ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu’apulelulu ‘Epeleli 6, 2023

Christ's Vestments

KO E NGAAHI KOFU ‘O KALAISI

EXODUS 28:1-2

"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. AND YOU SHALL MAKE HOLY GARMENTS FOR AARON YOUR BROTHER, FOR GLORY AND FOR BEAUTY,"

‘EKISOTO 28:1-2

1 PEA ko eni te ke fakaofi mai mei he lotolotonga ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli ‘a ‘Ēlone ko ho tokoua, ‘a ia mo hono ngaahi foha, koe‘uhi ke ne fai kiate au ‘a e ngāue fakataula‘eiki; ‘a ‘Ēlone, ‘a Nātapi mo ‘Āpiu, ‘a ‘Eliesa mo ‘Ītama, ‘a ia ko e ngaahi foha ‘o ‘Ēlone. 2 Pea te ke ngaohi kofu tapu ki ho tokoua ko ‘Ēlone koe‘uhi ke hā lāngilangi‘ia mo masani.

The bigdey-qodesh ("holy garments") of the priests were lifted from the closet of God's Son. In Isaiah's vision, the hem [ shul ]of the Lord's robe filled the temple (6:1) - the same word used to describe the hem of the high priest's robe (Exod. 28:33). And the Lord whom Isaiah saw was Jesus, for Isaiah "saw his glory and spoke of him" (John 12:41). Similarly, when John saw Christ in Revelation, in a temple-like setting full of menorahs, he was "clothed in a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest" (1:13). The same Greek words used in Revelation for "long robe" and "sash" are used in the Septuagint to translate the robe and sash of the high priest (Exod. 25:7; 28:4).

The glory and beauty of these bigdey-qodesh were the glory and beauty of the Messiah. The high priests of Israel were vested like Christ our "great priest over the house of God" (Heb. 10:21). Their vestments were vested with the prophecy of the one who would clothe us in his own righteousness.

O Lord Jesus, clothed with splendor and majesty, clothe us with righteousness that we may shout for joy (Ps. 104:1; 132:9).