Brian Somers Torah: Exodus 27:20 – 30:10
Haftarah: Ezekiel 43:10-27
New Testament/Brit Chadassah: Hebrews 13:10-16
In the last parashah T’rumah, we touched lightly on the design and construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan, in Hebrew). In this week’s parashah, the garments, food and consecration of the priests and the altar of incense are described.
At the time of this writing, February 2021, the Temple has not been rebuilt. Even the altar of sacrifice has not yet been set up in Jerusalem, and Yeshua is not reigning as King in Israel. Therefore, most if not all of the mitzvot, mishpatim and chuqqim related to the Temple have been suspended or are in abeyance.
With this state of affairs in mind, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews remarks,
14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
15 Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.
Hebrews 13:14-17
From the Haftarah reading, the starting and ending passages help set the tone for our study.
10 “As for you, son of man, inform the house of Israel of the temple, so that they will be ashamed of their wrongdoings; and have them measure the plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of everything that they have done, make known to them the plan of the house, its layout, its exits, its entrances, all its plans, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its entire plan and all its statutes and execute them. 12 This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.
27 When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall offer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,’ declares the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 43:10-12, 27
From the first passage, one of the functions of the Temple is to make the house of Israel ashamed of their wrongdoings. From the second ending passage, once the Temple is consecrated and operating, we will be accepted by the Lord God.
Both of these are vital reasons why we should study the Temple even though it remains in ruins in the present day because it will be rebuilt and become an integral part of Israelite worship.
In the last parashah, we noted that Israel was to provide the materials for the construction of the Mishkan. The opening verse tells us that YHVH told Moses
20 “And you shall command the sons of Israel that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.
Exodus 27:20
In other words, the donation of materials for construction is not a one-time thing. Rather, the community supports the Levites in their duties and provides what they need so they in turn can provide the services of the Mishkan for the rest of the tribes.
The formal uniform of the High Priest is designed to visually describe his role. The high priest will always be male and only the male Levites serve in the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple.
The same materials used to make the curtains, veil and screen are also used to make the High Priest’s uniform, that is, gold thread, blue, purple and scarlet thread or yarn, on a base of white woven linen. The high priest is intended to function between heaven and earth. Through consecration he becomes sanctified or set apart from earth and able to approach the holy things. Whereas the Levitical high priest is elevated from below, Yeshua as High Priest comes down from above.
But the uniform of the High Priest has some elements that are not part of the Mishkan.
There are two onyx stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel that were set on the shoulder pieces of the ephod.
6 “They shall also make the ephod of gold, of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of the skilled embroiderer. 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, so that it may be joined. 8 The skillfully woven band of its overlay, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold, of violet and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. 9 And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to their birth. 11 As a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall set them in filigree settings of gold. 12 And you shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall carry their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.
Exodus 28:6-12
The second element is the breastplate of judgment with twelve stones (minerals or gems), each with the name of a tribe of Israel.
15 “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skilled embroiderer; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen you shall make it. 16 It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width. 17 And you shall mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. 21 The stones shall be engraved according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each according to his name for the twelve tribes…29 So Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the Holy Place, as a memorial before the Lord continually.
Exodus 28:15-21,29
The third element is the pair of objects known as the Urim and Thummim.
30 And you shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.
Exodus 28:30
All three elements have one thing in common: the High Priest carries the Tribes of Israel before the Lord continually. The shoulder stones show the Tribes of Israel divided in two. The stones of the breastplate enumerate each of the tribes of Israel. Both of these are memorials in contrast with the Urim and Thummim which are paired judgments.
The rest of the instructions given by YHVH to Moses have this goal:
45 And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.
Exodus 29:45-46
There is much more that could be said, but again, this is just the briefest introduction of the subject. Men should study the lessons of the Tabernacle and conform their lives to the pattern it lays out. The high priest stands between heaven and earth bearing the names of the sons of Israel in different configurations for both memory and judgment. In the clothes of the high priest, we see Israel as a people taken to be YHVH’s own out of Egypt. Consecration and sanctification is about being set apart to be elevated above earth and closer to heaven.