SANCTUARY STUDY PART 5
Shared Study by Joan LaCelle


These are pictures of the Betty Luken Tabernacle Felt Set

OUR HIGH PRIEST

     In the wilderness the High Priest chosen by God was Aaron.  Aaron represented our High Priest, Jesus Christ.  Just as certainly as the lamb for the sin-offering represented, Jesus, so Aaron’s position, represented the work of Jesus too.    The High Priest would officiate for the people before God.    Because Jesus was the spotless Lamb who died for our sins, He could rise again and stand before God and plead or intercede for us.  He is our High Priest right now. 

   FORERUNNER

     In Ancient Israel the priest entered the Sanctuary with the blood to present it before the Lord (Hebrews 9:12).  Our Savior gave His life so that as He entered the Heavenly Sanctuary He carried His Own blood - presenting it before God. As Jesus entered the Heavenly Sanctuary as High Priest, He is called the “Forerunner”.   Hebrews 6:19 & 20 states: “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”    The name Forerunner is given to Jesus only as He enters the Sanctuary “within the veil”. 

   This is such a beautiful expression of how much Jesus has condescended and humbled Himself to show us His deep love for us.  A Forerunner in monarchical times would dress in impressive robes and wave a fancy plume and go before the King or other royalty to announce their approach.  The people watching always enjoyed seeing the Forerunner come and announce the soon arrival of the “royalty” - but their eyes did not stay fixed on the Forerunner. Instead their eyes were on the road behind the Forerunner because their interest was on what the Forerunner was announcing.   How can this be?  Yet Jesus is sharing with us that when He entered the Sanctuary in Heaven, after His death and resurrection - He became our Forerunner.  Our Mighty Conqueror over death and sin is waving a “wave sheaf” directing the attention of all the universe not to Himself but to who?

To us!  It is so hard to fathom that He considers us royalty - the lost people, the reason for His death on the Cross. But yes, even though we cannot begin to fathom such an honor, as we submit to Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing and then His beautiful restoration and recreation someday soon we will enter heaven as “the royalty”  - “the heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).  How can we wait even a moment and not give Christ every last vestige of our being. So much glory awaits us that we can never ever deserve. 

   When we are tempted by satan to doubt that God could really love and care about us, sinful as we are, we need to remember this deep expression of Christ’s and God’s love for us.  He made a grand sacrifice to make a highway for us to be delivered into heaven.  Our Forerunner is there!  He is waiting.  Shouldn’t we “follow in His Steps” (1 Peter 2:21) and allow Him to finish His work in us and present us trophies of His Omnipotent, Unfailing Grace - Yes, Royalty?   Why would we hang unto even one sin after experiencing such a blessed honor?  Is there anything at all in this world that is worth more than this?  What are we waiting for?  Let’s submit to Him now, and allow that work so that we can go Home!!

     It is very important for us to remember that we cannot follow in Christ’s footsteps in our own strength.  However, because Christ lived on this earth and experienced it’s hardships, He can understand our hurts, our temptations and He gives us strength to overcome.  “He IS able to succor” them that are tempted.  (Hebrews 2:18)

     When we enter heaven and stand on that beautiful, glorious sea of glass and Christ places those glittering crowns upon our heads Jesus can finally see the fulfillment of the prophecy in Is 53:11 “He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied.”  Christ can’t be satisfied till we are with Him forever.  He will rejoice over us and treat us as Royalty.  Then we will cast our crowns at His feet.  For it is truly Christ that is Royalty!  The way He treats us proves that Royal Blood runs in His veins.

THE WORK OF THE HIGH PRIEST

   The High Priest had duties that the other priests could not perform.  There were many priests who officiated in different services in the Sanctuary Service. And all these priests and their different duties represented all the aspects of Christ’s work.  However, the High Priest had a very special, sacred role in the whole system of services.   God specifically chose Aaron for the High Priest.

    There was a special consecration to the office of Priest and High Priest.  Aaron was dressed in special garments that were made directly as God had prescribed.  There were several sacrifices that were slain and blood of the “ram of consecration” was touched to the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons.  This was significant and it represented how important it was that their lives (now to be very visual representatives before God to the people of Israel) fully represented Christ - and that ears would not listen to the bad - that their hands would only do acts of Godliness - that their feet would not go in the way of wickedness.  The service included unleavened bread which represented “sincerity and truth” (see 1 Cor. 5:8).  Then the right shoulder of the sacrifice of consecration were all put upon Aaron and his son’s hands - this represented how with Jesus “The government would be upon His shoulder.” (Is 9:6). The Priests were to bare the burdens of the people. 

     Anointing oil and the blood was then sprinkled upon Aaron and his sons, representing both the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit which alone can fully qualify them to fill such a sacred office (Exodus 29: 5 -35). 

     It was designed that the High Priest should more nearly represent Christ than any of the other priests.  While the work of the all priests represented parts of the Christ’s work - the work of the High Priest was very special.  It was only the High Priest who could enter the most Holy Place.   Also it was the High Priest alone who could burn incense upon the golden altar before God and trim and light the lamps on the golden Candlestick each day.   

     On the tenth day of the seventh month, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place (or the second apartment)  which he did not and could not enter any other day of the year.  He entered to make atonement for the sins of the people.  Upon his breast the Priest wore a breast-plate of 12 stones each stone bearing the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This shows us that Christ carries us close to our hearts and that he knows each of us individually and confesses our names before God. 

     GARMENTS OF THE HIGH PRIEST

  The common priests were clothed in white linen (a representation of the Spotless Lamb of God) in whom they were chosen to minister before. 

   The High Priest wore the white garments on ordinary occasions, but when he entered the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the Children of Israel, he wore the beautiful robes which represented the High Priest (Jesus ) as He confesses our names before the judgment seat of God.

   Over the white robe the High Priest wore a robe of blue woven in one piece with a ornamentation of golden bells and pomegranates of blue, purple and gold all around the skirt of his robe.   Blue symbolizes loyalty and trust. Gold is of great value.  The pomegranates are a fruit that have many many many seeds.  Seeds are a representation of faith.  If we have faith as of a mustard seed we can move mountains.  By hanging these pomegranates on the hem of the High Priest’s garments – God is teaching us to have faith. Like the women in the Bible who touched the hem of Christ’s garment and received healing. So we may come by faith and receive restoration too.

   He also wore a sleeveless ephod of white linen that was embroidered in gold, blue, purple, and scarlet and it was worn over the blue robe.  The ephod was shorter than the other clothing and was belted at the waist by an embroidered girdle of the same color.    On the embroidered shoulders of gold of the ephod were two onyx stones (one on each shoulder).  Each stone had the twelve names of the tribes of Israel engraved  (six on each stone) thus again showing how Christ bears our trials and burdens and hurts on His own shoulders. 

    Over all these articles of clothing the High Priest wore the breastplate of the same material as the ephod.  It was square in shape and in it were set twelve precious stones, arranged in three rows and on each stone was engraved one of the names of the tribes of Israel.  The study of each of these stones would be fascinating.  The stones in the breastplate are the same as those that form the foundation of the New Jerusalem (see Ex. 28:2-39).   Then set on the breastplate - one on either side - were two brilliant stone that were called the Urim and Thummim.  These stones were used to obtain answers from God.  If light encircled the stone on the right the answer was “yes” and if the stone on the left was circled in light the answer was “no”.   It is interesting to  me that the Urim and Thummin was on the breast plate close to the High Priest’s Heart.  God is desiring to speak to us and give us guidance and answers – but we must open our hearts to Him.

     The Priest also wore a miter or a bonnet upon his head.  On the bonnet there was a gold plate with the inscription “Holiness to Jehovah” and was attached to the headpiece with a piece of blue lace.  

    Absolutely no priest was allowed to wear these priestly garments except when officiating in the sanctuary or court (Ez 44:19).   

     An interesting thought on the breastplate of stones is that these represent the names of those who allow Christ to bear their sins.  In a way they could represent the names of those who “overcome by the blood of the Lamb” and allow their High Priest (Christ) to represent them and intercede for them and present them “spotless” before the Throne of God.  Each stone is a hard enduring substance, but far more lasting is the book of life where the names of each overcomer is written and will remain forever - because Christ has confessed their names before the Universe. 

Part 1   Part 2  Part 3   Part 4                  Continue to Part 6