Connect Exodus 28:31 to New Testament teachings on priesthood and holiness. Setting the Scene: A Blue Robe for the High Priest • Exodus 28:31: “You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth.” • This garment went over the high priest’s white linen tunic and under the ephod, setting him apart visually whenever he entered the tabernacle. • The robe’s single color underscored unity and completeness—nothing patchwork, nothing mixed—preparing Israel to see holiness as pure and undivided. Spotlight on Holiness: Why the Color Matters • In Scripture, blue often recalls the heavens (cf. Numbers 15:38–40) and God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:26). • By clothing the high priest “entirely” in blue, God visually tied the priestly office to a heavenly standard: holiness that reflects divine purity and authority. • The seamless construction (Exodus 39:22) anticipates the undivided righteousness required for anyone who would stand between God and His people. Foreshadowing Christ, Our Great High Priest • Hebrews 4:14: “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold firmly to what we profess.” – Just as the blue robe pointed upward, Jesus “passed through the heavens,” fulfilling the symbol in His own person. • John 19:23–24 highlights Christ’s seamless garment at the crucifixion, echoing the seamless robe of Exodus 28:31. – The soldiers’ refusal to tear it testifies to the indivisible righteousness of the ultimate High Priest. The Robe and the Royal Priesthood of Believers • 1 Peter 2:5: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood…” • 1 Peter 2:9 adds: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” – The blue robe’s call to holiness now rests on every believer. – The church’s priestly identity is rooted in Christ’s finished work and modeled after the Old Testament pattern. Living the Holiness the Robe Signifies • Hebrews 10:19–22 encourages believers to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,” cleansing both conscience and conduct. • Ephesians 4:24: “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – “Putting on” mirrors the high priest vesting himself; it is an intentional, daily act. • 1 Thessalonians 4:7: “For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.” – The robe reminds us that holiness isn’t optional; it is the vocation of every believer. • Revelation 1:6: Christ “has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father,” completing the arc from Exodus to eternity. Wearing Christ’s righteousness as our seamless “blue robe,” we enter God’s presence with confidence, serve as His priests, and pursue the practical purity that the garment first pictured on Aaron centuries ago. |
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