sons from the rest of the Israelite community. The Hebrew word for “sacred” is קֹדֶשׁ (qōḏeš), and it refers to that which is holy and set apart to God. The distinctive and beautifully crafted garments would serve as visual reminders to the rest of the Israelites that these men were agents and servants of God. They belonged to Him and were to be treated with dignity and honor. And these glorious and beautiful robes were also meant to remind Aaron and his sons that they were servants of the Most High God. In a sense, the clothes were intended to be signs of ownership and symbols of the sacred role of the priest.

“These garments were set apart for sacred duty: holy clothes for a holy calling. What the high priest wore showed that what he did – whether it was lighting the lampstand or offering sacrifices on the altar – was holy before God.” – Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved For God’s Glory

Like the Tabernacle in which he served, the high priest was robed in the finest fabrics. His garments were intended to reflect the glory of God. They were not a status symbol meant to inflate Aaron’s ego. Their glorious and beautiful design was a reflection of God’s majesty and transcendence. God’s house and servants were immaculately robed in splendor so that they might depict His glory and greatness among the people. As David later wrote in one of his Psalms, even the angels in heaven were created to bring glory and honor to God.

Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings;
    honor the Lord for his glory and strength.
Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.
    Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. – Psalm 29:1-2 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.