Courtney Gilmore When people look at you, do they know you are a Christian?
God established the requirements of the priest’s service & gave them their own uniform. Uniforms are important because they demonstrate who you work for, distinguish between professions, & communicate how you should be addressed. By exhibiting the importance of their ministry & reflecting the beauty of God, the priestly uniform demonstrated the honor they deserved as Israel’s representatives & the Lord’s servants. “Make garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.” Exodus 28:2
The high priest carried the 12 names of Israel on his shoulders & on his chest. The weight of the nation was on his shoulders & they were always on his heart when he entered the Presence of the Lord. It was his life’s-work to speak to God & minister on their behalf. What a comfort to know that someone is ministering on your behalf continuously! Thankfully, we no longer need a high priest to offer sacrifices or speak to God on our behalf because we have that in Jesus! “We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” Hebrews 8:1-2
In the pouch on his chest were the Urim & Thummim, whose literal names were “lights” & “perfections”. So, their purpose was for perfect revelation (light) from God. No one knows exactly what they looked like or how they worked but they were used to understand the decisions of God, which is why the pouch was called the breastplate of judgement (decision). When they needed to know what God wanted them to do in a specific situation, the high priest would most likely throw these & God would answer by making them land a certain way. We do not need a Thummim or Urim today because we have The Holy Spirit to give us “perfect revelation” from God.
“We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Cor. 2:12-16
On the hem of his robe were alternating pomegranates & bells. The pomegranates were made of blue, purple, & scarlet yarn & the bells were gold. They jingled as the he walked around in his ministry. As long as the bells were jingling, everyone knew that he was busy about his ministry. On his head was a turban, with a gold plate that read, “Holy to the Lord” reminding everyone that he was set apart (holy) to the Lord.
What does your uniform demonstrate to the world? Does it distinguish you from others? When they look at you, do they know who you work for? Can others look at you & read “Holy to the Lord”? Do your ministry bells ring? Do you seek His perfect revelation through the Holy Spirit? Does everyone know that you are a Christ Follower – Christian? Dress the part. Make sure that everyone knows that you are set apart for Him.
“I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” Ephesians 4:1
Excerpt from Episode 73 “Dress the Part” on Podcast and YouTube
