What is the meaning of Exodus 28:20? And in the fourth row • Exodus 28:17-20 lays out four orderly rows of three stones each on the high priest’s breastpiece. By the time we reach the “fourth row,” the pattern is complete, emphasizing God’s love of order (1 Corinthians 14:33). • The high priest bore Israel’s names “over his heart” (Exodus 28:29), picturing constant remembrance before the LORD (Isaiah 49:16). Beryl • Beryl is usually a sea-green or blue stone, standing out among the others and often linked to heavenly visions (Ezekiel 1:16; Daniel 10:6). • Its placement reminds worshipers that heaven’s beauty is reflected in God’s people, “seated with Him in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 2:6). Onyx • Onyx appears early in Scripture as part of Eden’s riches (Genesis 2:12). By Exodus it ornaments both shoulder pieces (Exodus 28:9-12) and the breastpiece, signaling strength and memorial. • The dual use points to the high priest carrying the nation on shoulders and heart, a shadow fulfilled when Christ “carries our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Jasper • Jasper bookends the biblical story, shining in the heavenly city’s foundation (Revelation 21:11, 19). • Its clarity and brilliance echo God’s own glory: “He who sat there had the appearance of jasper” (Revelation 4:3). That glory is now “in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Mount these stones • “Mount” points to permanence. Each gem was not loosely set; it was fixed so it could never slip away—just as the LORD promises, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). • Names were engraved on every stone (Exodus 28:21), a vivid picture of individual, personal covenant love (Luke 12:7). In gold filigree settings • Gold speaks of divine purity and value (Revelation 3:18). Filigree—delicate, intertwined work—mirrors how God weaves beauty through His people (Ephesians 2:10). • The gold united all twelve stones, portraying the unity of the tribes and foreshadowing the “one new man” in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16). summary Exodus 28:20 completes the list of precious stones on the high priest’s breastpiece, highlighting order, beauty, remembrance, permanence, and unity. Beryl, onyx, and jasper gleam together, securely mounted in gold, declaring that God treasures His people, holds them fast, and displays His glory through them—ultimately realized in Jesus, our great High Priest. |
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