Thus, Aaron and his sons were ordained as Gods priests in accordance with all Gods commands. ";[8] according to the Bible this action eventually caused the whole of Israel to turn away from God yet again and the ruin of Gideon and his family. The blue cord represents that Jesus mind is our mind (i.e., the mind of Christ). In the Old Testament this word has two meanings; in one group of passages it signifies a garment; in another, very probably an image. This ephod might have been worn or set upon an altar. In 1 Chronicles 15 (27-28), though not a priest, King David is seen wearing a linen ephod (not the high priests ephod) as the ark of the covenant is returned to Jerusalem. It is finished; the work of mans redemption and salvation is now completed. The Aorist tense is only half of the perfect tense! Only Jesus Christ is worthy of our worship and devotion. All the priests, including the high priest, wore a white linen tunic or kethoneth(Hebrew), a long-sleeved ankle-length garment. They would be alone, isolated, without helpwithout God or a way to communicate with Him. thanks for this info concerning the ephod it helped me with my assignment. Sacr. [2] The verb --, "to gird," is used for an ephod, [3] implying that an ephod contains (or perhaps is) a belt or sash. Rather it was made into a weaving pattern of small boxes or cells, or diamond-shaped, giving it an appearance of a white on white honeycomb. This isnt mentioned negatively, but as an act of worship. A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When Youre Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The people of Israel worshipped the ephod as if it were a god. I will start by explaining what an ephod is, who was allowed to wear it, and what it looked like. It symbolized authority and power and signified the wearers status as a mediator between God and man. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. This sash was made of only white linen thread. God made a way. June 13, 2014 by Peter Leithart. These stones, however, stood in three rows, by four in a row, and were inserted into the breastplate itself, and they were set in (p)ouches of gold, that were themselves inserted in the breastplate and were so made that they might not fall out. The stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and they were arranged in four rows of three stones each. suggest that the ephod originally refers to a container for the stones used to cast lots and later became associated with many objects that also could contain the stones or were used in divination. 1 Peter 2:4,5. We are sinners in need of a Savior. God bless you . (g) With a garment like the priest's garment. God, the Father, takes the holy and righteous thoughts of Jesus and imputes them to us. The word "ephod" occurs 51 times in 41 verses in the NASB, and refers to the sacred outer garment worn by the high priest, made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn (colors of royalty), to which the breastpiece was attached, and worn over a blue robe. However, at Jesus Sanhedrin trial, the High Priest Caiaphas (the name means rock) tore his clothes even though this was forbidden. There are many opinions on what are the correct stones and order for the stones. Consequently, it is NOT all about us but rather all about Jesus Christ, and we are hidden in Him! That day was the highest andmost holy day of the year, the Day of Atonement, a day also called the Day of Judgment. (1) A sacred vestment originally designed for the high priest ( Exodus 28:4; 39:2 ), and made "of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen," held together by two shoulder-pieces and a skillfully woven band which served as a girdle for the ephod. 12 Fascinating Facts About the Ephod in the Bible, What is the spiritual meaning of the ephod today? It was slightly wider than a mans back since it was to cover his back and extend a little towards the front on both sides as well, covering a portion of his belly from either side. God made a way. It is mentioned throughout the Bible and has been worn by some of the most well-known figures in Christianity. Purple the God-Man (Blue+Red=Purple) Jesus who is the Last Adam! That is, his personal emotions cannot overrule his ministry to represent people to God. (2)http://www.templeinstitute.org/high-priest-garments-gallery.htm, (3) Ut supra. Through these holes, threads dyed with Sky-Blue color were run, and the ends of these threads were connected in the back of the priests head. Both were made of white linen, woven without a seam. It was thin enough to arch across the forehead like a bow. This led to idolatry and spiritual adultery. Hallelujah! We are now at peace with God because Jesus has born the full judgment of Gods wrath for us! . David leads the ark procession into Jerusalem wearing a linen ephod (1 Samuel 6). The ephod is a very important symbol in the Bible. His thoughts are for us. The Bible tells us that we are not to worship anything but God. God then gave Moses the Ten Commandments and other laws. Here is a super detailed video that explains the priestly garments with a very good visual: Exodus 28:30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aarons heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. There must have been a small golden ring attached to each corner of the breastplate to which, in turn, the golden chains and ribbons were connected. God was furious over their disobedience and faithlessness and planned to destroy the Israelites. The ephod enabled him to do his job and to properly hear God. Decorative pomegranates made of sky-blue, purple, and crimson-dyed wool were attached to the robes lower hem. The ephod also symbolized the high priests authority over the people. Purple is the color of Royalty. In Hebrew, the word for red is Adam or Edom. Adam, one of the words for man and literally means red-blooded man. It is derived from the root word in Hebrew for blood: Dam. Redspeaks of Jesus shed blood, The One Who became the second and last Adam, or red or red-blooded man.. On Mount Sinai, God commanded Moses to tell the people, Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised forever and ever! In the New Testament, the apostle Paul writes about the importance of clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:27). If you are unsure of what to do, dont be afraid to ask God for guidance. The other meaning of "ephod" is somewhat similardescribed less as a garment but rather more as an item of ceremonial, sacred significance, much like an idol or other special item to be worn but not necessarily an item of clothing. This means that we are eternally secure in Jesus. There is some deviation from the Breastplate order as the tribe of Levi is in the middle of the camp around the tabernacle, and the tribe of Joseph is replaced with his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, effectively giving the tribe of Joseph a double portion in the promised land. When Jesus says It is finished (or completed),what He is actually saying is, It is finishedand will continue to be finished. The first element of the perfect tense: the Aorist, punctiliar, point in time statement It is finished is powerful. Mathew Henry describes all that is finishedat that exact moment in time: It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. 5. It was made of linen with gold, blue, purple and scarlet. As Christians, we can look at the image of the ephod and praise God that through the death of His Son, Jesus our Great High Priest, we can have direct access to God. Red and blue combined yield purple. with all his mightintimating violent efforts of leaping, and divested of his royal mantle (in a state of undress), conduct apparently unsuitable to the gravity of age or the dignity of a king. This skillful weave was not the routine cross-weave pattern found in most linen garments made from Israels looms. He is the only one who can give us true peace and satisfaction. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6a). These straps went behind, up, and slightly over the garments upper corners, over the priests shoulders. After the Day of Atonements conclusion, he will never again wear the white garments he officiated on this day. The ephod also had a waistband, which was made of gold and was also attached to the ephod at the two upper corners (Exodus 28:27-28). Why did David request the ephod knowing he wasnt the High Priest? It was as if The Word (i.e., Jesus) offered the animal sacrifices to God the Father. He also had a Shechemite concubine who bore him a son whom he named Abimelech, which means "my father is king" (Judges 8:31). Only the special priest could wear the ephod. It was worn outside the robe and probably kept in place by a girdle and by shoulder pieces, from which hung the breast piece (or pouch) containing the sacred lots (divinatory objects), Urim and Thummim, whose precise function is now unknown. (Genesis 3:19). When David asked for the Ephod, he was asking for a symbol of Gods presence and favor. Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? So when they wanted to know Gods will, they consulted a priest or prophet, who would then speak to God on their behalf. He was also the King of Salem, which means peace. God bless you! God tells Moses the two stones upon the ephod are, in fact, memorial stones for the sons of Israel and that Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord (Exodus 28:12). This arrangement of the tribes forms a cross with its base to the East. An ephod was a garment usually made of linen that covered the priest from the shoulder to the hip. Likely this had to do with the sacredness of the priesthoods garments and what these materials and colors represented typologically. White typifies righteousness and purity. The ephod is frequently mentioned in close connection with the sacred oracle. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord. The onyx stones were meant to be memorial stones, we are told in Exodus 28:12, representing the sons of Israelliterally, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel, through his 12 sons birthed through his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. Then take two lazuli stones and engrave on them the names . Description. What Do We Learn about Babylon in the Bible? God desires His ministers to be even-tempered (i.e., cool-headed). More specifically, it was worn only by the high priestthe head of the Aaronic priesthood. - They shall make the ephod The word ephod signifies etymologically any "vestment" or "garment;" but in its use it is confined to the special vestment here described, the great object of which was to be a receptacle for the "breast-plate." The ephod was a sort of jerkin or waistcoat, consisting of two pieces, one to cover the chest and the other the back, joined together probably by a . The robe is put on from above, meaning not self-appointed but rather office and authority God appointed (John 19:11). No need for a third or more Adam as this one finished the work! 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. The high priest used the ephod along with the breastplate and the Urim and Thummim as a means of divination. Wearing the Ephod demonstrated his humility and faith. Pomegranates, by contrast, are somewhat easier to identify. It also points to Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest, who sacrificed Himself for our sins. For Glory and Beauty, the garments bring praise to God and admiration from all that gaze upon them. Blue, purple, and scarlet wool yarn along with white linen thread and pure gold thread of the ephod. The high priest, in particular, wore skillfully crafted, expensive and beautiful items to indicate that he had been consecrated by God to come before Him on behalf of the nation. (John 19:30) It is the verb form of the word, Complete. This is the root word for Tekhelet, pronounced te-KAY-let, which was theblue tunicworn by the high priest. The ephod was worn by David while dancing in the presence of the Ark (containing the stone tablets). But Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people, and God relented. The ephod is a garment of great significance. From this description it appears to have been something like an apron or skirt with braces,[1] though Rashi argued that it was like a woman's riding girdle. May God bless you abundantly! 1 : a linen apron worn in ancient Hebrew rites especially : a vestment for the high priest 2 : an ancient Hebrew instrument of priestly divination Word History Etymology Middle English, from Late Latin, from Hebrew phdh First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Time Traveler But what is an ephod, exactly? The ephod also symbolized the importance of obedience to Gods laws. The making of the gold thread provides a glimpse into what our Jesus endured for our sakes when He was beaten, pressed, hammered, cut, bruised, and battered for our redemption. We know the ephod was a tool of ceremonya special, ornate, handcrafted item with great significance. Pomegranates a reminder that mans (i.e., the First Adams) disobedience by partaking of the forbidden fruit (i.e., a pomegranate) from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil resulted in spiritual death (i.e., separation from God), thus requiring God to come from Heaven as a man born of a virgin (i.e., Jesus the Last Adam) to shed His Royal blood to pay the price for our redemption. (John 10:28,29) Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38,39). When Gideon made the ephod, he made it an object of worship for the Israelites. When we understand this, we can see how important it is to have a relationship with him. The wearing of the ephod, however, is spoken of in 1Samuel 22:18 as characteristic of the priests, and in Judges 8:27; Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14-20, it is connected with idolatrous worship. Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like itof one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen (Exodus 28:6-8 NIV). Chitn is the word in the Greek Old Testament for the tunic/undergarment worn by all priests, while a different word, hypodyts ( ), is usually the word for the priestly robe. Titus 2:14) The names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. We have His revealed and complete Word The Bible. The high priest was to wear the ephod as a reminder that he must obey all of Gods laws. White Righteousness and purity. Today, the ephod is not worn by the High Priest. It is often used in ceremonial dress, and it is also used in religious artwork. Now thenames of all those sons of Jacob were engraved on these stones, whom we esteem the head of our tribes, each stone having the honor of a name, in theorder according to which they were born. Although the linen ephod is primarily associated with the high priests garments, it was by no means limited to the high priest. According to the Talmud, the wearing of the ephod atoned for the sin of idolatry on the part of the Children of Israel.[7]. The perfect tense is a combination of two Greek tenses: the Present tense and the Aorist tense. (Exodus 33:20-23. Also, the names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. (3) The ephod covered the back of his body. Finally, I will take a look at the significance of the ephod today and how it can be applied to our lives. 2 Timothy 1:9. Mandrakes in the Bible | Thought-Provoking! Again, linen isa unique fabric that keeps the wearer cool in hot weather and warm when it is cold which were very practical qualities for living in an arid climate with hot days and cold nights. God is holy and sin separated God from His people but they could still come before Him through a priest following sacrifices and cleansing. Blue Heaven the abode of God. It is also the color ofgrace. I hope this post shows you the depth of the word of God and how the Lord Jesus came to fulfill the law. It was an integral part of being ceremonially ready to serve God. Satan seeks to display them in a shameful, exploitative way leading to a sense of vulnerability that approximates a fear of evil (Genesis 3:7). Urim and Thummim are two stones that were set in the ephod and were used to inquire of the Lord about specific matters. Although there is some mystery around it, it appears that the stones were a way for the Israelites to hear from God directly. His name is Jesus Christ, and He is our great High Priest. Shortly after, in Leviticus 8, we read how Moses then adorned Aaron with the priestly garments, fastening them all on him just so. The ephod is a garment of great significance. There were also had two shoulder straps that were sewn onto the belt. The first of the fourth row was achrysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which was the last of all. When Jesus cried out FINISHED from the cross, He only said one word in Aramaic:KLH: Finished or fulfilled! The breastplate was held in place by golden chains attached to the onyx shoulder clasps and blue lace ribbons, which attached the breastplate to the ephod. Although David was not a priest, he was a man of God who sought to follow His will in all things. The preciousness of Jesus in the eyes of God the Father has been imputed to us even as His righteousness has been imputed to us. Jesus the Messiah! Verse 14 says he was wearing a linen ephod as he danced before the LORD. He reminded His people of His faithfulness with beautiful depictions of the names of the 12 sons of Jacob on the onyx stones on the ephod (and breastpiece). The garment hung down in front and in the back, and its length extended all the way down to the priests feet. The holy garments that the priests wore while performing their duties set them apart from the rest of the Israelites. Over a robe of checker work the High Priest wore a garment called an 'ephod'. Jesus is the one who can help us find forgiveness and eternal life. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. It was made . We are dependent on Him for everything. These straps were attached to the ephod at the two upper corners. Well. In order to understand the ephod, lets try to get a picture of what the priestly garments are comprised of since they were a unit (See Per Exodus 28:4): Lets touch on a few essential pieces of the priestly garments: It was made of linen, and it had two shoulder straps attached to it. God is not looking at my thoughts to judge me but rather the thoughts of the high priest. Only he can save us from our sins and give us eternal life. (Matthew 26:62-65). Gideons ephod became a snare because it was an object of worship. Again, He assesses us in the light of His unique Son, Jesus. That is, right standing or rather the right to stand before our Holy God. So, just as the ephod was a reminder of Gods power for the Israelites, so too can our relationship with Jesus be a source of strength and comfort for us. [1][2] The object made by Gideon is plainly described as having been worshipped, and therefore the idol of some deity, while the object made by Micah is closely associated with a Teraphim, and the Ephod and Teraphim are described interchangeably with the Hebrew terms pesel and massekah, meaning graven image, and molten image, respectively. The same as High Priests Tunic previously described. It is usually described and being made of linen but was not a full garment; more like a loincloth but not a complete outer garment. As previously stated,Urim and Thummim were an important part of the ephod and were used to inquire of the Lord about specific matters. God invents boxer shorts! Very informative, people need to study the Old Testament more for a solid foundation of understanding of the New Testament. He was not prepared, not clean and holy enough, to do the work of the Lord. That means today there is a real, live, beating human heart in Heaven representing you and meat the right hand of the Father. Jesus, the one full of Grace and Truth! (Genesis 14:18,20. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them (Exodus 19:21-22). And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aarons heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Ephesians 2:8,9. (1 Corinthians 1:30) The Father sees us in His Son, not apart from Him with the glorious radiance of the One that is Altogether Lovely (i.e., Totally Desirable) shines upon us. But the people had gone astray, as the Bible tells us. And why was it important? Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. (John 10:28,29). There was also a finely woven linen element to the piece. It was a strip twice as long as it was wide but folded back on itself to form a square bag into which theUrimandThummimwere placed. However . He wanted to wear it to signify that God was with him and would help him defeat his enemies. The exact meaning and derivation of the term "ephod" are not clear. The Bible instructs that each thread used in the High Priests breastplate and ephod must be 28 plies. There was also a girdle sewed to the breastplate. The Stones of the Ephod. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! The high priest wore it when he went into the Holy of Holies to intercede with God on behalf of the people. This ephod might have been worn or set upon an altar. [1][2], Even the ephods used for oracular purposes were not necessarily just pieces of cloth, as they are not described as being worn, but carried (though some translations render 1 Samuel 2:28 as wear an ephod rather than carry an ephod[4]); the Hebrew term used in these passages for carry is nasa, which specifically implies that the Ephod was carried either in the hand or on the shoulder.
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